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 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO

FLORIDA www.floridatravelguide.travel
The 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA is published by Globelite Travel
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Marketing Inc. Publications Mail Agreement 40047932. Contents © copyright 2021.
SNORKELING IN ST. JOSEPH BAY • GULF COUNTY TDC Printed in Canada.
 COLQUITT AT K I N S O N
ESCAMBIA

lla R.
MITCHELL
G E N E VA 84
BALDWIN COVINGTON MILLER LANIER
HOUSTON WARE BRANTLEY
COOK CAMDEN
D E C AT U R
95
31 i JACKSON SEMINOLE 319 BROOKS
Graceville CLINCH
Cumberland Island NS
ESCAMBIA THOMAS
CHARLETON
L. Seminole
A T L A N T I C
OKALOOSA HOLMES GRADY 441 St M
331 Marianna 27 arys
S A N TA R O S A 90 84 R.
29
Milton
WA LT O N
LOWNDES ECHOLS
i Fernandina O C E A N
10 WASHINGTON
1 NASSAU Beach
LEON 19 41
i 10 221 iJasper 17
Fort Walton GADSDEN

Pensacola
Beach
231 i 90 Madison H A M I LT O N 301 D U VA L
Warrington JEFFERSON
White Springs

A R.
Destin
98
B AY Tallahassee MADISON
Jacksonville

L
CALHOUN
Jacksonville Beach

HICO
SUWANNEE COLUMBIA
Panama WAKULLA 10
City Beach 129 90

NORTHEAST

AC
BAKER
LIBERTY 98

APAL
Panama City Perry 27 Lake City
41

NORTHWEST 95
TAY L O R
Mexico UNION
Beach 319 1
ST JOSEPH BAY GULF
FRANKLIN
19
L A FAY E T T E BRADFORD Starke C L AY S T. J O H N S
St. Augustine
98
Apalachee Bay High Springs Alachua
Cross City
ALACHUA
27
Apalachicola GILCHRIST
Gainesville Palatka

NORTH
Fanning Springs
PUTNAM
Palm Coast

e R.
DIXIE FLAGLER
Flagler Beach

CENTRAL

anne
27A Williston

Suw
LEVY 17
MARION
L. George Ormond Beach
Ocala
41 Daytona Beach
Inglis 92
New Smyrna Beach
Waccasassa Bay De Land
Citrus Springs 75 VOLUSIA

LAKE Deltona
Leesburg
CITRUS 441
Winter Garden
Sanford
95
CENTRAL
SUMTER SEMINOLE
98 Winter Park
19 301
27 Titusville
Brooksville
HERNANDO Orlando
ORANGE
Cocoa
Kissimmee
New Port Richey PA S C O
Polk City
17
Cocoa Beach
Land O Lakes

WEST
Tarpon Springs

Plant City
4
Haines City
OSCEOLA
St J 192
ohn
Melbourne
CENTRAL
EAST
sR
Clearwater
CENTRAL
Winter . 1
98 B R E VA R D
PINELLAS
275 Haven
Largo 92 Tampa
Bartow POLK
Sebastian
St. Petersburg
HILLSBOROUGH
Apollo Beach
Frostproof INDIAN RIVER
Vero Beach
TAMPA 41 17
301 Avon Park
BAY
Wauchula
441
Anna Maria Island M A N AT E E Sebring OKEECHOBEE 95
Bradenton HARDEE 98
27
S T. L U C I E
Fort Pierce
Sarasota 75
Port St. Lucie
Sarasota Springs Jensen Beach
Okeechobee
S A R A S O TA HIGHLANDS Stuart
98 MARTIN 1
Venice DE SOTO

G U L F 41 GLADES

Lake
Indiantown Hobe Sound
O F Englewood Port Charlotte Okeechobee Jupiter

M E X I C O
CHARLOTTE
Gasparilla Island North Palm Beach
LaBelle 27
Charlotte Harbor
Clewiston
West Palm Beach
Fort Myers HENDRY
Belle GladeP A L M BEACH
Cape Coral LEE
Lake Worth
Delray
Sanibel
Immokalee 441 Beach
Boca Raton
95
Pompano Beach
Golden Gate
Naples Ft Lauderdale
SOUTHWEST Marco Island
COLLIER
75
BROWARD
Hollywood
Big Cypress
41 National Preserve
Miami
Hialeah
Beach
Miami
MONROE
Kendall
DADE
Homestead

1
Everglades National Park

STATE OF
Key Largo

SOUTHEAST
FLORIDA BAY

FLORIDA
Big Pine Key 1 Marathon
Key West

ADMISSION TO THE UNION: March 3, 1845

NICKNAME: The Sunshine State
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: English
SPOKEN LANGUAGES: Predominantly English and Spanish
CAPITAL: Tallahassee
LARGEST CITY: Jacksonville
LARGEST METRO: Miami
TOTAL AREA: 58,560 square miles
WIDTH: 361 miles
LENGTH: 447 miles
ESTIMATED POPULATION (2019): 21,200,796
HIGHEST ELEVATION: Britton Hill at 345 feet

Sources: Wikipedia, StateofFlorida.com and edr.state.fl.us

Information, dates and websites were correct at time of printing and are subject to change without notice.

ATLASPIX/SHUTTERSTOCK

6 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

52
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT INC. 20

GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND INFORMATION
10 WELCOME TO FLORIDA: Plunge Right In!

14 HISTORY: A Fascinating Past

FLORIDA VACATION THEMES

17 ECOTOURISM: Take it Outside

20

23
THEME PARKS: Just for the Thrill of It!

SPORTS: A World of Sports

95 FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM/G. HASTINGS

FLORIDA REGIONS, COUNTIES AND CITIES

26 SOUTHEAST FLORIDA: Total Immersion

37 The Florida Keys: Paradise on Earth

38 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA: Daring Wilderness, Dazzling Arts

47 CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA: Calling All Explorers

55 CENTRAL FLORIDA: Florida At Its Best

62 Visit Central Florida: The Surprises of Central Florida

64 WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA: A Cornucopia of Endless Delights

72 Crystal River/Citrus County: Discover the Wonder of it All

74 NORTHWEST FLORIDA: Quiet Pleasures & Southern Charm

81 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA: Springs and Secret Edens

COVER:
Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park • 88 NORTHEAST FLORIDA: Where History and Present Day Merge
Photo courtesy of the Monroe County
Tourist Development Council. © 2021 95 St. Augustine & Ponte Vedra: Rediscover Florida’s Historic Coast

8 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

WELCOME TO FLORIDA

PLUNGE RIGHT IN!

BY JEN KARETNICK

GETTING AROUND
Florida is easy to explore by vehicle.
Bring your own or, if you’re at least
25, rent one. Visitors ages 16 and up
holding licenses from other states
or countries may drive in Florida.
Cash is no longer accepted on some
Florida toll roads. Purchase a
SunPass Mini Transponder at one of
the more than 3,100 retail locations
for US$4.99 plus tax. A minimum
opening balance of US$10 is
required. Most rental cars come
with a SunPass. SNORKELING IN THE FLORIDA KEYS • VISIT FLORIDA/PETER W. CROSS & PATRICK FARRELL
Drivers and front-seat passen-

gers must wear seat belts. All
children under 18 are required to
wear seat belts, regardless of where
they are sitting. Children, three and
younger, must be secured in a
federally approved separate or
integrated car seat in the back seat;
children, ages four and five, also
must be in the back seat and
secured by a booster seat or a full
or integrated car seat.
Florida has strict drunk driving
laws and texting while driving is
illegal. Pedestrians always have the
right of way at crosswalks. And
remember, hot pavement acts like
ice when rain first hits it, so be
cautious driving during rain showers.
T
he Sunshine State has attracted
visitors to its sandy shores for the
past 500 years. Written records about
life in Florida began with the arrival of the
Spanish explorer and adventurer Juan Ponce
de León in 1513, marking the beginning of the
American Frontier. He named what he saw
“La Florida,” or “place of flowers,” because of
the lush landscape. Indeed, Florida has 300
native plants, ranging from the thorny sweet
acacia to the wild azalea.
The state lists an additional 1,300-plus
introduced exotics, many of them considered
invasive. Others are housed in botanical
gardens, such as the renowned Fairchild
Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables and
the Central Florida Zoo and Botanical
Gardens in Sanford.
A LAND IN BLOOM
The state flower is orange blossom, which is
considered an exotic, albeit one that became
extremely important to the region’s economy.
Native to Southeast Asia, the orange tree is an
evergreen shrub brought to the colony of
St. Augustine in 1565. The orange and its
aromatic blossom, which connotes fertility
and good fortune, quickly became represen-
tative of the area. Many towns such as Davie
have Orange Blossom Festivals. Today, Florida
is the largest producer of oranges in the U.S.
As well, it is the third largest producer of
honey which is made by the bees that sip
pollen from the fragrant blossoms.
In fact, Florida depends on export crops as
diverse as sugar cane and tomatoes to
survive, while still leaving plenty of sweet

10 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

corn and green beans available for passersby
to purchase. Visitors are often amazed to
find farm stands and U-pick farms offering
everything from boiled peanuts and fresh
blueberries in Gainesville to mangoes and
lychees in the southern areas of Redland and
Homestead. Throughout the year, festivals—
such as Plant City’s Florida Strawberry
Festival in late winter and the July Mango
Days of Summer festival at Fairchild Tropical
Botanic Garden in Coral Gables—are hugely
enjoyable, multi-day attractions.
If you prefer bottled fruit, wineries are
popping up everywhere, with many offering
both grape varietals as well as tropical fruit
vintages.
INTO THE WILD
Florida is home to some 330 commonly
found bird species, which amateur ornithol-
ogists can track along The Great Florida
Birding & Wildlife Trail. The 2,000-mile trail
comprises four sections—the Panhandle,
East, West and South—and lists what species
can be found where.
Florida also has more than 170 native
butterflies. In addition to finding them in
the parks and in the wild, visitors can
observe them in conservatories such as
Butterfly World in Coconut Creek and the
Butterfly Rainforest at the Florida Museum
in Gainesville.
The 142 native species of amphibians
and reptiles, including around 50 kinds of
snakes—of which only six are poisonous—
are equally fascinating. You can view these
and the 50 plus additional non-native
species at many zoos and safaris, ranging
from Zoo Miami to Lion Country Safari in
Loxahatchee and ZooTampa at Lowry Park.
Visitors who prefer to check out natural
habitats where wild things reside can hit
any section of the sprawling Everglades.
There, a range of activities from boating and
fishing to biking and hiking, puts one in
close touch with nature’s biggest beasts and
smallest insects. The curious can also
arrange private tours with exotic animal
rescue and rehabilitation operations such
as the Zoological Wildlife Foundation and
HORSEBACK RIDING, AMELIA ISLAND STATE PARK • VISIT FLORIDA/CRAWFORD ENTERTAINMENT
MONEY
MATTERS
Many beaches, parks and festivals don’t
charge an entrance fee or, if they do, it’s only
a few dollars. If you do run out of cash, ATMs
are everywhere from convenience stores to
festivals. Many stores allow debit card users
to obtain “cash back” above their purchase
without a transaction fee. Most banks are
open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to
4 or 5 PM, however, TD Bank has locations
open every day, except major holidays.
Banks and government offices, including
the post office, are closed on major U.S.
holidays. Most attractions remain open year-
round.
Florida’s base sales tax on purchases is
six percent, with some counties adding
discretionary taxes. In addition to pet
deposits, most hotels charge a “bed” tax and
some will add a “resort or amenities tax” and
even parking fees.
WELCOME TO FLORIDA

McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary, both located

in South Florida.
For conservancy on a smaller but no less
important scale, many programs all over the
state, such as the Museum of Discovery and
Science in Fort Lauderdale, help protect sea
turtle nests.

FLOWING WATERS
Florida is made up of 1,200 miles of
coastline, of which 663 are foot-friendly
beaches. It isn’t all salty water and fruity
cocktail culture, however. The interior of
the state is far different than many expect,
with nearly 8,000 lakes and almost 1,700
rivers and streams. Lake Okeechobee—in
the center of the state—is Florida’s largest.
It not only provides drinking water for many
surrounding and southern counties, but it
is also an agricultural resource for the state’s
abundant produce. It offers some of the best
largemouth bass fishing in Florida. The
protective dike that encircles the lake is part
of the National Scenic Trail, a 110-mile
route, popular with hikers, naturalists,
cyclists and horseback riders.
In addition, the state has some 30 first-
magnitude freshwater springs—more than
BOK TOWER GARDENS, LAKE WALES • VISIT FLORIDA/CHRIS JOY
any other state. Most of these watering holes,
$$ SAVINGS $$ including Wakulla Springs—one of the
deepest, and Silver Springs—one of the
Head to South Florida in the heat of summer for good deals. Winter yields great largest, are clustered in Central West and
rates in northern Florida. Orlando has its own seasons, which coincide with school North Central Florida.
breaks; the Visit Orlando website offers discounts on attractions, restaurants and Finally, Florida claims quite a river
culture, notwithstanding the famed River of
shopping by visiting VisitOrlando.com/en/discounts-and-tickets. Reputable online
Grass, a.k.a. the Everglades, where native
ticket brokers include Mousesavers.com, Ticketmomma.com, UndercoverTourist.com
and non-native wildlife is the most diverse.
and OfficialTicketCenter.com.
If you’re lucky, you’ll spot the elusive and
The Entertainment Book (shop.entertainment.com) is a local favorite and you don’t endangered Florida panther, the only big cat
have to be a local to buy it. Also try groupon.com or livingsocial.com for discounts at living in the wild in this state.
hotels, attractions and restaurants. Four of South Florida’s top attractions—Lion From airboat rides and alligator spotting
Country Safari, Miami Seaquarium, Museum of Discovery & Science and Zoo Miami— in the swamps to kayaking along the
offer unlimited visits for 100-plus days at summersavingspass.com. immortal Suwannee River, framed by cool,
green woodlands, and crabbing in the
In the Tampa Bay area, CityPASS offers savings of 50 percent or more on admission
tributaries of the Apalachicola River,
to the top five Tampa Bay attractions: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, The Florida
waterway adventures are endless. Here is
Aquarium, ZooTampa at Lowry Park, Clearwater Marine Aquarium or the Chihuly
also where you’ll find wild boar, which
Collection and the Museum of Science & Industry or the Tropics Boat Tours. Since the acclimated after the Spanish brought over
pass is good for 30 consecutive days starting with the first day of use, you’ll have their native pigs 500 years ago.
plenty of time to take in all of the sites. Plan your visit at citypass.com/tampa. Beyond the rivers and lakes, bodies of
water on either shore of the Florida

12 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA


GATOR ALERT!
American alligators and crocodiles are
found in the state’s 67 counties.
Wherever you see a body of water—even
a large puddle that has formed on the
side of a highway—you should assume a
reptile is in it. Do not feed alligators. It is
dangerous and illegal. Never swim in a
canal or wade into an unknown body of
fresh or brackish water, especially at
dawn or dusk, which are their feeding
times. And keep small children and pets
away from fresh or brackish water
shorelines at all times.
ALLIGATOR, EVERGLADES • SHUTTERSTOCK/
BILDAGENTUR ZOONAR GMBH
SAN SEBASTIAN WINERY, ST. AUGUSTINE • FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM
peninsula offer deep-sea fishing and diving
opportunities galore.
HIT THE BEACH
Blessed with climates ranging from
subtropical in the north to tropical in the
coastal and southern regions, Florida is
known as the “Sunshine State.” Tempera-
tures average a balmy 70ºF daily, with highs
usually peaking in the 90s in July and
August. And while the lowest temperature
ever recorded in the winter of 1899 was
–2ºF in Tallahassee, the normal lows,
which last only a couple of days, hover
around the 40s or 50s during January or
February. Although Florida has its share of
inclement weather, it’s renowned for being
the warmest state in the U.S. mainland.
The currents of Key Biscayne and the
coastal areas around Fort Myers, particularly
Sanibel and Captiva islands, are perfect for
learning the rudiments of paddleboarding,
ocean kayaking and other water sports. For
shell hunters, the Gulf Coast, from Fort
Myers to Sarasota, is where to go.
FAMILY EXPLORATIONS
Resorts and attractions are an inescapable
part of Florida’s identity and some are
destinations in their own right.
Head south to the 173,000-acre, mostly
underwater, Biscayne National Park where
all sorts of outdoor activities are available
together with snorkeling, diving and glass-
bottom boat tours. It is certainly worth
renting a watercraft to search the islands for
evidence of Indigenous American inhabi-
tants, to explore shipwrecks and to drift
above the coral reef system, where more
than 200 species of fish thrive.
Popular water parks in Southeast Florida
include Rapids Water Park in Palm Beach
County and Broward County’s collection of
child-pleasing soakers: Paradise Cove Water
Park at C.B. Smith Park, Splash Adventure
Water Park at Quiet Waters Park, Castaway
Island Water Park at Topeekeegee Yugnee
Park, and Tropical Splash Water Park at
Central Broward Regional Park.
Water parks, such as Shipwreck Island
Waterpark in Panama City Beach,
Adventure Island in Tampa and Adventure
Landing in Jacksonville, offer thrilling
experiences for the whole family, and are
especially refreshing in the summertime
when the air can be quite humid.
WEATHER
ADVISORY
Heat exhaustion can affect anyone,
especially young children and the elderly.
Symptoms include mild muscle cramps to
dehydration. If you feel faint, head for air
conditioning and start drinking fluids.
Also keep in mind that Florida is the
lightning capital of the United States.
Afternoon storms start and stop quickly
and often without much warning.
However, most parks and some other
public places are equipped with lightning
detectors. Heed the saying, “If thunder
roars, go indoors.”
Hurricane season runs June 1–November
30, but there is no need to worry as your
hotel (and the local news) will keep you well
informed. If you plan a trip during hurricane
season, it is wise to buy travel insurance.
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 13
HISTORY
A FASCINATING PAST
BY RICHARD WESTLUND
ERNEST HEMINGWAY HOME & MUSEUM, KEY WEST • FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/ROB O'NEAL
F
rom swashbuckling tales of Spanish
adventurers to Civil War battles and
U.S. astronauts’ first ventures into
space, Florida’s history is an intriguing one.
Visit coastal forts and lighthouses,
museums, mansions and vintage hotels.
Explore a variety of Native American,
African American and Hispanic cultural
sites that bring Florida’s past to life. A myriad
of historic treasures are waiting to be
rediscovered throughout the state.
SOUTHEAST
Thousands of years before the first European
explorers arrived, Florida was populated by
Native Americans such as the Tequesta
14 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
people who lived near the mouth of the
Miami River. The Miami Circle is an archae-
ological site in downtown Miami believed to
have been a structure built by these people.
Other Native American cultures survived
the incursion of northern settlers in the
1800s by moving into the Everglades, where
they gradually rebuilt their societies. Now,
visitors can learn about the Seminole and
Miccosukee Peoples, sample native cuisine,
take a ride on an airboat or watch alligator
wrestling at attractions along U.S. 41 (Tamiami
Trail) and I-75 (Alligator Alley). Clewiston’s
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is a living village of
early Seminole culture.
To help mariners avoid rocks and reefs,
several lighthouses were erected in this
region in the 1800s. For a fascinating
glimpse into Florida’s past, tour the Garden
Key Lighthouse at Fort Jefferson and nearby
Loggerhead Key Lighthouse (both in Dry
Tortugas National Park); the Cape Florida
Lighthouse on Key Biscayne near Miami; and
the 160-year-old Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and
Museum in The Palm Beaches.
Built in 1891, the Museum of Art & History
at the Custom House in Key West houses
exhibitions exposing visitors to a Florida
they may have never known. Clinton Square
Market, now a bi-level shopping mall, is
housed in an 1800s building that was once a
U.S. Navy coal depot. Historic Key West also
offers the Harry S. Truman Little White
House presidential museum and the Ernest
Hemingway Home & Museum.
Miami’s historic Lyric Theater was a major
entertainment center for African Americans
in the state’s segregated society. A few blocks
to the south, Little Havana reflects Miami’s
Cuban heritage, with restaurants, clubs and
shops.
Pioneer homes and historical hotels are
found in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West
Palm Beach. Two examples are Stranahan
House Museum on the New River in Fort
Lauderdale and the Bonnet House Museum &
Gardens near the Intracoastal Waterway. In The
Palm Beaches, the Boca Raton Resort and Club,
the Colony Hotel & Cabaña Club in Delray
Beach and the world-famous Breakers Hotel in
Palm Beach are examples of Florida architec-
ture from the 1920s.
SOUTHWEST
Inventor Thomas Edison and his friend
Henry Ford built their Florida homes in Fort
Myers. The compound is known today as the
Edison & Ford Winter Estates and features a
museum, laboratory and gardens.
To the north, not far from the historic
Boca Grande Lighthouse in Gasparilla Island
State Park, the Gasparilla Inn & Club has
attracted visitors since 1913.
Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero was
the scene of one of the most unusual
chapters in Florida history. In 1894, Cyrus
Reed Teed founded the Koreshan Unity, a
community of followers who believed the
universe existed within a giant, hollow
sphere. Today, the site has 11 well-maintained
historical structures dating from 1882–1920
as well as landscaped grounds with exotic
ornamental plants from around the world.  the glory years of the U.S. space program.
In Bradenton, the Gamble Plantation
Historic State Park is the only remaining
antebellum plantation house in South
Florida. Nearby, the town of Palmetto boasts
its own historical park, as well as an ancient
Native American attraction, the Madira
Bickel Mound State Archaeological Site.
Farther north in Sarasota, The Ringling is a
standing legacy to the rich history of the
American circus and houses a wealth of
artifacts, including the world’s largest
miniature circus. Surrounding gardens feature
an extensive variety of native and exotic trees
and the Mable Ringling Rose Garden.
CENTRAL EAST
In 1949, Cape Canaveral became a test site for
THE JOHN & MABLE RINGLING MUSEUM OF ART, SARASOTA • VISIT FLORIDA/MAURICE RIVENBARK
the U.S. missile program. A decade later, the
Cocoa Beach-Titusville area was the heart of
the nation’s space program, including Apollo
11, the 1969 mission that carried astronauts
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to the
moon. Now, the Kennedy Space Center
Visitor Complex allows guests to experience
Located on the U.S. Air Force Base is the
historic Cape Canaveral Lighthouse; be sure
to check tour information before planning
your trip.
To the north, the Ponce de Leon Inlet
Lighthouse & Museum guards the waterway at
the southern end of the Daytona Beach area.
CENTRAL
For a survey of Central Florida’s fascinating
past, visit the Orange County Regional History
Center in Orlando to view exhibits such as a
typical pioneer home from the 1800s.
One of Florida’s leading African
Americans was Zora Neale Hurston, a
prominent 20th-century author whose works
influenced such writers as Toni Morrison
and Ralph Ellison. An annual festival in
Eatonville celebrates her life and recognizes
her contributions to literature.
WEST CENTRAL
Located in Tampa’s Channelside District, the
Tampa Bay History Center houses 60,000
square feet of exhibits that link the region’s
modern culture with sports legends, railroad
tycoons, cattle drives, pioneers, Spanish
conquistadors and Florida’s first Native
inhabitants. It’s a short drive to Ybor City,
known as Tampa’s Latin Quarter for more
than a century. Visitors can enjoy Cuban
coffee and cigars and dance to Latin rhythms.
The Don CeSar Hotel, in St. Petersburg
Beach, is known as “Florida’s Pink Castle”
since it opened in 1928. Another Florida
treasure is Tarpon Springs, where visitors
can tour the historical sponge diving docks.
NORTHWEST
One of the nation’s oldest cities on the Gulf
Coast, Pensacola has flourished under
Spanish, French, British, Confederate and
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 15
HISTORY
U.S. rule, and today is known as the “city of
five flags.” At its heart, Historic Pensacola
Village includes 27 buildings and museums
operated by the University of West Florida.
In the late 1500s, the Spanish first
inhabited the region to protect their settle-
ments and galleons carrying gold from
Mexico. Storms, battles and other accidents
resulted in numerous sinkings, and divers
today can explore 20 wrecks along the
Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail between
Pensacola and Port St. Joe. Visitors can also
tour historical lighthouses in the region,
such as the Pensacola Lighthouse and
Maritime Museum, built in 1859.
In the 1700s, the British took control of
the region, building Fort Barrancas and Fort
George. Then, a Spanish army with U.S.
volunteers ousted the British forces during a
1781 battle—a little-known victory of the
American Revolution.
PONCE DE LEON INLET LIGHTHOUSE, DAYTONA BEACH • VISIT FLORIDA
16 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
NORTH CENTRAL
During the early 1800s, Florida’s population
was concentrated in North Florida, where
Tallahassee became the territorial capital.
One of the city’s highlights from that era is
the Call-Collins House at The Grove
Museum, an historic mansion finished in
the 1840s by Richard Keith Call, an aide and
advisor to General Andrew Jackson.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861,
Florida joined the Confederacy—the
smallest state to secede from the U.S. During
the war, Union troops fought the Confeder-
ates in several clashes in the North Central
area, including the Battle of Natural Bridge
in 1865—one of the last Confederate victories
in the war. To the south near Lake City,
“soldiers” in Civil War uniforms annually re-
enact the Battle of Olustee. The state also
publishes the Florida Civil War Heritage Trail,
a guidebook to Florida battle sites.
Southwest of Tallahassee, visitors can
tour the unspoiled fishing community of
Apalachicola, the center of the state’s oyster
industry for many decades. Nearby is the
St. Marks Lighthouse in St. Marks National
Wildlife Refuge.
NORTHEAST
Back in 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de
León set foot on Florida’s sandy shores and
christened the new land “La Florida.” Four
decades later, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés
founded St. Augustine, the oldest continu-
ously inhabited European-established city in
the U.S. Featuring an historical district
containing some 30 colonial-era buildings,
St. Augustine provides a unique glimpse into
Spanish colonial life. Highlights include
Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry
fortification in the continental U.S., and the
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum.
In 1738, in an attempt to destabilize the
plantation economy of the British colonies
by creating a free black community to attract
slaves seeking escape and refuge, the Spanish
established the fort and town of Gracia Real
de Santa Teresa de Mosé as the first free black
community in North America.
To the north, Jacksonville traces its roots
to the French who landed at the mouth of
the St. Johns River in 1562 and founded Fort
Caroline two years later. However, a
Spanish force soon captured the fort, and
the French became a distant memory.
Through the years, the Spanish maintained
control of the region, establishing forts,
farms and missions, including Fort
Caroline and the Kingsley Plantation House
(c. 1798), both of which are located in the
Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve—
one of the last unspoiled coastal wetlands
on the Atlantic coast.
One of Florida’s hidden treasures is
Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, north of
Jacksonville. Many buildings in its 50-block
historical district are on the National
Register of Historic Places. Visitors can also
tour the Amelia Island Lighthouse property.
Built during the Territorial Period in 1838, it
is the state’s oldest lighthouse. Scout out Fort
Clinch for a glimpse into the nation’s past
during the Civil War.

