Getaways to the authentic 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.
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.
J. B. Starkey Wilderness Park flies under the radar for most people planning Florida trips. It’s not a state park and it’s not near a population center. But this vast water-management preserve offers tent sites in the woods and rustic cabins you can rent quite cheaply. There are miles of trails, including an excellent paved bike trail.
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.
St. Petersburg is full of Old Florida treasures, from a beautiful brick 1927 comfort station next to the new bayfront pier to the Sunken Gardens, a cherished roadside attraction complete with a flock of flamingoes. St. Pete has grown younger and livelier, but it retains much of its original charm.
After a long closure from hurricane damage, one of the best beach in America has reopened. Caladesi Island State Park off Dunedin is a perfect kayak destination too.
Here’s a great destination for hot summer weekends. New museums in St. Petersburg – each built to house extraordinary private collections – make this a Florida city with lots to do indoors. A new museum cafe adds another draw.
Crystal River is the only river in Florida where you are allowed to swim with the manatees, and it’s undergoing a remarkable restoration.
Tucked into a corner of Hillsborough County is a small 160-acre preserve with a fabulous swimming hole and shady campground along the Alafia River.
Travel writer Vicki McCash Brennan has a passion for craft beer, museums and art galleries, and they all come together along St. Petersburg’s historic Central Avenue.