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. 30-31, and in that part of Florida, it just might look and feel like fall.
Stone crab season starts Oct. 15 and Everglades City, a small, isolated fishing village south of Naples, is a place to feast on this Florida favorite in an authenic Old Florida atmosphere.
Florida’s seafood festival season is underway, boosted by the opening of stone crab season in October. Latest updates, revised schedules and cancellations.
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.
Egmont Key is romantic, remote and historic. Located in the mouth of Tampa Bay, accessible only by boat, it is home to an intriguing fort, gopher tortoises, beautiful beaches and more. The best time to learn about the island is Discover the Island weekend, Oct. 23-24.
No other state has won as many awards for the quality of its state parks, which is why picking the best Florida State Parks wasn’t easy. We did, though. Did we include your favorite?
For paddle boarding, it would be hard to find a better destination than Tampa Bay. In addition to beaches and bays, you can paddle amid mangrove islands, in tannic rivers with alligators and, within a two hour drive, one of the most spectacular clear spring runs in Florida.
Surf fishing is a terrific family outing — or a quiet escape to get away alone. Be prepared with our popular checklist and how-to guide. (Photo by Jerry Lower, The Coastal Star)
Tucked into the woods between two lakes and a wildlife preserve, this 54-site public campground is $18-$23 per night and only 20 minutes from Disney World.
The historic agricultural area surrounding the Homestead entrance to Everglades National Park offers so many cool experiences — a park where you can see and sample exotic fruits, a historic village of shops and restaurants, a local tropical-fruit winery and famous fruit milkshakes and cinnamon rolls.
Jonathan Dickinson State park can keep a lover of the outdoors busy for days with hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, wildlife watching and soaking up the natural beauty.