Skip to Main Content

Exhibits in the Water Ski Museum.

Water Ski Experience Hall of Fame and Museum

Field review by the editors.

Polk City, Florida

It may never equal the status of some other sports hall of fames, but the Water Ski Experience Hall of Fame and Museum is no less passionate about its chosen obsession. The Hall of Fame enshrines luminaries such as Tommy Bartlett and Dick Pope (the developer of Cypress Gardens). The museum presents displays of vintage tow ropes, grip bars, and outboard motors, and a bust of Ralph Samuelson, "The Father of Water Skiing," who invented the sport in 1922. His very first pair of home-built water skis is the museum's most prized artifact.

Opened in 2002, the Water Ski Experience Hall of Fame and Museum overlooks stunt-ramp friendly Lake Grew, which was specially built just for water skiers.

Water Ski Experience Hall of Fame and Museum

Address:
1251 Holy Cow Rd, Polk City, FL
Directions:
I-4 exit 44. Drive north on Hwy 559 for about a mile. Turn right onto Hwy 557A. Drive a little over a mile, then bear left at the fork onto Holy Cow Rd. The big blue building will be on the right.
Hours:
M-F 10-5 (Call to verify) Local health policies may affect hours and access.
Phone:
863-324-2472
Admission:
Adults $5.
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

24-Foot-Tall Potty Chair24-Foot-Tall Potty Chair, Winter Haven, FL - 12 mi.
Legoland Florida - USA in MiniatureLegoland Florida - USA in Miniature, Winter Haven, FL - 13 mi.
Original Red Lobster (Building)Original Red Lobster (Building), Lakeland, FL - 13 mi.
In the region:
Power Station Manatees, Apollo Beach, FL - 46 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in Florida

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Florida.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Create Your Own Bizarre Road Trips! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Florida Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings