Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is known for its iconic mermaid show and water park. The gorgeous spring-fed river is also a great place for kayak and SUP rentals, although the route from the park has been shortened.
Historic Florida
Visiting here, I found myself amazed that places like Anna Maria Island survive — a low-rise beach town with quaint cottages and a spectacular beach. No, you won’t have it all to yourself, but it’s still a special spot to discover.
On Saturday, June 24, 2023, the Fort Mose Historical Society hosts a reenactment of the 1740 ‘Battle of Bloody Mose’ at Fort Mose Historic State Park in St. Augustine.
From the vibrant, walkable waterfront to its historic streets, South Florida’s oldest city is a hot destination.
This sandy campground near Jacksonville is a beach lover’s dream.
McKee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach is a gem to discover. Once a top roadside attraction, go for its water lilies, Old Florida buildings and gorgeous vistas. The June 17 Water Lily Celebration is timed for peak bloom of the water lilies.
If you’ve ever dreamed about exploring a deserted tropical island, here’s your chance: Take your kayak down to the Florida Keys and paddle out to Indian Key State Park to explore jungly ruins and snorkel a rocky shoreline.
Florida Southern College in Lakeland has been named one of the 20 most beautiful college campuses in the country. The campus is unique: Nowhere else in the world has more buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Florida’s grand hotels were built from the Gilded Age through the Jazz Age and they continue to delight visitors with their beauty and history. Several historic hotels have been refurbished in recent years, and not all of them have luxury prices.
The west side of the Indian River Lagoon has an Old Florida flavor — especially the scenic 20-mile drive between Stuart and Fort Pierce. The region has enough places to explore to make a great getaway.
The Hacienda Hotel again reigns as the glamorous star of downtown New Port Richey. It’s a stunning restoration of a historic gem, a gracious hotel with modest prices.
The best historic places in Florida will entertain, inform, and probably surprise you. As a bonus, they are also some of the most beautiful places in the state.
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Bicycling the Pinellas Trail is one of the top things to do in Dunedin, but this charming Tampa Bay area town has more to offer, with eight breweries plus great restaurants and coffee shops in its walkable historic downtown. Twenty minutes away are two excellent state parks with award-winning beaches.
Jupiter Lighthouse offers a spectacular view, an interesting history, plus great spots nearby to kayak, hike or relax for a waterfront lunch.
Lake Placid has quite a few stories to tell, and they are told in murals. On the walls of 50 buildings. All over town.
This state park is so worth a drive to explore. It would take days to experience it all – a beautiful beach, a well-preserved Civil War fort, hiking, biking, wildlife, great camping.