TAKE IT OUTSIDE
BY SALLY WHITE
K
nown for glistening sugar-sand
beaches and sparkling turquoise
waters, Florida draws visitors from
around the world. With more than 80
different ecosystems and a vast array of
natural resources, this sun-kissed state,
known for balmy winters and sultry
summers, offers something for everyone.
The glittering depths of Williston’s
subterranean underwater caverns of Devil’s
Den and the saltier explorations around the
shipwrecks from Pensacola to Port St. Joe,
serving as artificial reefs to the local marine
life on the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck
Trail, beckon avid scuba divers. Hiking
enthusiasts find themselves drawn to the
challenges of the 1,400-mile Florida Trail,
the state’s National Scenic Trail stretching
from the Everglades to Pensacola Beach.
Others prefer to drink in the vista views from
the canopy walkway of Myakka River State
Park or climb the limestone bluffs above the
whitewater rapids at Big Shoals State Park.
SNORKELING, FORT JEFFERSON, DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK • VISIT FLORIDA/PATRICK FARRELL
Eleven thousand miles of waterways, the
warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the
cooler Atlantic, entice paddlers to investigate
the wilds and anglers to cast their lines in hopes
of snagging a bass or prize-winning cobia.
With an extensive variety of natural
resources available, it can be difficult for
travelers to choose how to spend their time.
These top 10 Florida ecotours not only aid
the state’s ecotourism through public
education, but also give back to their
community to help maintain these diverse
native assets for future generations to enjoy
while allowing visitors unique opportunities
to experience wild Florida.
1 SNORKEL LIVING REEFS AT
DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL
PARK, FLORIDA KEYS
Vibrant tropical fish dart past, ducking to
hide in the depths of the colorful living coral
and sponges at Dry Tortugas National Park,
situated within the Everglades & Dry
ECOTOURISM
Tortugas Biosphere Reserve. This 100-
square-mile reserve encompasses seven
islands and the tail end of a reef that
stretches from Miami to this national park,
70 miles from Key West. The remote location
has minimized human impact on the reef,
making it one of the best underwater snor-
keling and diving locations in America. The
Dry Tortugas can be reached via daily ferry
from Key West. The Yankee Freedom III is the
official national park ferry and departs from
100 Grinnell Street, Key West, Florida 33040.
1-800-634-0939. drytortugas.com
2 WALK THROUGH A WILDLIFE
HAVEN AT CORKSCREW
SWAMP SANCTUARY & BLAIR
AUDUBON CENTER, NAPLES
A pristine wilderness, dating back more than
500 years, greets visitors at this 13,000-acre
swamp. It is home to the largest old-growth
bald cypress forest in the world, as well as
the largest nesting colony of wood storks in
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 17
ECOTOURISM
the U.S. It also provides an important habitat
for numerous endangered species including
the Florida panther and rare plants such as
the ghost orchid. A 2.25-mile boardwalk
meanders through wet prairie, marshlands
and pine flatwoods where around 200
species of birds reside, such as the snowy
egret, barred owl, limpkin and sandhill
crane. 375 Sanctuary Road, Naples, Florida
34120. 1-239-348-9151. corkscrew.audubon.org
3 EXPERIENCE
BIOLUMINESCENCE IN A
KAYAK, INDIAN RIVER LAGOON
In the darkness of the night, kayaks glide
across the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito
CANYONS ZIP LINE & CANOPY TOURS, OCALA • VISIT FLORIDA
18 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
Lagoon in Merritt Island National Wildlife
Refuge. Every swish of the paddle and
movement in the water spawns swirls of
glowing electric green color through the
water. This glow-in-the-dark phenomenon,
caused by a combination of single-celled
microorganisms called dinoflagellates, warm
temperatures and water salinity levels, occurs
June through early October. Come November
through May, bioluminescent jelly combs, a
creature similar to a jelly fish but without the
sting, congregate in the waters of the Indian
River Lagoon to illuminate the cooler nights.
A Day Away Kayak Tours offers guided tours
year-round. The tour launch point is at
Haulover Canal, Merritt Island National
Wildlife Refuge, Florida 32782. 1-321-268-2655.
adayawaykayaktours.com
4 SWIM WITH THE MANATEES,
NATURE COAST
Crystal River, a winter playground to the West
Indian manatee, attracts between 400 and
800 of these gentle giant sea cows when water
temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico begin to
drop. Manatees like to frolic in the warmer
waters of the spring systems around Kings
Bay and are often spotted in the Three Sisters
Springs at the Crystal River National Wildlife
Refuge. Though no longer on the endangered
list, they remain a “threatened” species. River
Ventures has been taking guests to swim and
snorkel with the manatees since 2010.
Manatee season is from November to March,
but they can be spotted around Crystal River
year-round. Tours leave from 498 SE Kings
Bay Drive, Crystal River, Florida 34429.
1-877-581-8401. riverventures.com
5 SOAR ACROSS LIMESTONE
CANYONS WITH CANYONS
ZIP LINE & CANOPY TOURS, OCALA
The whirr of metal on metal takes guests
flying through the air across the open
landscape of natural Central Florida. The
ground drops away to reveal the steep cliff
walls and gaping limestone pits of a bygone
era. Located on 100 acres of private property
with expansive canyons, lakes and islands,
Canyons Zip Line & Adventure Park offers
visitors a unique look at Florida’s geology.
The University of Florida discovered
evidence of a prehistoric manatee and
crustacean fossils in the limestone caves and
walls and now visitors can explore this
preserved environment from above, with
nine zip lines, two rope bridges and a rappel
across this area of wild Central Florida.
8045 NW Gainesville Rd, Ocala, Florida
34474. 1-352-351-9477. zipthecanyons.com
6 CYCLE THROUGH TIMUCUAN
HISTORY AND MARITIME
FORESTS WITH KAYAK AMELIA
TOURS, JACKSONVILLE
Bike past sand dunes, through tree hammocks
and pine flats. A Florida naturalist leads this

FLORIDA CAVERNS STATE PARK, MARIANNA • VISIT FLORIDA/DOROTHY THAMES
guided tour through Big Talbot Island State
Park on gently rolling nature trails teeming
with Florida’s diverse wildlife. Paddlers unable
to resist the call of the unusual beaches and
rock formations around the Talbot Islands
have the opportunity to try one of Kayak
Amelia’s paddle tours to explore the tidal
streams and sand bars. 13030 Heckscher Drive,
Jacksonville, Florida 32226. 1-904-251-0016.
kayakamelia.com
7 PADDLE WITH SCHOLARS
IN A NATIONAL ESTUARINE
RESEARCH RESERVE,
ST. AUGUSTINE
Paddle the coastal backwaters of the GTM-
NERR (Guana Tolomato Matanzas National
Estuarine Research Reserve) with certified
Florida Master Naturalist Instructors
through one of the most productive ecosys-
tems on the planet. Fresh water drains into
the watershed, creating a habitat abundant
with diverse aquatic plant and wildlife.
Around 350 birds, 40 reptiles, 20 amphibians
and 580 different plant species reside in this
unique ecological environment. Ripple
Effect Adventure Outfitters, located in the
town of Marineland just south of
St. Augustine, also offers tours aboard the
only vegetable-oil powered ecotour boat in
Northeast Florida. 101 Tolstoy Lane,
St. Augustine, Florida 32080. 1-904-347-1565.
rippleeffectecotours.com
8 TUBE THE CRYSTAL
CLEAR WATERS OF THE
ICHETUCKNEE RIVER,
FORT WHITE
Float the pristine sapphire waters of the
Ichetucknee River, a spring-fed river in
Florida, declared a National Natural
Landmark in 1972. Visitors can choose from
one of three tubing experiences within
Ichetucknee Springs State Park on this lazy
six-mile river with opportunities to see
natural Florida springs, otters, beavers and
an occasional manatee. Tube, kayak, paddle-
board and canoe rentals are available, and
only non-motorized vessels are allowed on
the river. 12087 SW U.S. Highway 27, Fort
White, Florida 32038. 1-386-497-1500.
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
Ichetucknee-Springs-state-park
9 DESCEND INTO
THE LABYRINTHINE
UNDERGROUND AT FLORIDA
CAVERNS, MARIANNA
The only dry-air cave tour in a Florida state
park can be found at Florida Caverns State
Park in North Florida. Visitors take a 45-
minute guided tour with a park ranger
winding their way through narrow passages
and around unique limestone formations
like dripping stalactites, mounding stalag-
mites, flowstones and draperies. Blind
crayfish, cave salamanders and colonies of
bat species can also be found in this unusual
65ºF year-round Florida habitat.
3345 Caverns Road, Marianna, Florida 32446.
1-850-482-1228. floridastateparks.org/parks-
and-trails/Florida-Caverns-state-park
10 HUNT FOR TREASURE
ALONG THE ESCAMBIA
COUNTY ENVIRONMENTAL
GEO CACHE TOUR
Eight geocache sites take treasure hunters
through the diverse ecosystems and
unique environmental habitats of
Escambia County. Using GPS coordinates,
visitors hunt down the hidden caches.
Highlights of the geocaching adventure tour
include: experiencing bayou boardwalks, a
glimpse of the carnivorous white top pitcher
plant of Tarkin Bayou Preserve State Park,
oyster reefs, salt marsh and sea grass habitat
of Project Greenshores, and the rolling sand
dunes of Perdido Key. The Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP), Escambia
County and the City of Pensacola partnered
to create this remarkable ecotour. Visitors
who locate six out of eight caches can
receive a prize. Participants should log their
finds on geocaching.com. Log sheets and
coordinates are found at myescambia.com/
our-services/natural-resources-management/
natural-resources-conservation/escambia-
county-geocaching-tour. DEP, 160 West
Government Street, Pensacola, Florida 32502.
1-850-595-8300.
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 19
THEME PARKS
JUST FOR THE THRILL OF IT!
BY KEVIN FRITZ
F
or theme parks and family fun,
there’s no place like Florida where a
never-ending array of thrilling rides
and major attractions promise fun-packed
excitement and adventures for all ages.
SEAWORLD ORLANDO
Introduced in 2018, SeaWorld Orlando’s
Infinity Falls is a twisting and turning river
rapid ride that showcases a lush South
American jungle environment and native
animals that call this habitat home. Wind
your way around soaking fountains and
waterfalls as you pass the remains of an
ancient civilization. The four-minute
adventure features a vertical elevator that
lifts rafts in preparation for a 40-foot drop
into churning and exhilarating waters. The
Infinity Falls adventure ends at Harmony
Village where you’ll find interactive
experiences educating and inspiring
guests about conserving freshwater
ecosystems. After braving Infinity Falls,
enjoy other SeaWorld Orlando adventures,
shows and animal encounters.
20 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
DOLPHIN LAGOON, DISCOVERY COVE, ORLANDO • SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT INC.
Located next to Shamu Stadium, visit
Sesame Street Land. Walk around this six-
acre neighborhood and visit Big Bird’s Nest,
Hooper’s Store and all the famous charac-
ters. Rides include Big Bird’s Twirl ‘N’ Whirl
and Super Grover’s Box Car Derby, among
others.
The Killer Whale Up-Close Tour gives
guests the opportunity to learn about the
park’s majestic killer whales in brand new
ways. And the popular Dolphin Nursery is
interactive and includes large windows,
giving guests the chance to see mothers and
young dolphins up close. Throughout the
animal-themed exhibits at SeaWorld Orlando,
you’ll learn about the park’s ongoing work in
the rescue and rehabilitation of sick, injured
and orphaned wildlife—over 37,000 animals
spanning a duration of more than 50 years.
Nearby, Discovery Cove, an all-inclusive
day resort with a list of interactive animal
adventures, welcomes guests to swim with
both dolphins and sharks. The Signature
Dolphin Experience offers the opportunity
to interact with a dolphin including an
unforgettable swim. The awe-inspiring
shark swim allows guests to enjoy closer-
than-ever encounters with several species of
these legendary predators.
The shark program teaches kids how
shark finning and overfishing threaten
many shark species. SeaWorld Orlando
donates five percent of the proceeds from
this attraction to the Guy Harvey Ocean
Foundation (GHOF) in support of shark
conservation and research. This experience
is available to guests 10 years and older.
Discovery Cove also features a Ray
Feeding experience, which gives guests the
chance to feed various species of stingrays
as well as thousands of tropical fish before
embarking on a private, guided swim of the
Grand Reef.
Aquatica, SeaWorld Orlando’s Water Park,
features high-speed water slides, exhila-
rating wave pools, and 80,000 feet of
sparkling white, sandy, artificial beaches to
the delight of all ages. This one-of-a-kind
water park is also home to Ihu’s Breakaway
Falls, a multi-drop tower slide. Dare to try
the KareKare Curl. Seating two passengers
in each circular raft, it features a 35-foot
drop down an enclosed tube slide,
providing a high-adrenaline, weightless
water park thrill.
BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is the
undisputed king of coasters in West Central
Florida with world-class coasters: Kumba,
Montu, Sheikra, Cheetah Hunt, Scorpion,
Cobra’s Curse and the newest, Tigris—
Florida’s tallest launch coaster. However,
Tigris’ reign will soon be challenged by the
addition of Iron Gwazi. Set to open this year,
it will be North America’s tallest and the
world’s fastest and steepest hybrid coaster.
Falcon’s Fury is a face-first fall from 335 feet
in the air. For younger guests, the park
offers two mellower rides, SandSerpent and
Air Grover.
Of course, Busch Gardens Tampa is much
more than roller coasters. It’s also one of the
country’s premiere zoos.
At the park’s state-of-the-art Animal Care
Center, guests can observe animal care first-
hand and even take part in animal-care
experiences ranging from nutrition and
treatments to X-rays and surgeries.
UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
Charting new territory is the Borne Stuntac-
ular, which debuted last summer at
Universal Studios Orlando. Traveling to
three continents as Jason Bourne is pursued
by sinister characters, this not-to-be-missed
stunt show combines modern technology
and live action.
Harry Potter fans will want to experience
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike
Adventure. Board magical motorbikes to fly
far into the dark forest past Hogwarts castle,
towering trees and magical creatures, while
dodging fierce beasts. At 50 mph, it will
TIP
Located at 8102 International Drive in the
heart of Orlando’s tourism district, Visit
Orlando, the only official visitor center,
offers deals and unbiased expert advice
to visitors seeking information.
rocket you forward, sling you backward and
drop you—with a free-fall vertical dropping
you nearly 17 feet.
In Islands of Adventure, Jurassic Park
opens Velocicoaster this summer. It will be
Florida’s fastest and tallest launch roller
coaster, hitting a speed of 70 mph in 2.4
seconds. Racing alongside a pack of veloci-
raptors, this roller coaster has 4 inversions,
a 360 degree barrel roll, a zero gravity
inverted stall lasting 100 feet and a 155-foot-
tall hill followed by an 80 degree drop.
Guests can’t get enough of Volcano Bay,
Universal Orlando’s third theme park.
Unlike Islands of Adventure and Universal
Studios Florida, Volcano Bay, featuring
Krakatau, the 200-foot volcano overlooking
a Pacific-island, is all about getting wet. The
volcano is home to the park’s Krakatau Aqua
Coaster, an exciting, first-of-its-kind aqua
coaster that propels you upward and
downward through the volcano’s interior
peaks and valleys. Volcano Bay offers more
than 30 experiences including a multi-
directional wave pool with sandy beaches
and twisting multi-rider raft rides. Take the
Ko’okiri Body Plunge, a 70-degree, 125-foot
fall through a trap door, or relax on the
Kopiko Wai Winding River.
HAGRID'S MAGICAL CREATURES MOTORBIKE ADVENTURE • UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT
WALT DISNEY WORLD
With spectacular views, the Disney Skyliner
aerial gondolas offer convenient connec-
tions from some Disney Resort hotels and
Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot, via
five stations.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you may
find yourself shrunk to the size of a toy to
explore the world of Andy’s backyard with
your favorite Toy Story characters in Toy
Story Land. This area also showcases Slinky
Dog Dash—a family roller coaster. Mickey
and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is a trackless
dark ride located inside Grauman’s Chinese
Theatre. With conductor Goofy, be prepared
for unexpected twists, slapstick gags and
incredible transformations as Mickey and
Minnie try to save the day. Star Wars:
Galaxy’s Edge features two ride options:
Being part of a six-person crew on “Millen-
nium Falcon: Smugglers Run” where you
walk through a full-sized replica of the
Millennium Falcon and then climb into the
cockpit where Hondo Ohnaka leads a secret
mission. A cast member hands each person
their role assignment—a pilot, gunner or
engineer. “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance”
is a massive, multi-platform attraction,
unlike anything else at Disney World. Guests
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 21
THEME PARKS
SERENGETI SAFARI, BUSCH GARDENS, TAMPA • VISIT FLORIDA
are in an epic battle between the First Order
and the Resistance, boarding an Imperial
Star Destroyer with 50 animatronic storm-
troopers waiting in formation.
Another jewel is Pandora - The World of
AVATAR, at Animal Kingdom. Experience the
Na’vi River Journey as it transports you
through a bioluminescent rainforest, while
AVATAR: Flight of Passage invites you to take
an exhilarating 3D flight on the back of a
mountain banshee.
At Mission: Space, over at Epcot, Journey
to Mars with the more extreme Orange
Mission, or orbit the Earth with the less
intense, Green Mission. Expected to open
this year is the family-friendly Remy’s
Ratatouille Adventure in the France pavilion,
a trackless dark ride. This is a high energy
experience with some physical props and a
3D film on giant screens.
LEGOLAND FLORIDA RESORT
Take the young ones aged 2 to 12 to
LEGOLAND theme park, in Winter Haven. It
boasts more than 50 rides, attractions and
shows as well as life-sized LEGO displays.
THE LEGO Movie World area of Bricksburg is
the newest addition to the park with three
immersive rides and character meet-and-
greets. On-site, there is also a water park and
22 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
the new Pirate Island Hotel with fully-
themed pirate rooms.
INTERNATIONAL DRIVE
Make time to visit Orlando’s International
Drive area, home to smaller, yet no less
exciting attractions.
At ICON Park, board The Wheel, a 400-
foot observation wheel with breathtaking
views of Central Florida. Or, take an invigor-
ating spin on the Orlando StarFlyer, the
450-foot-tall swing ride attraction. Coming
in 2021 is the Slingshot and Drop Tower. The
former lowers riders into a volcano and, as
it erupts, guests will launch 450 feet in the
air at 100 miles per hour and then plummet
back to earth. Boasting one of the fastest and
smoothest ride systems to date, the latter
carries riders up 40 stories into the sky then
free-falls at 75 mph. Also at this complex,
visit Madame Tussauds wax museum and
the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium.
Nearby, the Magical Midway Thrill Park
offers a variety of rides and attractions and
FunSpot America offers roller coasters—
including a 250-foot SkyCoaster—multi-
level go-kart tracks and arcade games.
Ripley’s Believe it or Not is the center for all
things odd and quirky, while Titanic: The
Artifact Exhibition takes you on that fateful
cruise among full scale re-creations of the
doomed ship.
The recently opened Dezerland Park is an
indoor fun park with go-karts, bowling,
arcade games, and featuring The Auto
Museum—home to the most engaging
auto/vehicle collection in the world with
exhibits including Cars of the Stars and the
Bond Museum.
Dinner shows also include such diverse
choices as the Pirate Dinner Adventure, the
Titanic First-class Dinner Gala and the
Sleuth’s Mystery Dinner Show.
MORE ENJOYMENT AWAITS
Orlando Watersports Complex features a
modular series of inflatable, interlocking
climbing obstacles, pathways and slides for
hours of watery fun.
Gatorland is a great place to see crocodiles
of all sizes. Enjoy the Gator Zip Line and the
new Stompin’ Gator Off-Road Adventure
where you board monster-style off-road
vehicles to adventure over hills, through
mud puddles and through a pond full of
alligators in a 15 minute rugged adventure
ride alongside the swamps that feed the
headwaters of the Everglades.
FEATURED LINKS
Aquatica Orlando
aquatica.com/orlando
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
buschgardens.com/tampa
Dezerland Park
dezerlandpark.com
Discovery Cove
discoverycove.com/Orlando
Gatorland
gatorland.com
International Drive Resort Area
internationaldriveorlando.com
Legoland Orlando
legoland.com/florida
Orlando Watersports Complex
orlandowatersports.com
SeaWorld Orlando
seasorld.com/orlando
Universal Orlando Resort
universalorlando.com
Walt Disney World
disneyworld.disney.go.com
Visit Orlando
visitorlando.com
 SPORTS

A WORLD OF SPORTS
BY EDWARD SCHMIDT JR.

I
f you love watching the NFL, NBA, NHL
and MLS professional sports teams,
Florida has a plethora of teams playing
in phenomenal stadiums and arenas. For
those who want to participate in the action,
the opportunities are equally impressive
with a variety of biking and hiking trails in
urban and wilderness areas, numerous
marinas with deep-sea fishing and yacht
charters, dozens of top-notch scuba diving
sites just offshore and a spectacular
inventory of golf courses and tennis courts.

FIELDS OF DREAMS
Baseball fans flock to Florida during the
month of March when 15 teams train and
play exhibition games prior to the season.
It’s a great way to see your favorite players
when they’re more accessible for autographs
and you can be closer to the action. The
engaging venues include George M.
Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, where the
Yankees train and which has a massive
Yankees memorabilia store, and JetBlue Park
in Fort Myers, a Boston Red Sox training
venue featuring a replica of Fenway Park’s
Green Monster.
From April to October, enjoy regular
season Major League Baseball in Miami with
the Miami Marlins, a National League team
co-owned by famous baseball player Derek
Jeter, and with the Tampa Bay Rays, an
American League team that competes at
St. Petersburg’s domed Tropicana Field.
TEEING UP
You’ll have little difficulty teeing it up in
Florida, which boasts some 1,300 golf
courses and over 50 resorts where golf is the
main amenity. Many of Florida’s golf resorts
are world-renowned and home to iconic
courses like THE PLAYERS Stadium Course
at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, the
Blue Monster at Trump National Doral in
Miami and Copperhead at Innisbrook, a
Salamander Golf & Spa Resort near Tampa.
In addition, there are superb daily fee
courses to play with designer tags like Jack
Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Robert Trent Jones.
PGA NATIONAL RESORT & SPA, PALM BEACH GARDENS • DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES
The PGA Tour utilizes Florida every year
as sites for some of its most prestigious
tournaments. You can stroll among the lush
fairways and palm trees and watch some
of golf’s greatest stars. The tournament
lineup includes The Honda Classic at PGA
National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach
Gardens in March; Valspar Championship
at Innisbrook’s Copperhead course, a
Salamander Golf & Spa Resort in Palm
Harbor in late April; Arnold Palmer Invita-
tional at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando
in early March; and THE PLAYERS Cham-
pionship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra
Beach in March.
HOOPS HEAVEN
You can follow the bouncing ball in Florida
from December to May with the NBA’s
Orlando Magic and Miami Heat. Both teams
play in the hotly contested Southeast
Division, which also includes the Atlanta
Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and Washington
Wizards. Check schedules because it’s a great
chance to see the NBA’s brightest stars like
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin
Durant play against the Florida teams. The
Magic play their games at the Amway Center
in downtown Orlando and the Heat play at
the AmericanAirlines Arena.
For major college basketball, the impres-
sive menu is led by the Florida Gators, from
Gainesville’s University of Florida. The
University of Miami and Tallahassee’s
Florida State University annually field strong
teams.
FOOTBALL FRENZY
Gridiron icons like Don Shula, Dan Marino
and Tim Tebow are synonymous with
football in the Sunshine State. Pro and
college football dominate the sports scene in
Florida in fall and early winter.
Home to the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay
Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars, Florida
gives fans the chance to watch NFL football
games in warm, sunny weather even in
October and November.
College football passions run deep in
Florida with highly successful programs like

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 23

SPORTS
DAYTONA 500, DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY • VISIT FLORIDA
Gainesville’s University of Florida Gators,
Tallahassee’s Florida State Seminoles and
Miami University’s Hurricanes. The Gators
have won three national championships, the
Seminoles have won three and the
Hurricanes have captured five. Other
colleges with top-flight Division 1 programs
where you can experience the game with all
of the colorful pageantry are the University
of Central Florida in Orlando, University of
South Florida in Tampa and Florida Atlantic
University in Boca Raton.
At the end of each season in December
and early January, Florida hosts several
major college football bowl games,
including the Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla
Bowl and Outback Bowl at Raymond James
Stadium in Tampa; Cheribundi Tart Cherry
Boca Raton Bowl at FAU Stadium in Boca
Raton; Capital One Orange Bowl at the Hard
Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens; Cheez-it
Bowl, Citrus Bowl, Cure Bowl and Camping
World Bowl are all played at Camping World
Stadium in Orlando; and TaxSlayer Gator
Bowl at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville
SOCCER IN THE SUN
Florida has quietly become a haven for great
professional soccer. Orlando City SC of the
MLS, founded in 2010, plays to record-breaking
crowds at Exploria Stadium in downtown
Orlando. The team has a loyal fan base as well
as fun tailgating parties before the games.
The Inter Miami CF, a newly-established
MLS team co-owned by David Beckham, will
play at the Inter Miami FC Stadium in Fort
Lauderdale until their new stadium, Miami
24 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
Freedom Park, is completed.
Fortunately, there are plenty of opportu-
nities to see the sport in Florida. The
Orlando Pride of the National Women’s
Soccer League is led by superstar Alex
Morgan. And, the Boca Raton FC is a
National Premier Soccer League team
founded in 2015.
OWN THE ICE
With two NHL teams in the state, Florida
offers fans superb opportunities to see first-
rate hockey on their visit. Playing their games
at Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa, the
Tampa Bay Lightning have qualified for the
Stanley Cup playoffs 12 times in 28 seasons
and won the cherished trophy twice, once in
2004 and again in 2020. Farther south, in the
Miami metropolitan area, the Florida Panthers
skate at the BB&T Center in Sunrise. The
Panthers are the southernmost team in the
NHL and have qualified for post-season action
five times since their debut in 1993.
TERRIFIC TENNIS
The fuzzy ball set loves to play and watch
tennis in Florida. Resorts like Boca Raton
Resort & Club, Saddlebrook Resort near
Tampa and Omni Amelia Island Plantation
Resort north of Jacksonville have expansive,
world-class tennis complexes. Spectators
enjoy the Miami Open presented by Itaú,
which dates back to 1985 and has featured
major stars such as Martina Navratilova,
Serena Williams, Novak Djokovic and Rafael
Nadal. It is staged in late March at the Hard
Rock Stadium in the city of Miami Gardens.
RACING TO WIN
It doesn’t get any bigger and better than the
DAYTONA 500 in Daytona Beach, occurring
in February. It’s NASCAR’s speedy answer to
the NFL’s Super Bowl.
Sebring, in Central Florida, hosts the popular
MOBIL 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March.
Just south of Miami in Homestead, the
Homestead-Miami Speedway hosts the Dixie
Vodka 400, a NASCAR Cup Series race held
in late February.
FAB FISHING
You’ll be reeled in by all of Florida’s phenom-
enal fishing possibilities. Amazingly, Florida
has over 8,000 miles of shoreline if you
include inlets, bays and capes. Better still,
the weather is warm year-round so you can
fish any day of the year.
Marinas for deep-sea charters are located
in all parts of the state. Two of the most noted
are Islamorada in the Keys, which is known
as the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World,”
and Destin in the Panhandle that’s been
dubbed “The World’s Luckiest Fishing
Village.” There are also numerous piers, docks
and bridges where you can drop a line and
make a big saltwater catch as well as reefs and
wrecks offshore where fish congregate.
For freshwater enthusiasts, Lake Okeechobee
and rivers in the Everglades are great spots to
fish for largemouth bass, bluegills and sunfish.
Throughout the state, a network of lakes, canals
and channels provides excellent places to fish
for largemouth bass, catfish and crappie.
EXPLORE THE SEA
One of the appealing aspects of snorkeling
in Florida is the wide variety of “shore dives”
possible. You don’t have to swim far to see
amazing marine life.
The Florida Keys has dozens of intriguing
spots such as Cannon Beach at John
Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, where you
can see placed remnants of an early Spanish
shipwreck about 100 feet off the beach, and
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and
Beach off Key West, where you can view
tropical fish and live coral. Other prime
snorkeling havens all around the state
include Red Reef Park in Boca Raton, Phil
Foster Snorkel Trail in Riviera Beach and
Blowing Rocks in Jupiter.
 For those who scuba and want to dive Runners have a lengthy lineup of top-
deeper, Florida’s thousands of miles of notch races, marathons and triathlons FEATURED LINKS
coastline and numerous lakes offer a lot of scheduled throughout the year. Some of the
Amway Center, Orlando
opportunities. Many divers flock to the biggest are the Walt Disney World Marathon
amwaycenter.com
natural reefs near Fort Lauderdale and Weekend in January; Life Time Miami
Boca Raton Football Club
Miami. There are also several artificial reefs Marathon and Half Marathon also in bocaratonfc.com
in different parts of the state created by January; Florida Challenge Triathlon in Daytona International Speedway
sunken steel ships and structures. Clermont in March; and Star Wars Rival Run daytonainternationalspeedway.com
Freshwater divers can explore caves and Weekend at Walt Disney World Resort in Disney Marathons and Running Events
caverns in various springs and lakes. mid-April. rundisney.com
A popular spot for serious fitness training is Florida Panthers
nhl.com/panthers
CYCLING TRAILS the National Training Center in Clermont, 20
Florida State Seminoles
Florida has some exceptional paved bike miles west of Orlando, which has a 400-meter
seminoles.com
trails. Recreational riders absolutely revel in outdoor track, cross-country course, sports Homestead-Miami Speedway
the temperate year-round biking weather fields and 70-meter-long swimming pool. homesteadmiamispeedway.com
and the flat terrain that makes cycling easier. Swimming enthusiasts can enjoy ocean Inter Miami CF
Some of the more popular trails include the swimming and just about every hotel and intermiamicf.com
West Orange Trail in Orlando, which stretches resort has a swimming pool. To learn about Jacksonville Armada Football Club
22 miles and passes through quaint towns like the history of swimming, visit the Interna- jacksonvillearmada.com
Jacksonville Jaguars
Winter Garden and Oakland; Amelia Island tional Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum
jaguars.com
Trail, a 5.7-mile trail in the picturesque in Fort Lauderdale.
Miami Dolphins
coastal village of Fernandina Beach; and the For those who prefer canoeing and miamidolphins.com
22-mile Sanibel Island Bike Trail, a stunning kayaking, Florida is a paddling paradise Miami Heat
ride that takes cyclists through the pristine with more than 1,700 miles of rivers, nba.com/heat
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge streams and creeks formed by 700-plus Miami Marathon
and past a lighthouse, beaches and natural springs. The area around Naples themiamimarathon.com
Miami Marlins
Periwinkle Way, where restaurants and shops and Marco Island is an increasingly popular
mlb.com/marlins
are easily accessible. spot for paddlers. The Everglades Wilder-
Miami Open
ness Waterway is a 99-mile water trail from miamiopen.com
WORKOUT WONDERLAND Everglades City to Flamingo, with no Miami University Hurricanes
Keeping in shape is easy in Florida, which development along the course, and the hurricanesports.com
has an excellent menu of nature, hiking and Paradise Coast Blueway is a system of Orlando Magic
running trails in both urban and wilderness paddling trails with GPS-marked routes nba.com/magic
settings. from Everglades City to Marco Island. Orlando Pride
orlandocitysc.com/pride
Paradise Coast Blueway
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS FOOTBALL • VISIT JACKSONVILLE/RYAN KETTERMAN
paradisecoastblueway.com/
paradise-coast-blueway
THE PLAYERS Stadium Course
at TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra
tpc.com/sawgrass
Sebring International Raceway
sebringraceway.com
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
buccaneers.com
Tampa Bay Lightning
nhl.com/lightning
Tampa Bay Rays
mlb.com/rays
Tampa Bay Rowdies
rowdiessoccer.com
University of Florida Gators
floridagators.com
Wellington Insider Tours
wellingtoninsidertours.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 25

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

TOTAL Play, dine, shop and stay. From Key

West to Miami and Fort Lauderdale

IMMERSION
up through The Palm Beaches,
Florida’s Southeast coast offers an
abundance of entertainment.
BY KARA FRANKER

CITYPLACE, WEST PALM BEACH • DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES

A DAY IN...
KEY WEST
Begin your day with breakfast in
the outdoor courtyard of Blue
Heaven. Then wander the Old
Town district enjoying colorful
Victorian architecture. Snap a
“mandatory selfie” at the
Southernmost Point in the
continental USA. Visit the
Ernest Hemingway Home &
Museum and the Butterfly &
Nature Conservatory. Grab
lunch in the Historic Seaport
before embarking on a reef
snorkeling excursion. Catch a
beautiful sunset and the action
at Mallory Square. Dine at an
Old Town restaurant and sample
the nightlife on Duval Street.
FORT LAUDERDALE
Start your morning with a tour
of the beautiful historic Bonnet
House Museum & Gardens or
snorkel or dive to explore 69
miles of natural coral reef just
offshore. Board a water taxi and
cruise through some 300 miles
of the Intracoastal Waterway
while viewing some of the most
incredible mansions and
homes. Revel in a unique dock-
and-dine experience at one of
many waterfront restaurants
before taking in a show at the
Broward Center for the
Performing Arts. End with a
stroll along picturesque Las Olas
Boulevard.
MIAMI
Relax poolside at one of many
chic hotels and hit the waters
of South Beach. Stroll down
Lincoln Road for shopping al
fresco and enjoy a world-class
meal while people-watching at
an outdoor restaurant. Visit the
art collection at the Pérez Art
Museum Miami next to
beautiful Biscayne Bay, and
take an afternoon walk
through Maurice A. Ferré Park.
Head over to Wynwood to take
in the vibrant street art. Spend
the evening at one of the
Miami Design District’s unique
restaurants.
THE PALM BEACHES
Start your day at the iconic
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse &
Museum and cruise south down
to Loggerhead Marinelife Center
to check on the sea turtles. Take
lunch in West Palm Beach. Ride
the trolley trough CityPlace and
down Clematis Street; with so
many local hot spots to choose
from, the decision is guaranteed
to be difficult, but delicious!
Head to Boca Raton for the
afternoon, renting bikes to
experience the Ocean Boulevard
Path, or stroll around Mizner
Park. End the day dancing and
dining along Atlantic Avenue in
Delray Beach.

