Welcome to historic Babcock Ranch, the hometown of tomorrow! I’m Syd Kitson, chairman and CEO of Kitson & Partners, the developer of Babcock Ranch. As the first solar-powered town in America, we set out to prove that a new town and the environment can live in harmony, and is committed to being a living laboratory for new ideas and ways of living. Babcock Ranch is the most sustainable, resilient and innovative new town of the future! During the tour, you’ll enjoy just a small sample of what makes Babcock Ranch THE place to live, including recreation, schools, nature and shopping! Your Babcock Ranch adventure starts now!
Babcock Schools
As you approach the roundabout, you’ll see Babcock Neighborhood School for grades K-8 and Babcock Ranch High School. Babcock Schools are public charter schools of choice for families seeking a more purposeful, hands-on approach to education. Their K-12 program employs an integrated STEAM curriculum that harmoniously combines real-word learning, high student engagement, and strong community partnerships. Babcock Schools recently received an “A” grade from the Florida Department of Education.
Jack Peeples Park
Adjacent to Babcock Neighborhood School is Jack Peeples Park, a public park offering wonderful outdoor recreation for all ages. Jack Peeples Park features 12 pickleball courts, four tennis courts, a full basketball court, two bocce ball courts, a community multipurpose field, and a playground.
Cypress Lodge and Innovation Tower
To your left is Cypress Lodge, which spans 17,000 square feet and houses a large resort-style swimming pool, a game lawn, and a clubhouse that blends modern comfort with nods to Fred C. Babcock’s historic home located in the Babcock Ranch preserve. Cypress Lodge and its pool are open to all residents of Babcock Ranch. Steps away is Innovation Park with its 150-foot boardwalk, floating dock, and iconic Innovation Tower, a hometown beacon for Babcock Ranch. The tower, 67 feet high and featuring more than 100 LED lights, represents Babcock Ranch’s commitment to sustainable growth, environmental preservation, and an innovative spirit.
The PKWY
You’ll soon be approaching THE PKWY, a collection of six new innovative parks nestled in the heart of MidTown. The PKWY spans approximately 313 acres of lush preserve space along Babcock Trail and offers custom park equipment, themed playgrounds, grassy mounds and multipurpose fields for picnics and community gatherings.
Bluebird Park
Bluebird Park features grassy mounds, bluebird-themed play structures, restrooms, and an innovative playground with shade canopies.
Hillcrest Park
Hillcrest Park contains a two-story observation tower built on a hill showcasing scenic views and features additional grassy mounds (the kind for rolling down), hillside slides and climbing nets.
The Lagoon
With over three acres of water, The Lagoon promises hours of catch-and-release fishing fun. It offers easy-to-access fishing areas, including a fishing pier with floating docks plus a shade pavilion, restrooms and a crushed shell walking path circling the lake.
Explorers Park
Explorers Park is a fully accessible park for people of all abilities. With funding partially provided by the Florida legislature, this one-of-a-kind park features a playground with custom equipment that allows the imagination to run wild, including an enormous alligator-shaped play structure, a life-size airboat, a farmstand, a restroom, and special sensory areas including a 3-D simulation of a Florida panther and cub along with a sensory farm park. Next to the park in the fenced-in area is the future site of the Florida Wild+Life Center, a state-of-the-art immersive experience designed to showcase the Florida Wildlife Cooridor, Everglades, cattle ranching, and agriculture.
Bark Park
Bark Park is a pooch playground that’s a favorite destination for pets and their people. Perfect for enjoying the dog days of summer, the park features designated play areas for small and large dogs, agility equipment, shade pavilions, watering stations, restrooms and a pet memorial.
Palmetto Park
Palmetto Park is geared for intense play with a multi-purpose field, a covered basketball court, exercise areas and equipment, a splash pad, a two-story tree-house-themed playground, and a forested picnic area with shelters.
Bloom Academy
We have arrived at Bloom Academy, which is a pre-K school serving ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. Led by former teachers and those with extensive childhood experience, Bloom Academy’s programs teach social skills and early education in an amazing setting and safe environment. Bloom Academy is not a Day Care – It’s an innovative learning environment for our youngest Babcock residents.
The Shoppes at Yellow Pine
Building upon the enormous success of Crescent B Commons, The Shoppes at Yellow Pine is a lakefront retail plaza designed as an exciting go-to destination featuring national and local retailers, dining establishments, Tampa General Hospital Urgent Care Powered by Fast Track, additional medical and wellness services, and more.
Crescent B Commons
Convenience close to home is guaranteed when you live in Babcock Ranch with Crescent B Commons, our retail plaza offering a variety of shopping, dining experiences, health and wellness services, pet care, and Babcock Ranch’s very own Publix with a drive-thru pharmacy and adjacent liquor store, and a playground.
Lake Timber Lodge
To your right is Lake Timber Lodge, offering a lake house feel with its rustic decor that residents enjoy, along with a resort-style swimming pool. Like Cypress Lodge, Lake Timber Lodge is also open to all residents of Babcock Ranch. The screened-in porch creates a tranquil escape, perfect for relaxing with a good book on a quiet afternoon. The Lodge also features a zero-entry pool and playground, and the surrounding property offers a serene view of the lake. The shoreline has a fishing dock that’s visited by herons, egrets, pelicans and other wild birds, and turtles, and a paved path winds through the property for walkers, birdwatchers, runners, and bicyclists.
Trails
Babcock Ranch’s opportunities for outdoor exploration are endless. One of our many trails, Dick Cuda Trail, is located to your right by entering the trailhead at Sunset Park. Once completed, our trail network will extend nearly 150 miles. Nature enthusiasts can bike along our numerous lakes, explore Florida scrub, and find a route that you’ll love to walk, run, or bike day after day. Our trails cater to all abilities, from the quarter-mile Lake Bullhorn Trail in Bullhorn Park along the banks of its namesake lake, to the four-mile network of paths within Bill Hammond Trails. These beautiful natural trails wind their way through the picturesque landscape of Babcock Ranch, offering a diverse range of experiences for all who experience them.
Welcome Back to Founder's Square
Welcome back to Founder’s Square! It’s been a pleasure guiding you on this tour, and I hope you enjoyed it. This was just a sample of what the hometown of tomorrow has to offer. I hope that this tour has shown you why we believe that Babcock Ranch is a unique place with an unmatched lifestyle. I invite you to learn more about Babcock Ranch from a Town Ambassador inside the Discovery Center. They can help connect you with one of our world-class builders. Welcome to Babcock Ranch!
