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.
Old Florida
There’s a good reason Boca Grande is a favorite among the rich and famous: It’s beautiful, unspoiled and preserves the charm of Old Florida. The good news: It makes a satisfying daytrip, especially on a bike.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Visiting here, I found myself amazed that places like Anna Maria Island survive — a low-rise beach town with quaint cottages and a spectacular beach. No, you won’t have it all to yourself, but it’s still a special spot to discover.
Florida Islands don’t come any better than Sanibel, but while that paradise recovers from Hurricane Ian, we think you’ll find lots to love in these 5 other destinations.
The best Florida beach towns are cozy and quaint, reflecting an Old Florida ambience. Here are seven of our favorites, all small enclaves worth discovering.
If you’ve ever dreamed about exploring a deserted tropical island, here’s your chance: Take your kayak down to the Florida Keys and paddle out to Indian Key State Park to explore jungly ruins and snorkel a rocky shoreline.
Florida’s grand hotels were built from the Gilded Age through the Jazz Age and they continue to delight visitors with their beauty and history. Several historic hotels have been refurbished in recent years, and not all of them have luxury prices.
The Hacienda Hotel again reigns as the glamorous star of downtown New Port Richey. It’s a stunning restoration of a historic gem, a gracious hotel with modest prices.
The best historic places in Florida will entertain, inform, and probably surprise you. As a bonus, they are also some of the most beautiful places in the state.
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Bicycling the Pinellas Trail is one of the top things to do in Dunedin, but this charming Tampa Bay area town has more to offer, with eight breweries plus great restaurants and coffee shops in its walkable historic downtown. Twenty minutes away are two excellent state parks with award-winning beaches.
U-pick farms in Florida prove that agriculture thrives here. You’ll find many blueberry farms, plus everything from chestnuts to peaches to citrus. Include one of these stops when you’re exploring Florida’s backroads.