Although not an official Florida municipality, Paradise City—Sun ’n Fun, Lakeland, Florida—has been a widely recognized, acclaimed, and populated city for one week each spring. It has no official government, police force, or even public utilities (unless you count porta-potties). However, it does have a happy and enthusiastic population the first week of every April. In fact, it has become so popular that it has sprung forth a suburb.
Welcome to Bushwheel Basecamp, Lakeland’s newest mini municipality. With the emergence of the bush plane revolution in the West, new homebuilts with slats, flaperons, monster tires, and howitzer-sized shock absorbers have sprung up like wildflowers in the spring. So many have flooded Paradise City that they decided to give them a space of their own—east of Paradise’s grass runway.
Prominent Bushwheel Basecamp residents are competitors in the burgeoning sport of STOL competition. While some certified Cessnas have competed (170s and 180s), the vast majority of bush planes have been experimental—from Kitfoxes to Zeniths, and an array of Cub variants. They’re not cheap, most cracking the six-figure barrier.
It’s quite the experience visiting Bushwheel Basecamp. It’s a remarkable community. You could almost call it a family—an inclusive family at that. Spectators and outsiders are welcomed and enjoyed. Every evening, after the Paradise City runway has shut down, residents gather. Beverages are consumed, hangar tales are raucously recounted, and even songs are sung.
Quite the new suburb.
