John’s Lake is a 2,424 acre large lake located in Southwest Orlando. John’s lake is a chain of lakes including John’s Lake, Black Lake, and Clear Lake. The lake is famous for Bass fishing, but also has several other species of fish such as Bluegill, Perch, and Shellcracker. John’s Lake has a boat ramp which is maintained by the Florida Fish and Game commission. The ramp is located off Highway 50. The ramp also has a floating dock where shore fishing is allowed. There are anglers which offer guided fishing tours of the lake. John’s Lake has little development to its’ Southern shore. John’s Lake is a great place for fishing and boating with lots of natural beauty.

Lake Apopka to the North of Oakland is known for its poor water quality. Water quality damage became apparent from years of effluents dumped by sewage treatment and citrus processing plants, as well as fertilizers and pesticides from vegetable farming around the lake. High-nutrient effluents in the lake encouraged wide-spread algae blooms, blocking sunlight, choking productive submerged plants and causing a decline in gamefish populations. By 1970 Lake Apopka was no longer a fishing destination. In 1991, a group of real estate partners created the Friends of Lake Apopka to help save the lake. The District and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) purchased almost all the farms creating havoc on the lake for restoration between 1988 and 2001. This contributed to reducing discharges of excessive nutrients from farms to the lake. Then in 1996, the Lake Apopka Improvement and Management Act authorized the District to set a phosphorus concentration target. The combination of voluntary and financial support has had a measured effect on the pollution that made Lake Apopka nationally infamous as the most polluted body of water in Florida. There is still much work that needs to be done to recover Lake Apopka, but the Lake is on its path to recovery. 

The Oakland Nature Preserve is a 128-acre nature preserve. The preserve was created as part of the rehabilitation of Lake Apopka. It has a lengthy boardwalk for the public to enjoy a leisurely stroll along while enjoying a piece of nature. The preserve has an environmental and educational center with live animals, natural history museum, as well as offering tours of the preserve. The preserve is home to a vast range of animals including several species of threatened birds. The museum and boardwalk are open to the public at no charge.

The elementary school for Oakland is Tildenville. The middle school is Lakeview. The high school is currently West Orange. School zones change so be sure to verify the school by address before purchasing a property with Orange County Public Schools. The school grades also change. It is a good idea to look at grades over a few year period to get an idea on the overall character of a school. School zones change so be sure to verify the school by address before purchasing a property with Orange County Public Schools. The school grades also change. It is a good idea to look at grades over a few year period to get an idea on the overall character of a school.

The majority of the homes in Oakland are located in the downtown area of Oakland or along John’s Lake to the South including the communities of John’s Landing and John’s Cove. The prices of homes in John’s Landing and John’s Cove vary depending if the property has a lake view or not, as well as if they are located waterfront. The waterfront homes have obviously higher prices.