Land O Lakes, located north of Lutz just across the Hillsborough/Pasco county line, is just 15 miles from USF. This newly developed town has a lot to offer other than its convenient location. Because this area has just recently begun developing into a desirable residential community, there are many new homes and apartments in close proximity to great shops and restaurants as well as some older and much more rural homes.
Housing
Just as its name implies, Land O Lakes is full of lakes, and many of the town’s housing and apartment communities were developed around these lakes and nature preserves as well. There is a wide selection of affordable single family homes, apartments, townhomes and condos, many built in the last five years and many new developments are currently being planned.
Things To Do
There are many outdoor attractions and activities in and near Land O Lakes including the Land O Lakes Recreation Center which features baseball, basketball, football and soccer fields, an Olympic-size swimming pool, tennis courts and a top of the line playground. Land O Lakes is close to the 8,000 acre Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park which features camping, biking and jogging trails, equestrian trails, hiking trails, fishing and picnic facilities. Of course there are also many lakes in this community that allow for fishing and boating. Golf courses include the public courses of the Groves Golf and Country Club and Plantation Palms Golf Club.
For indoor entertainment there is the nearby Cobb Cinebistro of Wesley Chapel which offers 16 regular movie theaters and one that serves fantastic food and regular and adult beverages, including a full liquor bar and lounge.
Dining and Shopping
While there are several large retailers in Land O Lakes, it is also in close proximity to two large shopping centers, Shops at Wiregrass and The Grove at Wesley Chapel, both are fairly new pedestrian-friendly, outdoor village style shopping centers that have outdoor plazas, side walks and benches. At both you will find large big-name department stores, specialty shops, high end bars and restaurants. There are also plans in Land O Lakes for a shopping mall of its own which will open in a year or two. It is planned to be the largest in Florida and include restaurants and a movie theater.
Restaurants in Land O Lakes include Chili's, Hungry Harry's Famous Bar-B-Que, Beef O'Brady's , Pizza Suprema Italian Restaurant, Steve's Fountain View Restaurant and Rapscallions.
Traffic and Driving
I-75 is located just minutes from almost anywhere in Land O Lakes and is the quickest way to get to USF. While parts of I-75 can get congested during rush hours, there has been some construction done to alleviate some of that congestion and will improve more in the near future. The major roads in Wesley Chapel are State Road 54 which travels east toward Zephryhills and west toward New Port Richey and US Highway 41 which travels north and south into Tampa. The Veterans Expressway is also easily accessible from Land O Lakes.
Schools
Public schools include Oakstead Elementary, Lake Myrtle Elementary, Connerton Elementary, Charles Rushe Middle, Pineview Middle, Sunlake High and Land O Lakes High. Private schools include Academy at the Lakes, Countryside Montesorri Academy and Land O Lakes Christian. Colleges and universities include USF just to the south and St. Leo University just to the east in San Antonio.
Business
As new up and coming city, much of Land O Lakes commerce is generated by commercial and residential development, retail and hospitality. As the town continues to expand at a rapid rate there are always opportunities for business expansion and new businesses.
From Wikipedia