The don’t-miss experience when visiting St. Augustine is touring the Castillo de San Marcos — the historic Spanish fort.
Northeast Florida
Exploring the St. Johns River: Springs, kayaking, hiking near Welaka
This out-of-the-way rural area on the St. Johns River offers good hiking, kayaking and springs. With Welaka as a base, we explored a place little changed by the years.
Road Trip: Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail worth more than a quick ride
The Ormond Scenic Loop is a 30-mile road trip through live-oak canopies, waterfront postcard scenes, abundant wildlife, two state parks. It’s not long but it’s worth spending a few hours exploring the sights and parks.
The Yearling: At restaurant near Ocala, eat like a cracker
This historic restaurant near Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park at Cross Creek is a great place to eat like a cracker. It offers an old Florida ambiance and menu.
Florida State Parks camping near Jacksonville
Jacksonville is blessed with eight really special state parks, but you can only camp at two of them — Fort Clinch and Little Talbot Island. Both are ideal destinations for outdoors summer recreation.
Oak Hill FL: 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.
Kayak New Smyrna waterways for 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.
An island of Old Florida, where Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings wrote ‘The Yearling’
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings came to Cross Creek and wrote the beloved story of a young boy and his pet fawn, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939. Today, visiting the author’s beautifully preserved home is an excellent way to discover the authentic Florida, far from the strip malls and theme parks.
Five cool things we discovered in St. Augustine
Here are five cool things I was surprised to discover about America’s oldest city — from the story of a fiery pepper to a tasty locally made gin.
Castle Windy Trail at Canaveral National Seashore
The Castle Windy Trail is a shady respite from the never-ending sun of Cape Canaveral National Seashore, introducing you to the primitive coastal environment that was once typical of Florida’s Atlantic shoreline.
