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There’s a good reason Boca Grande is a favorite among the rich and famous: It’s beautiful, unspoiled and preserves the charm of Old Florida. It makes a satisfying daytrip, especially on a bike. Another plus: The historic lighthouse at the southern tip just reopened 16 months after being slammed by Hurricane Ian.

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In Dunedin, we love bicycling the Pinellas Trail, but this charming Tampa Bay area town has more to offer, with eight breweries plus great restaurants and coffee shops in its walkable historic downtown. Twenty minutes away are two excellent state parks with award-winning beaches.

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Like all beaches, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park is popular when it’s hot, but it is also a great winter destination because it offers scenic kayaking and rentals. We like kayaking to Munyon Island, a wild mangrove island that 120 years ago was the site of a health resort serving an elixer that “restored vitality.”

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Cap’s Place is Broward’s oldest restaurant, where rum-runners and gamblers reigned, and presidents and celebrities visited. It’s a rustic old wooden shack now surrounded by mansions and yachts. History and atmosphere make it worth a visit.

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Right in the center of the historic district action, the Key West Aquarium is tiny but its historic building and informative tours make it a fun and appealing stop.

I visited Key West many times before I got around to the aquarium, but I recommend it if you set your expectations correctly.

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