That is the question, even if the gender is she instead of he. We’re talking dogs, out for a stroll in a new place. Along comes another dog. Naturally both are leashed. Before contact is made one dog owner will ask THE QUESTION:

“Is he friendly?”

It is also code for a question unasked: “Is he up to date on his rabies shots?”

Fortunately, the answer is almost always “Yes”.

And so the two dogs can meet and greet, sniff noses, sniff butts, it is a dog thing.

In search of new adventures, Obi, my Welsh corgi adopted from Sunshine Corgi Rescue, and I traveled to Cedar Key for an overnight stay – it is a tough job, researching places to travel with your dog, but we were up for the task.

We had just gotten out of the car at City Park when along comes a miniature poodle and her two owners. Naturally the question was asked. Her owners rolled their eyes and nodded. The poodle, sporting a pink bow, was quivering with excitement – oh, boy, a new dog! Obi was polite but unimpressed. He was more interested in sniffing and marking the nearest palm tree.

City Park beach in Cedar Key, Florida

For those of you who, like me, are single travelers with their dogs, parks are a blessing. Obi can use a tree but humans need a restroom, especially after traveling an hour and a half. I marched Obi into the women’s rest room and got a laugh from a lady who was exiting. Hey, you do what you have to do.

Cedar Key sits at the end of SR 24. Think about this. Gainesville, the nearest city, is 60 miles away. Everything has to be brought here. So it makes sense that many accommodations have kitchens. Bring your own food. We did. That turned out to be a very good move at mealtime as only one restaurant lets dogs sit outside. We opted for our own meals.

Cedar Key loves its canines and many restaurants would like to be pet friendly. The city passed an pet friendly ordinance but state health law, that must be followed too has many hurdles to jump, including economic, and thus it isn’t easy for small family restaurants to comply.

Faraway Inn (very pet friendly) where we stayed has a number of lovely seating areas on the grounds. The full kitchen in our cottage included a four-burner stove, refrigerator, microwave, toaster and coffee maker. Our little cottage was so cozy we felt at home right away.

We sat outside near our room and along came Turtle, a tortoiseshell cat that is the Faraway Inn office cat. She wanted to be petted and was perfectly fine with Obi. Walking around Cedar Key you will see that felines are very much part of the scenery along with canines.

Obi in the doorway of our cottage at Faraway Inn, Cedar Key

For a listing of lodging and other places that are pet friendly, see the Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce Web site – pet-friendly places have a paw next to the entry. Call to make sure the information is up to date.

Faraway Inn office, Cedar Key

Cedar Key is known for being a laid-back, throwback to a kinder, gentler, less harried time – the relaxed atmosphere, and small area means everyone strolls, especially in the evening as sunset draws near. Sidewalks are few but no matter, walking along the street is accepted. Cars move slowly.

Both locals and visitors walk their dogs. You, as a responsible pet owner, know the drill. Carry poop bags for those events. Cedar Key has stations around with bags.

They are also big into recycling. Every trashcan has a wire enclosure next to it for recyclables like plastic bottles.

At the end of the day, sunsets are spectacular. The Gulf of Mexico is right there at land’s end. Cars line up along the gulf. Walkers stop to wait for “the moment” when sun touches the horizon. At the Faraway Inn where we stayed a whole section of outside seating faces west. Every seat was full as the sun set.

Obi and I walked the beach waiting for the event. A flat rock is the seating choice on the beach but just along the roadway above the beach; look for benches with signs nearby. All the benches face west and are dedicated to locals who liked to come to that spot. This is public seating. We found one bench between two old houses. Perfect.

Here’s a side effect of being in a small, old Florida town – no bright lights. There are few streetlights. When a business closes in the evening, they turn out the lights. No bright neon. No lit up billboards.

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico, Cedar Key

I thought Obi and I might do a late night walk to see the stars but we folded after sunset and missed the heavenly show. Next time.

An early Sunday morning walk was delightful – the Gulf was still, the surface a mirror, all around us was the hush of Sunday morning quiet mixed with the tangy smell of Gulf salt air. We passed restored old homes and ancient trees and then turned around to head back to the cottage for breakfast.
A local stopped us and asked “Is he friendly?”
The answer was yes.
He reached down to pet Obi and said: “Of course you are, how could you be anything but friendly.”
It was the nicest compliment Obi had all weekend.

