A scenic two-lane road across the state gives you a glimpse of a forgotten Florida: Pioneer cabins, cattle ranches under old oak trees, sandhill cranes in the fields.
Historic Florida
Dunnellon is known for its spectacular Rainbow Springs and River, especially during tubing season. But there are more reasons to visit in cool weather, including another exquisite river– the Withlacoochee — several good restaurants, and trails for both hiking and biking.
Free Blacks and runaway slaves met on Cape Florida’s beaches, seeking passage to a better life in the Bahamas.
Marineland was the original oceanarium and the first to discover you could train dolphins to perform. Now it offers popular interactive dolphin experiences.
After a dozen years, a prehistoric Native American archaeological site is saved and opened as a park. It makes a nice stop on a walking or bicycle tour of the Brickell area of downtown Miami.
Here’s an interesting stop far off the beaten path: The Jacaranda Hotel opened in 1926 and has been providing comfy rooms and good food ever since. It’s located in the historic district of Avon Park, a little town in the middle of the state’s cattle and orange-grove country.
Howley’s Diner has been there for 60 years. It’s not just retro, this West Palm Beach diner is the real deal — from its terrazzo floors to its tin ceiling.