Getaways to the authentic Florida
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.
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,
‘Glamping’ bungalows are now being offered at this outstanding oceanfront park near St. Augustine.
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.
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.
Stunning beaches, historic forts and plantations, backcountry kayaking, biking and hiking, all accessible from a shady, sandy campground.
Load your bikes on your carrier and head north to Old Florida. Along this bike trail, you can stop and hike a bit and maybe even see gators, wild horses or even bison in Paynes Prairie. This pretty paved trail also lets you use your gears on a hill or two.
Gold Head Branch State Park has long been on my radar, a small dot on the map with a curious name in the middle of nowhere — yet close enough to Gainesville to be a camping option on game weekends. (We found dozens of campsite and cabin openings for every game this year.)
Travel and Leisure magazine calls New Smyrna Beach “Florida’s most underrated seaside city”. We think it is “Florida’s best little beach town.”
St. Augustine’s Fort Matanzas is a small stone Spanish fort on a pristine island. You take a short and scenic ferry ride and a ranger-led tour — and it’s all free.
Ponce Inlet is a calm ocean-front town at the tip of a barrier island. It has free parking, the tallest lighthouse in Florida (which you can tour) plus parks, a beach and places to eat fresh seafood.
This weekend’s St. Augustine Lions Club Spring Festival has reimagined its seafood festival past.