We’ll be back.

Sand hill pine trail at Silver River State Park, Ocala

A fact of life – the first one down the trail sees the wildlife, which promptly vanish now that humans have arrived. People who come along later are left saying “What? Did someone see something? What?”

One early morning we saw something quite wonderful – three white-tailed deer came out of the woods about 50 feet ahead of us.

Here’s what happened next: All three bounded into the air at the same time, legs bent, their white tails flashing straight up. With that leap in unison they looked just like Lipizzaner Stallions. Running for a few steps, they crossed the trail and leaped up into the air again all at the same time. I’m thinking they had secret walkie-talkies tucked somewhere and a director giving dance directions.

My dogs sat down to watch the show. The three deer leaped again in unison and disappeared into the trees. I felt like clapping.

It was a “you had to have been there” moment. You only get those moments by venturing into the trees, walking trails in the woods, hanging out in wildlife habitat.

A walk in Silver River State Park can be found in Chapter 26 “Two Rivers Run Through It” in my guide book “50 Great Walks in Florida.”

gnarled trees at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

There are plenty of opportunities to go where the trees are. Florida has 35 state forests , 151 state parks, 11 national parks, 28 national wildlife refuges and three national forests ( Ocala, Apalachicola and Osceola). Add to this city and county parks, Greenways, plus the Florida Trail and the possibilities get really interesting.

Right now forests are in winter mode. Leafy trees are pretty bare, their naked branches opening up sky vistas not seen before. Some late fall color shows in the leaves fallen to the ground.

Pine cones are scattered everywhere. Pine trees show off green needles against a cloudless blue winter sky. A breeze kicks up. Late fall leaves spiral down to the ground. We walk on a carpet of pine needles and leaves.

Ah, big plus coming up – the cooler weather means no deer flies and no mosquitoes. No bugs? That is a reason to lace up your walking shoes and get going.

One warning – national forests and conservation areas allow hunting in certain areas in winter months, always check their Web sites or phone before you go. I do not advise walking in any area open to hunting.

The dogs and I walk all seasons of the year. It never fails to surprise me that you can get just a short way down a forest trail and the thickness of trees blocks out the city sounds of traffic. So quiet at first then the forest sounds take over.

I’ve come to appreciate that forests are a huge part of this simple statement – everything is connected.

At Silver River State Park, for example, all of the park, and the land on which we walk, is a water recharge area for the Silver River. In Ocala National Forest the “jewels of the Ocala” – Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Salt Springs and Silver Glen Springs are vital natural resources protected by being part of a national forest.

Canoes at Horseshoe Lake, Marion County

Forests are diverse ecosystems with diverse recreational activities. Walk, bike, use the OHV trail system, go where there are horse trails, take a canoe to the water’s edge and start paddling, swim, camp, scuba dive, snorkel, picnic, bring your paint box and paint a stately oak tree, fish, sit quietly and commune with nature. Pick one or more.

Whew! What a great way to start 2012.

Florida Favorites
In my Florida travels I meet fantastic people who are travel writers, residents, newcomers, guides and entrepreneurs, all are digging into the Florida places they love and finding treasures worth keeping. Here is Joan Landis, a Florida Audubon member who is just starting out her writing career. Her bio is below with an e-mail address to comment on her contribution to this month’s forest theme:

About Joan:

Joan Landis grew up in Texas spending summers fishing in South Padre Island, exploring the seashore and imagining the adventures the sea and world would bring her. Her career in sales brought much travel and new trails to explore. Fishing, Scuba Diving, Hiking and now Birding, Joan has spent her life enjoying nature and learning from it. Joan has experienced a wide variety of wilderness habitats from living in the Florida Keys to the Inside passage of Alaska. While living in Juneau, Alaska she joined the sisterhood of “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” learning skills that led to wonderful adventures and people that will be forever friends. Camping has been one of her passions and over the years, she has taken multi-day trips in the Alaskan back country where there are more bears than people and paddling trips through the 10,000 islands in the Everglades. Along the way discovering, experiencing and meeting some of the most interesting people and places one can only imagine. Joan’s passion for the wilderness and conservation has been a thread throughout her life and now she’s sharing some of her wonderful and life-changing experiences. You can reach Joan at: JCLandis@hotmail.com

A Symphony in the Woods

Tourists swarm like mosquitoes come January in the Everglades. Craving relief, I decided to try the Pineland Trail. As soon as I ducked through the big gate, I knew I’d found my sanctuary.

