Getaways to the authentic Florida
St. Petersburg is full of Old Florida treasures, from a beautiful brick 1927 comfort station next to the new bayfront pier to the Sunken Gardens, a cherished roadside attraction complete with a flock of flamingoes. St. Pete has grown younger and livelier, but it retains much of its original charm.
Grayton Beach State Park is one of the crown jewels of the Florida State Parks system, and its beach, campground and cabins are coastal treasures.
I have long enjoyed snorkeling from shore to see colorful sealife. Over many years, I’ve scouted these great places to snorkel and see fish from the beach.
Tigertail Beach is for adventurers who love unspoiled beaches where you can walk for miles. You reach this beach by wading across a shallow lagoon. The New York Times recently suggested it as a shelling alternative to Sanibel.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park has almost two miles of beach, lined with sand dunes covered with native vegetation. A summer treat: There can be good snorkeling from the beach.
Safety Harbor is ranked among America’s Top 10 in USA Today’s 10Best reader surveys for “Best Main Street” and “Best Small Town in the South” in 2025.
Mount Dora has a lively downtown and a well-preserved historic district on a pretty lake. It’s a walkable small town with good dining and shopping. We love the great kayaking and biking nearby.
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.
Updated and revised for the 2026-27 season, our Seafood Festival Calendar covers every corner of the state.
You can discover less-visited small towns with Old Florida flavor by exploring Trail Towns. For a summer vacation, this avid cyclist found a few hidden gems.
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.
Grayton Beach State Park is one of the crown jewels of the Florida State Parks system, and its beach, campground and cabins are coastal treasures.
As Florida’s Keys suffer their worst seaweed inundation in years, the beach at Fort Zach in Key West is refreshing clear and welcoming.
This off-the-beaten-track region offers springs, history and Florida scenic drives along the St. Johns, the ‘river of lakes.’ It’s centered around the Old Florida city of DeLand, an hour north of Orlando.
Chinsegut Hill Historic Site in Brooksville is a rare Antebellum plantation in Florida. Beautifully preserved atop a high hill, it introduces you to remarkable people, black and white, who lived here over 180 years. What a great place to discover!
