Getaways to the authentic Florida
Southwest Florida is known for some of the best beaches in Florida, wildlife and birds, gateway to the Everglades and the Ten Thousand Islands and other outdoor getaways.
Here are some of our favorite places to begin your exploration of the area. Each of these stories contains links to places to kayak, hike, bicycle and fascinating historic sites.
We recommend:
Hiking: Myakka River State Park near Sarasota and Bird Rookery Swamp near Naples.
Biking: The Legacy Trail in Venice and the many bikes trails on Sanibel Island.
Kayaking: The little known Shell Creek near Punta Gorda and the joys of paddling with manatees in winter on the Orange River in Fort Myers.
Interesting Old Florida spots: Historic Smallwood Store near Everglades City and Koreshan Historic State Park near Naples.
The following are recent stories about Southwest Florida.
An open-air Thai brunch and market draws throngs every Sunday morning to this beautiful waterfront temple in Tampa. The food is very good and moderately priced. The exotic gold-trimmed temple is worth visiting just because it’s beautiful, set among shady live oak trees decorated with orchids.
Punta Gorda is a surprising small town on the Gulf Coast between Naples and Tampa. It has big waterfront views along Charlotte Harbor, a historic district and a charming downtown. It’s a good base for kayakers, with several options nearby.
Myakka River State Park is one of Florida’s oldest and largest state parks with three main campgrounds, backcountry campsites, endless hiking and biking trails, kayaking and canoeing, and, oh, the wildlife.
This paved bike trail system has it all — spectacular scenery, a smooth paved surface with few road crossings and great amenities and stops along the way. And it keeps getting better. The final northern segment to downtown Sarasota is now open.
Thomas Edison loved Fort Myers and I see why. Today, its palm-tree-lined roads and river views are just a start. It has a revitalized downtown that’s fun at night and lots of outdoor recreation options.
Myakka River State Park in Sarasota is one of the oldest and best state parks. Folks who love outdoor recreation can do it all here — camping, hiking, kayaking, biking, wildlife viewing.
Stone crab season starts Oct. 15 and Everglades City, a small, isolated fishing village south of Naples, is a place to feast on this Florida favorite in an authentic Old Florida atmosphere.
Between Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers, a stretch of the Caloosahatchee River offers a taste of Old Florida — small towns, rivers ideal for kayaking and good public campgrounds.
Travelers have an intriguing new rest stop park with an extensive boardwalk and tower that offers a taste of the Everglades on I-75 between the east and west coasts of Florida.
Tickets are on sale for rides beginning next week aboard the Sugar Express, a historic steam train sponsored by U.S. Sugar Company.