I was overtaken by the silence of the woods. An old logging road jutted through the forest, barely visible under a thick carpet of pine needles. The brown needles muted my footfalls and provided a dramatic contrast to the riot of green under story and the tops of the slash pines above. Through the open canopy, I could see the sky gathering clouds.

A few steps in, I entered the world of the forest and the outside world disappeared. Seemingly silent at first, I soon became aware of my surroundings and began to hear the woodland sounds. A giant striped dragonfly skimmed right in front of me, its wings softly fluttering as it worked the tall grasses. The sound of its wings was rhythmic. A crunch and rustle got my attention next and I followed the sound to a small squirrel darting across the forest floor. As it raced away, the skittering sound faded and created a backdrop to the cadence of the dragonfly wings.

Each step further into the forest, I heard more of the melody the forest played for me. The raspy sound of leaves moving across a limestone formation introduced another layer to the riff. Studying its ancient fissures, I wondered what might live there now when so long ago this rock was caressed by the Atlantic. Mesmerized, I stepped further into the enchanted forest.

I saw a standing dead tree and the forest symphony grew louder as it played back the cacophony of a ravaging lightning fire that ripped its bark and threw it in chunks to the ground, gnarling its crown. The rattle of wind through a stand of pines that were leaning but not toppled lent percussion to the verse describing Hurricane Wilma’s blustery visit.

The sounds that the forest gave up were its signature opus. The symphony I heard that day had been evolving over eons, with all the changes in the forest both subtle and grand tuning and refining its chorus. No two-day’s songs are ever the same. So the next time you’re looking for a retreat, go out and listen to the sounds of the forest. It will play for you its newest notes.

UPCOMING IN JANUARY

Jan. 13-15 – Eighth annual Southwest Florida Nature Festival
Jan. 13-15 – 35th annual Art Deco Weekend, Miami. Read about taking an Art Deco walk in North Miami Beach in Chapter 44 “The Delight of Deco” in my book “50 Great Walks in Florida” available on my Web site.
Jan. 14 - Edison Day of Discovery 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast University, free, Fort Myers
Jan. 28 – Gasparilla Pirate Festival, Tampa

Coming in SMM in February – Travel with Fido

Did you know? My new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild” is available on my Web site with an option to contribute $2 towards one of two non-profits – Audubon of Florida and the Ocala Public Library. Go for it!

Got crabs? The Peace River Seafood Market & Restaurant in Punta Gorda does. Lots of them. Stone crab claws in season along with whole blue crabs that turn from blue to an outrageous shade of orange when they’re steamed.

Waiter Chris Molinet serves a container of blue crabs at Peace River Seafood

Ah, to me a meal in this old cracker house turned restaurant is heaven unfolding. A bucket of steamed blue crabs arrives. Let the serious eating begin.

From the water to your plate, the seafood here is that fresh. After dinner, surrounded by blue crab shells, blissfully full and impressed with a friendly, efficient staff (they keep the crabs coming) – I realized this meal inside an off the beaten path restaurant spoke volumes for the city of Punta Gorda itself – a vibrant, energetic, off the beaten path place that hums with friendly people who care about their community plus, and this is a big plus, Punta Gorda has a full catch of delights from waterfront walks and gallery walks to serious fishing, elegant places to stay and fresh seafood.

Historic Downtown Punta Gorda has this motto: “It’s happening on the Harbor.”

Indeed it is happening on Charlotte Harbor. Devastated by Hurricane Charlie in 2004 that caused $3.2 billion worth of damage in Punta Gorda and Charlotte County, the spirit to rebuild includes the theme of connectivity.

One result: The Punta Gorda Harborwalk is a long walkable/bikable connection. It goes from the west end of Gilchrist Park next to Fishermen’s Village east about 2.3 miles and ends near a medical center.

Punta Gorda Harborwalk

What a great promenade – the Harborwalk has winding wide sidewalks, trees, benches, overlooks. On some parts you can walk your dog, other parts are a no-no. Watch for signs.

Plans are to eventually have a Ring Around the City, about 18 miles of bicycle and pedestrian trains and paths connecting Punta Gorda’s neighborhoods, parks and commercial areas. Super!