SOUTHEAST
FLORIDA

YOUR
SOUTHEAST
FLORIDA
EXPERTS
Discover The Palm Beaches: ThePalmBeaches.com
Downtown Development Authority of Delray Beach:
downtowndelraybeach.com/dda
Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau: sunny.org
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: miamiandbeaches.com
Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency: floridashollywood.org
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea Chamber of Commerce: lbts.com
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council: fla-keys.com
Sunny Isles Beach Tourism & Marketing Council: sunnyislesmiami.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 27

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
SANDCASTLE BUILDING, FROST MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, MIAMI • VISIT FLORIDA/PATRICK FARRELL
INSIDER’S
TIP
A trip to South Florida must include the live
music scene. Check out these hot spots for
some of the best concerts and opportunities
to sway to the sounds of your favorite band:
Boca Raton: Mizner Park Amphitheater,
Sunset Cove Amphitheater
Delray Beach: Old School Square
Entertainment Pavilion, bars along
Atlantic Avenue, Arts Garage
Greater Fort Lauderdale: BB&T Center,
Revolution Live, Broward Center for the
Performing Arts, Culture Room, FATVillage
Hollywood: Hard Rock Live, Hollywood
Beach bandshell
Key West: Duval Street bars such as
Sloppy Joe’s Bar and Hog’s Breath Saloon
Miami: AmericanAirlines Arena, Adrienne
Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, FPL
Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park
Miami Beach: The Fillmore Miami Beach
at the Jackie Gleason Theater, BleauLive at
the Fontainebleau, New World Symphony
West Palm Beach: iTHINK Financial
Amphitheatre, Kravis Center for the
Performing Arts, Palm Beach Opera,
Meyer Amphitheater
28 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
ARTS AND CULTURE
Cultural and art institutions dot the coast of
Southeast Florida and brim with one-of-a-
kind features, combining eco beauty, rich
history and unique works of art.
Worth a visit every time you explore Key
West, the Ernest Hemingway Home &
Museum, Harry S. Truman Little White
House and Audubon House & Tropical
Gardens are cultural mainstays. Tour the
Key West Art & Historical Society’s
permanent exhibit at Fort East Martello
Museum to view sculptures created by the
late Key Largo folk artist, Stanley Papio,
whose works are acclaimed for their
inventiveness and humor.  In Islamorada,
the Third Thursday Artwalk features artists,
vendors and entertainment. Sails to Rails at
Flagler Station is the newest Key West
museum. Follow an interactive timeline of
Key West history when tall ships plied the
Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico waters in the
early 1900s to the era of Henry Flagler’s
Overseas Railway.
As the home of Art Basel Miami Beach,
the world’s most prominent annual art fair
held in December, Miami-Dade County
boasts a variety of opportunities to experi-
ence local and international art. For highly
acclaimed performing arts and Broadway-
style shows, head to the Adrienne Arsht
Center for the Performing Arts. Stroll down
the street-art-clad avenues in the Wynwood
Arts District, home to an abundant collec-
tion of local galleries as well as Tony
Goldman’s popular Wynwood Walls. In
downtown Miami, waterfront Museum Park
boasts the Pérez Art Museum Miami, a
highly regarded institution offering a taste
of modern architecture and intellectually
stimulating exhibits. There’s also the Bass
Museum in Miami Beach, which houses
contemporary art. For a different, but
memorable experience, visit the Holocaust
Memorial in Miami Beach or the Holocaust
Documentation & Education Center in
Dania Beach.
Fort Lauderdale has plenty of museums,
galleries and performing arts institutions to
visit. Located on bustling Las Olas
Boulevard, where shopping and dining
abound, the NSU Art Museum of Fort
Lauderdale is the perfect place to view more
than 7,000 works by artists like William
J. Glackens, George Bellows and Diego
Rivera. Children and adults alike love the
Young At Art Museum in nearby Davie. The
Gold LEED-certified facility inspires,
educates and entertains all ages with
interactive exhibits, as well as fun art
classes and camps.
The Cultural Council of Palm Beach
County promotes a wide range of theater,
dance, art, music and history in what’s
known as Florida’s Cultural Capital. Located
in the popular Mizner Park, the Boca Raton
Museum of Art houses an array of contem-
porary and modern art collections. For a
unique taste of Japanese arts with the
picture-perfect Florida backdrop, visit the
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
in Delray Beach.
West Palm Beach is home to the Ann
Norton Sculpture Gardens, located at
Norton’s former residence where she spent
the last 30 years of her life creating pieces
for the garden she helped design. Other
gardens worthy of exploration include the
Four Arts Botanical Gardens and the Mounts
Botanical Garden.
The Norton Museum of Art in West Palm
Beach is one of the most renowned art
museums in Florida, featuring acclaimed
exhibitions, programs and a permanent
collection. And, dating back to 1902,
Whitehall, Henry Flagler’s Gilded Age estate
in Palm Beach, is a National Historic
Landmark and open to the public as the
Flagler Museum. Visit the Kravis Center for
the Performing Arts, the Wick Theatre &
Costume Playhouse and Palm Beach
Dramaworks for shows from elegant ballets
to Broadway musicals.
 ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY South Florida Garlic Fest, Lake Worth Beach AUGUST–SEPTEMBER
Art Deco Weekend, Miami Beach ULTRA musicfestival, Miami Greater Fort Lauderdale Restaurant Months
Capital One Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens Winter Music Conference, Miami International Ballet Festival of Miami
Las Olas Art Fair Part I, Fort Lauderdale Miami Spice Month
South Florida Fair, West Palm Beach MARCH–APRIL
Uncorked, the Key Largo and Islamorada Miami Beach Pride SEPTEMBER
Food & Wine Festival Miami Open Tennis presented by Itaú Art Basel Miami Beach
Brazilian Film Festival of Miami
FEBRUARY APRIL
ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival, Delray Affair OCTOBER
Palm Beach Gardens Miami Beach Polo World Cup Fantasy Fest, Key West
Coconut Grove Arts Festival OUTshine Film Festival Key West Goombay Festival
Lake Worth Street Painting Festival Palm Beach International Film Festival South Beach Seafood Festival
Miami International Boat Show
Miami International Jazz Fest MAY NOVEMBER
NASCAR Dixie Vodka 400 Food Network & Cooking Channel Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
South Beach Wine & Food Festival Key West Film Festival
MARCH Miami International Auto Show Miami Book Fair International
Boca Bacchanal, Boca Raton SunFest, West Palm Beach Miami Short Film Festival
Calle Ocho Music Festival, Miami Race World Offshore, Key West
Dania Beach Arts & Seafood Celebration JULY Rock the Ocean’s Tortuga Music Festival,
Honda Classic, Palm Beach Gardens Design Miami Fort Lauderdale
Jazz in the Gardens Music Festival, Miami Gardens Hemingway Days, Key West
Las Olas Art Fair Part II, Fort Lauderdale Lower Keys Underwater Music Festival DECEMBER
Major League Baseball Spring Training, Jupiter Holiday Boat Parades
Miami Film Festival JULY–AUGUST King Mango Strut Parade, Coconut Grove
Original Marathon Seafood Festival Miami Spa Month
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

ATTRACTIONS
Southeast Florida offers an abundance
of family-friendly attractions, many
showcasing the Sunshine State’s unique
ecosystem and wildlife.
In the Florida Keys, the Mel Fisher
Maritime Museum in Key West displays
gold, silver and treasures recovered from
sunken wrecks, while Dolphin Research
Center and The Turtle Hospital in Marathon
invite the whole family to get up close and
personal with sea life. Florida Keys
Aquarium Encounters, a conservation center
also located in Marathon, conducts guided
park tours as well as tarpon and stingray
feedings. At the  Florida  Keys History &
Discovery Center  in Islamorada, enjoy an
FORT LAUDERDALE • VISIT FLORIDA
interactive historical experience through a
permanent model of Indian Key, once the sprawling tropical oasis, Fairchild Tropical Bonnet House Museum & Gardens in Fort
Florida Keys’ second largest community Botanic Garden hosts special events like the Lauderdale is a 36-acre estate preserving a
outside of Key West only accessible by International Mango Festival and Interna- piece of Old Florida charm. While in Fort
private boat or kayak. tional Orchid Festival. Lauderdale, hop on board the Jungle Queen
The Florida Everglades is where natural- The Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of for a sightseeing cruise. Then, check out more
ists and adventurers can spot alligators on Science is located in Downtown Miami’s than 20,000 butterflies from around the globe
airboat tours and learn about the Miccosukee Maurice A. Ferré Park. The 250,000-square- at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, one of
Native American Tribe’s unique way of life at foot facility includes a planetarium, the world’s largest butterfly parks.
the Miccosukee Village. aquarium and science museum. Visit the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee
For more exciting animal encounters, Head to ArtsPark at Young Circle in National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach
visit Zoo Miami just north of Homestead, downtown Hollywood to enjoy a 10-acre for guided marsh tours, bird walks, canoe
Monkey Jungle south of the zoo, Jungle interactive park complete with a children’s trips and more. Become part of the herd at
Island in downtown Miami and the Miami play area. Flamingo Gardens Botanical Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, a drive-
Seaquarium in Key Biscayne. At the Gardens and Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary through adventure where you can check out
Seaquarium, visitors enjoy the Penguin Isle, offers 60 acres of diverse native plants and more than 1,000 animals including giraffes,
a habitat for African penguins, which can be trees, a Bird of Prey Center with a free-flight lions, zebras and monkeys. Nearby, the
viewed above and below water in a 9,000- aviary, and the chance to view alligators, South Florida Science Center and Aquarium
gallon pool. Boasting an impressive collec- flamingos, bobcats and Florida panthers. For includes a planetarium, a one-of-a-kind 18-
tion of rare plants and flowers, as well as a a mix of ecology, history and architecture, the hole Conservation Miniature Golf Course,
a quarter-mile science trail and the recently-
added open-air amphitheater which

5
features daily live science shows, trivia
MUST-SEE sessions and concerts, along with many

ATTRACTIONS other educational programs.

See the three young Malayan tiger cubs
born at the Palm Beach Zoo last spring. The
1 BOCA RATON HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM: bocahistory.org zoo houses some 190 species, including at
risk and endangered types.
2 DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK: drytortugas.com
Providing the opportunity to see
3 GUMBO LIMBO NATURE CENTER: gumbolimbo.org endangered sea turtles and other marine life
up close, the Loggerhead Marinelife Center
4 MORIKAMI MUSEUM AND JAPANESE GARDENS: morikami.org
in Juno Beach is a hospital for injured sea
5 ZOO MIAMI: zoomiami.org turtles where visitors learn about Florida’s
marine life and the ecosystem.

30 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

ROAD TRIPS
Probably the most iconic, convertible, wind-
in-your-hair drive in Southeast Florida is the
one along Route 1, a.k.a. the Overseas
Highway, from Miami to Key West.
But who says a road trip means you have
to drive a car? Why not let someone else do
the driving and hop aboard Brightline,
Florida’s city-to-city passenger train that
uses nearly 200 miles of Henry Flagler’s
existing Florida East Coast Railroad? And
since trains hit speeds of 125 miles per hour,
you can expect to reach your destination
faster than if you drove. Stations in Miami,
CAPE FLORIDA LIGHTHOUSE, BILL BAGGS CAPE FLORIDA STATE PARK • VISIT FLORIDA/SPARK
Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach are
designed to connect with current public FEATURED LINKS
transportation options in each city, making
it simple to explore those locations. ARTS AND CULTURE
Adrienne Arsht Center for the
From the Miami station, walk to
Performing Arts, Miami
AmericanAirlines Arena, Adrienne Arsht arshtcenter.org
Center, PortMiami and Bayfront Park. Take Boca Raton History Museum
the train up to the Fort Lauderdale station bocahistory.org
and walk to the Historic District, Museum of Boca Raton Museum of Art
bocamuseum.org
Discovery and Science, Riverwalk A&E
Cultural Council for Palm Beach County
District and the Broward Center for the PalmBeachCulture.com
Performing Arts. From the West Palm Beach The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum,
station, take a stroll to the Clematis District, Key West
hemingwayhome.com
CityPlace and Centennial Park.
Henry Morrison Flagler Museum, Palm Beach
flaglermuseum.us
Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach
holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org
Lake Worth Playhouse
lakeworthplayhouse.org
Mounts Botanical Garden of
Palm Beach County
mounts.org
Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach
norton.org
NSU Art Museum, Fort Lauderdale
nsuartmuseum.org
Old School Square, Delray Beach
oldschoolsquare.org
Palm Beach Dramaworks
palmbeachdramaworks.org
Pérez Art Museum Miami
pamm.org
The Society of The Four Arts, Palm Beach
fourarts.org

ATTRACTIONS
Bonnet House Museum & Gardens,
Fort Lauderdale
bonnethouse.org
Butterfly World, Coconut Creek
butterflyworld.com
Jungle Island, Miami
jungleisland.com
Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee
lioncountrysafari.com
Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Juno Beach
marinelife.org
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, Key West

INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS
melfisher.org
Miami Seaquarium, Key Biscayne
miamiseaquarium.com
Miccosukee Indian Village, Everglades
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport: broward.org/airport/pages/default.aspx
village.miccosukee.com
Key West International Airport: eyw.com Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society
Miami International Airport: miami-airport.com palmbeachzoo.org
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum
Palm Beach International Airport: pbia.org of Science, Miami
Port Everglades: porteverglades.net frostscience.org
South Florida Science Center and Aquarium,
PortMiami: miamidade.gov/portmiami
West Palm Beach
Port of Palm Beach: portofpalmbeach.com sfsciencecenter.org

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 31

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

FEATURED LINKS
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Daggerwing Nature Center, Boca Raton
floridahikes.com/daggerwing-nature-center
Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
jupiterlighthouse.org

ENTERTAINMENT
Miami Design District
miamidesigndistrict.net
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood
seminolehardrockhollywood.com

ROAD TRIPS
Brightline
gobrightline.com
Overseas Highway
fla-keys.com/the-highway-that-goes-to-sea/
BOCA BEACH CLUB, BOCA RATON • DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES
SHOPPING
Aventura Mall, Miami
aventuramall.com BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS the water’s edge. Or fish on the seawall of
Bayside Marketplace, Miami
A trip to Florida isn’t complete without some Biscayne Bay where you can spot the
baysidemarketplace.com
Brickell City Centre, Miami
much-needed beach time. remnants of Stiltsville, a collection of histor-
brickellcitycentre.com Spend the day swimming, kayaking and ical structures on stilts hovering over the
Dolphin Mall, Miami snorkeling in crystal-clear water at Bahia water that dates back to the Prohibition-era
shopdolphinmall.com Honda State Park, located between the rumrunner days.
Festival Marketplace, Pompano Beach historic Seven Mile Bridge and Big Pine Key Of course, in Miami, you’ll not want to
shopfestival.com
in the lower Florida Keys. This stretch of miss the sparkling sands of South Beach.
The Galleria Mall, Fort Lauderdale
galleriamall-fl.com sand has been listed many times among the Families love the kid-friendly facilities and
The Gardens Mall, Palm Beach Gardens: best beaches in the USA. mini splash and play area at the South Pointe
thegardensmall.com Home to two sprawling beach parks, Key Park beach, while those who want to be in
Las Olas Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale Biscayne is perfect for oceanfront family the “scene” head to the beach along Ocean
lasolasboulevard.com picnics. Visit either Crandon Park at the Drive. Farther north, the beach in Surfside is
Sawgrass Mills, Sunrise
entrance to the island, or Bill Baggs Cape a favorite among locals because of its laid-
simon.com/mall/sawgrass-mills
Worth Avenue, Palm Beach Florida State Park at the island’s end. At Bill back vibe and access to a waterfront walking
worth-avenue.com Baggs, climb the steps of the historic Cape path. Or check out the Oleta River State Park
Florida Lighthouse (c. 1825) or kayak along beach, ideal for kayaking and canoeing.

32 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 Famous for its bustling beachfront
district and an entertainment destination in
its own right, Hollywood beach features a
variety of sidewalk cafés, boutiques and ice
cream parlors—so go for a dip and then
cruise the Broadwalk. Spend the day boating
or canoeing at Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula
Johnson State Park in Dania Beach, a popular
turtle nesting spot.
Drawing spring break crowds for years,
Fort Lauderdale Beach runs the length of
North Atlantic Boulevard and makes the
perfect beach day easy because of its
proximity to a variety of restaurants and
amusing attractions. Seeking a quiet respite?
Enjoy serenity in the shaded picnic areas at
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, which also LION COUNTRY SAFARI, LOXAHATCHEE • DISCOVER THE PALM BEACHES
features monthly mangrove habitat walks.
In Boca Raton, the Daggerwing Nature Check out the panoramic views from the turtle walk then navigate through the rare
Center features a 3,000-square-foot exhibit Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum at coastal hammock and natural dune
hall surrounded by 40 acres of natural area Jupiter Beach Park. systems, part of Florida’s most precious
to explore. In Juno Beach, venture out on a wildlife habitat.
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

ENTERTAINMENT
For hot days and sultry nights, these
neighborhoods and hot spots will keep
you entertained around the clock, seven
days a week.
Fans of fine beers, ales, rums and more
can enjoy local libations throughout the
Keys. For the ultimate bar-hopping
adventure, complete with plenty of local
music, Duval Street is party central in Key
West. At the end of the stretch, Mallory
Square is the perfect place to sip a tropical
cocktail and watch street performers during
the nightly sunset celebration. Tour the Key
West First Legal Rum Distillery, located in a
former Coca-Cola bottling plant and on the
site of a former pre-Prohibition-era bar
named Jack’s Saloon, and sample free rum.
The Jolly II Rover Land and Sea Combo Tour
blends food, libations, strolling and sailing.
The pirate-themed tour introduces visitors
to the history as well as the present-day NEW YEAR’S EVE RED SHOE DROP, KEY WEST • FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/ANDY NEWMAN
beauty and charm of Key West. It features a
variety of food and rum tastings on land as cultural elite to hobnob over sophisticated like high-stakes poker, jackpot games and
well as two hours on board an 80-foot pirate cocktails, luxurious shopping and bingo hall. Catch year-round horse racing at
ship replica. celebrity-helmed restaurants. Joining Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, home
Miami has so many popular entertain- other trendy neighborhoods, there’s a of the Curlin Florida Derby. Check out the
ment districts you could spend weeks here resurgence of the MiMo Biscayne Vegas-style slot machines, poker tables,
and still not hit every hot spot. Two of the Boulevard Historic District, where you’ll restaurants, open air mall, bowling alley
most famous areas are Ocean Drive and find hip restored hotels and bars from the and art galleries. Also, in Hallandale Beach,
Lincoln Road on South Beach. Home of 1950s. MiMo, short for Miami Modern, the Big Easy Casino features slots, virtual
the Art Deco Historic District, renowned describes a design aesthetic unique to table games, poker and casual dining
nightlife, luxurious hotels and tons of local Miami that was influenced by American venues. For more round-the-clock casino
eateries, both locations offer the ultimate fascination with futurism, jets and space action and nightlife, head to the Seminole
South Beach experience. The Time Out exploration. Lush and tropical Coconut Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in nearby
Market on Drexel Avenue just off Lincoln Grove is experiencing a resurgence with Hollywood. The new expansion boasts the
Road in Miami Beach features a curated new restaurants and boutiques opening up iconic Guitar Hotel, a state-of-the-art
mix of 17 kitchens, three bars, a video on a regular basis. And, in Little Havana, entertainment venue and a pool resort
installation wall and a demonstra- stroll down Calle Ocho to savor a taste of featuring a man-made lake with paddle-
tion kitchen. Clubs like LIV at the nostalgic Cuban culture where eateries boarding and a lazy river. Check out the
Fontainebleau and Hyde Beach at SLS serve authentic pastelitos and Cuban Casino @ Dania Beach which, for over 60
South Beach draw the hottest DJs and late- coffee that packs an impressive punch. Not years, has been the site of Dania Jai Alai. Or
night revelers. Back on Miami’s mainland, to be overlooked, CityPlace Doral near the challenge Lady Luck at the nearby Isle
the Mary Brickell Village near downtown is Miami International Airport is a recent Casino Racing Pompano Park, featuring
a popular spot for locals to live, work and development with dining options, slots, poker tables, restaurants, harness
play, thanks to a bevy of skyscraper shopping venues and residences. racing and entertainment.
residences, rooftop bars and posh eateries. For casino fun, head west toward the In Southeast Florida, dining and
Both the Wynwood Arts District and Miami Everglades and the Miccosukee Resort & entertainment collide on a variety of popular
Design District have been drawing the Gaming, which includes non-stop thrills main drags.

34 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 Stretching more than two miles along
the ocean, Hollywood’s Broadwalk features
panoramic beach views, a variety of
outdoor restaurants and the very popular
Margaritaville Beach Resort. Las Olas
Boulevard offers plenty of dining options,
plus many live entertainment and local
music performances every weekend.
Mizner Park in Boca Raton is the place to go
for shopping, dining and fun.
The West Palm Beach Arts & Entertain-
ment District (A&E) unites a fast-growing
number of the area’s top cultural institu-
tions and burgeoning art scene. This
cultural corridor covers a one-mile city
radius and encompasses more than 20
distinct and distinguished cultural
venues including Palm Beach
Dramaworks on Clematis Street and the
Society of the Four Arts on the island of
Palm Beach. Downtown West Palm Beach
is also known for its eclectic mix of
restaurants along Clematis Street and in
CityPlace, a popular West Palm Beach
destination for shopping, dining and
entertainment.

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 35

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
SHOPPING
Florida is a shopping mecca and features
tons of opportunities to shop till you drop.
The Brickell City Centre is anchored by
Saks Fifth Avenue and features a variety of
dining establishments as well as luxury,
premium and contemporary retailers,
including Sephora, Tommy Bahama, and
others. Nearby, the super-luxe Miami
Design District showcases the crème de la
crème of high-end fashion, including
Burberry, Cartier, Gucci, Louis Vuitton,
Prada and Versace.
To the south in Wynwood Arts District
you’ll find more art galleries, retail stores,
antique shops and hip bars as well as one of
the largest open-air street-art installations in
the world. The recently updated Aventura
Mall is one of America’s most visited
shopping centers. It features dynamic
shopping and dining experiences blended
with experiential, artistic elements.
Anchored by Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom
and Macy’s, Aventura Mall features iconic
retailers, including Givenchy, Fendi, Michael
Kors and other shopper favorites. Additional
Miami malls you might want to include on
your list are Dadeland, The Falls, Shops at
Merrick Park and Bal Harbour Shops.
Considered among the most fashionable
venues in the Sunshine State, Fort
Lauderdale’s Galleria Mall features brand-
WYNWOOD ARTS DISTRICT, MIAMI • VISIT FLORIDA
name retailers from Apple to Neiman Marcus,
dining and a currency exchange kiosk.
And don’t overlook Las Olas Boulevard
with all its trendy boutiques, galleries and
restaurants.
To score some impressive deals, head to
Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, where you’ll find
over 300 stores and the largest outlet
shopping destination in the USA.
Dolphin Mall is Miami-Dade County’s
largest outlet shopping center where you’ll
MIAMI DESIGN DISTRICT SHOPS • GREATER MIAMI CVB/MIAMIANDBEACHES.COM
find over 200 value-priced and outlet stores.
Shuttle service to the mall is available from
Miami International Airport and select
airport hotels.
Another great spot for outlet shopping,
Palm Beach Outlets features more than
100 stores including brand favorites Saks
Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Ann Taylor Factory
Store, Banana Republic Factory Store and
Vera Bradley.
Be sure to add Mizner Park Boca Raton,
anchored by Lord + Taylor, to your bucket
list of shopping malls. Town Center at Boca
Raton is another high-end shopping
destination anchored by Nordstrom,
Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and
Bloomingdale’s, while The Gardens Mall in
Palm Beach Gardens is a spacious shopping
center with more than 125 world-class brand
names. Delray Beach’s Atlantic Avenue is
lined with trendy boutiques and popular
restaurants—it’s not uncommon to see all
ages walking along this main-street-style
neighborhood hot spot.
Don’t overlook Southeast Florida’s
popular flea markets. The gigantic flea
market at the Swap Shop in Fort
Lauderdale features vendors selling brand-
name items at bargain prices. Florida
shoppers in-the-know also head to the
Festival Market Mall, a veritable shopper’s
paradise in Pompano Beach.

36 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA


Paradise on Earth
BY STEVE WINSTON
A
s you cross the bridge from
mainland Florida to Key Largo, you
can feel your cares melt away. In
this world of tropical islands, bordered by
the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf
of Mexico on the other, you gently ease
yourself into a world of emerald waters,
swaying palm trees, unique experiences and
funky villages.
SEE AND DO
Key Largo promises excellent diving sites
where the waters are so clear that the
underwater flora and fauna seem to burst
into kaleidoscopic colors.
Islamorada, to the south, is renowned
for sport fishing and draws celebrities from
around the world. And if you charter a boat,
you’ll likely bring home your dinner.
Composed of three main islands, the
community of Marathon is a favourite
among families. Without the spectacular
coral reefs that surround these magical
INSIDER’S TIP
Situated 70 miles west of Key West and only
accessible by seaplane or high-speed ferry,
Dry Tortugas National Park features a Civil
War fortress called Fort Jefferson.
AERIAL VIEW OF KEY WEST • FLORIDA KEYS NEWS BUREAU/ANDY NEWMAN
PADDLEBOARDING • MONROE COUNTY TOURIST
DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
islands, The Florida Keys wouldn’t exist, so
there is nothing more important than
conserving the precious resources. Several
groups are engaged in preserving these reefs
and the accompanying wildlife from north
of Miami to Key West.
The peaceful and scenic Lower Keys are
filled with interesting wildlife and great sites to
visit, including two national wildlife refuges, a
state park and a national marine sanctuary.
DINE AND PLAY
Key West offers wonderful restaurants, with
menu items ranging from Continental to
Caribbean cuisine.
Charm exudes in small shops filled with
a wide selection of distinctive goods such
as Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe and Key West
Island Books which features tomes on Keys
history and novels by Florida authors.
THE FLORIDA KEYS
Discover beachwear, handcrafted shoes and
custom clothing boutiques operated by
passionate entrepreneurs.
Stop by Sloppy Joe’s Bar, one of Ernest
Hemingway’s hangouts when he lived here.
Or visit his residence at the Ernest
Hemingway Home and Museum. Other
interesting venues worth touring are John
James Audubon’s home, the Harry S.
Truman Little White House, and the Mel
Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum where
treasures from the deep are displayed.  
For the latest protocols on health &
safety in The Florida Keys, please visit
fla-keys.com.
FEATURED LINKS
Monroe County Tourist Development
Council: fla-keys.com
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens:
audubonhouse.org
Dry Tortugas National Park: nps.gov/drto
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum:
hemingwayhome.com
Harry S. Truman Little White House:
trumanlittlewhitehouse.com
Mel Fisher Maritime Museum:
melfisher.org
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 37
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

DARING WILDERNESS,
DAZZLING ARTS
Southwest Florida goes to extremes when it
comes to welcoming and engaging visitors. It
balances wildlife-rich Everglades backcountry
with the art of masters, beach abandon with
sophisticated museums, hometowns with home
runs. Six major-league baseball teams have
spring training here. Already its sporting
reputation for golf, fishing, boating, paddling
and pickleball spreads wide. Throw in superb
shopping, dining, and theater and you indeed
knock it out of the ballpark. Stretching from the
Everglades in the south to Sarasota–Bradenton
in the north and from the Gulf of Mexico in the
west to the shores of Lake Okeechobee
eastward, the region covers all the bases.
BY CHELLE KOSTER WALTON

SANIBEL ISLAND • LEE COUNTY VCB/JASON LINDSEY

A DAY IN...
BRADENTON,
ANNA MARIA ISLAND,
LONGBOAT KEY
Wake up in your charming
beachfront cottage and head to
Ginny’s and Jane E’s to indulge
in their famous crème brûlée
French toast. Visit Pine Avenue,
the heart of Anna Maria Island,
and paint a sand dollar keepsake
at the Shiny Fish Emporium.
Rent a bicycle from Beach Bums
and tour the island. Visit
Coquina Beach, voted best
“island sand” in the U.S. by
Condé Nast. Enjoy a picture-
perfect sunset and watch
dolphins at play while dining at
the Sandbar Restaurant.
FORT MYERS/SANIBEL
Begin your day even before
sunrise to find the best sea
shells along the beach at the
1884 Sanibel Lighthouse. Then
find out why the USA Today
newspaper ranked the J.N.
“Ding” Darling National Wildlife
Refuge on Sanibel Island tops
for birdwatching. After a
coconut shrimp spinach salad
lunch at The Island Cow, be
amazed at one of the U.S.’s most-
visited historical homes, the
Thomas Edison & Henry Ford
Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
Cap off your day with dinner at
the exclusive Veranda restau-
rant or at Pinchers.
NAPLES/MARCO ISLAND
Take an early morning walk
along Marco Island’s crescent-
shaped white sand beach. Search
for shells and birdwatch at
Tigertail Beach on the island’s
north end, a top spot on the
Great Florida Birding & Wildlife
Trail. Book a sightseeing cruise
on board Pure Florida’s Double
Sunshine departing from Tin City
on the Old Naples Waterfront.
Enjoy a grouper sandwich and
slice of key lime pie at Pinchers
Crab Shack next to the docks at
Tin City. Explore the Smith
Children’s Garden and the
Naples Botanical Garden.
SARASOTA
Start your day with a freshly
brewed cup of coffee and
pastries in downtown Sarasota
before heading to Bayfront
Island Park for a stroll alongside
Sarasota Bay. Hop over to
St. Armands Circle for retail
therapy and lunch at al fresco
dining spots. Then grab a paddle
and kayak the mangrove
tunnels on Lido Beach. Reserve
your evening for a sunset on
Siesta Beach, where the
luxurious quartz-white sand is
unmatched. Top off your day
with cocktails and dinner at any
of the delightful restaurants in
Siesta Key Village.

SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA

YOUR
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
EXPERTS
The Beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel:
fortmyers-sanibel.com
Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau:
bradentongulfislands.com
Boca Grande Area Chamber of Commerce: bocagrandechamber.com
City of Palmetto: palmettofl.org
DeSoto County Florida Tourism Development Council: visitdesoto.com
Discover Hendry County: DiscoverHendryCounty.com
Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention & Visitors Bureau:
paradisecoast.com
Punta Gorda/Englewood Beach Visitor & Convention Bureau:
pureflorida.com
Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce: siestakeychamber.com
Visit Sarasota County: visitsarasota.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 39

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
ARTS AND CULTURE
Think of Southwest Florida and images of
splendid beaches immediately come to
mind. However, the region has a strong
tradition of arts and culture told in its
architecture, galleries, museums and
theaters.
In Naples, art galleries line downtown
streets, where you will also find free exhibi-
tions at the Naples Art Association and lively
performances at Sugden Community
Theatre and Gulfshore Playhouse. Artis–
Naples brings still more performance arts
and is home to the Naples Philharmonic and
5
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
EDISON AND FORD WINTER ESTATES, FORT MYERS:
1 edisonfordwinterestates.org
EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK GULF COAST VISITOR CENTER, EVERGLADES CITY:
2 nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/gcdirections.htm
3 J.N. “DING” DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, SANIBEL ISLAND:
fws.gov/refuge/jn_ding_darling
4 NAPLES BOTANICAL GARDEN:
naplesgarden.org
5 THE RINGLING, SARASOTA:
ringling.org
40 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
SARASOTA BALLET • VISIT SARASOTA
the world-class Baker Museum of Art. Year-
round, the region hosts art shows including
downtown’s prestigious Naples National Art
Festival in February and the Naples Interna-
tional Film Festival in October.
The Centre for the Arts at neighboring
Bonita Springs offers a variety of classes for
all ages in visual and performing arts. Their
film center hosts another annual interna-
tional film festival.
The art scene in Fort Myers centers
around its historical downtown River
District, where Art Walk takes place the first
Friday of the month and Music Walk the
third Friday. The nationally acclaimed
Florida Rep, housed in the Historic Arcade
and Artstage Studio theaters, offer a wide
variety of performances. The Sidney & Berne
Davis Art Center presents a range of events
including art exhibitions, concerts, and
educational experiences for children. A
handful of art galleries completes
downtown’s artistic landscape. Watch as
Alliance for the Arts turns Fort Myers’ royal
palm-lined McGregor Boulevard into a
pedestrian-friendly art district of its own.
Downtown Punta Gorda’s riverfront
architecture recalls the boom years of the
late 19th century with Victorian mansions,
handsome government buildings and
colorful vernacular homes. Browse the
galleries of the Visual Arts Center (VAC),
which hosts the Peace River National Art
Festival in March.
Sarasota arguably holds the loftiest
reputation for the arts in these parts,
stemming from the influence of the Ringling
family, whose circus wintered here. The
Ringlings exerted an Italianate influence on
local architecture and the arts, culminating
in the Ca’ d’Zan mansion on The Ringling
grounds. Seeded with John Ringling’s own
collection of Rubens and baroque art, the
Ringling’s art museum collection covers 500
years of European art and specializes in late-
medieval and Renaissance Italian works.
The complex’s Asolo Repertory Theatre
contributes to Sarasota’s rich theatrical
tradition, which ranges from new plays at
the Florida Studio Theatre to Broadway
shows at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall,
designed by the Frank Lloyd Wright Founda-
tion to resemble a scallop shell.
Taking up residence in a restored high
school, the Ringling College of Art + Design’s
Sarasota Art Museum opened in 2018. For a
driving tour of other architectural gems,
including examples of the vaunted Sarasota
School of Architecture, pick up a copy of the
Tour Sarasota Architecture guide at visitors’
centers. Galleries fill the Sarasota–Bradenton
area, which boasts two artists’ colonies—
Towles Court near downtown Sarasota and
Village of the Arts in Bradenton. The
colonies and downtown Sarasota schedule
monthly gallery walks where you can meet
the artists.
ATTRACTIONS
Most of the attractions in Southwest Florida
are outdoor venues or learning centers,
which educate and inform visitors about the
region’s bountiful nature and wildlife.
Take Naples, for instance, where the most
visited attractions include the Naples
Botanical Garden and Naples Zoo at
Caribbean Gardens. The Botanical Garden
showcases subtropical vegetation in settings
that reflect the culture of Brazil, the
Caribbean, Asia and Florida. The zoo began as
botanical gardens in 1919 and today is home
to wild animals from around the world.
The Collier County system of museums
occupies five unique venues in Marco
Island, Naples, Everglades City and
Immokalee—all of them family-oriented.
The town’s most family-friendly museum,
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, sits
next to every kid’s favorite, the Sun-n-Fun
Lagoon water park in North Naples.
Naples is known, too, for its superlative
golfing opportunities. Besides playing lush,
natural golf courses, adults and kids alike
can get their game on at various golf schools
and programs in the area.
In Fort Myers, the Edison and Ford Winter
Estates, one of Southwest Florida’s finest
treasures, offers guided and self-guided
tours. Nearby, the IMAG History & Science
Center combines science and history with
FORT MYERS BEACH • BEACHES OF FORT MYERS & SANIBEL/BRIAN TIETZ
programs that include virtual reality, touch-
tank, animal encounters and stingray
feedings. It’s a one-stop museum that
appeals to adults and children alike.
The Mound House cultural museum, a
restoration of a 1906 home, is the oldest
standing structure on Fort Myers Beach. See
the rich history of the Calusa Indians who
built a shell mound on the property some
2000 years ago. Go inside and take a peek.
At Lee County Manatee Park in North Fort
Myers, watch manatees from the observation
deck and boardwalk or rent kayaks and
paddle out to see them coming and going into
the “bay.” The area is especially interesting
during the winter months; the colder it gets
the more manatees there are.
The world-class Peace River Botanical &
Sculpture Gardens lies on a lovely riverside
estate in Punta Gorda.
For families in Sarasota, the canopy
boardwalk in the Children’s Rainforest
Garden at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is
a don’t-miss. Other family musts include the
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and
Sarasota Jungle Gardens.
Bradenton’s history dates back to Hernando
de Soto, and a national historical site recalls his
first landfall. The Bishop Museum of Science
and Nature and Parker Manatee Rehabilitation
Habitat Aquarium nicely displays de Soto-
related exhibits, plus prehistoric animal
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival, Sarasota
Mullet Festival, Goodland
Sarasota Pride Festival
FEBRUARY
Bradenton Area River Regatta
Cortez Commercial Fishing Festival
Edison Festival of Light, Fort Myers
Everglades City Seafood Festival
Swamp Cabbage Festival, Labelle
MARCH
Clewiston Sugar Festival
Fort Myers Beach Shrimp Festival
Marco Island Seafood & Music Festival
Peace River National Art Festival, Punta Gorda
APRIL
De Soto Seafood Festival, Bradenton
Sarasota Chalk Festival, Venice
Shark’s Tooth Festival, Venice
APRIL–MAY
Sarasota Film Festival
Stay in May Festival, Naples
MAY
Harvey Milk Festival, Sarasota
JUNE
Sarasota Music Festival
Spammy Jammy, Goodland
Suncoast Powerboat Grand Prix, Sarasota
SEPTEMBER
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest,
Fort Myers Beach and Captiva Island
OCTOBER
Naples International Film Festival
Stone Crab Festival, Naples
NOVEMBER
American Sand Sculpting Championship,
Fort Myers Beach
Florida Panther Festival, Naples
DECEMBER
Bradenton Blues Festival
“Ding” Darling Day, Sanibel Island
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 41
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

PADDLE BOARDER, ANNA MARIA ISLAND • VISIT FLORIDA/MAURICE RIVENBARK

recreations. The aquarium is a second-stage
rehab center for rescue manatees before they
are released into the wild.
Stroll along Bradenton Riverwalk for
views, play areas, and easy-to-absorb
learning experiences.
Bradenton’s Cortez community retains its
feel of an Old Florida fishing village with a
working waterfront and maritime museum. A
number of charter boats depart from the docks
to take you deep-sea or back-bay fishing.
Head east of town for a little extreme
adventure at TreeUmph!, an aerial obstacle
course with zip lines.
beaches to the raw wilderness of the
Everglades ecosystem.
Around Naples and Everglades City, a
number of state and federal parks and
preserves safeguard fragile Everglade
habitats—home to a host of birds and fish,
deer, Florida panthers, bobcats, manatees,
alligators, crocodiles, turtles and river otters.
Big Cypress National Preserve, the most
massive of the public lands, provides
inimitable opportunities for recreation
among wildlife. Everglades National Park
and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife
Refuge protect the seas and wetlands of the
so-called River of Grass.
Beach glamour begins in Marco Island
and Naples with award-winning strands that
cover the gamut from the municipal beach
and historic fishing pier in Naples to the
wild Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park.
What do travelers, and particularly
families, find so endearing about local
beaches? The soft, white sand, gently sloping
sea bottom and tot-friendly waves win raves.
Certain beach destinations, furthermore, have
reputations for distinctive characteristics,

BEACHES & OUTDOOR GEMS

You will find no nature-deficit disorder in
Southwest Florida, where the great outdoors
ranges from gorgeous, award-winning

INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport:
srq-airport.com
Southwest Florida International Airport,
Fort Myers: flylcpa.com

SIESTA KEY • VISIT FLORIDA/CHRIS JOY

42 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 New Location Now Open
The Holocaust
Museum & Janet G.
and Harvey D. Cohen
Education Center
975 Imperial Golf Course Blvd.,
Suite 108, Naples, FL 34110

We've moved! Our new larger location features updated and expanded exhibits.
Self-guided and special tours are available. For more information on Museum hours,
exhibits and programs, please visit www.HMCEC.org.
Please note that the Museum observes standard COVID-19 precautions to help keep
our Visitors, Volunteers and Staff safe. We encourage the pre-purchase of timed-entry
tickets for priority admittance, as capacity limits have changed due to COVID mandates.
We hope you and your families are well, and look forward to your visit
when your travel conditions permit. Stay safe!
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
such as the seashell overload on Sanibel and
Captiva islands. Captiva Island and Lovers
Key State Park are often listed in the most
romantic category. The best shelling beaches
around Sanibel include Bowman’s Beach and
offshore Cayo Costa, which is accessible only
by boat. A number of charters will take you
there to collect shells.
In Venice, head to the fishing pier at
Brohard Beach or to Caspersen Beach to sift
for sharks’ teeth in the sand. In Sarasota,
Siesta Key’s sand is famously soft and
blindingly white, so don’t forget to pack the
shades. This beach is often listed among
America’s top beaches by Dr. Beach.
HISTORIC ANNA MARIA CITY PIER • BRADENTON AREA CVB
44 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
ENTERTAINMENT
The nightlife scene in Naples—particularly
downtown and in North Naples—is lively.
Hit the live theaters around Fifth Avenue
South, then stay to party at late-night clubs
downtown. Or take in a show at Artis–Naples
in North Naples and later head to the clubs
and pubs in the Mercato shopping and
entertainment district. You can do both
dinner and a movie at its Silverspot Cinema
or at the Paragon Theaters at The Pavilion
across the street. North Naples also has its
own comedy club-restaurant complex. For
quirky spectator sport entertainment, you
can’t beat the Swamp Buggy Races held three
times each winter. It involves big-tired
Everglade vehicles, lots of mud, and a
festival queen who ends up in the deepest
mud hole. East of town in Immokalee, the
Seminole Casino Hotel hosts gaming and
big-name entertainment.
To the north, Bonita Springs is building a
reputation for comedy, live music, dining,
performing arts and indie films.
Downtown Fort Myers has the hottest
nightlife and special events scene in town.
Fort Myers is also home to two Major League
Baseball stadiums that host the Minnesota
Twins and Boston Red Sox during spring
training.
The Tampa Bay Rays train in Port Charlotte
to the north.
The Sarasota-Bradenton area is home to
two spring training teams as well—the
Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles.
Atlanta Braves spring training takes place in
the new state-of-the art complex, CoolToday
Park in North Port, south of Sarasota.
Much of Sarasota’s entertainment and
 FEATURED LINKS

ARTS AND CULTURE

Alliance for the Arts, Fort Myers
artinlee.org
Artis–Naples
artisnaples.org
Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota
asolorep.org
Florida Rep, Fort Myers
floridarep.org
Naples Art Association
naplesart.org
Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Fort Myers
sbdac.com

ATTRACTIONS
The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature
bishopscience.org
Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples
cmon.org
Manatee Park, Fort Myers
leegov.com/parks/parks/manateepark
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota
selby.org
Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, Sarasota
mote.org
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens
napleszoo.org

SWAMP BUGGY RACES, NAPLES • NAPLES, MARCO ISLAND, EVERGLADES CVB
nightlife is of a higher brow ilk, with a
reputation for fine theater, symphony and
opera. Downtown Sarasota sparkles at night
with sophisticated clubs, and Siesta Key has
a beachy party atmosphere in the village.
Don’t miss the beach clubs of Bradenton
Beach for more laid-back entertainment
options. Bradenton’s Manatee Performing
Arts Center infuses energy into downtown,
as does its dynamic Riverwalk.
ROAD TRIPS
Head east of Naples along Tamiami Trail
(Highway 41) to immerse yourself in the
region’s wild side and Old Florida culture.
For glimpses of wildlife, try Janes
Memorial Scenic Drive in Fakahatchee
Strand Preserve State Park or Loop Road in
Big Cypress National Preserve. Backroad
Route 92 takes you from 41 to the time-
stilled fishing community and seafood
restaurants of Goodland.
Views along the Sanibel Causeway and
Captiva Drive star in many commercials, but
all of the coastal islands promise glimpses of
sea and local color. The drive through Bonita
Beach, Lovers Key and Fort Myers Beach and
another from Lido Key through Anna Maria
Island in Sarasota and Bradenton are particu-
larly representative of island life.
From Fort Myers, head east along Route
80 to visit the small towns of riverside Alva
and Labelle, and lakeside Clewiston.
Glimpse the region’s rural, agricultural
personality along the way. Or plan a trip to
Pine Island to the northwest. Its four
communities are known for exotic fruit
farming, ancient Calusa shell mounds, an
artists’ village and fishing.
In the Port Charlotte area, a road trip to
Boca Grande on Gasparilla Island scores for
historical intrigue and lovely beaches. To its
north, Sarasota lays claim to a number of
small organic and other farms you can visit.
Cross the Manatee River from Bradenton to
reach the attractions of Palmetto, a
riverside beauty also known for its agricul-
tural heritage.
ENTERTAINMENT
Manatee Performing Arts Center, Bradenton
manateeperformingartscenter.com
Mercato, Naples
mercatoshops.com
Seminole Casino Hotel, Immokalee
seminoleimmokaleecasino.com
ROAD TRIPS
Big Cypress National Preserve
nps.gov/bicy
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
fakahatchee-strand-preserve-state-park
SHOPPING
Fifth Avenue South, Naples
fifthavenuesouth.com
The Mall at University Town Center, Sarasota
mallatutc.com
Miromar Outlet Malls, Estero
miromaroutlets.com
The Promenade at Bonita Bay
promenadeshops.com
St. Armands Circle, Sarasota
starmandscircleassoc.com
Sanibel Outlets, Fort Myers
sanibeloutlets.com
Third Street South, Naples
thirdstreetsouth.com
Village of the Arts, Bradenton
villageofthearts.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 45

SOUTHWEST FLORIDA

SHOPPING, SARASOTA • VISIT FLORIDA

SHOPPING
If you’re looking for unique buys, there’s
plenty of that in Southwest Florida.
In the Everglades territory, visit the Big
Cypress Gallery in Ochopee, home to Clyde
Butcher whose large-format art photog-
raphy captures the Everglades and other
natural treasures.
In Naples, art galleries fill the downtown
Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South
districts. At the latter, buy your designer
labels at Marissa Collections. Other popular
outdoor shopping venues include The
Village Shops on Venetian Bay, Waterside
Shops and Mercato.
To the north in Bonita Springs, visit
DeRomo’s Gourmet Market & Restaurant in
the Promenade at Bonita Bay. It is an
excellent place to dine and shop for food.
Coconut Point lays out a huge spread of big
box stores and fashion boutiques.
Sanibel Island is known for its shell
shops, nature art galleries and resort wear
boutiques. Hit the Shell Factory & Nature
Park in North Fort Myers, where wildlife
viewing and family amusements enhance
shopping for shells, jewelry and other
Florida trinkets. The Fun Park activities
include a zip line, paddle and bumper boats,
playground and climbing wall.
In Punta Gorda, downtown and
Fishermen’s Village present small, intimate
shopping experiences. Hit Boca Grande on
Gasparilla Island for a charming historical
twist to your shopping.
St. Armands Circle is Sarasota’s most
well-known address for upscale shopping.
Farther to the east, the community of
Lakewood Ranch is known for its
delightful shops and restaurants on and
around Main Street.
For genuine local souvenirs, head to the
region’s artist villages—Matlacha on Pine
Island off Fort Myers, Towles Court in Sarasota,
and Village of the Arts in Bradenton. Watch for
news of art walk events in downtown Fort
Myers, Punta Gorda and Sarasota.
Bargain-seekers head to the factory outlet
malls: Miromar Outlets in Estero, Sanibel
Outlets in Fort Myers and Ellenton Premium
Outlets near Bradenton. Or check out the flea
markets: Flamingo Island Flea Market in
Bonita Springs, Fleamasters Fleamarket in
Fort Myers, Sun Flea Market in Port Charlotte
and Red Barn Flea Market in Bradenton.

INSIDER’S
TIP
You can’t leave Southwest Florida without
getting out on the water, whether it’s a
paddleboard or kayak excursion, a shelling
or sightseeing tour, or a fishing charter.

SHOPPING, NAPLES • VISIT FLORIDA

46 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA

CALLING
ALL EXPLORERS
Florida’s Central East region is a grab bag of amazement ranging from space
travel to mangroves, and nearly 200 miles of stunning beaches in between.
Parts of Central East Florida are referred to as The Treasure Coast due to their
historic shipwrecks and the bounties that have washed up on these shores.
Locals know this region is a treasure because parts of it are still uncrowded,
affordable and family friendly. Fall in love with the seaside towns and hidden
gems in Central East Florida.
BY MELODY PITTMAN

FLAGLER AVENUE, NEW SMYRNA BEACH • VISIT FLORIDA

CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA

A DAY IN...
DAYTONA BEACH
Unwind along 23 miles of hard-
packed beaches. Enjoy a casual
shopping spree at the Riverfront
Shops of Daytona Beach.
Schedule tee time at a tropically
lush golf course. Sample local
brews along the Daytona Beach
Ale Trail. Tour Daytona Interna-
tional Speedway and meander
through the local galleries,
museums and historical sites.
Dine al fresco along the Halifax
River while watching for
dolphins. Take in an electrifying
performance at The Peabody
Auditorium. Finish with a
leisurely stroll and watch the
stars come out over Ponce Inlet.
MARTIN COUNTY
Sit in splendor as the sun rises
over the Atlantic Ocean. Next
take a trip on the Loxahatchee
River, Florida’s first federally
designated wild and scenic
river at Jonathan Dickinson
State Park. Tour the last
remaining House of Refuge;
touch a stingray at the Florida
Oceanographic Coastal Center;
cross the street to the Elliott
Museum to be amazed at the
antique car collection. Visit
Jensen Beach, both downtown
and the beach. End the day in
Stuart, known as the “Sailfish
Capital of the World.”
OKEECHOBEE COUNTY
Rise early to hook up with your
hired guide and find out why 730-
square-mile Lake Okeechobee
offers one of the world’s most
amazing freshwater game fishing
experiences. Other top tourist
draws in this area center around
hunting and shooting sports.
Back in Okeechobee, enjoy good
old-fashioned home cooking at a
local restaurant or lunch at your
favorite national chain. Grab your
camera and hike or cycle along
the prettiest part of Lake
Okeechobee Scenic Trail. Later,
drive to Kissimmee Prairie
Preserve Park and spend a
romantic night stargazing.
ST. LUCIE
Relax on miles of uncrowded
beaches or ride the beach on
horseback. Kayak on the famous
Indian River Lagoon, floating
through tunnels of mangrove
trees. Pack your clubs and
choose from numerous golf
courses, including the famous
PGA Village in Port St. Lucie,
offering 54 holes of cham-
pionship golf. Immerse yourself
in “Old Florida” culture in
downtown Fort Pierce, one of
the most historic and idyllic
main streets in the USA, where
Spanish period architecture is
plentiful and local seafood is
the main staple.

CENTRAL EAST
FLORIDA

YOUR
CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA
EXPERTS
Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau: daytonabeach.com
Florida’s Space Coast Office of Tourism: VisitSpaceCoast.com
Indian River County Tourism Development: visitindianrivercounty.com
Martin County Office of Tourism and Marketing: discovermartin.com
New Smyrna Beach Area Visitors Bureau: nsbfla.com
Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council: visitokeechobeecounty.com
Visit St. Lucie – Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie & Hutchinson Island: visitstlucie.com
Volusia County: volusia.org/visitors
West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority: visitwestvolusia.com

48 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE
In historic Fort Pierce, the nearly 100-year-
old Sunrise Theatre, a beautiful performing
arts venue, hosts top-notch entertainers,
comedy acts, musicians and performing
artists. Also on the downtown waterfront of
Fort Pierce, the A.E. Backus Museum &
Gallery houses the nation’s largest public
exhibition of artwork by Florida’s preemi-
nent painter, A.E. Backus, as well as the
state’s only permanent multimedia exhibi-
tion on the Florida Highwaymen. Changing
exhibits from artists of national and interna-
tional acclaim round out the museum’s
Florida-centered mission.
Located in the middle of Central East
Florida, Vero Beach has two very special
venues. The Riverside Theatre runs off-
Broadway performances each season and
live stand-up comedy on select weekends.
Second is the Vero Beach Museum of Art,
which houses regional, state and national art
exhibits.  
Melbourne’s Eau Gallie Arts District is a
cultural pearl that supports the arts through
galleries, museums, local stores and
antiques. You will find a combination of GIANT GROUND SLOTH, MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES, DAYTONA BEACH • DAYTONA BEACH AREA CVB
poets, dancers, potters and painters in this the town’s four-block radius that makes up Museum of Arts & Sciences (affiliated with
cute neighborhood. Commonly referred to as the Arts District filled with boutiques, the Smithsonian) gives you access to the
EGAD, it is home to Brevard County’s top fine galleries and cafés. Be sure to check out the Root Family collection of Coca Cola
art galleries and the Foosaner Art Museum. Atlantic Center for the Arts, which draws memorabilia and the favorite giant ground
Visit Historic Cocoa Village and catch a aspiring artists from across the country to sloth in the Prehistory of Florida Gallery.
show at Cocoa Village Playhouse, part of the study in the fields of visual, literary, Check out the Cici and Hyatt Brown Museum
community since 1924 and listed on the performing and musical arts. of Art, home to the largest private collection
National Register of Historic Places. A newer artsy community is located in of Florida-themed oil and watercolor
Situated between Cocoa Beach and the greater Daytona Beach area. A visit to the paintings in the world.
Orlando, the award-winning main-street

5
community of DeLand holds onto its past as
it moves into modern times. DeLand is a
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
thriving community full of pride and
passion that is apparent by its numerous art
murals, friendly patrons, shops and
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY:
galleries. The Athens Theatre is a master- 1 daytonainternationalspeedway.com
piece  of Italian Renaissance architecture,
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX, MERRITT ISLAND:
offering classic movies, independent films 2 kennedyspacecenter.com
and live entertainment.
The Hub on Canal, in New Smyrna Beach MEL FISHER’S TREASURES, MUSEUM & GIFT SHOP, SEBASTIAN:
3 melfisher.com/Sebastian/Sebastian_Museum.asp
(NSB), is unsurpassed for its individuality
and original artworks. More than 50 artists NATIONAL NAVY UDT-SEAL MUSEUM, FORT PIERCE:
4 navysealmuseum.org
convene in this contemporary exhibit hall,
which doubles as a workspace where visitors
5 STETSON MANSION, DELAND:
stetsonmansion.com
can observe artists at work and buy directly
from them. This is only one venue within

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 49

CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA
ATTRACTIONS
Fort Pierce’s Downtown Farmers’ Market is a
big draw on Saturday mornings from 8 AM to
noon, rain or shine, with local foods, crafts
and artwork for sale.
Nature Lovers can choose from two
botanical gardens in St. Lucie County.
Heathcote Botanical Gardens in Fort Pierce
showcases the country’s largest public
display of tropical bonsai trees while the Port
St. Lucie Botanical Gardens features a variety
of tropical habitats.
For family activities in Melbourne, visit
the Brevard Zoo or Andretti Thrill Park. The
zoo houses monkeys, jaguars, meerkats and
a Komodo dragon. The Andretti Thrill Park
includes batting cages, amusement rides, a
large arcade and indoor laser tag. Best of all,
there are several go-cart tracks, one of which
is restricted to fans at least 16 years of age
who wish to travel 40 miles per hour on a
European-style course.
One of Florida’s most famous attractions
is the Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex. Discover what it means to be a
hero through the stories of NASA’s Space
Pioneers at Heroes and Legends, featuring
the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Get a close-
up view of Atlantis, the only space shuttle
displayed in flight. The Fly with an
Astronaut Experience allows guests,
accompanied by a retired NASA astronaut, to
take a guided tour of Kennedy Space Center,
tour Space Shuttle Atlantis and then step
aboard the Shuttle Launch Experience to
find out what it feels like to blast-off into
space. Be sure to check the center’s website
for rocket launches.   hike nature trails and swim in the springs.
50 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
RIVERWALK, STUART • MARTIN COUNTY
The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Florida’s
tallest, is located in the town of Ponce Inlet,
slightly south of Daytona Beach. It’s a great
place to watch the sun set or catch a moonrise.
Feel the need for speed? Whether you are
a devoted NASCAR fan or have no idea what
all of the hype is about, the world’s first and
only motorsports stadium,  the Daytona
International Speedway, will blow you away.
This is a state-of-the-art facility with
premium amenities and unparalleled
conveniences including luxury trackside
suites with patios and more than 7,000 solar
panels. There are tons of things to see and
do. Book a tour. NASCAR fans should sign up
for the Richard Petty Driving Experience—
drive on the track or be a passenger for laps
with a professional driver. The Daytona
International Speedway attracts millions of
visitors annually.
Looking for quirky hidden gems in the
Daytona Beach area? Visit Sugar Mill
Botanical Gardens where dinosaur statues
left over from a 1940s tourist attraction can
be found. Or how about the wonderful,
family-friendly, Marine Science Center in
Ponce Inlet where you can touch stingrays,
observe the sea turtle hospital and learn
about Florida’s marine environment. The
Daytona Lagoon and Family Entertainment
Center, steps from the beach, includes a
water park as well as laser tag, go-carts,
miniature golf, rock climbing and an
arcade—making this a favorite family draw.
In De Leon Springs State Park, you can
make your own pancakes at the Old Spanish
Sugar Mill, take an eco/heritage boat tour,
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival
Port Salerno Seafood Festival
ROLEX 24 at DAYTONA
Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival,
Titusville
FEBRUARY
Hobe Sound Festival of the Arts
DAYTONA 500
Downtown Stuart Art Festival
Florida Craft Brew & Wingfest, Vero Beach
Merritt Island Pioneer Day
NASA Day of Remembrance,
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
FEBRUARY–MARCH
New York Mets Spring Training Games,
Port St. Lucie
MARCH
Bike Week Motorcycle Rally, Daytona Beach
Grant Seafood Festival
Okeechobee Music and Arts Festival
Pelican Island Wildlife Festival, Sebastian
Under the Oaks Art Show, Vero Beach
APRIL
Fort Pierce Oyster Festival
Ormond Beach Celtic Festival
JUNE
Cocoa Beach Uncorked
Vero Beach Wine & Film Festival
AUGUST
Coke Zero Sugar 400, Daytona Beach
SEPTEMBER
New Smyrna Beach Jazz Festival
Space Coast Pride Festival, Melbourne
OCTOBER
Biketoberfest Motorcycle Rally, Daytona Beach
Indiantown Rodeo
Volusia Pride, New Smyrna Beach
NOVEMBER
DeLand Original Music Festival
Downtown Melbourne Food and Wine Festival
Festival of the Trees, Vero Beach
Halifax Art Festival, Daytona Beach
Jensen Beach Pineapple Art & Music Festival
Navy SEAL Museum Muster and Music
Festival, Fort Pierce
Sebastian Clambake
Stuart Air Show
Turkey Creek 5K Trail Run, Palm Bay
DECEMBER
St. Johns River Christmas Boat Parade, DeLand
Stuart Christmas Boat Parade
Surfing Santas, Cocoa Beach
Top of the Lake Christmas Festival,
Okeechobee
CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
South of Stuart, the Jonathan Dickinson
State Park offers awesome biking and hiking
trails, ranging from normal to rugged
terrain, mangroves and river swamps.
Primitive campgrounds and water stations
are available throughout the park. Outdoor
enthusiasts enjoy kayaking and boating
experiences during the winter months.
Have you ever dreamed of riding
horseback on the beach? Your dream
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Daytona Beach International Airport:
flydaytonafirst.com
Orlando Melbourne International Airport:
mlbair.com
Port Canaveral Cruise Port:
portcanaveral.com/cruise
Treasure Coast International Airport:
stlucieco.gov/departments-services/
a-z/administration/airport
52 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
becomes a reality on the beaches of
Hutchinson Island during the cooler
months, and is just one of many gems to be
enjoyed in St. Lucie County.
Sebastian Inlet State Park, situated
directly between Indian River County to the
south and Brevard County to the north, is an
excellent choice for family camping. The
park is part of the Great Florida Birding and
Wildlife Trail and offers many activities
including swimming, surfing, geocaching
and scuba diving.  fishing, boating and kayaking. And like
Merritt Island is one of only a dozen or so
places in the world where you can see
bioluminescence in nature. Night tours are
a must as you kayak along the Banana or
Indian rivers and get close to nature.
Dinoflagellates and comb jellies glow in the
dark river waters. Think neon and maybe a
hint of Avatar. This could be a once-in-a-
lifetime adventure.
Outside of Deltona, the St. Johns River
Eco Tours invites passengers to tour the
St. Johns River by boat. Once a main
SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
highway for trade and commerce, this river
has been designated an American Heritage
River. It is home to Florida native wildlife
and tropical plants, making it perfect for
photo ops.
The seaside community of New Smyrna
Beach evokes an atmosphere of Old Florida
in its sidewalk cafés, boutiques and
charming B&Bs and boasts one of the finest
beaches on the Atlantic coast. NSB provides
a perfect venue for surfing, world-class
Daytona Beach, cars are permitted on 13
miles of hard-packed white-sand beaches
found here.
ENTERTAINMENT
Every March, the three-day Taste of Little
Italy, a cultural journey filled with authentic
Italian food and entertainment, takes place
in the charming neighborhood of Tradition
in Port St. Lucie.
Florida is a hot spot for gambling and
Casino Fort Pierce will please those seeking
thrills. Club 52/Melbourne Greyhound Park
features poker, live racing and a simulcast of
horse and greyhound racing from across the
nation. Groucho’s at Club 52 hosts a comedy
show every Saturday night.
Central East Florida’s premier music and
arts entertainment center is the Maxwell
C. King Center for the Performing Arts
in Melbourne. This 100,000-square-foot
venue hosts educational, cultural and
community events.
Port Canaveral is one of the most popular
cruise ports in the nation. The Cove, a
waterfront recreation area, has a large
selection of martini and tiki bars with live
entertainment. The views from the nearby
Exploration Tower are stunning. AIRBOAT EXCURSION, OKEECHOBEE COUNTY • STOCK.ADOBE.COM/ONEINCHPUNCH
The world-class Skydive DeLand facility
offers programs for all experience levels FEATURED LINKS
including tandem jumps where an experi-
enced instructor uses a parachute system Jonathan Dickinson State Park
ARTS AND CULTURE
built for two and jumps with you and an Atlantic Center for the Arts, New Smyrna Beach floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) course—an atlanticcenterforthearts.org jonathan-dickinson-state-park
instructional program for beginners hoping Eau Gallie Arts District, Melbourne St. Johns River Eco Tours, DeBary
egadlife.com stjohnsriverecotours.com
to become skydivers.
Downtown Fort Pierce Farmers’ Market Sebastian Inlet State Park
The DAYTONA 500 attracts the world’s floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
fortpiercefarmersmarket.com
best drivers to compete in the biggest Museum of Arts and Sciences, Daytona Beach sebastian-inlet-state-park
NASCAR event. Dubbed the Great American moas.org
Race, it’s the most important event on the The Riverside Theatre, Vero Beach ENTERTAINMENT
annual racing calendar.  riversidetheatre.com PGA Golf Club, Port St. Lucie
Sunrise Theatre pgavillage.com
The premier Ladies’ Professional Golf
sunrisetheatre.com Skydive Deland Inc.
Association (LPGA) headquarters, also Vero Beach Museum of Art skydivedeland.com
located in Daytona Beach, offers two four- vbmuseum.org Taste of Little Italy, Port St. Lucie
star courses. tasteoflittleitaly.net
ATTRACTIONS
ROAD TRIPS Andretti Thrill Park, Melbourne ROAD TRIPS
andrettithrillpark.com Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge
Step back in time at the House of Refuge
Brevard Zoo, Melbourne fws.gov/refuge/archie_carr
Museum at Gilbert’s Bar in Stuart, offering brevardzoo.org Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens,
fantastic scenery and photo opportunities. Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Fort Pierce Port Orange
The House of Refuge is the only one heathcotebotanicalgardens.org dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org
remaining of the original 10 havens built for Marine Science Center, Ponce Inlet House of Refuge, Stuart
marinesciencecenter.com hsmc-fl.com/house-of-refuge/
shipwrecked sailors along the Atlantic coast
The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum,
of Florida. These houses played a critical House, De Leon Springs Titusville
role when ships dominated the trade oldspanishsugarmill.com valiantaircommand.com
markets of the world. Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse & Museum
ponceinlet.org
A road trip for conservationists must SHOPPING
Richard Petty Driving Experience, Daytona Beach
definitely include the Archie Carr National ONE DAYTONA
drivepetty.com
onedaytona.com
Wildlife Refuge, a 20-mile stretch between
Tanger Outlets, Daytona Beach
Melbourne Beach and Wabasso. Best known BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS tangeroutlet.com/daytona
for sea turtle conservation, this area is a Hutchinson Island Vero Beach Outlets
natural nesting habitat for loggerhead and floridashutchinsonisland.com verobeachoutlets.com
green sea turtles.

