Lodging

Best Florida B&Bs: Lodging as an experience

by Bob Rountree and Bonnie Gross × on 08/01/2013 at 12:12 pm ×

Our favorite B&Bs will help you have an authentic and memorable Florida experience — not a night in Anywhere USA.

Kayaking past the fishing pier in the lagoon area of Oleta River State Park. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Oleta River State Park feels like island getaway in Miami urban sprawl

by Bob Rountree and Bonnie Gross × on 04/19/2018 at 11:58 am ×

This Miami state park, 10 minutes from sprawling Aventura Mall, is a remarkable island of green where you can kayak, mountain bike, picnic and enjoy a sandy beach. There are even rustic cabins to rent.

Gilbert's Resort, the first lodging once you cross into the Florida Keys, is a great place to watch a Florida Keys sunset. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

36 hours in Key Largo: Gilbert’s Resort and kayaking the wreck at Garden Cove

by Bonnie Gross × on 12/21/2017 at 6:20 am ×

For a quick trip to the Keys, consider Gilbert’s Resort. The upgraded 1950s-era motel and tiki bar is the first lodging you reach on the road to Key Largo. Then, kayak nearby Garden Cove and discover its picturesque sunken barge, a good place to snorkel.

Find a Florida campsite or cabin this weekend

by Bonnie Gross × on 11/13/2017 at 10:13 am ×

Sometimes, last-minute getaways are the best way to go, because you have solid weather forecasts and you know your schedule is clear. The Florida park system has a useful tool for finding what’s open THIS weekend.

This is Old Florida: The Herlong Mansion was built in Micanopy, Florida, in 1845. Today it is a B&B.

Micanopy and the Herlong Mansion: Slow down for Old Florida

by Bonnie Gross × on 08/17/2017 at 8:19 am ×

Micanopy is right off I-75 near Gainesville, but it feels far away — like a small town in a Florida long gone. Its jewel is the 1845 Herlong Mansion B&B.

Four wild islands in Florida for memorable camping or cabins

by Bonnie Gross × on 07/01/2017 at 3:04 pm ×

Who doesn’t dream of finding a quiet, wild and remote island to pitch a tent or stay in a cabin? If this is the stuff of your dreams, we have four island adventures for you.

The view from the diving platform at Wakulla Springs. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Wakulla & St. Marks: Out of the way, this Big Bend area is full of discoveries

by Bonnie Gross × on 06/11/2017 at 3:52 pm ×

The Big Bend area of Florida around St. Marks and Wakulla Springs is rich in things to do and see: Kayaking, biking, historic sites, springs, lighthouses. Yet, it is a less visited area off the tourist trail.

Lafayette forms two beautiful pools of water, each lined with limestone rocks, surrounded by hard packed earth and separated by a natural limestone bridge. (Photo: Bonnie Gross)

Springs & the Suwannee: Two northwest Florida parks are great bases for exploring

by Bonnie Gross × on 06/04/2017 at 9:41 am ×

Remote, rural and picturesque, northwest Florida rewards your long drive with sparkling springs, the beautiful Suwanee River and scenic rural roads. Two state parks with cabins and campgrounds make great bases to explore the region.

The Don CeSar Hotel entrance in St. Pete Beach.

Florida’s grand hotels: Celebrate a special occasion with a historic stay

by Erika J. Waters × on 03/07/2017 at 6:25 pm ×

Huge and opulent, Florida’s grand hotels were built from the Gilded Age through the Jazz Age, but they continue to delight visitors with their elegance and history. Here’s a guide to 10 of the most special ones.