Peterson Park Public Boat Ramp is a freshwater boat ramp on Lake John, and it earns its spot in Polk County thanks to easy access and quick water. Boaters here tend to be a friendly, early-rising bunch — get there at first light and you'll see why. It runs a single lane, so plan to arrive early on peak weekends. As of the last FWC inventory update, launching is free here.
Share your photo of Peterson Park Public Boat Ramp
Been to this ramp? Add a photo to help other Florida boaters know what to expect.
Photos are reviewed before appearing on the site. JPG/PNG/HEIC, up to 15 MB.
At a glance
- County
- Polk
- City
- Lakeland
- Waterbody
- Lake John
- Water type
- Freshwater
- Ramp type
- Stand Alone Ramp
- Launch lanes
- 1
- Ramp surface
- Concrete
- Dock
- No Docks
- Parking surface
- Paved - Asphalt or Concrete
- Trailer parking
- 6
- Restroom
- Flush Toilet
- Fee required
- No
- Managed by
- City of Lakeland
- Status
- Open for Business
- Hours
- Sunrise to Sunset
Address: 3700 Cleveland Street, Lakeland, FL, 33803 · Coordinates: 27.996355, -81.943133
Get directions on Google Maps →
Where it is
Live NEXRAD radar from Iowa State Mesonet — past ~65 minutes animated. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Ramp location from the FWC boat ramp inventory. Not for navigation.
On-water restrictions nearby
No mapped state manatee-protection or boating-safety zones were found within 500 m of this ramp in the current FWC dataset. This does not mean the area is unrestricted — posted signs and other local, state, or federal rules may still apply.
Restriction zones: For general awareness only — not for navigation or legal determination. Florida Administrative Code and posted on-water signs prevail. Other local, state, or federal restricted zones may exist that are not shown here. Source: FWC manatee protection & boating-safety GIS layers. Zone data as of .
What to know before you launch
- Clean, drain, and dry your boat between freshwater launches to help stop the spread of invasive plants like hydrilla.
- Parking and lane space can be tight on weekends; have your gear staged and your plug in before you back down.
- Always check current tides, wind, and marine forecasts before you launch — Florida afternoons can turn stormy fast.
Tides at the nearest station
The closest NOAA tide station is Old Port Tampa, about 38 miles away. Here are today's predicted highs and lows (referenced to MLLW):
Boater discussion
Been to Peterson Park Public Boat Ramp? Share tide tips, parking notes, or what you caught. Sign in with Google, Facebook, Twitter, or Disqus — comments are reviewed before appearing. See our privacy notes on Disqus for what's shared.