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 53

CENTRAL EAST FLORIDA

Visit Titusville to explore the Valiant Air

Command Warbird Museum, which displays
a collection of aircraft carriers and artifacts
of all types from around the world, from pre-
World War I to the present.
Located in Volusia County’s Port Orange,
Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens combines a
history, nature and garden visit all rolled
into one. The remains of the sugar cane
refinery, leftover from the 1800s, is adorned
with kitschy dinosaur statues throughout
the park. The gardens are visually appealing,
which is why many choose this site for
marriage ceremonies.
Take an inland trip to the Stetson
Mansion in DeLand. Built in 1886, this
gorgeous Victorian mansion was the winter
home of the famous milliner John B. Stetson.
Tour this spectacular home and note the
elaborate inlaid parquet floors and more
than 10,000 original leaded glass windows.
SHOPPING
The adorable town of Stuart is ideal for
browsing boutiques and dining. From
beach-themed to upscale kitchen shops, it is
a favorite destination for tourists and locals
alike. You’re sure to find clothing, shoes,
jewelry and handmade arts and crafts.
When it comes to shopping in Central
East Florida, Vero Beach is the crème de la
crème with ritzy boutiques and galleries on
Ocean Drive. Nearby, Miracle Mile features
FORT PIERCE FARMERS’ MARKET • VISITSTLUCIE.COM
shopping venues such as Bark Avenue
(goodies for your pet) and the Vero Beach
Book Center, which is one of the best
independent bookstores in the state, due to
its jam-packed calendar full of best-selling
author signings and events.
Florida is renowned for outlet shopping
and one of the best is the Vero Beach Outlets
showcasing designer and brand-name shops,
including Williams Sonoma and Coach.
Avenue Viera, on the outskirts of
Melbourne, is a pleasant outdoor shopping
mall  flanked with specialty  restaurants,
shops and an AMC Cinemas movie theater
on palm tree-lined sidewalks. Visit all the
chain store biggies such as Kohl’s, Cost Plus
World Market and Books-A-Million.
Historic Downtown Melbourne’s main
street, East New Haven, is fun-packed with eye-
catching delights, boutiques and antique stores.
The tree-lined Cocoa Village is home to
one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants and other
points of interest. In this surfers’ paradise,
be sure to check out the Ron Jon Surf Shop, a
Cocoa Beach landmark and the largest surf
shop in the world.
New Smyrna Beach offers exceptional
shopping and art galleries along both Flagler
Avenue and Canal Street. The route stretches
from the river to the ocean and is a
wonderful reminder of old-school Florida.
Note the Flagler Walk of Fame, made up of
engraved bricks along the sidewalk.
Daytona Beach’s famous Boardwalk is lined
with funky shops while the historic downtown
offers a bounty of distinctive boutiques and
restaurants. Situated across from the Daytona
International Speedway, the One Daytona
complex features premier retail, dining and
entertainment. And, bargain hunters will be
thrilled with the Tanger Outlets, with brand
names at outlet prices.

INSIDER’S
TIP
Major League Baseball teams have been
spring training in Florida for more than 100
years. Traditionally, spring training takes place
from late February through March. The New
York Mets practice and play at Clover Park in
Port St. Lucie. For ticket information call:
772-871-2115. For schedule information, visit:
Florida Grapefruit League:
floridagrapefruitleague.com
New York Mets, Port St. Lucie:
newyork.mets.mlb.com

HERON & SPOONBILLS, MERRITT ISLAND NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE • VISIT FLORIDA/PETER W. CROSS

54 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 CENTRAL FLORIDA

FLORIDA AT
ITS BEST
There’s good reason why so many families love to spend
their vacation time in Central Florida. World-class theme
parks provide awe-inspiring fun for the entire family,
while nature provides a backdrop for activities found
only in this region of the Sunshine State. Revel in the
mix of culture, attractions and outdoor gems as you
embark on your family’s vacation of a lifetime.
BY KEVIN FRITZ

SLINKY DOG DASH, TOY STORY LAND, DISNEY’S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS, ORLANDO • DISNEY
CENTRAL FLORIDA

A DAY IN...
KISSIMMEE
Getting up before dawn is well
worth it when you take in the
sights of the theme parks and
landscape from a hot-air balloon
as the sun rises. Then continue
your morning exploring the
natural beauty of “Old Florida”
as you paddle through the
headwaters of the Florida
Everglades at The Paddling
Center at Shingle Creek. Historic
Downtown Kissimmee is the
perfect place for lunch as quaint
Kissimmee Main Street offers
great dining options, antique
shopping and even ice cream
made using liquid nitrogen.
Ride the 85-foot custom-made
ferris wheel at Old Town.
ORLANDO
Begin with a beverage from
Barnie’s Coffee & Tea Co. on Park
Avenue in picturesque Winter
Park. Take a Winter Park Scenic
Boat Tour through lush canals
and peaceful lakes. Visit the
Charles Hosmer Morse Museum
of American Art to view the
world’s most comprehensive
collection of works by Louis
Comfort Tiffany. Enjoy lunch at
the East End Market in trendy
Audubon Park. Explore a
botanical oasis at Harry P. Leu
Gardens. Have a cocktail at The
Woods in downtown Orlando.
End with dinner at the French
brasserie DoveCote and a perfor-
mance at the Dr. Phillips Center
for the Performing Arts.
POLK COUNTY
Stop and smell the orange
blossoms as you begin a day of
citrus delight. Polk County
(VisitCentralFlorida.org) offers
delicious options, October
through May, as one of the top
citrus-producing counties in
Florida. Watch citrus candy
being made at Davidson of
Dundee and pick up some citrus
souvenirs in the gift shop. Have
lunch at Lang’s Taste of Florida
Café—don’t miss the award-
winning grapefruit pie.
Complete your day with an
authentic Florida experience,
picking fresh oranges from trees
at Ridge Island Groves.
SEBRING
Start with a sunrise cycle or walk
along the Cypress Trail boardwalk
at Highlands Hammock State
Park. Golf the Citrus Golf Trail
featuring Florida’s most afford-
able courses. Stroll in charming
Lake Placid with 47 beautiful
outdoor murals and small-town
shops. In historic downtown
Sebring, browse through “City on
a Circle” boutiques and artist
galleries. Sample creative treats at
the Sebring Soda & Ice Cream
Works. Finish with dinner
at trendy Eighteen East . . . a
restaurant and bar! and a perfor-
mance at the South Florida
State College Performing Arts
Wildstein Center.

CENTRAL
FLORIDA

YOUR
CENTRAL FLORIDA
EXPERTS
Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau: VisitCentralFlorida.org
City of Lake Wales: lakewalesfl.gov
City of Winter Park: cityofwinterpark.org
Experience Kissimmee: ExperienceKissimmee.com
Visit Lake County: VisitLakeFL.com
Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau: ocalamarion.com
Orlando North, Seminole County Tourism: doorlandonorth.com
Visit Orlando: VisitOrlando.com
Visit Sebring: VisitSebring.com

56 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE
Known as the “Town of Murals,” Lake Placid
features nearly 50 colorful murals within its
outdoor art gallery. This small, Old Florida
town is also known for its American Clown
Museum and School. Soak in the culture in
nearby Avon Park at the Museum of Florida
Art and Culture and the Wildstein Center,
both on the Avon Park campus of South
Florida State College.
Located on Iron Mountain, Bok Tower
Gardens in Lake Wales is a fan favorite. Its
205-foot neo-Gothic and art deco tower
houses one of the world’s finest carillons,
with 60 bells playing concerts daily. This 250
acre paradise includes wild birds, wildlife
and spectacular flowering plants as well as
Pinewood Estate, a 20-room Mediterranean-
style mansion built in the 1930s.
Who would guess the largest concentra-
tion of Frank Lloyd Wright designs in the
world is in Lakeland, Florida? The legendary
architect oversaw and designed the
construction of 12 structures, including his
only planetarium, on the campus of Florida
Southern College. A 13th structure, the
Usonian House, was completed in 2013.
Based on an original 1939 design, the unique
building is part of the new visitor center at
the college.
The City of Orlando is home to the
Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
hosting Broadway shows, concerts and
community events in the heart of downtown.
North of downtown is the Loch Haven
Cultural Park. It is home to a variety of
culture offerings, among them are: the
Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando Science
Center, Orlando Shakespeare Theater,
Orlando Repertory Theatre, Orlando Ballet
and Mennello Museum of American Art.
Nearby, Harry P. Leu Gardens is a 50-acre
semi-tropical and tropical botanical oasis.
In artsy Winter Park, The Charles
Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art is
the world showcase for everything Tiffany.
For one of Florida’s oldest and most distin-
guished permanent collections of art from
antiquity to contemporary, the Cornell
Fine Arts Museum at Rollins College is a
must-see.
A visit to historic Winter Garden is a step
back in time. Once the bustling center of
Central Florida and the largest citrus
shipping point in the world, artifacts found
around Lake Apopka indicate Native
Americans inhabited the land for thousands
of years, up until the colonization of Florida
by Spanish explorers.
For an interesting way to enjoy culture,
join the pedal-powered party through historic
Sanford on a 15-passenger Limo Cycle.
Sit a spell in a rocker on the porch
overlooking beautiful Lake Dora at The
Lakeside Inn in Mount Dora, circa 1883.
Enjoy the quiet while sipping iced tea, just
as past visitors Thomas Edison, Henry Ford
and U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower
and Calvin Coolidge have done.
ATTRACTIONS
While Central Florida is widely known for its
big three—Walt Disney World, Universal
Orlando and SeaWorld (see our Theme Parks
story in this issue)—there are many other
attractions you want to experience on your
next visit.
In Lakeland, book a natural adventure
tour of the 260-acre Safari Wilderness Ranch
via safari vehicles, kayaks or camels. Nearby,
you’ll find the Water Ski Hall of Fame and
Museum in Polk City.
For an airboat ecotour, check out Wild
Florida Airboat & Wildlife Park in
Kenansville on Cypress Lake. Activities
MURALS OF LAKE PLACID • VISIT SEBRING
include a 14-acre gator park, animal encoun-
ters and a drive-thru safari park. Old Town in
Kissimmee offers a variety of rides and
attractions such as The Great Magic Hall as
well as themed restaurants, an arcade and
shopping. For more rides and go-karts, head
over to Fun Spot America–Kissimmee.
The Showcase of Citrus in Clermont is a
family-owned roadside citrus farm and
cattle ranch at which families can pick
grapefruits, lemons, tangerines and oranges.
At Clermont’s Lakeridge Winery &
Vineyards, kids and adults can take turns
stomping grapes.
The Crayola Experience in Orlando’s
Florida Mall is a family attraction offering
dozens of hands-on experiences. Or take part
in the Grande Lakes Orlando catch-and-
release fish program and help track data for
the Florida Wildlife Commission. Orlando’s
International Drive is home to many attrac-
tions, including the SEA LIFE Orlando
Aquarium, Madame Tussauds wax museum
and The Wheel, a 400-foot-tall observation
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Orlando International Airport:
orlandoairports.net
Orlando Sanford International Airport:
Flysfb.com
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 57
CENTRAL FLORIDA

wheel at ICON Park. Dezerland Action Park is

an indoor theme park featuring the Orlando
Auto Museum which includes cars from
James Bond and Batman movies. At nearby
iFly Orlando, test your bravery at this indoor
skydiving experience. Don’t tell the kids, but
at WonderWorks indoor amusement park on
International Drive, they can learn while
having fun in this 35,000 square feet of
edutainment. Fun Spot America, a family-
owned theme park in the area, features
multi-level go-karts, thrill rides, family rides
and an arcade. (There is also a Kissimmee
location.) Just north of downtown Orlando,
the Orlando Science Center offers interac-
tive, hands-on exhibits, an observatory, and
two theatres for educational films.
Venture over to Black Hammock
Adventures in Oviedo for airboat rides on
Lake Jesup, home to the largest alligator
population in Florida.
The Central Florida Zoo and Botanical
Gardens in Sanford is home to more than 400
animals and the Barnyard Buddies Children’s
Zoo.  Feed the giraffes then cool off in the
Wharton-Smith Tropical Splash Ground. 
Near Ocala, a must visit in this region is
the venerable Silver Springs State Park,
Florida’s first attraction, known for its
famous glass-bottom boats.

BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS STARFLYER, ICON PARK • VISIT ORLANDO

Whether nature-made or artificial, the
Central Florida region is home to plenty of
INSIDER’S
options for the family to cool off or explore.
Sebring is home to 95 crystal-clear lakes
and the Highlands Hammock State Park,
one of Florida’s oldest parks and a gem you
must not miss. The park is renowned for its
Like fishing? In Osceola County, Lake
Tohopekaliga, known as Lake Toho, spans 42
miles in circumference, and is a hotbed for bass.
Take the family waterskiing, wake-
boarding, wakeskating, wakesurfing, knee-

TIP beautiful old-growth hammock and

Going to the Hard Rock Live for a show or
a meal at the Hard Rock Cafe? Avoid the
massive Universal Orlando parking
garages and long walk (it is long) and
valet park. You will be much closer to
your destination and happier when you
leave. Besides, general parking is US$26
and so is valet for two hours or less. For
more than two hours, you’ll pay US$40
after 6 PM. But, if you don’t mind the
walk, arrive after 6 PM when general
parking is free.
thousand-year-old oaks. You may catch a
glimpse of a black bear and the Florida
panther. An elevated boardwalk traverses
cypress swamp where you may observe
alligators, birds and other wildlife.
Birdwatching, catch-and-release fishing
and ranger-guided tours are other popular
activities and a fully accessible tram tour
allows visitors to view wildlife relatively
up close.
In Polk County, the Allen David Broussard
Catfish Creek Preserve State Park covers
more than 8,000 acres of scrub, sandhill and
flatwoods land.
boarding and tubing at the Orlando
Watersports Complex. A short drive west,
Lake Louisa in Clermont is the largest in a
chain of 13 lakes and is designated an
Outstanding Florida Water Way. Grab a pole
or canoe and relish in the beauty of Lake
County.
Excellent outdoor activities await north of
Orlando, including the Lake Apopka Loop
Trail, offering nearly 15 miles of family
biking or hiking.  Want to tube down a
crystal-clear river fed by natural springs?
Located in Apopka, local favorite Rock
Springs Run at Kelly Park offers swimming,
tubing and hiking trails.

58 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

 Blue Spring State Park is home to
hundreds of manatees. The clear, 73-degree
waters welcome swimmers, snorkelers and
scuba divers.
In the Ocala National Forest, the
southernmost forest in the United States,
dozens of campgrounds and 600 lakes, rivers
and springs welcome visitors year-round.
ENTERTAINMENT
Orlando has the most nightlife establish-
ments per 100,000 residents, clocking in
nearly 300.
International Drive, known as I-Drive,
features an abundance of shopping, dining
and entertainment for daytime or nighttime
activities. Mango’s Tropical Cafe showcases
exciting live shows, dancing within a
vivacious Miami-style club while Tin Roof
offers live music performances by Central
Florida’s best artists. Sip on a cocktail at a bar
made entirely of ice at ICEBAR Orlando,
enjoy a fiesta at Señor Frog’s or rock out to
dueling pianos at Howl at the Moon. Pointe
Orlando fuses dining and entertainment
with spots ranging from the distinctive
flavors of Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
and Greek Zorba and belly dancing at
Taverna Opa to the Southern comfort food of
B.B King’s Blues Club. Nightly entertainment
includes the Improv Comedy Theatre and
Restaurant as well as Main Event Entertain-
ment.
Within close proximity to Orlando’s
world-famous theme parks, “Restaurant
MICKEY & MINNIE, MAGIC KINGDOM PARK, ORLANDO • DISNEY
Row” is a one-mile stretch of Sand Lake Road
featuring some twenty exquisite restau-
rants. Many feature extensive bars, compre-
hensive wine lists and live music.
Universal CityWalk is another vibrant
place to grab a quick snack, relax over
dinner, mingle over cocktails, take in an
electrifying concert or dance the night away.
Select from a variety of dining options, such
as The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, Antojitos
Authentic Mexican Food and VIVO Italian
Kitchen. Nightclubs and other after-hour
hot spots include CityWalk’s Rising Star
karaoke club, where on select nights visitors
take center stage and perform with a live
band complete with backup singers. Classic
American cuisine hits the spot at the world’s
largest Hard Rock Cafe, while world-famous
names in music and comedy perform at the
adjacent Hard Rock Live Orlando. Drink in
paradise at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville. A
little of the Big Easy is offered at Pat
O’Brien’s, the original home of dueling
pianos. Savor one-of-a-kind gourmet treats
at the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium &
Savory Feast Kitchen. Sports fans can catch
the big game on almost 100 HD Screens at
NBC Sports Grill & Brew while grubbing out
on hearty dishes.
Disney Springs is an entertainment-
shopping-dining complex at Walt Disney
World Resort. There are four distinct
neighborhoods to explore here: The
Landing, Marketplace, West Side and Town
Center—built around bubbling springs.
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Central Florida Scottish Highland Games,
Winter Springs
Zora Neale Hurston Festival of the Arts
and Humanities, Eatonville
FEBRUARY
Mount Dora Arts Festival
Silver Spurs Rodeo, Kissimmee
FEBRUARY–MARCH
Universal Studios Mardi Gras
MARCH
Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill
Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring
MARCH–JULY
Taste of Epcot International Flower
& Garden Festival
APRIL
Florida Film Festival, Orlando
SUN ‘n FUN Aerospace Expo, Lakeland
MAY
Mayfaire by-the-Lake Fine Art Festival,
Lakeland
Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival
Winter Park Sidewalk Arts Festival
JULY
Caladium Festival, Lake Placid
Red Hot and Boom, Altamonte Springs
AUGUST
Harvest Grape Stomp, Clermont
AUGUST–NOVEMBER
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
SEPTEMBER
Tour of Sebring Cycling
SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER
Halloween Horror Nights at
Universal Studios
OCTOBER
Plantation Redfish Classic, Crystal River
NOVEMBER
Lady of the Lakes Renaissance Faire, Tavares
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
Busch Gardens Christmas Town
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
SeaWorld Christmas Celebration
Taste of Epcot International Festival
of the Holidays
NOVEMBER–JANUARY
Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 59
CENTRAL FLORIDA
For a unique evening, board the Rivership
Barbara-Lee in Sanford, an authentic stern-
wheeler, for a three-hour tour along Lake
51
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
HIGHLANDS HAMMOCK STATE PARK:
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
highlands-hammock-state-park
2 LEGOLAND: legoland.com/florida
SEAWORLD ORLANDO:
3 seaworld.com/orlando
4 UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT:
universalorlando.com
5 WALT DISNEY WORLD: disneyworld.disney.go.com
60 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
VOLCANO BAY, UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT
Monroe and the St. Johns River.
And while there is little casino action in
Central Florida, Ocala Gainesville Poker in
Reddick hosts poker tournaments and live
games as well as simulcast wagering.
ROAD TRIPS
Take a break from the parking lots and
embark on a scenic drive to experience some
of Old Florida at its finest.
The Ridge Scenic Highway travels more
than 38 miles along the Lake Wales Ridge,
through the historical communities of
Sebring, Frostproof, Lake Wales, Dundee and
Haines City. While in Lake Wales, be sure to
visit Spook Hill, a natural phenomenon that
gives the illusion that cars are coasting uphill.
A drive west of Orlando to Clermont
brings you to the Florida Citrus Tower built
in 1956 on one of the highest hills in Florida’s
ridge section. An elevator ride to the top
gives way to panoramic views of eight
counties in Central Florida.
In Sumter County, explore the Dade
Battlefield Historic State Park where, on
December 28, 1835, a Native American
ambush started the Second Seminole War.
Look for the Green Mountain Scenic
Byway near Lake Apopka that shows off the
region’s little-known rolling hills. Among
the rural towns and villages, you’ll pass by
the historic moss-covered Sadler Oaks in the
community of Tildenville.
Ocala, in Marion County, is the center of
the thoroughbred horse industry in Florida
and beautiful rolling farmlands. Hop on the
Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway, which
travels through the heart of Central Florida

to the Ocala National Forest. Look for
springs, kayaking and fishing spots.
SHOPPING
If you are looking for a taste of Florida, there
are several outdoor markets selling fresh,
local produce, preserves and products,
including the Lakeland Downtown Farmers
Curb Market and Main Street Bartow Farmers
Market. For mall shopping, hit the Lakeland
Square Mall with over 90 shops.
The Loop in Kissimmee is a popular
outdoor mall offering retail outlets
including Sunglass Hut and Old Navy.
Disney Springs is home to around 100
THE MALL AT MILLENIA • VISIT ORLANDO
FEATURED LINKS
ARTS AND CULTURE
Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales
boktowergardens.org
Florida Southern College, Lakeland
flsouthern.edu/arts-centers.aspx
Orlando Repertory Theatre
orlandorep.com
Orlando Shakespeare Theater
orlandoshakes.org
South Florida State College Performing Arts
Wildstein Center, Avon Park
sfscarts.org
ATTRACTIONS
Drive Resort Area, Orlando
internationaldriveorlando.com
PARK AVENUE, WINTER PARK • VISIT ORLANDO
iFLY Orlando
iflyworld.com/orlando
shops, ranging from Anthropologie to the Safari Wilderness, Lakeland
LEGO Store and the Art of Disney. safariwilderness.com
SEA LIFE Aquarium, Orlando
Want big? The Florida Mall in Orlando offers
visitsealife.com/orlando
more than 250 stores to shop ‘til you drop. WonderWorks, Orlando
The Mall at Millenia in Orlando has wonderworksonline.com
become a favorite of locals and visitors. This
shopping mecca features some of the most BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
stylish shops in all of Central Florida: Tiffany Orlando Watersports Complex
& Co., Gucci and Louis Vuitton, to name a orlandowatersports.com
few. The Orlando International Premium
Outlets and Orlando Vineland Premium ENTERTAINMENT
Outlets offer discounts in hundreds of Hard Rock Cafe, Orlando
brand-name stores. hardrock.com/location/orlando
House of Blues, Orlando
Park Avenue in Winter Park is the
houseofblues.com/orlando
quintessential place to shop in Central
Pirates Dinner Adventure, Orlando
Florida. Wander in and out of shops, such as piratesdinneradventure.com
Tuni, Siegel’s and Ten Thousand Villages Planet Hollywood, Orlando
as you walk the brick-lined street. Nearby planethollywoodintl.com/restaurants/orlando
Winter Park Village features upscale Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo
shopping and dining. westgateriverresorts.com/hotels/florida/
river-ranch/westgate-river-ranch-resort
North of Orlando, Renninger’s Antique
Center & Farmer’s & Flea Market in Mount
Dora is worth the trip. The family-owned SHOPPING
Disney Springs
business features hundreds of vendors.
disneysprings.com
Nearby, Lake Square Mall in Leesburg Florida Mall, Orlando
features some 50 stores, while Paddock Mall simon.com/mall/the-florida-mall
in Ocala has more than 90, anchored by The Mall at Millenia, Orlando
Macy’s, Belk and JC Penney. mallatmillenia.com
Explore the shops and boutiques on First Orlando Premium Outlets
International Drive
Street in historic Sanford, once a major
premiumoutlets.com/outlet/
Central Florida hub. The town is also home orlando-international
to Seminole Towne Center with four anchor Park Avenue, Winter Park
stores including Burlington Coat Factory and winterpark.org/park-avenue
Dick’s Sporting Goods.
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 61
VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA
The surprises
of Central Florida
BY STEVE WINSTON
“C
entral Florida” can mean
different things to different
people. But the Polk County
part of Central Florida means one thing for
sure—tons of family fun and unique experi-
ences, amidst lush natural beauty.
Polk County offers a winning combina-
tion: a world-class theme park, historical
and cultural treasures, enjoyable experi-
ences unique to this region, and an array of
family-friendly surprises. And it’s all only 45
minutes from Tampa International Airport
and the Orlando parks, and an hour from
some of the best beaches on earth.
Here, you’ll run out of time long before
you run out of exciting things to experience.
LEGOLAND  Florida Resort, for example,
brings out the inner child in all of us . . . and
brings joyful smiles to the faces of your
children. With over 50 rides and attractions,
the park is a colorful swirl of happy sounds
and sensory experiences like LEGO Movie
World, a new section that immerses guests
into the world seen in the famous LEGO Movie.
The park recently added a third lodging
option to the LEGOLAND Hotel and
LEGOLAND Beach Retreat properties: Pirate
Island Hotel. And, like its sister properties,
Pirate Island is filled with technicolored
fantasies and fun.
62 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
THE DRAGON, LEGOLAND FLORIDA • VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA
HARBORSIDE RESTAURANT, WINTER HAVEN •
VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA
Central Florida is blessed with 554 lakes
and over 400 miles of pristine nature trails.
You can visit the jungle at Safari Wilderness,
named by Forbes.com as one of the “10 Best
Safaris in the U.S.” And you can tour that
jungle by land (safari vehicle), water (kayak),
or atop the back of a camel! Also, the
Circle B Bar Reserve was listed among USA
Today’s “Top 50 Places to See Wildlife” . . .
and people from all over the world come
here to see it.
Polk County is also rich with one-of-a-
kind experiences. For example, Bok Tower
Gardens is a unique attraction built by a
Dutch emigrant in 1929, with lush
landscapes, hiking trails, a boardwalk, and
a 205-foot “singing tower,” with chimes
weighing up to several tons each. For
another exceptional experience, visit the 13
stunning buildings designed by Frank Lloyd
Wright at Florida Southern College.
In early spring, you can thrill to the
second-largest aerial event of its kind in the
world, at the SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo at
Lakeland Linder Regional Airport. The aerial
acrobatics of the renowned U.S. Air Force
Thunderbirds will take your breath away,
and is a memory the kids will never forget.
Central Florida offers lodgings for every
taste and budget. Experience the luxury
accommodations, dining and amenities of
resorts like the legendary Streamsong Resort
& Spa, with three of the top golf courses in
North America. Or “go Western” at the
authentic Westgate River Ranch Resort, the
largest dude ranch east of the Mississippi.
Central Florida also values the health of
its visitors. As you’ll see on the website,
sanitary protocols for the safety of visitors
are carefully observed.
FEATURED LINKS
Central Florida Visitors & Convention Bureau:
visitcentralflorida.org
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

A CORNUCOPIA OF
ENDLESS DELIGHTS

The Sunshine State has something for everyone,

and West Central Florida follows suit with its
countless offerings: award-winning beaches; the
thrills and spills of theme parks; natural
adventures; world-class museums and galleries;
a thriving nightlife; tempting shopping venues;
and so much more.
BY SUSAN B. BARNES
SHEIKRA,BUSCH GARDENS, TAMPA BAY • SEAWORLD PARKS & ENTERTAINMENT
A DAY IN...
CRYSTAL RIVER/
CITRUS COUNTY
Begin your day feeling wonder
again. Swim with manatees in
the amazing springs of Crystal
River’s Kings Bay. Take the trolley
to the Three Sisters Springs
boardwalk. It’s like a national
park in a single acre. At the Kings
Bay waterfront, dine on seafood
fresh from the Gulf of Mexico.
Afterward, explore the shops of
Heritage Village in downtown
Crystal River. Later, take a sunset
cruise or enjoy the show from
Fort Island Gulf Beach. For
dinner, reserve a table at Vintage
on 5th, an eclectic restaurant in a
renovated church built in 1940.
DUNEDIN
Cycle to Honeymoon Island,
Florida’s most visited state park,
to swim, fish and snorkel in the
warm Gulf waters. Or pack a
picnic and ferry over to Caladesi
to hike, paddle or bask on
award-winning beaches. After
lunch return to historic
downtown Dunedin to shop and
stroll through waterfront parks.
Sample craft beers at the
Dunedin Brewery. Admire the
sunset and dine on fresh
seafood at the Olde Bay Café and
Dunedin Fish Market. During
spring training, cheer for the
Toronto Blue Jays at the newly
renovated TD Ballpark stadium.
ST. PETE/CLEARWATER
Watch sunrise at North Shore
Park in St. Pete. Grab breakfast at
a St. Pete indie coffee house.
Walk to the Dalí Museum to
view the artist’s largest collec-
tion of works outside of Spain.
Have lunch at Parkshore Grill
before heading to Clearwater
Beach to soak up the sun and
splash in the warm Gulf waters.
Stroll along Pier 60. Fish or
enjoy nightly entertainment
from 6 to 9 pm. Sip a tropical
cocktail at Tommy’s Tiki Bar at
the Hilton Clearwater Beach. For
dinner with a view, the outdoor
patio at Frenchy’s Rockaway
Grill ends a perfect day.
TAMPA BAY
Savor fresh guava turnovers
and Cuban coffee at La Segunda
Bakery & Café in Ybor City
before exploring Tampa’s
eclectic Latin Quarter, one of
Florida’s two historical districts.
Visit José Martí Park, the only
piece of American soil owned by
the people of Cuba. Enjoy paella
and sangria at Columbia Restau-
rant, Florida’s oldest dining
establishment. Ride the TECO
Historic Streetcar Line to the
Tampa Riverwalk and nearby
museums and attractions. Order
cocktails at Franklin Manor,
followed by a sunset dinner at
Ulele and a nightcap at Ciro’s.