While cars whiz by overhead on two bridges (US 41 going north and south) walkers, joggers, and bikers can go under the bridges in style. For those who like a bit of uphill, there are walkways on the bridges. Left your bike at home? Not to fret. There are free canary yellow bicycle loans with three locations on this walkway – Fishermen’s Village, Four Points by Sheraton and Dockmaster’s building at Laishley Park.

Punta Gorda has a free bike loaner program

I stayed at Four Points by Sheraton and literally walked right out the front door, turned left, and there was the bike rack and the Harborwalk. Perfect.

Everyone I passed on my early morning stroll, walkers, joggers and bikers, said “Hello” or “Good morning”. What a great way to start the day. A crabber had a full bucket of crabs. Wading birds worked the shoreline. Dolphins swam in the Harbor.

breakfast at Elena's, Punta Gorda

Later I had breakfast at Elena’s, 615 Cross Street, phone (941) 575-1888, a friendly, family place with funky turquoise and purple booths. Located in the Cross Trails Shopping Center, it came recommended by locals and I can now add my two thumbs up, especially the hash browns.

Punta Gorda is the kind of place where you come across it by accident or design, take a look around, and end up staying for the next 20 years or more.

“I sailed into Charlotte Harbor 20 years ago to see my brother and stayed,” said Charles Peck, a fine artist who turned his talents to murals. He has just finished a mural of the old hotel in downtown Punta Gorda, and has others to his credit.
“We are in a transient society,” Peck said. “These murals create a sense of social continuity.”

Charles Peck, artist, with hotel mural, Punta Gorda

All murals, 22 and counting, have a historic theme and are presented by the Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society that has its office at 715 Monaco Drive, Punta Gorda, phone (941) 575-0785.

Cattle Drive down Marion Avenue mural section, Punta Gorda

In a different vein, for a look at wildlife rescue, visit Peace River Wildlife Center at 3400 West Marion Avenue, phone (941) 637-3830, inside Ponce de Leon Park.

With each new find it became obvious that Punta Gorda can’t be seen and experienced in a day or overnight, give yourself several days to soak up the vibes and the smiles.

Note: Many thanks to the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau for coordinating our trip and to the Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside for providing accommodations.

Jennifer Huber, Tourism Public Relations Manger for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau sums it up well:
“There are lots of reasons to be here, very active in the wintertime from November to Easter. People here care about conservation. They care about each other. People have specifically chosen to live here and they bring their values with them.”

Upcoming in Punta Gorda:

Annual Christmas Light Canal Tours, Friday, Dec. 2-Saturday, Dec. 31, call (941) 639-0969.

Annual Peace River Lighted Boat Parade (941) 639-3720, begins at dusk on Sunday, Dec. 11, free. Location: Charlotte Harbor.

Festival of Lights, Fishermen’s Village, through Dec. 31

COMING IN JANUARY SATURDAY MORNING MAGAZINE – “Where the Trees Are . . .”

Come to the second annual Authors Book Fair!

Admission is free. Parking is free.

Saturday, Oct. 15 from 11-3 at the Deltona Regional Library.

It is an event so full of energy and creativity you will come away inspired and hopefully loaded down with new books.

I’ll be there with my new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild”.

Stop by my table!

There are authors reading, classes, a sweet lunch place, lots of authors to meet and all this happens inside a library!

How cool is that?

See you!

IN FOCUS
A feature story from Lucy

Fresh Energy Paints Walls and Benches in Englewood

New energy. That is exactly what blew into the Englewood art scene five years ago and quickly fanned new expressions – exhibits, galleries, an arts learning center, murals and fantastic benches – this outdoor seating is both lovely to look at and even comfortable for sitting – a rare combination.

Twenty benches are installed in Olde Englewood Village on Lemon Bay. Twenty more are on the way. These benches are original from the ground up.

These benches were designed and built structurally to last, with a normal bench look in the front and reinforced metal structure in the back. Artists paint the benches while words are embedded on the sides – there are quotes from famous people and quotes from locals too.
Benches cost about $700 each, the money coming from donations and development funds.

Historic Dearborn Street, the main drag for Olde Englewood Village, is a good venue for this public art. The street is lined with old buildings from fishing village days, now housing antiques, art, boutiques, dining and that vital ingredient for caffeine addicts like me, a really good coffee shop called Roasters Coffee Bar.

