Things to do in Northeast Florida, Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona Beach: hiking, biking, trails, canoeing, kayaking, paddle, places to camp, lodging, unique restaurants, historic places, places to stay, road trips and Funky Florida.
Northeast Florida
Azaleas bloom at Ravine Gardens; celebrated in festival March 3-4, 2018
It’s spring in Florida: Azaleas are blazing in white, lavender, pink and red at a Florida state park with a rich history.
Civil War buffs: Florida’s biggest battle, Olustee, re-enacted Feb. 15-17, 2019
At Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park near Jacksonville, Florida’s largest Civil War battle will be re-enacted, with gun smoke, booming cannons and cavalry. Three of the famous “Colored Regiments” were among 10,000 troops that fought here.
Oak Hill: Outpost on Mosquito Lagoon for history, classic seafood shack
Driving U.S. 1 north of Titusville, you would never know Oak Hill even existed. But this gateway to the Mosquito Lagoon is worth finding. There’s fascinating history, a great fishing pier and the sort of atmospheric, out-of-the-way waterfront seafood shack that we love to discover.
The Talbot Islands: Paradise on the edge
Windswept beaches, pristine back country waterways, a mile-long fishing bridge and a shady, scenic campground.
Exploring New Smyrna waterways by kayak or SUP: Wildlife, mangroves & sandbars
The waterways along the Intracoastal in New Smyrna Beach are a terrific place to explore by kayak or SUP. Richard Barrett shares some of his favorite routes — places you might overlook when going to the popular beaches in the area.
Marineland: Surprising story of legendary ‘oceanarium’
Marineland was the original oceanarium and the first to discover you could train dolphins to perform. Read its fascinating history, an excerpt from the new book, “A New Guide to Old Florida Attractions: From Mermaids to Singing Towers,” by Doug Alderson.
JB’s Fish Camp: Running with the crabs in New Smyrna Beach
JB’s is your original crab shack, a funky Florida kind of place where blue crabs are served steaming from the kitchen and dumped onto sheets of brown kraft paper that serve as your tablecloth. There’s an outdoor dining deck with a tiki bar overlooking Mosquito Lagoon.
Seafood Festival with pirates on the side in historic St. Augustine
St. Augustine comes alive this weekend with twin events — 36th Annual Lions Club Seafood Festival and the historic re-enactment of privateer Capt. Robert Searle’s 1668 attack on the oldest city.
