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.
Tag: Old Florida
10 best historic places in Florida are engaging & beautiful too
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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Kayaking Deer Prairie Creek for hours of paddle heaven
You’ll discover a natural world without traffic and crowds when you’re kayaking Deer Prairie Creek in North Port. This tributary of the Myakka River is quiet, off-the-beaten track and not widely known outside its neighboring area.
Flagler Beach: A whale of an Old Florida beach town
An Old Florida beach town with lots of charm, without high-rise condos or pesky parking meters. Join us for dining, camping, kayaking and enjoying all the things to do in Flagler Beach.
Seven fun and funky things to do in Lake Wales
Lakes Wales is blessed with the historic and grand Bok Tower Gardens, but there are other things to do, from funky ‘Spook Hill’ to a pretty pathway around the lake for biking or walking.
Silver Springs State Park: Famous spring plus cabins, hiking, history
If you haven’t experienced Florida’s most famous spring, you’re missing one of the most beautiful spots in Florida. This weekend, Ocali Country Days, a special living-history festival, will re-create the Ocala of the 1800s. Year-round, this park has it all: kayaking, hiking, glass-bottom boat rides, horseback riding and terrific cabins.
Naples Bird Rookery Swamp: It’s a beauty for hiking, biking, wildlife
Few South Florida hiking or biking trails rival this 12-mile-long trail near Naples for scenery and wildlife. It deserves to be known outside the Naples area.
Grant Seafood Festival: March 6-7, 2027
The Grant Seafood Festival is put on by community volunteers and has been held every year since 1966 in this riverside enclave between Melbourne and Sebastian.
Key Largo: African Queen boat is for Bogart fans
They don’t make movies like “African Queen” any more — and they don’t make boats like the African Queen either. If your dream was to sit where Humphrey Bogart or Katherine Hepburn sat in the classic 1951 movie, then head to Key Largo. Here are the details you need to plan a visit.
Eden Gardens State Park: Lovely gardens, green respite near sand & surf
Eden Gardens State Park is 20 minutes away from the bright white Panhandle beaches. It offers a rest for the eyes amid camellias, azaleas and a handsome 1897 mansion with an interesting history. Right now, the 100 varieties of camelias are in full bloom.
The Savannas: An unlikely oasis
Masking the spine of suburban sprawl from Fort Pierce to Jensen Beach is an unexpected escape into the wild.
Six things to do in Cedar Key, a charming, historic, off-the-beaten path spot
It’s a long way from just about anywhere — and that’s part of its beauty. But it’s also a great place to bicycle, kayak, hike, watch sunsets and spot birds. An 1859 hotel, now a charming B&B, plus fresh seafood restaurants add to its appeal.