WEST CENTRAL
FLORIDA

YOUR
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA
EXPERTS
Citrus County Visitors Bureau: discovercrystalriverfl.com
City of Dunedin: dunedingov.com
Experience Florida’s Sports Coast: flsportscoast.com
Florida’s Adventure Coast Visitors Bureau: floridasadventurecoast.com
Visit St. Pete/Clearwater: visitstpeteclearwater.com
Visit Tampa Bay: visittampabay.com
Ybor City Chamber of Commerce: ybor.org

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 65

WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, West
Central Florida has plenty to share. One
showpiece sits on the Tampa Riverwalk, a
pedestrian walkway that meanders through
the city along the Hillsborough River. The
Tampa Museum of Art is housed in an
architectural work of art designed by Stanley
Saitowitz. Inside, an incredible collection of
contemporary and classical art, as well as
enticing traveling exhibitions, are on display.
From the museum, follow the Riverwalk
south to the Florida Museum of
Photographic Arts, showcasing works by
local, national and international photo-
graphers, as well as historical collections.
Nobody does pirates like Tampa Bay. The
Tampa Bay History Center brings to life
pirates, shipwrecks and treasure—complete
with a 60-foot replica pirate ship, a real 1700s
ship’s treasure chest and an authentic 1703
map of the Caribbean showing exactly where
to attack ships full of treasure.
In downtown Tampa, step back into
simpler times amid the splendor of the
storied 1920s movie palace at the Tampa
Theatre. Tour the mesmerizing theater
before the main feature begins, then sit back

INSIDER’S
TIP
LINCOLN, SALVADOR DALI MUSEUM, ST. PETERSBURG • VISIT FLORIDA

With growing interest in travel to Cuba, it
may come as a surprise that you can visit a
part of Cuba right in Tampa’s Ybor City.
Cuban-born poet, journalist, essayist and
revolutionary José Martí frequently visited
Ybor City in the late 1800s. During this time
he did a large part of his planning and
fundraising, and wound up calling Ybor City
his “faithful little town” because of the
support he received there. Today, the small,
0.14-acre José Martí Park stands in tribute
to the revolutionary, but what makes the
park perhaps even more interesting is that
it has been owned by the Cuban govern-
ment since 1956.
and relax while a volunteer organist
serenades you on the Mighty Wurlitzer
Organ before the curtain rises.
Within walking distance of each other in
downtown St. Petersburg are the Museum of
Fine Arts, with thousands of objects
spanning 4,500 years, from antiquity to the
present, and the Dalí Museum with the
world’s largest collection of Salvador Dalí’s
work outside of Spain. The structure housing
the Dalí Museum is in itself a surreal piece
of art. The Chihuly Collection, on the
Morean Arts Center campus in St. Pete’s
Central Arts District, features amazing works
of glass art by the master himself.
To the north of Tampa, Dunedin is filled
with galleries and regularly hosts arts and
craft shows throughout the year. If you’re in
the area in early January, head over to the
Annual Downtown Dunedin Art Festival,
which showcases more than 100 of the
nation’s most talented artists and a broad
spectrum of media including sculptures,
glass, paintings, jewelry and ceramics.
Admission is free. Every spring, world-class
Scottish athletes descend upon Dunedin for
the annual Highland Games & Festival that
include a traditional Scottish gathering with
music and dance, a parade and a full day of
events and competitions.
For a peek into the history of the area,
check out the annual Fort Cooper Days event
in Inverness, where re-enactments of the
Second Seminole War are held twice a day in
mid-March along with living history
demonstrations.

66 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

ATTRACTIONS
When it’s time to go wild, be sure to visit Big
Cat Rescue in Tampa. One of the largest
accredited sanctuaries for exotic cats in the
world, this is home to about 50 lions, tigers,
bobcats and cougars that have been rescued
and are now cared for by loving staff and
volunteers.
Another place to enjoy close encounters
with animals is ZooTampa at Lowry Park.
Spend a day with the animals, learning about
their habitats and how to protect them, and
you’ll easily see why it is highly rated.
Located right across the Street from
Busch Gardens, Adventure Island is the
ultimate combination of high-speed thrills
and tropical, tranquil surroundings for
guests of all ages. For the slide of your life,
Vanish Point is an epic drop slide, which is
located next to another family favorite,
Colossal Curl.
Downtown, discover all of the wonders
that lie beneath the water’s surface at The
Florida Aquarium. Meet penguins, cruise
out onto the waters of Tampa Bay to watch
for dolphins or youngsters can enjoy the
splash pad.
The Seaside Seabird Sanctuary in Indian
Shores (located between St. Petersburg and
Clearwater) is dedicated to the rescue,
rehabilitation and hopeful release of sick,
injured and orphaned birds.
North of Indian Shores, Winter and Hope,
stars of the Dolphin Tale movies, make their
home at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Plenty of other marine life live alongside the
dolphins, including resident sea turtles,
otters, stingrays, sharks, pelicans and
clownfish. You can get out on the water here,
too, on board the aquarium’s 90-minute Sea
Life Safari Boat Tour.
Take another look beneath the water and
you’ll find mermaids in the crystal-clear
SWIM WITH THE MANATEES, CRYSTAL RIVER •
waters at Weeki Wachee Springs.
DISCOVER CRYSTAL RIVER FLORIDA
More amusement is found winding down
the Weeki Wachee River on a Bayport River
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Safari, cooling off in the indoor ice rink at
AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel,
creating art at the Glazer Children’s Museum
in Tampa, indoor skydiving at iFLY Tampa, Port Tampa Bay: porttb.com/cruise
and walking among life-size dinosaurs St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport:
at Dinosaur World in Plant City, not to fly2pie.com
Tampa International Airport:
mention the thrilling rides at Busch Gardens
tampaairport.com
Tampa Bay.
WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

CALADESI BEACH, DUNEDIN • VISIT FLORIDA

BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
West Central Florida’s stretches of sugar-
white, powder-soft sandy beaches, found
along the Gulf of Mexico, are perfect
playgrounds for all ages.
For a quiet, more natural beach day
without high-rises towering behind you,
consider Fort De Soto Park, south of St. Pete
Beach, or Anclote Key Preserve State Park
to the north. Caladesi Island State Park is
a perfect destination not only for beaches,
but also for its four-mile kayaking trail and
its three mile nature trail. Honeymoon
Island State Park, once a popular
honeymoon destination in the 1940s
and 1950s, is now a favorite among
birdwatchers.
Not only Floridians think the beaches
here are fantastic. Two local beaches made
it onto TripAdvisor’s 2020 Travelers’ Choice
list of “Top 25 Beaches in the U.S.”—
Clearwater Beach (No. 5) and St. Pete Beach
(No. 2). And at the end of the day, there’s no
better place than a beach in West Central
Florida to watch spectacular sunsets over the
Gulf of Mexico.
When water temperatures dip below 72ºF
in Florida, West Central Florida’s natural
springs are terrific spots to see manatees,
thought to be mermaids by sailors too long
at sea. Popular manatee viewing spots
include Weeki Wachee Springs State Park,
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park,
Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River and the
TECO Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo
Beach, just south of Tampa.

SUNRISE, DON CESAR RESORT, ST. PETE BEACH • VISIT FLORIDA

5 1
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM:
seewinter.com

2 THE DALÍ MUSEUM, ST. PETERSBURG:

thedali.org

3 THE RIVERWALK, TAMPA:

thetampariverwalk.com

4 THREE SISTERS SPRINGS, CRYSTAL RIVER:

threesistersspringsvisitor.org

5 YBOR CITY, TAMPA:

yborcityonline.com

68 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA

ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Downtown Dunedin Art Festival
Outback Bowl, Tampa

FEBRUARY
Brooksville Native American Festival
Downtown Dunedin Craft Festival
Dunedin Mardi Gras Parade and Festival

FEBRUARY–APRIL
Food and Wine Festival, Busch Gardens
Tampa Bay, weekends

MARCH
Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City
Fort Cooper Days, Inverness
Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, Tampa

APRIL
Bern’s Winefest, Tampa
Dunedin Highland Games & Festival
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Gasparilla Pirate Festival, Tampa
Mainsail Arts Festival, St. Petersburg
Pier 60 Sugar Sand Festival, Clearwater Beach
Tampa Bay International Dragon Boat Races

APRIL–MAY
Riverfest, Tampa Riverwalk

MAY
Gasparilla Distance Classic
Krewe of Sant’ Yago Illuminated Knight
Parade, Tampa
Tampa Pride

MAY–SEPTEMBER
Summer Nights, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

JUNE
St. Pete Pride Festival and Parade BUCCANEER BAY, WEEKI WACHEE SPRINGS STATE PARK • VISIT FLORIDA/MAURICE RIVENBARK

SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER ENTERTAINMENT Yankees play spring ball in Tampa and the

Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
OCTOBER
Clearwater Jazz Holiday
Creatures of the Night, ZooTampa
at Lowry Park
Tampa Bay International Gay &
Lesbian Film Festival
NOVEMBER
Clearwater Beach Uncorked
Dunedin Celtic Music & Craft Beer Festival
Dunedin Wines the Blues Festival
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
Christmas in the Wild, ZooTampa at Lowry Park
NOVEMBER–JANUARY
Christmas Town, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
DECEMBER
Outback Bowl New Year’s Eve Parade, Ybor City
Victorian Christmas Stroll,
Henry B. Plant Museum, Tampa
When it comes to nightlife, West Central
Florida likes to party. And there are plenty of
spots to do just that.
Ybor City’s thriving nightlife ranges from
dance clubs and live music venues to quiet
pubs, while Tampa’s South Howard Avenue,
or SoHo, is filled with restaurants. However,
this hip strip really comes alive after dinner
when the drinks begin to pour.
Professional sports take hold of West
Central Florida on the ice, on the field and on
the pitch. The Tampa Bay Lightning won the
2020 Stanley Cup championship.
Take the family out to the ball game
during spring training, or during the regular
season for that matter. Beginning in March,
the Toronto Blue Jays take their swings at the
TD Ballpark in Dunedin, while the New York
Philadelphia Phillies step up to the plate in
Clearwater. The Jolley Trolley travels from
Clearwater to Dunedin and on to Tarpon
Springs, making it easy to catch a few spring
training games along the route. During
the regular season, the Tampa Bay Rays
play their opponents at Tropicana Field in
St. Petersburg.
On the pitch in downtown St. Petersburg,
the Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team begins
its pre-season matches in February, and the
regular schedule takes them through the
summer and late into the fall.
ROAD TRIPS
Greek cuisine, art and culture—it’s all found
in the small fishing village of Tarpon
Springs. The area was first settled in 1876 by

70 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA


Greek immigrants, and today it is the city
with the highest percentage of Greek-
Americans in the U.S. What was once “the
sponge capital of the world” is a popular day-
trip destination from Tampa, Clearwater,
St. Petersburg, Dunedin and Pasco County.
Park the car and walk, run, cycle or
rollerblade along the Fred Marquis Pinellas
Trail, a 50-mile protected, multi-use green
space created along an abandoned railroad
corridor that extends from St. Petersburg to
Tarpon Springs.
For a truly unique experience you won’t
soon forget, head over to Crystal River where
various tour operators provide the
equipment and let you swim among West
Indian manatees in super clear waters.
Visitors who prefer to stay at arm’s length
from the gentle giants can rent a kayak (with
or without a guide) to observe them as they
swim and play below in the warm waters. If FEATURED LINKS
this option is still too close for comfort, you
can watch manatees any day of the year from ARTS AND CULTURE
the underwater observatory at the nearby David A. Straz, Jr., Center for the
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife Perfoming Arts
State Park. The park also showcases other strazcenter.org
native Florida wildlife, including black Tampa Bay History Center
tampabayhistorycenter.org
bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American
Tampa Museum of Art
alligators and crocodiles, and river otters,
tampamuseum.org
and offers Wildlife Encounter programs and
a children’s education center. ATTRACTIONS
Adventure Island Tampa Bay
SHOPPING adventureisland.com
Pull out your credit cards and get ready to fill Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
your bags at the International Plaza and Bay buschgardens.com/tampa
Dinosaur World, Plant City
Street in Tampa. It features Neiman Marcus
dinosaurworld.com
and Nordstrom, as well as all-time favorites,
Florida Aquarium, Tampa
Dillard’s, RH Gallery, J. Crew, H&M, and 15 sit flaquarium.org
down restaurants. Just down the road, Seaside Seabird Sanctuary, Indian Shores
WestShore Plaza counts Macy’s, Old Navy seasideseabirdsanctuary.org
and Dick’s Sporting Goods among its ZooTampa at Lowry Park
storefronts, so there are plenty of shopping zootampa.org
opportunities here, too
Tree-lined streets, historical homes and
BEACHES AND
shopping à la European village make Hyde
OUTDOOR GEMS
De Soto National Memorial
Park Village one of Tampa’s hot retail spots. nts.gov/deso
It’s easy to spend the day here. Shop for a bit Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife
in the morning at brand-name stores, such State Park
as west elm, Sur la Table, lululemon and floridastateparks.org/park/homosassa-springs
others. Later, enjoy a bite to eat at Goody Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
weekiwachee.com
Goody, nibble on a cupcake at Sprinkles or
sip wine at the Wine Exchange.
ENTERTAINMENT
For more outdoor shopping, slip over to The
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Tampa
Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel, where seminolehardrocktampa.com
boutiques and department stores entice Tampa Bay Lightning
shoppers with their wares, or Tampa Premium nhl.com/lightning
Outlets in Lutz for savings on designer brands. Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg’s Grand Central District is mlb.com/rays/ballpark
popular among shoppers. Spend a day
strolling along the avenue lined with fine art
SHOPPING
Grand Central District, St. Petersburg
galleries, vintage clothing shops and antique
grandcentraldistrict.org
stores. There are plenty of restaurants and Hyde Park Village, Tampa
bars along the way, too. hydeparkvillage.com
Souvenir shopping is perfected at John’s International Plaza and Bay Street, Tampa
Pass Village & Boardwalk in Madeira Beach. shopinternationalplaza.com
Drop by any of the 100-plus shops for John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk,
Madeira Beach
everything from T-shirts and shells to
johnspass.com
artwork and more.
Shops at Wiregrass, Wesley Chapel
If you admire arts and crafts, don’t miss theshopsatwiregrass.com
the Annual Downtown Dunedin Craft Festival Tampa Premium Outlets, Lutz
in February, or the Gasparilla Festival of the premiumoutlets.com/outlet/tampa
Arts in downtown Tampa in March.
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 71
CRYSTAL RIVER/CITRUS COUNTY
Discover
the wonder of it all
BY DONNA S. VIEIRA
SWIM WITH THESE GENTLE GIANTS IN THE MANATEE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD • DISCOVER CRYSTAL RIVER FLORIDA/CAROL GRANT/OCEANGRANT IMAGES
S
ituated 65 miles north of Tampa on
Florida’s Nature Coast overlooking
the Gulf of Mexico, Citrus County is
a delightful combination of charming,
small towns in natural settings, spring-fed
rivers and bays, wilderness trails and
entertainment.
A NATURAL HAVEN
The warm spring-fed rivers and bays
around Crystal River and Homosassa are a
natural playground for visitors and
manatees alike. In fact, Crystal River is
known as The Manatee Capital of the World
and is the only place in Florida where
visitors can legally swim with the gentle
giants. While many manatees are year-
round residents, hundreds more make their
way to the warmer waters during the winter
months, January through March. For those
who prefer to stay dry, visitors can also view
these docile creatures from the boardwalk
at Three Sisters Springs or rent a kayak for
up-close encounters in Kings Bay.
72 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
More water-based activities and adven-
tures abound throughout the county. Paddle
a kayak along the Chassahowitzka River in
Homosassa. Relax on Fort Island Gulf Beach
in Crystal River. The inland chain of pristine
lakes in Inverness is ideal for waterskiing
and fishing excursions. Head south toward
Floral City for an exhilarating airboat tour
on the Withlacoochee River.
Scallop season runs from July 1 to
September 24 and there are plenty of
opportunities to hop on board a charter out
of Homosassa—one of Florida’s oldest
fishing villages—to locate the best spots to
scallop and fish.
Explore the 46-mile-long Withlacoochee
State Trail, the longest paved, multi-use
trail in Florida and one of the best Rails
to Trails conversions in the USA. Cycle
through ancient forests to visit the
charming city centers of Inverness and
Floral City.
Golfers are welcome to enjoy Citrus
County’s warm climate and natural beauty
year-round at popular public courses such
as the must-see Lakeside Golf & Country
Club in Inverness and the World Woods Golf
Course south of Homosassa Springs, which
features two Tom Fazio-designed champion-
ship courses.

OLD FLORIDA CHARM

Whether you travel to Crystal River,
Homosassa, Inverness, Floral City or any of
the charming towns along the way, take the
opportunity to drive along the roads less
traveled to experience the true essence of
this natural playground where southern
hospitality awaits you in a never-ending
array of cafés, boutiques, galleries and
museums. The Citrus County Historical
Society is a wonderful resource for history
buffs and the flavorful bounty of fresh
seafood dishes will surely please even the
most discerning palates.

FEATURED LINKS
Discover Crystal River, Florida:
DiscoverCrystalRiverFL.com SCALLOPING IS LIKE AN EASTER EGG HUNT: FLORIDA-STYLE. COME DIVE FOR YOUR DINNER •
DISCOVER CRYSTAL RIVER FLORIDA/RAMONA ROBBINS/RAMONA ROBBINS PHOTOGRAPHY

DISCOVER FLORIDA'S PADDLING PARADISE • DISCOVER CRYSTAL RIVER FLORIDA

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

QUIET PLEASURES &

SOUTHERN CHARM Welcome to the quiet side of Florida where you’ll find some of
the most beautiful beaches in the world, all lapped by clear,
emerald-green waters. Delve into Northwest Florida’s colorful
history, family attractions, down-home cookin’ and unique little
shops, all laced with friendly people with Southern accents.
BY STEVE WINSTON

MARDI GRAS, PANAMA CITY BEACH • VISIT PANAMA CITY BEACH

A DAY IN...
DESTIN-FORT
WALTON BEACH
Begin your day with a fishing trip,
dolphin cruise or sailing adven-
ture and be soothed by the
emerald-green waters of the Gulf.
Venture over to The Boardwalk
on Okaloosa Island where you
can lunch on fresh Gulf-to-table
seafood with beachfront views of
the sugar-white sand and the
Okaloosa Fishing Pier. In the
afternoon, stroll downtown Fort
Walton Beach’s Heritage Park and
Cultural Center, comprised of the
Indian Temple Mound Museum,
Fort Walton Temple Mound, Camp
Walton Schoolhouse Museum,
Garnier Post Office Museum and
the Civil War Exhibit.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
Authentic Florida thrives in
quiet coastal communities
like Apalachicola, St. George
Island, Carrabelle, Eastpoint and
Alligator Point. Enjoy quiet, pet-
friendly beaches on St. George
Island and Alligator Point. Climb
historical lighthouses. Camp,
paddle or hike along wooded
trails and quiet sloughs. Watch
commercial fishing boats unload
their daily catch or charter a trip
with an oyster fisherman to learn
how to catch your own. Explore
the area’s charm, boutiques,
galleries and museums. End
with fresh local seafood served at
more than 30 area restaurants
and seafood markets.
PANAMA CITY BEACH
At Zen Garden or FINN’s Island
Style Grub, start your day with
gourmet coffee and a yoga
session or a quick surf check.
From there, explore 27 miles of
beautiful beaches. Try snorkel-
ing or paddleboarding in the
emerald green waters at
St. Andrews State Park, or catch
a boat to Shell Island, a seven-
mile-long natural barrier island.
Explore diving history at the
Man in the Sea Museum before
shopping at Pier Park, the area’s
leading shopping center. Catch
the sunset from Schooner’s
restaurant, where the nightly
event is celebrated with a
cannon blast!
SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Enjoy the sugar-white sandy
beaches of Santa Rosa County.
Fish from the Navarre Beach
Pier (Gulf of Mexico’s longest)
or visit the Gulf Breeze Zoo,
Navarre Beach Marine Science
Station or Navarre Beach Sea
Turtle Conservation Center.
Tour Coldwater Gardens near
Milton. See why this part of
Florida is known as the Canoe
Capital of Florida with Adven-
tures Unlimited. Canoe, kayak
and tube along Coldwater
Creek past secluded sandbars,
through the pristine ecosystem
of Blackwater River State
Forest, or soar on its zip line
canopy tour.

NORTHWEST
FLORIDA

Calhoun County Chamber of Commerce: calhounco.org

Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center: destinfwb.com
Destination Panama City: destinationpanamacity.com
Explore Northwest Florida: explorenwflorida.com
Franklin County Tourist Development Council: floridasforgottencoast.com
Gadsden County Tourist Development Council: dosomethingoriginal.com
YOUR Gulf County Tourist Development Council: visitgulf.com
Gulf Islands National Seashore: nps.gov/guis
NORTHWEST Holmes County Tourist Development Council: unexploredflorida.com
Jackson County Tourist Development Council: visitjacksoncountyfla.com
FLORIDA Mexico Beach Community Development Council: mexicobeach.com

EXPERTS
Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Office: getrelaxing.com
Santa Rosa Island Authority: visitpensacolabeach.com
Seaside Visitors Bureau: seasidefl.com
Visit Panama City Beach: visitpanamacitybeach.com
Visit Pensacola: visitpensacola.com
Visit South Walton: visitsouthwalton.com
Washington County Tourist Development Council: visitwcfla.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 75

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE turing and shipbuilding industries.

ST. GEORGE ISLAND, FRANKLIN COUNTY
• VISIT FLORIDA/RUSSELL MICK
INSIDER’S
In Franklin County, easternmost in the
Northwest Florida region, Apalachicola is
the best-known city. Once the third-largest
port on the Gulf of Mexico, reminders of
those halcyon days of steamers and
schooners, railroads and lumber mills
remain. The city’s historic district has nearly
a thousand buildings and sites from a
bygone era. Along the waterfront, structures
that once served as commercial fishing
factories and warehouses have evolved into
seafood houses and galleries, and old
shrimp boats now reside for eternity.
Nearby, Cape St. George Lighthouse had
been lighting the way for mariners since
1852, until it collapsed in 2005. It was rebuilt
with a new museum but is no longer a
working lighthouse (blame GPS), but you
can’t tell the story of this region without
relating the history of this structure.
Panama City has four very interesting
neighborhoods in which to roam.
Downtown is filled with galleries and arts
facilities such as the Martin Theatre, the
Center for the Arts and the CityArts Cooper-
ative. Historic St. Andrews still resembles
the quaint fishing village it was in the “old
days.” Downtown North serves as the
cultural hub of Panama City’s African-
Holmes County has a population of only
about 20,000, however, it boasts one
noteworthy historical residence. The Keith
Cabin is an authentic 19th-century rural
homestead on which William Thomas Keith
grew cotton and tobacco . . . and expanded
his land holdings from 10 acres to 190. You
can access a very mystical and historical
spot in this county at the Chattachoochee
Indian Burial Grounds in Holmes County.
South Walton is home to a vibrant arts
community, anchored by the local Cultural
Arts Alliance, and enhanced by the Foster
Gallery. Artists at Gulf Place is an art cooper-
ative including potters, sculptors, painters,
jewelers and photographers, with workshops
for kids. South Walton also boasts The
Repertory Theatre in Seaside, one of
Northwest Florida’s premier professional
theater companies.
At the Indian Temple Mound Museum in
Fort Walton Beach, you can walk through
12,000 years of Native American life and
admire one of the finest collections of
prehistoric ceramics in the southeastern
U.S. A short drive north of Fort Walton
Beach, a more recent period of history
comes alive at the Air Force Armament
Museum, which takes you from the early

TIPS American community and Millville is

named for its once-thriving paper manufac-
biplanes of World War I to the SR-71
Blackbird—the fastest aircraft ever built. If
If you’re bringing Fido with you, St. George
BALLET PENSACOLA • VISIT PENSACOLA
Island and Alligator Point in Franklin
County have pet-friendly beaches, as does
Panama City Beach.
Take the road less traveled in Jackson
County, where wildlife, farms, rolling hills,
wooded areas, streams and canopy trees
line nearly 800 miles of unpaved roads.
In Panama City, Bay Town Trolley offers
convenient public transportation and has
multiple stops throughout the city
(baytowntrolley.org).
The Destin-Fort Walton Beach Conven-
tion Center hosts free nighttime educational
beach walks from June to October. Learn
about sea turtles and their nesting habits,
and what you can do to help protect them
while on vacation. Reservations are required
(destinfwb.com/explore/ecotourism-
hotspots/turtle-walks).

