Getaways to the authentic Florida
Central Florida’s ‘City on the Circle’ is enjoying a rebirth after the renovation boost by Erin and Ben Napier on Season 3 or HGTV’s ‘Home Town Takeover.’ The Sebring episodes were nominated for a Daytime Emmy. The winner will be announced Friday night.
With more than a million registered vessels, Florida is the Boating Capital of the Nation, so it should come as no surprise there are more than two dozen major boat shows across the state each year, including the world’s largest in-water boat show next weekend in Fort Lauderdale.
The Seminoles American Indigenous Arts Celebration offers tradition like fry bread & alligator wrestling, and celebrates diverse native cultures with dancing, wildlife presentations and music.
Micanopy is right off I-75 near Gainesville, but it feels far away, like a small town in a Florida long gone. Its popular fall festival is Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
A Fernandina Beach family festival Nov. 7-8 raises awareness of right whales and how to help them. Endangered right whales are viewed close to shore in North Florida every winter.
Folks have been fascinated with Stiltsville since the first shack went up in Biscayne Bay a mile from land in the 1930s. Biscayne National Park and a non-profit partner offer regular boat tours that tell the Stiltsville story and take you close to the houses.
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.
After a long wait, Miami’s favorite place for cinnamon rolls has reopened for the 2026-27 season in its new location. This institution south of Miami has generations of devoted fans.
The west side of the Indian River Lagoon has an Old Florida flavor — especially the scenic 20-mile drive between Stuart and Fort Pierce. The region has enough places to explore to make a great getaway.
The Florida Seafood Festival celebrates Apalachicola’s vibrant fishing industry. Held at the mouth of the Apalachicola River under the shady oaks of Battery Park, this festival features fresh seafood, arts and crafts exhibits & live music.
Stone crab season opened Oct. 15 and Everglades City, a small, isolated fishing village south of Naples, is a place to feast on this Florida favorite in an authentic Old Florida atmosphere.
Florida harvest festivals and farm tours let you soak up a little autumn spirit, even in Florida. All across Florida, farms offer traditional harvest activities like pumpkin patches and corn mazes.
Emerson Point Preserve is an exceptional county park, off the beaten path on the southern end of Tampa Bay. There is excellent hiking and kayaking, and the real gem is the Portavant temple mound.
There’s no better time for surf fishing than late summer and early fall, when massive schools of mullet run down the coast and game fish chase the feast. Here’s the gear you need, best places to fish and how to fish from shore.
One of my favorites, Long Point is a spacious county park with an abundance of waterfront sites on an island in the Indian River Lagoon.
Floridians survive the heat and humidity of our brutal summers by turning to the state’s wealth of cool, clear, refreshing springs. These are our picks for the best springs in Florida.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park has superb white sand, clear water and is ranked #6 in the US. Facilities are still recovering from damages from 2024 hurricanes, but the beach is as spectacular as ever.
