Getaways to the authentic Florida
This Gainesville area state park is a vast playground for hikers and bikers, but also for bison and wild horses. There are miles of trails, great campsites and wildlife galore, including large numbers of migrating sandhill cranes that arrive in mid-November.
Thomas Edison loved Fort Myers and I see why. Today, its palm-tree-lined roads and river views are just a start. It has a revitalized downtown that’s fun at night and lots of outdoor recreation options.
For 66 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.
Myakka River State Park in Sarasota is one of the oldest and best state parks. Folks who love outdoor recreation can do it all here — camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, wildlife viewing.
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 authentic Old Florida atmosphere.
Between Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers, a stretch of the Caloosahatchee River offers a taste of Old Florida — small towns, rivers ideal for kayaking and good public campgrounds.
Travelers have an intriguing new rest stop park with an extensive boardwalk and tower that offers a taste of the Everglades on I-75 between the east and west coasts of Florida.
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. In October there is a big orchid festival too.
The Flamingo Lodge lives up to its magnificent location on Florida Bay in Everglades National Park. Many visitors will now want to explore this end-of-the-road spot.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings came to Cross Creek and wrote the beloved story of a young boy and his pet fawn, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Today, visiting the author’s beautifully preserved home is an excellent way to discover the authentic Florida, far from the strip malls and theme parks.