Getaways to the authentic Florida
What will you see at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge this fall? There’s a flamingo who has been spotted regularly for several years; monarch butterflies migrate through as do many varied types of birds. It’s a vast place with scenic vistas and a historic lighthouse — a hidden gem in the Big Bend region.
Stock Island is a workaday island next to Key West with marinas, fishing and shrimp boats. It’s off the beaten path, a place where you can find great restaurants, luxe resorts and some funky charm.
Florida Panhandle’s greatest treasure might be Gulf Islands National Seashore, with an unspoiled barrier island, sand as white as snow and a rare Civil War fort whose spooky spaces you can wander.
There are six fabulous beaches of Venice FL, including one set aside for canines. But the big attraction is ancient shark’s teeth that wash ashore in the surf.
Old-growth live oaks draped in air plants and Spanish moss dominate 9,000-acre Highlands Hammock State Park, one of Florida’s original state parks.
Every fall, the skies over the Florida Keys fill with thousands of birds from hundreds of species heading south for the winter. A remarkable citizen science project, Hawkwatch, based in Curry Hammock State Park, keeps a tally.