Is Lakewood & Riverwood Acres safe?
Tallahassee, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Mostly yes, with normal city awareness.
VibeLoco rates Lakewood & Riverwood Acres as “Go, stay aware”.
Gogo's take on Lakewood & Riverwood Acres
“Go with care. Lakewood and Riverwood Acres is a quiet, low-density residential pocket in southwest Tallahassee that is generally safe for visits, walks, and residential stays. While the neighborhood itself experiences minimal violent crime, visitors should practice basic awareness regarding vehicle security due to regional property theft trends.”
About the area
Lakewood and Riverwood Acres is an established, heavily wooded mid-century residential neighborhood situated near Lake Bradford in southwest Tallahassee. It offers spacious lots, mature tree canopies, and a calm suburban environment just minutes from regional parks and university facilities.
- Wooded Suburban
- Quiet Residential
- Car-Dependent
- Nature Adjacent
Walking and biking in Lakewood & Riverwood Acres
Walk score: 18/100 · Bike score: 42/100
Interior roads lack designated bike lanes but have low vehicular speeds; cyclists can access the Capital Cascades Trail connectors and the St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail within a short ride.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Low-density residential layout keeps through-traffic minimal and violent crime rare within the subdivision.
- Higher homeownership rates compared to student-dominated neighborhoods in the city foster community stability.
- Convenient access to major natural attractions including Lake Bradford and the Tallahassee Museum.
Cons
- Limited municipal streetlighting on interior roads creates poor visibility at night.
- Lack of sidewalks throughout the neighborhood requires walking in the roadway.
- Occasional opportunistic property crimes, particularly vehicle burglaries, consistent with southwest Tallahassee trends.
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is practically nonexistent within the interior residential subdivisions, though occasional individuals experiencing homelessness or panhandling can be seen at commercial intersections along West Orange Avenue and Springhill Road.
What Lakewood & Riverwood Acres is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Peaceful and quiet, ideal for morning walks or runs along the shaded residential streets.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Low-traffic and calm, with occasional neighborhood vehicles and landscape services active.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Subdued and safe, though the lack of streetlights means outdoor activities wind down quickly after sunset.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Very dark and isolated; walking is not recommended due to zero pedestrian lighting and limited sightlines.
Transit, parking and getting around
StarMetro provides municipal bus service to the broader area, with routes running along nearby Springhill Road and Orange Avenue, though no direct bus service penetrates the interior subdivision streets; Tallahassee has no passenger rail system.
Parking is exceptionally easy, consisting of private driveways and unrestricted, free curbside parking along residential roads with no meters or permit requirements.
Things to do in Lakewood & Riverwood Acres
- Explore native Florida wildlife and historic buildings at the adjacent Tallahassee Museum.
- Rent paddleboards, canoes, or kayak at the FSU Lakefront Park (The Rez) on Lake Bradford.
- Connect to the nearby St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail for a long-distance scenic bike ride.
Local favorites
- Tallahassee Museum · Outdoor History & Nature Museum · 4.7★ (3250)A 52-acre outdoor museum featuring native wildlife habitats, historic rural buildings, and zipline courses.
- FSU Lakefront Park (The Rez) · Outdoor Recreation Facility · 4.7★ (690)A 73-acre lakeside park offering waterfront recreation, climbing walls, and kayak rentals on Lake Bradford.
- Mo-Betta BBQ · Barbecue Restaurant · 4.5★ (180)Casual local barbecue spot serving classic smoked ribs, pulled pork, and traditional southern sides.
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.