All those “lazy river” water attractions at hotels and parks? They’re just trying to recreate the exhilarating experience of tubing the clear, wild Ichetucknee River in north central Florida. Try the real thing. Summer tubing season has started.
Few places offer both so much history and such beauty as Florida’s 30 lighthouses. Six of Florida’s lighthouses are built on reefs in the Keys and four of those are up for sale.
No mountains. Few curves. But Florida has plenty of scenery and a handful of roads that take you through unspoiled natural beauty and picturesque historic sites.
Mangoes may be the reason I can never leave Florida. Here are favorite Florida mango recipes discovered or developed during my 30-plus years of worshipping these beautiful fruit.
The clear waters flowing out of Alexander Springs are the start of a great paddling trail inside Ocala National Forest. It’s an easy stream to paddle with lots of wildlife, especially birds and fish.
Coral Castle is a 100-year-old site made of 30-ton blocks of limestone somehow arranged by a lovesick eccentric into a Stonehenge-like work of art.
Like a lot of original Florida tourist attractions, it can be corny, playing up a mystical angle. But it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Sites and is strange and wonderful in its own way.
Blue-green algae updates from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
The snorkeling trail at the park on the Blue Heron Bridge in Palm Beach County offers a volume and variety of sea life rarely seen close to shore.
As you travel Florida and explore its award-winning state parks, take special note of buildings, trails and amenities we enjoy because of work by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps. You can learn more at Highland Hammocks State Park, which has a museum about the CCC in Florida.
Some sections of the 2.5 mile beach remain closed. Otherwise, the park is open every day from 8 a.m. until sunset.
Florida’s celebrity in the orchid world — the ghost orchid — is blooming at the Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, attracting orchid fans who want to spot this rare variety.
Kelly Park is best known as a summer destination for swimming its cool springs and for paddling scenic Rock Springs Run. We loved camping there.
Cool springs, scenic trails and things to do while exploring Ocala National Forest from 15 campgrounds.
A roadtrip from Miami to Orlando along US 27 will take you through quaint towns, over hills and through rural enclaves and parks with few crowds.
This article is the first in a series of road trip itineraries to be offered by FloridaRambler.com.
Floridians survive the heat and humidity of our brutal summers by turning to the state’s wealth of cool, clear, refreshing springs. But you need to get to the best Florida springs early, especially on weekends.
Bull Creek Campground was never on my radar. I’d bet it’s not on yours, either. But with state parks booked at full capacity much of the year, I’ve been on a mission to seek out alternatives — public campgrounds with modest daily rates, and I’ve come across a few gems.
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.
Paddle Florida is a non-profit that organizes paddling trips each year on Florida’s greatest waterways. Carefully researched, these trips are a great source of paddling ideas and destinations.
Crystal River is the only river in Florida where you are allowed to swim with the manatees, and it’s undergoing a remarkable restoration.
This small town festival celebrates a uniquely Lake Placid product: caladiums, a colorful plant grown commercially almost nowhere else. There’ll be music, food, a car show and arts and crafts. New this year: A 1920s steam locomotive, The Sugar Express, will offer rides on a vintage train.
Peanut Island, reached only by boat in Riviera Beach, has clear turquoise water full of visible sea life. It’s great for a picnic at the beach — even camping. It’s an exceptional county park.
The annual July 4 Charlotte Harbor Freedom Swim is a happening not a race. Participants cross the 1.5-mile wide Peace River every which way — some kayak, some swim, some float. For Floridians, where July 4th is always hot and steamy, it seems like a perfect holiday tradition.
Sargassum seaweed is starting to drift towards us, but it’s unlikely we’ll see any until after Spring Break.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, here are the 50 Florida endangered species. How many do you know? Did you know there are several conservation success stories among Florida’s favorite animals?
RV Shows in Florida are an opportunity to view various classes and models of recreational vehicles offered by multiple dealers. Learn about RVs and find upcoming RV shows in Florida.