Getaways to the authentic Florida
For decades, the only way to stay overnight in Everglades National Park was to camp with your tent or RV. But a few years ago, an alternative was introduced at Flamingo — 20 eco-tents, a cross beween a tent and a cabin, with beds and linens but using a central bath facility.
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.
Cape Sable is 11 miles from Flamingo, the end of the road in Everglades National Park. It’s a wild and wonderful destination for a canoe/kayak camping adventure.
Boardwalks allow everyone to explore Florida’s natural beauty, including people in wheelchairs and families with strollers. Here are 16 of our favorite boardwalks in South Florida.
Big Cypress National Preserve offers excellent Everglades experiences. It’s adjacent to the famous national park, is free and has spectacular scenery.
One of my favorite stops on the drive down the Florida Keys is Anne’s Beach, a shallow, free beach in Islamorada. I bet you don’t know the story of Anne, after whom it is named.
Sebring, a small town along the lovely Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida, is staking a claim for something new — Florida’s first (and only) craft soda festival, the Sebring Soda Festival. Local small-batch sodas made with real sugar are making a comeback, partly as an outgrowth of the craft beer phenomenon. This Sebring festival is a good opportunity to taste what it’s all about.
There’s so much to do in Key West, it’s easy to bypass the Key West Botanical Garden. But if you love unusual plants, you’ll be charmed by this serene place.
Everglades City is at the end of the road in a remote wild, spot. Here you can explore the Everglades, learn fascinating history and feast on stone crabs during the season from Oct. 15 to May 1.
You can experience four outstanding Florida rivers in one trip if you base yourself in the Ocala area. In four days of paddling, you have a good chance to see wildlife — from manatees to American eagles to alligators and even monkeys. Three of the four rivers are aquarium-clear spring-fed streams. The fourth is a wild and peaceful place where you can escape the modern world.