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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.

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.

Many lights go on this weekend! There are three Florida destinations we love for their quaint Old Florida settings and over-the-top holiday lights and decorations. We’ve added several more spots for viewing holidays lights too.

Fort Myers Beach was a charming Old Florida town, but Hurricane Ian blasted it. More than a year later, much damage remains and you see it everywhere. But a big Margaritaville resort is opening in December, which can help turn things around.

Christmas, Florida, is an old-time roadside attraction that is a throwback to another era. It’s close to the outstanding Orlando Wetlands Park.

For more than 60 years, a non-profit devoted to historic preservation has convinced the owners of some of the most interesting homes in Key West to open them to visitors for a good cause. For four winter weekends, you can tour historic homes and support historic preservation in Key West.

Kayaking the Chaz on the central Gulf Coast takes you over turquoise springs, down twisty creeks, and you might just see a manatee, otter or bald eagle. This is one of Florida’s premier kayaking rivers.

As you plan your Florida travels, here are nine towns that I’ve found make great bases for exploring. Each puts you in the center of outstanding places to hike, bike, kayak and explore history. Each is surrounded by natural beauty.

There are excellent reasons to stop in Islamorada on your Florida Keys trip. Kayak to Indian Key, feed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina, visit two craft breweries, plus there’s a cluster of cultural attractions and a top-notch museum.

Micanopy is right off I-75 near Gainesville, but it feels far away — like a small town in a Florida long gone. The Micanopy Fall Festival is Oct. 28-29, and in that part of Florida, it looks and feels a little like fall.

What will you see at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge this fall? There’s a flamingo who has been spotted regularly for several years; monarch butterflies migrate through as do many varied types of birds. It’s a vast place with scenic vistas and a historic lighthouse — a hidden gem in the Big Bend region.

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.

The Florida Seafood Festival celebrates Apalachicola’s vibrant fishing industry. This guide features camping, lodging and things to do near Apalachicola. The 2023 festival is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3-4.

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.

Legends suggest these places are haunted. I’m dubious, but I know this: These are beautiful, evocative spots worth discovering at Halloween or any time of year.

The cemetery in Key West is a lot like the city itself: quirky, crowded, colorful and full of history. The site has a forlorn almost spooky air. Take a walking tour and discover fascinating stories of Key West and its people.

Myakka is one of the oldest and biggest state parks, a great place for seeing wildlife, from huge gators to flocks of birds in winter. Go here for its log cabins, appealing camp sites, excellent kayaking, extensive hiking and good bike trails. It’s also a good spot for nature neophytes, who enjoy the airboat ride and canopy walk.

Grayton Beach is consistently ranked among the Top 10 beaches in America, making it a prime candidate for your bucket list. This park and the whole region is worth make great fall and spring trips, but you have to plan early.

Few places offer both so much history and such beauty as Florida’s 30 lighthouses. Six of Florida’s lighthouses are built on reefs in the Keys and four of those are up for sale.

No mountains. Few curves. But Florida has plenty of scenery and a handful of roads that take you through unspoiled natural beauty and picturesque historic sites.