Is Buenaventura Lakes safe?
Kissimmee, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Buenaventura Lakes as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Buenaventura Lakes
“Go. Buenaventura Lakes is a quiet, family-oriented residential community with low rates of violent crime and a strong cultural footprint. While there is limited traditional tourism infrastructure, visitors stopping for authentic dining or staying in vacation rentals can explore comfortably with standard vehicle security precautions.”
About the area
Buenaventura Lakes is an established master-planned suburban community situated in northern Osceola County just south of Orlando International Airport. Primarily residential, the neighborhood is known for its strong Puerto Rican and Hispanic community presence, featuring bustling neighborhood strip malls, local bakeries, and suburban cul-de-sacs.
- Suburban / Residential
- Family-Friendly
- Hispanic Cultural Hub
- Car-Dependent
Walking and biking in Buenaventura Lakes
Walk score: 32/100 · Bike score: 42/100
There is no bike-share program available, and while some arterial roads feature painted bike lanes, high vehicle speeds make cycling primarily a recreation option inside parks or quiet subdivisions.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime rate relative to core urban areas in the Orlando-Kissimmee metro
- High residential stability anchored by an established homeownership base
- Exceptional concentration of authentic Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Latin American culinary spots
Cons
- Incidents of opportunistic property crime such as vehicle burglaries in shared parking lots
- Heavy traffic congestion and ongoing road construction along major arteries like Simpson Road
- Sprawling suburban design with minimal pedestrian lighting and infrastructure outside main parks
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is low within the residential areas, with occasional individuals near major commercial intersections along Boggy Creek Road or Simpson Road, but no large encampments exist.
What Buenaventura Lakes is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and safe, with routine commuter traffic, school bus runs, and joggers using the main park pathways.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Busy suburban flow around local shopping centers and school zones with no major safety concerns.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Calm and family-centered as residential streets quiet down and strip plaza restaurants fill with diners.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very low foot traffic and quiet subdivision streets where basic awareness and locking car doors are recommended.
Transit, parking and getting around
Local transit is provided by LYNX bus service (including Route 18 and Route 407 connecting toward the airport and downtown Kissimmee); the nearest SunRail commuter train station is the Kissimmee Station roughly 7 miles west.
Parking is abundant and free throughout the area, utilizing large surface lots in shopping centers and private driveways or street parking in residential subdivisions.
Things to do in Buenaventura Lakes
- Stroll the paved paths and enjoy the sports courts at 65th Infantry Veterans Park
- Embark on a culinary tour of local panaderías and mofongo spots along Buenaventura Boulevard
- Take a short drive north to explore airboat tours and fishing along Boggy Creek and East Lake Tohopekaliga
Local favorites
- Melao Bakery · Puerto Rican Bakery & Cafe · 4.4★ (4550)Popular gathering place famous for fresh quesitos, sandwiches, mofongo, and hot cafeteria-style lunch.
- El Cilantrillo Restaurant · Puerto Rican Restaurant · 4.5★ (3200)Lively, colorfully decorated eatery serving hearty portions of churrasco, mofongo, and fried pork chunks.
- Taino's Bakery & Cafe · Bakery · 4.4★ (1250)Casual neighborhood bakery offering Puerto Rican bread, specialty pastries, and rich espresso.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.