76 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

Broadway shows and the Northwest Florida
Symphony pique your interest, check the
schedule at the Mattie Kelly Arts Center.
The town of Milton is filled with historical
homes and storefronts leading to the
Blackwater River waterfront, once the
epicenter of thriving timber and shipbuilding
industries. At the old post office, you can ogle
the antiques while eating lunch. And you can
step back into the 19th century at the West
Florida Railroad Museum.
At the western end of Northwest Florida,
the city of Pensacola boasts two significant
distinctions. It was the first settlement
founded by immigrants to America—
although later deserted for a few years,
thereby ceding to St. Augustine the title of
first permanent settlement. Pensacola’s
iconic Saenger Theatre first opened its doors
in 1925, and is now restored to her original
glory, hosting dance and musical companies,
theater and a Classic Movie Series.
Jackson County’s Spanish Heritage trail
treats you to 150 miles of beautiful scenery,
as well as fascinating old missions, settle-
ments and historic sites. And the Gadsden
Arts Center & Museum takes visitors on a
trip through contemporary Southern art,
while the Davis Shade Tobacco Barn will take
you on an historic trip through time. Both
are in the town of Quincy.
In the Washington County town of
Chipley, the Spanish Trail Playhouse is one
of the few remaining volunteer theater
companies in the state.
ATTRACTIONS
Franklin County’s attractions highlight its
natural beauty, such as the Apalachicola
National Forest and the Apalachicola
National Estuarine Research Reserve,
complete with fish tanks and interactive
displays.
A long time ago, a Liberty County resident
named E.E. Callaway claimed he had found
the Garden of Eden in Liberty County.
Maybe, maybe not. But the county does have
a part of paradise in its share of the
Apalachicola National Forest.
No visit to Northwest Florida should end
without a horseback ride on the beach,
particularly in dream-like spots such as Cape
San Blas. If you prefer your water inland
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
30A Songwriters Festival, South Walton
Apalachicola Oyster Cook-off
Pensacola Beach Run Half Marathon
and 10K/5K
FEBRUARY
30A Wine Festival at Alys Beach,
South Walton
St. Andrews Mardi Gras, Panama City
Sandestin Gumbo Festival, South Walton
MARCH
Down Home Street Festival, Bonifay
Forgotten Coast En Plein Air Paint-out,
Franklin and Gulf Counties
Gulf Coast Renaissance Faire and
Pirate Festival, Pensacola
St. George Island Regional Charity
Chili Cook-off and Auction
APRIL
Apalachicola Antique & Classic Boat
& Car Show
Carrabelle Riverfront Festival
Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s
Greatest Beach Party, Perdido Key
Pensacola Crawfish Festival
Rock the Falls Music Festival, Chipley
Sandestin Wine Festival
South Walton Beaches Wine &
Food Festival
MAY
BBQ in the Pines, Chipley
Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival,
Fort Walton Beach
Digital Graffiti at Alys Beach,
South Walton
Mardi Gras, Pensacola
Tupelo Honey Festival, Wewahitchka
JUNE
Emerald Coast Blue Marlin Classic,
Sandestin
Panhandle Watermelon Festival, Chipley
Pepsi Gulf Coast Jam, Panama City Beach
South Walton Beaches Wine &
Food Festival
UnWineD, Panama City Beach
JULY
July 4th Fireworks, Panama City Beach
Pensacola Beach Air Show
AUGUST
Paddle at the Porch, Destin
Wausau Funday & Possum Festival
SEPTEMBER
Gulf Coast Summer Fest, Pensacola
Pensacola Seafood Festival
Vettes at the Beach (Corvettes),
Pensacola Beach
OCTOBER
Destin Fishing Rodeo
Destin Seafood Festival
Florida Caverns Cultural Celebration,
Marianna
Goat Day & Pioneer Day, Blountstown
Northwest Florida Championship Rodeo,
Bonifay
Oktoberfest, Panama City
Pensacola Greek Festival
Schooners Lobster Festival &
Tournament, Panama City Beach
Taste of the Beach, Pensacola
NOVEMBER
Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show,
Pensacola
Emerald Coast Cruizin’,
Panama City Beach
Florida Seafood Festival, Apalachicola
Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival, Pensacola
Malone Pecan Festival
Pensacola Foo Foo Festival
Seeing Red Wine Festival, Seaside
Thunderbird Intertribal Powwow, Destin
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER
Pensacola Winterfest
DECEMBER
Destin Holiday on the Harbor Lighted
Boat Parade
Lighted Boat Parade, Pensacola
New Year’s Eve Ball Drop,
Panama City Beach
Scott 1817 Seminole War Battle,
Chattahoochee
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 77
NORTHWEST FLORIDA
(with oars or on a tour boat), head for the
Dead Lakes, a unique ecosystem that’s
part swamp, part river, part lake, and all
pristine wilderness.
In Panama City Beach, the Man in the Sea
Museum covers the history of diving and the
Navy’s “Man in the Sea Program,” which
showcases SEALAB I, the Navy’s first-ever
underwater habitat.
Try Swampy Jack’s Wongo Adventure, a
hybrid amusement park in Panama City
Beach. It features five thrilling rides and
attractions including Marrakesh Road
Rally—an interactive electric go-kart experi-
ence and the Yacuma—a huge serpent
wipeout ride. SkyWheel Panama City Beach
is an entertainment venue whose leading
draw is the SkyWheel, a 53-meter, observa-
tion wheel with 30 climate-controlled, fully
enclosed gondolas, along with the SkyTrail
ropes course—an aerial attraction with
suspended bridges, cargo nets and rope
ladders, engineered for an adrenaline rush.
Panama City, too, lives on the water. Shell
Island Cruises takes you out to snorkel with
the dolphins.
Chipley has family activities like the
Seacrest Wolf Preserve, where you can
interact not only with wolves, but also with
foxes, raccoons, skunks and Pecos the
coyote. At the E.O. Wilson Biophilia Center,
there’s a working beehive, a birdwatching
station, a rescued snapping turtle, and
several species of snakes and frogs.
The Destin/Fort Walton Beach/Okaloosa
5
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
GULFARIUM MARINE ADVENTURE PARK, FORT WALTON BEACH:
1 gulfarium.com
LIGHTHOUSES ACROSS NORTHWEST FLORIDA:
2 explorenwflorida.com
NATIONAL NAVAL AVIATION MUSEUM, PENSACOLA:
3 navalaviationmuseum.org
SPRINGS OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA:
4 nwfwater.com/water-resources/springs
5 ZOOWORLD ZOOLOGICAL, PANAMA CITY BEACH:
zooworldpcb.com
78 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
Island area offers attractions such as the
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park, where
you can frolic in the water with rays and
spend time observing dolphins. If
your kids love dinosaurs, head for Wild
Willy’s Adventure Zone, with animatronic
Dinosaur-themed and Pirate-themed mini
golf courses, a bungee trampoline, laser
tag, arcade, incredible 4-D movie theater
and more.
Santa Rosa County’s Gulf Breeze Zoo
showcases over 50 acres of animals from
around the world, and the Navarre Beach
Marine Science Station combines hands-on
learning and entertainment.
In Escambia County, historic Pensacola
Village is the site of the original Spanish and
British forts in a city over which five flags
have flown. In the Pensacola Lighthouse,
built in 1859, climb the 177 steps for a
dramatic panoramic view of the Gulf Coast.
NAVARRE BEACH • SANTA ROSA COUNTY TDC
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Northwest Florida’s beaches are world-
renowned. Frolic on more than 227 miles of
white, fine-grained, sugar-sand beaches
stretching from Apalachicola in the east to
Pensacola in the west. And often, they’re so
uncrowded that you may come to think of
them as your own private playgrounds!
The Apalachicola National Forest is
perfect for camping, picnicking, hiking,
biking, boating, hunting and fishing.
Offshore, St. Vincent National Wildlife
Refuge is a 12,492-acre barrier island
accessible only by boat; the only residents
you’ll see will be wildlife, such as nesting
bald eagles, loggerhead sea turtles, and, if
you’re lucky, a red wolf.
Situated on the bluffs overlooking the
Apalachicola River, Torreya State Park offers
excellent hiking and camping facilities. In
addition, the Ochlockonee and Chipola
rivers are ideal for kayaking and fishing.
If you’re looking for spectacular sunsets,
head to St. Joe Beach and Beacon Hill. Here,
a shoreline leading to the horizon offers
million-dollar views of the Gulf sun, blazing
with color as it sets behind the silhouette of
St. Joseph Peninsula.
From there, it’s a short drive to Panama
City Beach where outdoor enthusiasts can
hike and birdwatch along scenic trails; camp
along the shore; enjoy unparalleled boating,
fishing and diving; take kayaking tours; go
off-road cycling; try stand-up paddle-
boarding, and more. And, with everything
from airboat adventures to glass-bottom
boat tours and marine rescue programs,
there are many ways to experience and
observe the surrounding wildlife. At the
Panama City Beach Conservation Park,
visitors enjoy boardwalks and 24 miles of
unpaved trails, which are connected with
other trail systems known as Gayle’s Trails
through the beach area. On the eastern edge
of Panama City Beach, St. Andrews State Park
is ranked among the top beaches in the U.S.
and is one of the most popular outdoor
recreation spots in Florida. Across from the
mainland, Shell Island is a peaceful spot to
relax or snorkel and the area surrounding
the island is home to one of the largest
concentrations of bottlenose dolphins in the
country. Shuttle boat service to the island is
available during spring, summer and fall.
Other locations worth checking out include
Pine Log & Point Washington State Forests,
Camp Helen State Park and the Florida Trail
at Econfina Creek.
Gulf Islands National Seashore is one
gigantic playground, which includes the
barrier islands of Pensacola Beach, Perdido
Key and Okaloosa Island.
Among the best beaches in Northwest
Florida is the pristine five-mile stretch in the
charming little town of Mexico Beach, where
the beach consists of fine, white quartz
crystals, which give the water its gem-like
color. Then there’s the award-winning
Emerald Coast beaches in the Destin-Fort
Walton area.
Heading inland, Florida Caverns State Park
is home to the only guided dry cave tours in
the state. Nearby is the Bellamy Bridge, said to
be haunted by—who else?—the Ghost of
Bellamy Bridge. Visitors in this area enjoy
paddling, birdwatching, hiking, horseback
riding, and some of the best bass fishing in the
state. For an incredible cave-diving experi-
ence, check out Cave Adventurers to book dive
lessons or trips at Merritt’s Mill Pond.
Falling Waters State Park in Chipley has
the tallest waterfall in the state, at 73 feet,
and an observation platform from which to
enjoy the falls and the surrounding forest.
And Ponce de Leon State Park in Marianna
has a wonderfully-scenic recreation spot in
Merritt’s Mill Pond.
ENTERTAINMENT
If you’re talkin’ Northwest Florida cookin’,
you’re talkin’ fresh seafood. One of the best
places to find it is in the town of Eastpoint,
across the bay from Apalachicola and
St. George Island. Eastpoint is lined with
FEATURED LINKS
rustic seafood houses, serving freshly
harvested Apalachicola Bay oysters just ARTS AND CULTURE
Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County
hauled in by the weathered skiffs outside. culturalartsalliance.com
And the oysters come with an extra dose of Gadsden Arts Center & Museum
friendliness as many of these restaurants are gadsdenarts.org
Indian Temple Mound Museum,
now into the fourth generation of family Fort Walton Beach
ownership. fwb.org/parksrec/page/indian-temple-
mound-museum
Panama City offers a variety of nightlife
Lighthouses Across Northwest Florida
options, among them the multi-venue explorenwflorida.com
musical jam called “Music Matters.” The Martin Theatre, Panama City
martintheatre.com
Corner Pocket is a non-smoking pool hall Museums of Carrabelle
with the city’s largest selection of craft beer carrabelle.org
and is an owner-operated Cicerone establish- Pensacola Saenger Theatre
pensacolasaenger.com
ment. The Place Downtown, in the historic The Repertory Theatre, Seaside
district of Panama City, features trivia nights lovetherep.com
and weekly dances with live bands.
ATTRACTIONS
Neighboring Panama City Beach is a flip- Gulf Breeze Zoo, Santa Rosa County
flops town during the day, however, when gulfbreezezoo.org
Historic Pensacola
the sun goes down its partying side comes historicpensacola.org
out. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is a branch of Panhandle Pioneer Settlement
Nashville’s world-famous honky-tonk with panhandlepioneer.org
Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
live country music, nightly. You can also pensacolalighthouse.org
hear live music at Pineapple Willie’s. And
keep your throat moist because, in this BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Camp Helen State Park
town, there’s a good chance you’ll be using floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
it for karaoke at night. camp-helen-state-park
Florida Caverns State Park
In the town of Bonifay, you can find good floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
food at Sam’s Place and M&W Smokehouse florida-caverns-state-park
Barbecue. St. Joe Beach
visitgulf.com/destinations/st-joe-beach
The picturesque seaside town of Destin Torreya State Park
may bring back memories of that famous floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
‘50s song, Harbor Lights. HarborWalk Village torreya-state-park
and the Destin Harbor are the most romantic ENTERTAINMENT
strolling spots in town, with great shopping Pensacola Little Theatre
pensacolalittletheatre.com
and cool boutiques, galleries, family restau-
Seville Quarter, Pensacola
rants and attractions, bars and clubs, pub sevillequarter.com
crawls, live music, and dancing amid those
harbor lights and lapping waters.
ROAD TRIPS
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
In Pensacola, nightlife often revolves fws.gov/refuge/st_vincent
around performing arts companies like the South Third Street Historic District, Chipley
visitwcfla.com
Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Underwater Museum of Art
Opera, Pensacola Ballet and the Pensacola umafl.org
Little Theatre, the oldest continuously
SHOPPING
operating community theater in the Destin Commons
southeastern U.S. The Seville Quarter is a destincommons.com
The Little Village, Panama City
huge venue offering seven rooms of littlevillagepc.com
nighttime entertainment, with pool tables, The Market Shops, South Walton
dance club, restaurants, live music and visitsouthwalton.com/listing/the-market-shops
Silver Sands Premium Outlets,
dueling pianos. And downtown’s Palafox Miramar Beach
Street is an exciting strip lined with restau- premiumoutlets.com/outlet/silver-sands
rants, bars and clubs.
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 79
NORTHWEST FLORIDA
ROAD TRIPS
The town of Mexico Beach boasts some of the
best side trips in Northwest Florida. The Dead
Lakes State Recreation Area, 23 miles away,
offers perhaps the best freshwater fishing in
the state, along with unusual scenery due to
the stumps and dead tree trunks sticking out
of the water. Another “natural” day trip from
Mexico Beach is St. Vincent National Wildlife
Refuge, accessible only by water. Here, you’ll
see an incredible variety of wildlife, among
them many species of birds, Sambar deer
and the endangered red wolf. A good
starting point is Indian Pass, an historic
trading post and, supposedly, the site of
Spanish buried treasure.
The Washington County town of
Chipley has its fair share of interesting
historical buildings in the South Third
Street Historic District. And you can take
an extraordinary look at early life here at
the Five Oaks Museum.
South Walton has 16 beach neighbor-
hoods that make for a beautiful drive along
the coast. You’ll drive along Scenic 30A
through a variety of distinct neighborhood
styles—so distinct, in fact, that you’ll know
when you’re going from one town into
another. The area’s upscale aura is evidenced
by its many artists and galleries, funky
local boutiques, and farm-to-table dining
philosophy. This route also offers numerous
opportunities to kayak on coastal dune lakes,
play golf at a PGA-quality course, and bike
along the 18-mile Timpoochee Trail.
For something truly unique, check out the
first Underwater Museum of Art (UMA) in the
U.S. off Grayton Beach State Park, where a
collection of seven underwater sculptures
were installed in the summer of 2018 as artifi-
cial reefs to provide anchor points for marine
life to inhabit. This ecotourism attraction was
named one of TIME magazine’s “World’s 100
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport: iflybeaches.com
Pensacola International Airport: flypensacola.com
80 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
Greatest Places” and 11 more sculptures were
selected for permanent exhibition in 2019,
and another 7 in 2020.
The Chautauqua Vineyards & Winery is a
nice day trip from the Gulf beaches. You can
tour the winery and learn the ABCs of grape-
growing, pruning, harvesting, crushing and
bottling. You’ll be able to taste some of the
wines that have earned Chautauqua over 140
awards, from dry wines and southern
favorites to sweet muscadine and blueberry.
SHOPPING
In the Jackson County town of Marianna sits
a local treasure called Southern Craft
Creamery. They feature innovative ice cream
treats such as Vanilla & Satsuma Jam and
Tupelo Honey.
Reid Avenue in Port St. Joe is a half-mile-
long stroll back into the Old South. Outdoor
gear? Books? Jewelry? Local pottery or artwork?
Luxury spa treatment? It’s all here, along with
restaurants running the gamut from Italian
and Southern to Chinese and Mexican.
As you drive through the charming little
town of Mexico Beach, you’ll come to Frost
Pottery Garden, with imported pottery,
fountains, bird baths, wind chimes, jewelry
and candles.
The Little Village in Panama City has an
PENSACOLA PEDAL TROLLEY • VISIT PENSACOLA
offbeat collection of outdoor shops. At The
Little Mustard Seed, find a mix of furniture,
handmade soaps and lotions, jewelry, and a
thousand items that have been revived,
renewed and restored. Historic Downtown
Panama City is home to the Elegant
Endeavors Antique Emporium and Main
Street Antiques, which have been featured
on different shows. Every Saturday, head
over to the St. Andrews Farmers’ Market.
Across the water in Panama City Beach,
Pier Park is an outdoor shopping and
lifestyle center with a wide variety of items
to buy, eat or ogle.
The Market Shops, at South Walton, offer
outdoor shopping accompanied by
musicians and artists. In Rosemary Beach, a
planned town built in the mid-90s on the
principle of “New Urbanism,” the French
Quarter, with its balconies and vividly
colored buildings and curling wrought-iron
railings, is a delightful place to spend an
afternoon shopping and dining.
In Destin, HarborWalk Village has a vibrant
atmosphere, with vendors, artists and street
performers outside, and stunning views of
the Gulf of Mexico and Choctawhatchee Bay.
On The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island, you’ll
find several restaurants and shops. Nearby
Fort Walton Beach is filled with boutiques,
restaurants and galleries—even a brewery.
Hunt for bargains at Silver Sands Premium
Outlets in Miramar Beach. And, in Fort
Walton Beach, De’France Antiques and Flea
Market has treasures you never knew you
needed until now.
And if you have a yen to bring home
something new from Pensacola, head for the
shops on Palafox Street.
 NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA

SPRINGS AND
SECRET EDENS
Travelers treasure rural, remote North Central Florida
for its natural gifts including the celebrated Suwannee
River, clearwater springs and such a diverse display of
wild places, flora and fauna that naturalist John Muir
walked 1,000 miles to see them. Bracketed by two
high-spirited university cities are miles of “blue”
byways that stitch together
hometown hamlets where
time stands still.
BY JANET GROENE

1) SHELL POINT BEACH • WAKULLA COUNTY TDC

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA

A DAY IN...
LAKE CITY/
COLUMBIA COUNTY
Rise and shine as you greet the
morning at Alligator Lake Park,
known for its extensive hiking
and biking trails teeming with
birdwatching and nature
encounters. Afterward, it’s time
for a stroll through downtown
Lake City, filled with eclectic
shops, local art and an historic
museum. After lunch at the
Marion Street Bistro & Brew
House, dive into Florida’s cool
and refreshing spring waters at
the world-famous Ichetucknee
Springs. Relax a bit before
heading back to downtown Lake
City for cocktails and dinner.
GAINESVILLE
Kick off your day with a
refreshing dive into one of the
area’s natural freshwater
springs. After working up an
appetite, grab lunch at the
award-winning Great Outdoors
Restaurant in High Springs.
Discover the past at the Florida
Museum, a natural history
museum at the University of
Florida, before heading out into
nature at Paynes Prairie Preserve
State Park or down a 120-foot
sinkhole at Devil’s Millhopper
Geological State Park. As the sun
sets, head into lively downtown
Gainesville for dining options
like Dragonfly Sushi or The Top.
TALLAHASSEE
Take a guided tour of the 1845
Historic Capitol, now a museum,
and Museum of Florida History.
Breeze through Florida State
University and Florida A&M
University campuses and
Cascades Park. Enjoy lunch
before exploring Mission San
Luis, the only re-constructed
17th-century Spanish mission in
the southeast. Zip through
treetops and over cypress
swamps, tour pioneer buildings
and observe native wildlife at the
Tallahassee Museum. Dine at
an award-winning restaurant
followed by a nightcap at the
Bradfordville Blues Club.
WAKULLA COUNTY
Begin your day wildlife
watching at St. Marks National
Wildlife Refuge. Then head over
to Edward Ball Wakulla Springs
State Park where you can board
a Jungle Cruise from Wakulla
Springs up the river. Lunch is
the perfect time to slip into the
Edward Ball Dining Room and
stop at the Soda Fountain for a
root beer float at the world’s
longest marble soda fountain.
Round out the day with a kayak
trip to explore more of the
endless natural resources in the
area. End your day at Posey’s Up
the Creek Steam Room & Oyster
Bar in Panacea to savor some of
the best seafood in Florida.

NORTH CENTRAL
FLORIDA

Alachua County Visitors & Convention Bureau: visitgainesville.com

Columbia County Tourist Development Council: springsrus.com
YOUR Gadsden County Chamber of Commerce: gadsdencc.com
Hamilton County Tourist Development Council: hamiltoncountyflorida.com
NORTH CENTRAL Jefferson County Tourism Development Council: visitjeffersoncountyflorida.org
Levy County Visitors Bureau: visitnaturecoast.com
FLORIDA Taylor County Tourism Development Council: taylorflorida.com

EXPERTS
Visit Suwannee: visitsuwannee.com
Visit Tallahassee: visittallahassee.com
Visit Wakulla: visitwakulla.com

82 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

ARTS AND CULTURE
At the Harn Museum of Art at the University
of Florida in Gainesville, see one of the
world’s iconic Hammering Man statues by
Jonathan Borofsky plus more than 10,000
pieces of African, Asian, modern and
contemporary art.
Theatergoers can find live professional
productions as well as art cinema and art
exhibits at Gainesville’s architecturally
impressive Hippodrome. It’s housed in the
historic Federal Building, richly-designed
with Corinthian columns and elaborate trim.
Anchored by an early (1867) Gainesville
homestead, Matheson History Museum
showcases local history and native plants in
its botanical garden. The Florida Museum on
the University of Florida campus is best
known for its Butterfly Rainforest. Don’t
miss its extensive collections in fields of
archaeology, paleontology and ethnography.
Outdoors, stroll along nature paths.
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State
Park in White Springs has campsites, cabins,
ranger-led events and hiking trails.
Programs feature folk art, concerts, retreats
and expert crafters.
Heading west to Tallahassee via I-10, stop
briefly in Greenville. Tour the restored HISTORIC CAPITOL MUSEUM, TALLAHASSEE • VISIT FLORIDA
childhood home of jazz legend Ray Charles
by appointment, or just grab a quick photo plantation. Their burial plot is in the
of the impressive bronze statue of the iconic St. John’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in
musician. Continuing west to Monticello,
see the historic Monticello Opera House. In
downtown Tallahassee.
Tallahassee’s performance arts include INSIDER’S
the vaudeville era, touring troupes played
the area’s many opera houses. This one still
fully staged Florida State Opera productions
at Florida State University. A large outdoor
TIPS
hosts live performances. venue for seasonal festivals, concerts and In addition to this area’s regional airports,
The Tallahassee Museum is a collection events is the Capital City Amphitheater at locals fly out of Valdosta, Georgia, where a
of buildings representing 19th-century downtown Cascades Park. Delta Connection flies three times daily to
commercial, farm and social life in North Atlanta International Airport.
Florida. One of the most intriguing is ATTRACTIONS Cell phone service in this region’s
Bellevue, a modest but caringly restored Depot Park, a family playground and cultural outback is spotty and GPS is unreliable.
plantation home of a real princess. center on the site of Gainesville’s historic Plan for alternative ways to communicate
Catherine Daingerfield Willis, great grand- railroad station, is fully accessible to adults and navigate.
niece of George Washington, became a and children with physical challenges. On Gainesville’s UFHealth Shands Hospital
royal when she married Prince Achille hot days, get wet in the splash pad. Enjoy live
at the University of Florida is internationally
Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. concerts and events like food trucks rallies
known for medical tourism. Many local
When Napoleon was exiled, the couple fled and art festivals. Enjoy indoor fun at Depot
hotels offer discounts and shuttle service to
from France to the United States. The Park in the Cade Museum for Creativity &
patients and their families.
prince served as Tallahassee postmaster Invention. Bring the family to engage with
and Catherine bought a 520-acre cotton displays highlighting innovation.

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 83

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
WAKULLA SPRINGS • VISIT TALLAHASSEE/DOUG ALDERSON
In Tallahassee, Goodwood Museum &
Gardens began as a 2,400-acre corn and
cotton plantation in the 1830s. The stately
home was owner-occupied into the 1920s
and its furnishings reflect its many layers of
history. The gardens have been returned to
the original, 19th-century plantings of
heirloom roses, bulbs and sago palms.
Despite its modern look, Tallahassee is
one of the South’s oldest communities. The
Spanish settlement at St. Augustine traded
with the Native American Apalachee people
5
MUST-SEE
ATTRACTIONS
CEDAR KEY:
1 visitcedarkey.com
DEVIL’S MILLHOPPER GEOLOGICAL STATE PARK:
2 floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/devils-millhopper-geological-state-park
EDWARD BALL WAKULLA SPRINGS STATE PARK:
3 floridastateparks.org/wakullasprings
LAKE JACKSON MOUNDS ARCHAEOLOGICAL STATE PARK:
4 floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/lake-jackson-mounds-archaeological-state-park
5 MISSION SAN LUIS:
missionsanluis.org
84 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
here 500 years ago. When the British won
Florida from the Spanish, the Apalachee
people fled west and burned their village.
Now it has been reconstructed, a living
replica of Spanish and Native American life.
The Mission San Luis de Apalachee in
Tallahassee is a busy village peopled by
Spanish “soldiers” at the fort, “friars” at the
church and native townspeople who raise
crops, weave, make horseshoes, feed
chickens and meet at the council house. The
Mission re-creates the village when the
Natives and their Spanish friends fled
approaching English armies in 1704.
Although the Tallahassee Automobile
Museum has more than 160 vehicles, it’s
about much more than cars. The building
holds one of the finest private displays of
Steinway pianos plus extensive collections of
boats, knives, vintage sports items, dolls,
Native American artifacts, motorcycles, and
rare oddities.
The Challenger Learning Center in
downtown Tallahassee is a university-led
outreach for students from kindergarten to
age 12. Adults are welcome. See eye-
popping IMAX documentaries and attend
planetarium shows.
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Naturalist John Muir trekked through this
region to end his famous Thousand-Mile
Walk to the Gulf at Cedar Key, noting many
previously unrecorded species of birds and
plants. Look for them in the region’s state
and national forests, preserves and parks.
Stretches of the Great Florida Birding Trail
thread through the region, offering
sightings of upland and coastal species.
Hiking trails abound.
Beachgoers speed past this area, lured to
the snow-white sands of the Emerald Coast
or eastward to the Atlantic beaches. That’s
good news for locals who know a dozen
hidden springs that feed the rivers, which
are popular swimming holes where hikers
and paddlers pause for a swim. Keaton
Beach, a fishing village south of Perry, has a
sandy beach on the Gulf of Mexico.
Tubing the area’s unique springs provides
an intimate look at a tangled wilderness.
Float through tunnels of vegetation too
small for canoes. Entry points include Blue
Spring State Park in High Springs and Fort
White’s Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
The Suwannee River can be paddled for
its entire length, from north of Jacksonville
to the Gulf of Mexico. Primitive camps are
provided for overnight stays. Overnight
lodgings, supplies and restaurants are found
in White Springs and Dowling Park.
An exceptional network of hiking, biking
and equestrian trails is well-maintained and
mapped, thanks to the Florida Trail Associa-
tion. Gainesville’s Loblolly Woods Nature
Path is a serene hideaway in the heart of the
city. The two-mile-long Hogtown Creek
Greenway loop trail rewards all with views of
woods, waters and wildlife seemingly
untouched by urban sprawl.
The Osceola National Forest’s most popular
spot is Ocean Pond, a two-mile-wide lake with
a sandy beach. The forest has hiking, birding,
ATV, motorcycle and equestrian trails.
The Tallahassee–St. Marks Historic Rail-
road State Trail runs 16 miles from the
capital to St. Marks. Trailahassee.com is an
online resource with information and maps
of trails in the Tallahassee area.
Tallahassee’s Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State
Park is a botanical showplace, renowned
for winter blooming camellias.
More of the region’s unique flora and fauna
is found at such diverse spots as the sprawling
savanna at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park,
a prehistoric sinkhole at Devil’s Millhopper
Geological State Park, the wetlands environ-
ment at Cedar Key and wooded upland
habitats in state and national forests.
ENTERTAINMENT
City life throbs too, thanks to major univer-
sities in Tallahassee and Gainesville.
International students and faculty bring
diverse cultures, ethnic cuisines and
youthful energy to cities known for Old
South heritage, food and hospitality. As the
BRADFORDVILLE BLUES CLUB • VISIT TALLAHASSEE/COLIN HACKLEY
state capital, Tallahassee also hosts national
and international political power brokers. In
this region, variety is the spice of life.
In the two major cities, student hangouts
account for a large slice of nightlife.
Abundant choices are found in affordable
and supercharged restaurants, sports bars,
coffee houses, jazz joints, open-mike nights,
dance clubs and pubs.
The Swamp Restaurant in Gainesville, the
mother of all hangouts for every manner of
Gator bait, from University of Florida
students to elderly alumni, closed this year
to rebuild. It will be back in the fall of 2022
with a newly constructed building featuring
all of the charm and appeal that has attracted
loyal customers since 1994. It is located near
the Ben Hill Griffin Stadium where the
Florida Gators football team draws huge
crowds. The place to go pub-crawling is West
University Avenue, either near campus or in
Historic Downtown, where around a dozen
hot spots are mere yards apart.
Bo Diddley Plaza, named for the legendary
singer/songwriter, is a community cultural
center in Gainesville’s Historic District. Free
concerts take place every Friday night from
May to October.
As the home of Florida State University,
Tallahassee has a youthful buzz and football
mania. And, as the state capital, “Tally” hosts
travelers from all over the world.
FEATURED LINKS
ARTS AND CULTURE
Capital City Amphitheater, Tallahassee
capitalcityamphitheater.com
Cascades Park, Tallahassee
talgov.com/parks/parks-cascades.aspx
Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville
floridamuseum.ufl.edu
Harn Museum of Art, Gainesville
harn.ufl.edu
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State
Park, White Springs
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
stephen-foster-folk-culture-center-state-park
ATTRACTIONS
Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention,
Gainesville
cademuseum.org
Depot Park, Gainesville
depotpark.org
Florida Historic Capitol Museum, Tallahassee
flhistoriccapitol.gov
Goodwood Museum & Gardens, Tallahassee
goodwoodmuseum.org
Museum of Florida History
museumoffloridahistory.com
Tallahassee Automobile Museum
tacm.com
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park,
Tallahassee
floridastateparks.org/maclaygardens
Big Bend Scenic Byway
floridabigbendscenicbyway.org
Osceola National Forest
fs.usda.gov/osceola
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Gainesville
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
paynes-prairie-preserve-state-park
ENTERTAINMENT
The Hippodrome, Gainesville
thehipp.org
University of Florida Performing Arts
performingarts.ufl.edu
ROAD TRIPS
Forest Capital Museum State Park, Perry
floridastateparks.org/park/forest-capital
Suwannee River State Park
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
suwannee-river-state-park
SHOPPING
Bradley’s Country Store, Felkel
bradleyscountrystore.com
Celebration Pointe, Gainesville
celebrationpointe.com
Town of Micanopy
micanopytown.com
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 85
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
MUSEUM OF FLORIDA HISTORY • VISIT TALLAHASSEE
Here, nightlife venues range from ear-
shattering clubs favored by students to
more sedate places for political
dealmaking. A must-see is the Bradfordville
Blues Club, the only Florida club on the
Mississippi Blues Trail.
Known for drinks, late nights, high energy
and live music are Bullwinkle’s Saloon and
The Moon. Level 8 Lounge in the elegant
Hotel Duval is popular for both after-work
and after-dinner drinks, tapas and live music.
ROAD TRIPS
The belly of this region is so sparsely
populated that almost any paved road is a
good place for a jog, two-wheel journey or a
leisurely drive. The way is rimmed with
wildflowers and passes by farm fields and
pastures of grazing cattle, horses or goats.
The main east-west route I-10 roughly
follows ancient paths used since pre-
Colombian times. Old roads that parallel the
interstate pass through charming communi-
ties where the clock stopped once the
interstate opened. Starting at Lake City,
perhaps with a loop up to White Springs,
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Gainesville Regional Airport: flygainesville.com
Jacksonville International Airport: flyjacksonville.com
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport: iflybeaches.com
Tallahassee International Airport: talgov.com/airport/airporthome.aspx
86 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
take U.S. 90 westward, stopping at Live Oak
for fried chicken at the Dixie Grill and a visit
to the museum in the old railroad depot.
Continue west to Suwannee River State
Park on the site of a vanished community
called Columbus. Hiking trails take you past
Civil War-era fortifications, sawmill remains
and an old cemetery. The highway then leads
you through Madison with its stately
courthouse and antebellum homes. The
small downtown grid has antique shops and
a few restaurants.
West of Madison off U.S. 90, the Hixtown
Swamp Conservation Area is a major
wintering spot for wading birds. Public
access allows wildlife viewing, fishing,
picnics and hiking. Like Madison and Live
Oak, Monticello is the county seat, centered
by a grand courthouse. Drive around the
small historical district, enjoy a meal and
buy a bag of treats at Tupelo’s Bakery & Café.
There’s also a museum in the old jail that’s
worth checking out.
U.S. 27, the original highway from Miami
to the Midwest, provides an interesting
north-south road trip through this region.
Known by different names, including
Claude Pepper Memorial Highway
throughout the region and the Apalachee
Parkway in Tallahassee, it links High Springs
with its funky restaurants, B&B inns and old
opera house, to Perry, home of Forest Capital
Museum State Park. Little towns along the
way include Branford, where cave divers find
lodgings and outfitters, and Mayo, where
you’ll discover authentic country food and
captivating antique shops.
SHOPPING
The cities have popular shopping malls,
anchored by familiar national chain stores,
but the area’s most offbeat shopping is in
communities where former main-street
mercantiles have evolved into boutiques
selling antiques, handmade items of all
kinds, specialty foods and baked goods.
Within a stroll of two or three blocks you can
have lunch and shop for one-of-a-kind
souvenirs.
Micanopy (Mick-can-OH-pea) is a tiny
hideaway on the site of a pre-Colombian
settlement that was platted by a New York
developer in the early 1800s. Mansions,
homes and merchants took root, only
to see a fickle public move on to other settle-
ments. Seemingly frozen in the 1950s, the ANNUAL EVENTS
hamlet has restaurants, bookstores and
antiques.
Alachua’s old town center is home to
quaint galleries and restaurants.
The region has several wineries including
Island Grove Wine Company and Bluefield
Estate Winery, both creating fruit wines.
Butler Plaza in Gainesville features more
than 150 stores and numerous restaurants. In
Gainesville, Celebration Pointe is a shopping,
dining and entertainment center anchored
by a Bass Pro Shop, a 140-room hotel and a
multiplex movie theater complex.
Ethnic food stores are abundant in the
two college towns. On Southwest 34th Street
in Gainesville, large stores specialize in
Indian, Middle Eastern, Philippine and Asian
foods rarely found elsewhere.
Bradley’s Country Store, reached from
Tallahassee via one of the region’s oak-
cloaked “canopy roads,” retains the old-time
charm of the 1927 original. Sausages are still
made and smoked on-site. Stop to buy RED HILLS INTERNATIONAL HORSE TRIALS • VISIT TALLAHASSEE/SHEMS HAMILTON PHOTOGRAPHY
souvenirs and stock up on smoked meats,
local honey, coarse-ground grits, mayhaw JANUARY–FEBRUARY JUNE
Hoggetowne Medieval Faire, Gainesville Blueberry Festival, Wellborn
jelly, cracklings and such.
Florida African Dance Festival, Tallahassee
FEBRUARY Jefferson County Watermelon Festival,
TUBING ON THE ICHETUCKNEE RIVER • VISIT FLORIDA Fiddler Crab Festival, Steinhatchee Monticello
Olustee Festival, Wilson Park, Lake City Wild Blackberry Festival, Jasper

