Historic Florida

Witness 5,000 years of history through a glass wall at this Indian midden at Spanish Point, and learn about the Palmer family’s profound impact on Sarasota County.

The historic Gilbert’s Bar House of Refuge couldn’t be in a prettier spot. It also tells the story of a wild Florida of shipwrecks and pioneers. While you’re exploring the gorgeous beaches here, it’s worth a quick stop.

Many people miss it, sticking to Duval Street, but one of the most scenic strolls in Key West — and a top freebie — is the harbor walk along Key West Bight, also known as the Historic Key West Seaport.

Kingsley Plantation, part of a little known national park near Jacksonville, is a beautiful site that tells stories of slaves and slave holders that may surprise you.

Just five minutes off I-95, we discovered the perfect stop on a roadtrip or weekend getaway destination: a lovely and intriguing historic district in Jacksonville.

Part II of Visiting Jacksonville: A companion to our guide to visiting Jacksonville’s historic Riverside Avondale neighborhood. This is a walking tour of historic homes, with photos and a map to guide you.

A fascinating kayak destination: Mound Key Archaeological State Park, an uninhabited island accessible only by boat near Fort Myers Beach. The ceremonial center of the Calusa people, Mound Key is one of a kind and is surrounding by waters full of wildlife.

Tarpon Springs is best known for its Greek sponge docks. But a boat trip to Anclote Key, one of Florida’s most remote state parks, is even better. Anclote Key is a perfect island beach, perhaps more tantalizing because it’s not easy to visit.

One of the prettiest places is Key West is the Audubon House, also known as the Geiger House, and its gardens. Like the best spots in Key West, the Audubon House is full of fascinating stories with larger than life characters. It also features a great collection of Audubon’s work in Florida.

A peaceful park shaded by magnificent live oaks is a good place to soak up some Florida history and take a walk or have a picnic. The battlefield tells a dramatic and thought-provoking story.

St. Augustine Pirate Museum offers rare, authentic artifacts; it’s a real museum. But it injects of dose of Disney and interactive exhibits to make it fun for kids.

They don’t make movies like “African Queen” any more — and they don’t make boats like the African Queen either. If your dream was to sit where Humphrey Bogart or Katherine Hepburn sat in the classic 1951 movie, then head to Key Largo. Here are the details you need to plan a visit.

The cemetery in Key West is a lot like the city itself: quirky, crowded, colorful and full of history. The site has a forlorn almost spooky air. Take a walking tour and discover fascinating stories of Key West and its people.

With charm, history and the beauty of nearby natural areas, this special destination offers visitors a long list of adventures. St. Augustine’s appeal starts with two key assets: The historic district with its shady brick lanes and and the natural beauty of the region,

A visit to downtown Fort Pierce hardly allows one to ignore its history. You’ll find Old Florida on almost every street corner.

Newly reopened after more than a year of closure, St. Augustine’s Fort Matanzas is a small stone fort on a pristine island. You take a short ferry ride for a ranger-led tour and spectacular scenery — and it’s all free.

As you travel Florida and explore its award-winning state parks, take special note of buildings, trails and amenities we enjoy because of work by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps. You can learn more at Highland Hammocks State Park, which has a museum about the CCC in Florida.