Bonnie Gross | | Florida Rambler

Author: Bonnie Gross

The view along Everglades National Park Nine Mile Pond canoe trail

Kayak trails in Everglades National Park: The best way to experience it

Kayaks and canoes are one of the best ways to surround yourself in the Everglades. Here’s a guide to the trails in the national park.

Everglades, Historic, Southeast Florida

Tours open for season of historic Nike missile base in Everglades National Park

by Bonnie Gross

In the middle of Everglades National Park is the best preserved Nike missile base in South Florida, a relic of the Cold War and the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Today it reminds us of those days of John F. Kennedy, fallout shelters and Bob Dylan protest songs.

Manatee at Imperial River Bonita Springs

Kayak & Canoe, Southwest Florida

Imperial River: Nice kayak trail through old Bonita Springs

by Bonnie Gross

The kayak trail through old Bonita Springs on the Imperial River is worth discovering for its scenery. If you’re lucky, you may see manatees.

Festivals, Florida Roundups, Historic

Seven places to celebrate Native American Heritage Month in Florida in November

by Bonnie Gross

I had lived in Florida a long time before I discovered the rich and often tragic history of native Americans here. Here are six parks, museums and events that tell those stories.

Florida Roundups, Parks & Forests

2019 free days in national & state parks

by Bonnie Gross

Budget-minded travelers would be wise to take advantage of free days at national park, especially Everglades National Park, whose entrance fee is going up again in 2019. Here are free days in 2019.

Snorkeling the Mandalay wreck at Biscayne National Park

Snorkeling, Southeast Florida

Snorkel a shipwreck at Biscayne National Park

by Bonnie Gross

Biscayne National Park is 95% underwater. Boat trips to shipwrecks, reefs and islands are the best way to see this park. The shipwreck snorkel tour often goes to the wreck of the Mandalay, which has a fascinating story.

Festivals, Florida Roundups

2019 Florida festival calendar: Getaways to authentic events

by Bonnie Gross

Florida loves a good festival. Here are 50 hand-picked festivals around the state that range from funky local bashes to huge nationally known cultural events.

Florida Roundups, Kayak & Canoe

It’s chilly: Time to see manatees in Florida waters. Here’s where to go

by Bonnie Gross

If you’re lucky, you can see manatees in lots of waterways around Florida, but here are a few locations where, in winter, you can reliably admire these charming creatures — and even kayak with them.