MARCH
Bradford County Strawberry Festival, Starke
Red Hills International Horse Trials,
Tallahassee
Spring Festival, Kanapaha Botanical Gardens,
Gainesville
Suwannee Spring Reunion, Live Oak
APRIL
Cedar Key Fine Arts Festival
Down Home Days Festival Parade & Rodeo,
Madison
Florida State Bluegrass Festival, Perry
Hogtown Craft Beer Festival, Gainesville
LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival,
Tallahassee
Sante Fe College Spring Arts Festival,
Gainesville
Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival
Tallahassee Jazz and Blues Festival
Word of South Festival, Tallahassee
MAY
Florida Folk Festival, White Springs
Springtime Tallahassee
Suwannee River Jam, Live Oak
JULY
4th of July fireworks, region wide
SEPTEMBER
Smokin’ in the Pines BBQ Festival, Perry
OCTOBER
Florida Bat Festival, Gainesville
Florida Forest Festival, Perry
Pioneer Day Festival, Mayo
Stone Crab Festival, St. Marks
NOVEMBER
Bradleys Country Store Old Fashioned Fun Day,
Tallahassee
Cane Boil and Fiddle Fest, Gainesville
Downtown Festival & Art Show, Gainesville
Florida Tap Invitational, Tallahassee
Micanopy Fall Harvest Festival
DECEMBER
Christmas on the Square, Live Oak
Festival of Lights, Stephen Foster Folk Culture
Center State Park
Maclay Gardens Camellia Christmas, Tallahassee
Market Days, Tallahassee

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 87

NORTHEAST FLORIDA

WHERE HISTORY AND

PRESENT DAY MERGE
You won’t run out of things to do in Northeast Florida. You’ve got award-winning beaches, globally
famous history, pristine parks, and a burgeoning food and beverage scene. The area is nicknamed
the First Coast and the Historic Coast and, while no one can say for sure where Spanish explorer
Ponce de León landed, he is credited with discovering Florida in 1513. In 1565, Pedro Menéndez de
Avilés came to shore at what was to become the first permanently occupied territory in the U.S.—
known today as St. Augustine. And the rest, as they say, is history . . . history well worth exploring.
BY VANESSA CACERES

ST. AUGUSTINE • VISIT FLORIDA

A DAY IN...
AMELIA ISLAND
Start with a sunrise stand up
paddleboard outing along 13
miles of scenic Atlantic
shoreline, or settle into a kayak
and enjoy a guided tour through
the marsh and surrounding
waterways. Plan an afternoon at
Fort Clinch, followed by a
shopping stroll in downtown
Fernandina Beach to uncover
the history and charm, which
keep the destination a top island
favorite among Condé Nast
Traveler’s readers. Spend your
evening savoring culinary
delights at one of the nationally
acclaimed chefs’ tables.
JACKSONVILLE
Welcome a new day with a
sunrise beach walk, then fuel
up your morning with fresh
biscuits at Maple Street Biscuit
Company and a local coffee at
Bold Bean Coffee Roasters. Grab
your board, or rent one, and
learn to surf in Jax Beach, one of
the best spots in Florida! For
lunch, enjoy the locally caught
Mayport shrimp at one of the
fish camps (casual seafood
restaurant). In Riverside, explore
the Cummer Museum of Art and
Gardens, then enjoy dinner and
a craft beer in the famous Five
Points district.
ST. AUGUSTINE &
PONTE VEDRA
Step back in time at the historic
Castillo de San Marcos National
Monument. Take a sip of
legendary water at the Fountain
of Youth. Keep little ones busy at
the interactive Pirate and
Treasure Museum. See every
species of crocodilian at the
St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Zoological Park. Find your
perfect spot along 42 miles of
beach. Challenge your golf game
at the Stadium Course, TPC
Sawgrass. Enjoy the spicy datil
pepper in the Minorcan Clam
Chowder at Barnacle Bills in the
Holiday Inn.
PUTNAM COUNTY
Tour Palatka’s 20 plus murals
that depict the history of
Putnam County. Plan to visit the
1850s Antebellum Bronson-
Mulholland House and adjacent
Putnam History Museum. Drive
or hike through the scenic
Ravine Gardens State Park. Be
sure to visit the St. Johns River
Center located within the
Palatka Riverfront Park. Dine in
one of Putnam County’s restau-
rants where you can get local
fare and catch the vibe of the
town. End your day relaxing
aboard a water taxi on the
beautiful St. Johns River.

NORTHEAST
FLORIDA

YOUR
NORTHEAST FLORIDA
EXPERTS
Amelia Island Tourist Development Council: ameliaisland.com
City of Fernandina Beach: fbfl.us
City of Green Cove Springs: greencovesprings.com
Clay County Tourist Development Council:
claycountygov.com/business/hospitality-and-tourism
Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches: visitflagler.com
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce: putnamcountychamber.com
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors
and Convention Bureau: floridashistoriccoast.com
Visit Jacksonville and the Beaches: visitjacksonville.com

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 89

NORTHEAST FLORIDA
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART • VISIT JACKSONVILLE
INSIDER’S
TIPS
Jacksonville is the largest city by landmass
in the continental United States. If you
are visiting for a few days, consider
renting a car to experience all of its local,
historical neighborhoods, beaches and
national parks.
Got a hankering for more than just
seafood? Then Clark’s Fish Camp in
Jacksonville is the place to visit. Try
specialty items like alligator poppers,
gator tail, fried turtle, llama, antelope and
ostrich. Clark’s also displays a large collec-
tion of taxidermy around the restaurant.
One of the lesser-known but spectac-
ular attractions in St. Augustine is the
tour of Flagler College. Built by Henry M.
Flagler in 1888, the college is a national
historic landmark. Students lead tours
twice a day for just US$14 a person.
90 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
ARTS AND CULTURE
Northeast Florida has no shortage of arts and
culture destinations. From a symphony
orchestra to well-regarded museums, there
is something for everyone.
In St. Augustine, tours of places like Villa
Zorayda Museum give a glimpse into the
past. The building was constructed in 1883
from poured concrete and crushed coquina
shells, originally as a winter residence. It is
a replica of the Alhambra Palace in Granada,
Spain. Tours detail its historic significance
in St. Augustine’s history and display many
unique items—there’s even the “Sacred Cat
Rug” that is more than 2,400 years old.
Nearby, Flagler College was built by
railroad magnate Henry M. Flagler in the late
1880s, originally as Hotel Ponce de León—
one of the most exclusive resorts of its day.
Now an historic landmark, the stunning
architecture and sights at the college include
a 68-foot domed ceiling, a dining room with
79 Tiffany stained glass windows, and
original hotel furniture and art.
For an in-depth look at St. Augustine’s
visual arts, take part in the First Friday Art
Walk, which includes over 20 art galleries
opening their doors for the evening. There’s
complimentary parking and Old Town
Trolleys offers a free shuttle with several key
stops near most galleries.
If you want to take in a show, the
St. Augustine Amphitheatre, affectionately
know as “The Amp,” is considered St. Johns
County’s leading multi-purpose arts facility.
St. Augustine’s Farmers Market and the
Night Market are also held on the grounds of
the amphitheatre.
Another place to enjoy music and shows
is the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Ponte
Vedra Beach. It features performing artists
from around the globe as well as special
events and community gatherings.
Southwest of St. Augustine, Palatka
features more than 20 outdoor murals
depicting Putnam County’s historical,
cultural and natural resources.
In February, head north on U.S. Route 17
to Green Cove Springs for the annual
Northeast Florida Scottish Highland Games
& Festival. For a year-round glimpse at the
region’s Scottish connection, just visit its
historical and military museums.
In downtown Jacksonville, the monthly
First Wednesday Art Walk covers some 15
blocks of arts and culture. Check out the art
galleries, museums, live performance
venues and restaurants. The self-guided tour
connects visitors to the dozens of artists and
street performers in Hemming Park.
From September to May, the
Jacksonville Symphony makes its home in
the Robert E. Jacoby Symphony Hall,
praised for its great acoustics, at the
Times–Union Center for the Performing
Arts, and also performs at other venues in
Northeast Florida and around the state.
The symphony is ranked among the
country’s top regional orchestras.
Featuring live music, local food, drinks
and shopping, the annual Jacksonville Jazz
Festival is promoted as one of the largest free
jazz festivals in the U.S. The festival has been
part of the area since 1981 and takes over 10
blocks of downtown.
Amelia Island welcomes its annual
Chamber Music Festival on select weekend
dates from February to May with concerts
featuring world-renowned musicians.
ATTRACTIONS
With more than 450 years of history,
St. Augustine is the oldest continually
occupied European settlement in the U.S.
The city takes its history seriously and has 36
buildings of colonial origin still standing in
the historic district. To get the real skinny on
the city’s history without wearing out your
feet, step aboard the Old Town Trolleys,
selling all-day tickets so you can hop on and
hop off as you please.
While in St. Augustine, embrace your
early explorer on a visit to Castillo de San
Marcos, a national park that began construc-
tion in 1672. The structure is considered the
oldest masonry fort in the country.
Over at Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of
Youth Archaeological Park, you can drink
water from its “fountain”—but you may
come away with great memories more
than ageless qualities. It’s located on the
actual site of the first settlement in
St. Augustine and was founded 42 years
before Jamestown and 55 years before
Plymouth Rock. Check out the cosmos in
BEACH DINING, PONTE VEDRA • FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM
the planetarium, visit the Timucuan
Village or marvel at the sound of the
Spanish cannon.
St. Augustine has plenty of tours to guide
you around town, from art walks and a “pup
crawl” (a walking tour on which you can
bring your dog) to nighttime ghost tours and
culinary-focused themes.
A visit to St. Augustine isn’t complete
without stopping by the St. Augustine
Lighthouse & Maritime Museum with
hands-on activities for all ages.
In Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Zoo and
Gardens will take you on a world tour of
animals without ever leaving Florida. For a
different view of Jacksonville, use the
St. Johns River Taxi in the downtown area.
The taxi service also offers tours.
A popular attraction in Fernandina Beach
is Fort Clinch State Park, where history and
nature meet. Explore one of the best-
preserved 19th-century forts in the country,
then hike or bike on the park’s trails,
featuring maritime hammocks, massive live
oak trees and wildlife.
ANNUAL EVENTS
JANUARY
Old City Pirate Fest, St. Augustine
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Jacksonville
FEBRUARY
Amelia Island Book Festival
DONNA Breast Cancer Marathon,
Jacksonville
Northeast Florida Scottish Highland Games
and Festival, Green Cove Springs
St. Augustine Spanish Wine Festival
World of Nations Celebration, Jacksonville
FEBRUARY–MAY
Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival
MARCH
Gate River Run National 15K Championships,
Jacksonville
THE PLAYERS Championship,
Ponte Vedra Beach
APRIL
Springing the Blues Festival, Jacksonville
MAY
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance
Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival,
Fernandina Beach
Jacksonville Jazz Festival
JUNE
Drake’s Raid Re-enactment, St. Augustine
SEPTEMBER
Florida Heritage Book Festival Writers
Conference, St. Augustine
St. Augustine Founding Celebrations
OCTOBER
Creekside Music & Arts Festival, Palm Coast
Spooktacular, Jacksonville Zoo
NOVEMBER
Duuuval’s Bold City Bash, Florida-Georgia
football game, Jacksonville
Jacksonville Light Boat Parade
Kids Free November, Jacksonville
Tommy Tant Memorial Surf Classic,
Flagler Beach
NOVEMBER–JANUARY
Nights of Lights, St. Augustine
DECEMBER
Dickens on Centre, Amelia Island
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 91
NORTHEAST FLORIDA

BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS

Outdoor gems are abundant in Northeast
Florida. Whether you want to take a dip in the
Atlantic Ocean, fish in the St. Johns River or
take selfies at a park, there are plenty of
options.
Southwest of St. Augustine, Putnam
County is known as the “Bass Capital of
Florida” and is home to three of the top ten
fisheries in the state. The county is also the
trail hub of Northeast Florida and offers
ample hiking, biking and paddling trails. Be
sure to check out Ravine Gardens State Park,
created in a natural steephead ravine.
Marineland Dolphin Adventure in
St. Augustine teaches visitors about the
beauty of dolphins and provides interactive
attractions such as a meet and greet or
dolphin swim program.
When you’re ready to chill with some
beach time, you can’t go wrong with a visit to
St. Augustine Beach which continues to
receive impressive accolades. This popular
destination was, once again, named one of
America’s top beaches by TripAdvisor.
One of the best places to kayak in
Northeast Florida is on a guided tour that
allows you to paddle the backwaters of the
Guana Tolomato Matanzas National
Estuarine Research Reserve in the Ponte
Vedra area.
The city of Jacksonville actually has the
largest urban park system in the U.S. So,
plenty of natural adventures await you in
Northeast Florida, be it in a city or rural area.
ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH • VISIT FLORIDA/DARON DEAN
Jacksonville boasts 22 miles of spectacular

5
beaches. If you’re visiting this area, consider

MUST-SEE using its free Beach Buggies to get around

ATTRACTIONS
Atlantic, Neptune and Jacksonville beaches
and easily explore all of the beachy neighbor-
hoods and attractions.
CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS, ST. AUGUSTINE: For more picturesque adventures on the
1 nps.gov/casa water, Amelia Island offers Amelia River
FORT CLINCH STATE PARK, AMELIA ISLAND: Cruises and Charters or a privately chartered
2 floridastateparks.org/fortclinch sunset cruise with Windward Sailing. If
JACKSONVILLE ZOO AND GARDENS: you’re looking to reel in fish, Amelia Boat
3 jacksonvillezoo.org Club & Rentals provides rentals for fishing,
cruising or sightseeing.
RIVERSIDE & AVONDALE NEIGHBORHOODS, JACKSONVILLE:
4 visitjacksonville.com/neighborhoods/riverside-avondale
ENTERTAINMENT
ST. AUGUSTINE HISTORIC DISTRICT:
5 floridashistoriccoast.com In the mood for family fun? Foodie finds?
History? Northeast Florida has something for
everyone. For instance, you can dine at

92 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA

Florida’s oldest diner, Angel’s Diner, in
Putnam County. In St. Augustine, foodies
will rejoice at The Floridian Restaurant
where they can enjoy farm-to-table meals
with a Southern vibe. The restaurant’s
carefully crafted dishes are sure to please
meat and non-meat eaters alike.
The St. Augustine Distillery produces
handcrafted, small batch spirits using
Florida-grown ingredients to make spirits
like vodka, rum and gin. Take advantage of
its free tours and complimentary samples.
San Sebastian Winery, not far from the
St. Augustine Distillery, also conducts free
tours and tastings.
If you’re all about the food, then sign up
for the tour at St. Augustine’s Whetstone
Chocolates. Of course, you’ll get mouth-
watering samples. At Kernel Popper’s Gourmet
Popcorn on St. George Street, try samples of
caramel sea salt, Dr. Pepper or lemon
shortbread popcorn, among its cornucopia of
flavors, before settling on your favorite.
Golfers and nostalgia lovers will want to
dine at The Murray Brothers Caddyshack
Restaurant. It’s a favorite in the World Golf
Village with plenty of memorabilia from the
classic movie, starring Bill Murray.
Duffers might also want to check out the
Palatka Golf Course, an original Donald Ross-
designed course due west of Marineland.
RIVERWALK, DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE • VISIT JACKSONVILLE/RYAN KETTERMAN
In Ponte Vedra Beach, Barbara Jean’s on
the Water has a great view of the Intracoastal FEATURED LINKS
Waterway and outdoor seating. Go for
seafood specials or Southern comfort food. ARTS AND CULTURE
Jacksonville’s nightlife is filled with bars, Flagler College, St. Augustine
pubs and live music venues. Bar hop, dance flagler.edu
the night away or buy that happy-hour Jacksonville Jazz Festival
cocktail—it’s all ready for the taking in jacksonvillejazzfest.com
vibrant neighborhoods like Riverside, Jacksonville Symphony
downtown, Avondale and San Marco. jaxsymphony.org
Jacksonville is a leader in Florida’s Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts,
Jacksonville
booming craft beer scene. One way to
timesunioncenter.com
experience it is on the Jax Ale Trail, a self-
guided or guided tour of the city’s award-
ATTRACTIONS
winning craft breweries. Jacksonville also
Old Town Trolley Tours, St. Augustine
has a full-scale organic distillery called trolleytours.com
Manifest Distilling. Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth
In downtown Fernandina Beach, The Archaeological Park, St. Augustine
Patio Place provides a comfortable backdrop fountainofyouthflorida.com
to indulge in sweet or savory crêpes and sit St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum
outside after a long day on the beach. staugustinelighthouse.org
St. Johns River Taxi & Tours
ROAD TRIPS StJohnsRiverTaxi.com
Get a beachy view at a laid-back pace along
A1A between Flagler Beach and Fernandina BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Beach. This route runs parallel to the much Amelia River Cruises
ameliarivercruises.com
busier I-95, and you get to cruise along the
Marineland Dolphin Adventure,
scenic route while stopping off as needed for
St. Augustine
meals, souvenirs or to snap an ocean shot.
marineland.net
Take in a country view for more than 60
miles along U.S.-17 between Orange Park and ENTERTAINMENT
St. Augustine Distillery
staugustinedistillery.com
San Sebastian Winery, St. Augustine
sansebastianwinery.com
ROAD TRIPS
Log Cabin Farm, Vineyard & Winery,
Putnam County
logcabinfarmwinery.com
Mandarin Museum & Historical Society,
Jacksonville
mandarinmuseum.net
SHOPPING
Riverside Arts Market, Jacksonville
riversideavondale.org/ram-home
St. Augustine Outlets
staugoutlets.com
St. Augustine Premium Outlets
premiumoutlets.com/outlet/st-augustine
St. Johns Town Center, Jacksonville
simon.com/mall/st-johns-town-center
2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 93
NORTHEAST FLORIDA
FERNANDINA BEACH, AMELIA ISLAND • VISIT FLORIDA/PETER W. CROSS & PATRICK FARRELL
Crescent City. Along the way, view the
picturesque St. Johns River, enjoy rolling
hills (hard to come by in Florida), and stop
at places like the Log Cabin Winery in
Putnam County.
On the Ormond Scenic Loop & Trail in the
Flagler Beach area, take the double loop
along scenic roads where you’ll pass by the
Atlantic Ocean and Old Dixie Highway. Other
highlights include driving past the winter
home of John D. Rockefeller, the historic
Ormond Beach fire station and sunset views
near Granada Boulevard Bridge.
Head off on SR-13 just south of
Jacksonville, and leisurely make your way to
the small town of Spuds. This route gives
you a near constant view of the St. Johns
River, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped
back in time as you drive past older homes
and trees covered with Spanish moss. A
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
Jacksonville International Airport:
flyjax.com
Jacksonville Port Authority:
jaxport.com/cruise
94 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
highlight along the route is the winter home
of writer Harriet Beecher Stowe.
SHOPPING
St. Augustine Outlets, right off I-95, carries
some 75 brand-name retailers. Nearby,
St. Augustine Premium Outlets has 80 stores,
including Banana Republic, Brooks Brothers
Nike Factory Store and Polo Ralph Lauren.
Ready for some unique finds? Then head
on down to the pedestrian-only St. George
ANGEL’S DINER, PUTNAM COUNTY • PUTNAM COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Street in St. Augustine’s Historic District.
Find a bohemian piece of jewelry at
Earthbound Trading Co. Nearby, stop by the
Spice & Tea Exchange, an 18th-century-like
trading post with displays of teas and spices
that will stimulate your taste buds. At Bath
Junkie, you can personalize bath and body
products with customized scents. Find a gift
for the artsy folks in your life at any of
St. Augustine’s numerous galleries located
in the historic district.
The St. Johns Town Center in Jacksonville
is the place to hit for the latest upscale
merchandise from shops such as Tiffany &
Co., Louis Vuitton and Nordstrom. The
center also includes bargain stores such as
DSW Shoes.
Minutes away from downtown,
Jacksonville Farmers Market is the oldest
operating outdoor farmers’ market in
Florida. Since 1939, vendors have offered
fresh produce, herbs and local favorites,
such as Mayport shrimp. Browse for crafts
and handmade goods daily from dawn to
dusk. For more market exploration, check
out Jaxsons Night Market, a craft market
held on the third Thursday of each month
at Hemming Park. There’s also Riverside
Arts Market, hailed as Florida’s largest
open-air market. Held on Saturdays, find
local arts, crafts and food galore. The view
isn’t too shabby, either—it’s right beside the
St. Johns River.
 ST. AUGUSTINE & PONTE VEDRA

FLAGLER COLLEGE - PONCE DE LEÓN HOTEL • FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM/G. HASTINGS

Rediscover Florida’s
Historic Coast
BY VANESSA CACERES

L
ook no further than Northeast
Florida’s Historic Coast for family
fun and culinary adventure in
America’s oldest city, St. Augustine. After
all, the St. Augustine and the Ponte Vedra
Beach area has been welcoming visitors for
hundreds of years. There’s something for
everyone, including 42 miles of Atlantic
beaches, historical charm and renowned
golf courses.
SEE AND DO
Talk about a view from the top. The
St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime
Museum offers breathtaking views from the
top, which you can experience day or night
on moonlight tours. It features a Maritime
Archaeology & Education Center along with
a conservation lab, research library, and
X-ray room, all of which provide a more
interactive experience of local history.
The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoo-
logical Park gets you up close, but not too
personal, with alligators, crocodiles, snakes
and birds. The park now has its Oasis on the
Nile feeding shows, with two-level
crocodile viewing and exhibits of Egyptian
artifacts. There’s also the new Hoffman’s
Two-Toed Sloth Exhibit featuring Teddy and
Grizzly. Feed your new sloth pals a piece of
fruit or vegetables while you discover more
about sloth conservation.
INSIDER’S TIP
Love photography? There’s a Wading Bird
Rookery at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm
Zoological Park where you can take
amazing pictures of alligators and native
Florida birds. Nesting season, from March
to June, is a great time to get those winning
snaps. Two other ideal places for shots
around town are the Bridge of Lions and
the pier at St. Augustine Beach. Try early-
morning photography for super lighting
without crowds.

2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 95

ST. AUGUSTINE & PONTE VEDRA
Ready for some oddities? Then don’t miss
the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. A
collection of the bizarre and mysterious, the
Odditorium’s newest addition is the Jungle
Room, where guests can play hands-on
games or create their own jungle apparel
while dancing to jungle sounds and tones.
Ripley’s also has Red Train tours, ghost train
tours and mini golf.
Get behind the scenes—or, actually,
behind the seas—with the Behind the Seas
Park Pass at Marineland Dolphin Adventure,
which is now part of Dolphin Discovery.
Behind the Seas allows guests to go “below
the decks” through the history of Marineland
and see hundreds of exotic species.
Each year, from late November to the end
of January, St. Augustine shows off its beauty
in Nights of Lights, during which millions
of lights adorn the city’s buildings, homes
and parks. The lights are over the Bridge of
Lions, and cover St. Augustine’s Spanish
Colonial architecture, sidewalks, rooftops,
hotels and public spaces, for a 20-block light
show. Nights of Lights continues to remain
at the top of the list of Best Holiday Lights
on many national publications like USA
Today, Travel + Leisure and many more.
SHOPPING ON AVILES STREET • FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM
96 2021 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
DINE AND PLAY
Recently Named No. 1 Foodie Town in
the South by Southern Living magazine,
St. Augustine visitors are making food
adventures a growing part of their stay.
Restaurants include influences from Spain,
France, Italy and Greece, reflecting the area’s
history. Add spice to your life with the locally
grown datil pepper, found in many local
restaurants’ prepared dishes. It’s hot stuff!
The St. Augustine Distillery uses Florida-
grown ingredients to make small-batch
whiskey, rum, vodka and other drinks. Tours
and free samples are available. Newer wine
rooms around town include the Carrera
Wine Cellar (featuring themed wine
classes), Casa de Vino 57, and the St. George
Inn wine bar, Bin 39. Craft beer tap rooms in
town include Dog Rose Brewing Co., Ancient
City Brewing, Old Coast Ales, and Bog
Brewing Company.
For drinks with a view, the Tini Martini Bar
on the front veranda of the Casablanca Inn has
ST. AUGUSTINE LIGHTHOUSE & MUSEUM •
a full martini and bar selection and provides a FLORIDASHISTORICCOAST.COM
scenic view of the Matanzas River and the
Bridge of Lions. Nearby, Prohibition Kitchen
on St. George Street features flapper dresses,
FEATURED LINKS
speakeasies, moonshine and swing.
St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches:
FloridasHistoricCoast.com
Castillo de San Marcos: nps.gov/casa
Colonial Quarter: colonialquarter.com
Dolphin Discovery:
dolphindiscovery.com/florida-st-augustine
Flagler College Legacy Tour:
legacy.flagler.edu
Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park:
fountainofyouthflorida.com
Nights of Lights:
floridashistoriccoast.com/nights-lights
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium:
ripleys.com/staugustine
St. Augustine Alligator Farm and
Zoological Park: alligatorfarm.com
St. Augustine Distillery:
staugustinedistillery.com
St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime
Museum: staugustinelighthouse.org
St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum:
thepiratemuseum.com
San Sebastian Winery:
sansebastianwinery.com
The Tasting Tours: thetastingtours.com
Villa Zorayda: villazorayda.com
Whetstone Chocolate Factory:
whetstonechocolates.com
World Golf Hall of Fame:
worldgolfhalloffame.org