The snorkeling trail at the park on the Blue Heron Bridge in Palm Beach County offers a volume and variety of sea life rarely seen close to shore.
Author: Bonnie Gross
Tigertail Beach, a Marco Island adventure, where you wade to wild 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.
Naples: Rare ghost orchid blooms in summer at Corkscrew
Florida’s celebrity in the orchid world — the ghost orchid — is blooming at the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, attracting orchid fans who want to spot this rare variety.
Alabama Jack’s: Classic way to start a trip to Florida Keys
Stopping at Alabama Jack’s, a fish shack and dive bar on a remote road between Homestead and Key Largo, has been the classic way to start a Keys trip for decades. It’s shabby, atmospheric and authentic.
Driftwood Inn Vero Beach is a great base for exploring charming beach town
This offbeat historic hotel is the classic place to stay in Vero, a laid-back beach town that charms visitors with its funky Florida history, gorgeous beaches and cute downtown.
Hogfish Grill: Where Key West locals go for fresh fish
Everyone wants to discover that funky inexpensive spot where locals go. In Key West, that would be Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, which wins raves for fresh off-the-boat seafood.
Peace River Seafood: Cracker cabin is a real crab shack
Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda is a true Florida crab shack; they don’t come more authentic than this. From its 1927 Cracker cabin to the buckets of fresh blue crabs, it’s a little piece of old Florida.
No Name Pub: Historic spot for funky Keys ambiance, food
No Name Pub has been around since the 1930s, and it looks like it. It offers tasty food in a historic building, but what makes this the king of Funky Florida is the decor: $90,000 (some say) stapled to the walls and ceiling.
Dramatic Washington Oaks beach is lined with sculpted rocks
Florida has miles of beaches, but nothing like the Washington Oaks State Park beach, lined with coquina rocks that wind and surf have turned into sculpture. It’s located in Flagler Beach, where the sand looks like it has been sprinkled with cinnamon.
The Yearling: At restaurant near Ocala, eat like a cracker
This historic restaurant near Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park at Cross Creek is a great place to eat like a cracker. It offers an old Florida ambiance and menu.