Cypress Gardens
What Do You Remember
Pete DeVito
June 11, 2018
Most all of us that are at least 40 years of age visited the old Cypress Gardens at some point in their life. I was not old enough to walk the first time my parents took me to the gardens. As the years went by, I visited the gardens more times than I can count, each time it was as much fun as the first time. The ski show was the highlight, with the jumpers and the clowns, I guess I was just too young for those beautiful Southern Belles.
I grew up not far from Cypress Gardens on a beautiful white sand bottom lake. I learned to ski at a very early age and it became my primary sport growing up. Cypress Gardens made their own water skis just outside of Winter Haven and some of them had flaws that they could not sell. We would go down to the factory and pick through the skis and come out with the best in the pile. We would hunt for the newest skis on the market so we could brag a little. Kids today have a lot of water toys that are fun but I can tell you, skiing on a wooden Ski Skat trick slalom or a pair of shoe skis will put a grin on your face.
The Sunnyland Chapter held their annual meeting at Cypress Gardens for many years until the gardens closed in 2003.