Getaways to the authentic Florida
Florida Rambler is always on the lookout for places that capture the Florida that is being lost to expressways and development. We include historic destinations, Florida landmarks and places where the past lives on in big and small ways. Here’s a scene from Micanopy, located right off I-75 near Gainesville.
The picturesque 8-mile sand road in Vero Beach takes you past historic landmarks, including the first US wildlife refuge and a pioneer homestead overlooking the Indian River Lagoon. You can walk, bicycle on fat-tire bikes or drive it slowly. This is an original section of A1A.
Florida lighthouses offer unmatched history and beauty. There are 30 lighthouses and about 10 are open to visitors; others are beauty spots to admire.
Legend suggests these six haunted places in Florida are visited by ghosts. We’re skeptical but one thing we’re sure of: These are beautiful, evocative spots worth discovering at Halloween or any time of year.
Florida Southern College in Lakeland has a remarkable collection of buildings designed by America’s most famous architect. Now a planetarium Wright designed has been restored and reopened. Lakeland itself is a hidden gem worth visiting.
Micanopy is right off I-75 near Gainesville, but it feels far away, like a small town in a Florida long gone. Its popular fall festival is Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
This scenic drive takes you through some rare unspoiled islands, past historic sites, on a car ferry and on roads where tree canopies form green tunnels. It makes a great afternoon drive or you could spend days exploring along this route.
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.
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.
With eight state parks, a national park, scads of history and top beaches, Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach make a great base to explore northeast Florida.
A scenic road through Everglades National Park also brings you past a cute little roadside stop: the smallest post office in the US. In an era where post offices are being closed to save money, this little outpost dating to 1953 is a survivor.
The Gamble Mansion has white columns to rival Tara and was the site of a dramatic Civil War event. It’s the only antebellum mansion left in South Florida.
Black History Month: A story of slaves and slave holders that may surprise you.