Roasters is across the street from the Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay, a big exhibit and learning center, and you could say this is where the new breeze originated.

“It always takes a couple of people to come in with new energy and make things happen, ” said Stephanie Borchard, president of the Arts Alliance of Lemon Bay. Founding members five years ago include Borchard and Diane Davidson.

In addition to bright benches, check out the murals on Dearborn Street and nearby. Just a two block walk from historic Dearborn Street takes you to the Tiki Bar at the Royal Palm Marina in Lemon Bay, right on the Intracoastal (ICW Marker 30).

Over the course of a month different artists painted twenty murals. Using large slabs of seawall as their canvas, the themes were either nautical or historical Florida. It is well worth a walk around to see them all.

The new arts wind in Englewood found easy acceptance in a town that likes its artists and says so on street signs.

Just drive along and check out the street signs with names like Artists Way or Van Goth. You get the idea.

Artist Lois Bartlett Tracy painted masterpieces here and her legacy continues at Artists Acres in Englewood. Her grandson Todd Tracy and his wife Mary Tracy, a residence designer carries the artist community spirit, including residence cottages, forward. Her vibrant, tropical homestead is preserved along with her studio, which can be visited by appointment.

It comes as no surprise to see the street outside Artists Acres is named Artists Avenue.

I know you are going to ask – where is Englewood? Definitely off the beaten path, Englewood is one hour south of Sarasota and one hour north of Fort Myers. It is well worth a visit.

Come to see the vibrant art scene, stay to put some sand between your toes at their great beaches.

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias

FLORIDA FAVORITES

In my Florida travels I meet fantastic people who are travel writers, residents, newcomers, guides and entrepreneurs, all are digging into the Florida places they love and finding diamonds. Here is Jennifer Huber, Public Relations Manager, Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau, telling about her job in her own words:

Jennifer Huber – Telling the Story of Charlotte Harbor and the Gulf Islands

Navigate a kayak through a mangrove tunnel. Whack a steamed blue crab with a wooden mallet while sitting in a Florida cracker house. Cheer on the Tampa Bay Rays during spring training. These are some of the stories I tell as public relations manager for the Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau.

“You have a difficult job,” a travel journalist once told me. Why? “Because Charlotte Harbor & the Gulf Islands is geographically large and diverse,” she said.

Three days was not enough to experience all there is to do. During her stay, I arranged for her to enjoy the serenity of Don Pedro Island, a beach getaway only accessibly by car ferry or boat, and see the renaissance of Punta Gorda.

She rode a swamp buggy with Babcock Wilderness Adventures (www.babcockwilderness.com), ogled over one man’s affinity for speed at Muscle Car City (www.musclecarcity.net), viewed where many retired circus and abused exotic animals live out their lives at Octagon Wildlife Refuge (www.octagonwildlife.org), and saw tender care administered to native wildlife at Peace River Wildlife Center (www.peaceriverwildlifecenter.com). A boat tour up the Peace River and a self-guided mural walking tour of Punta Gorda rounded out her trip.

My job is to connect with travel journalists and encourage them to visit then share their Charlotte Harbor stories with their audience. I work with a variety of electronic and traditional print travel journalists and pitch story ideas, plan itineraries to fit their story needs, and stay connected through old fashioned means and social media.

It’s a great sense of accomplishment picking up a newspaper, magazine or guidebook or opening a website link and reading a travel journalist’s Charlotte Harbor story. It means we’ll soon be welcoming more visitors to our part of Florida.

Jennifer Huber
Public Relations Manager, Charlotte Harbor Visitor & Convention Bureau
www.CharlotteHarborTravel.com
Facebook.com/charlotteharbor
Twitter.com/chgiflorida
jennifer.huber@charlottefl.com

GET OUT AND PLAY

October 2-9, 2011 — Amelia Island Jazz Festival. The Amelia Island Jazz Festival always kicks off with a FREE concert for the community and visitors. During the week long festival, music fans enjoy a diversity of styles ranging from traditional New Orleans jazz and big band swing to bebop and contemporary. Presenting a full slate of established jazz recording artists, past festivals have featured Grammy Award-winning musicians like saxophonist, David Sanborn and pianist Ramsey Lewis. The 2011 Amelia Island Jazz Festival features Grammy Award-winner Buckwheat Zydeco plus Nicole Henry. Expect a full roster of talented musicians and venues at Amelia Island’s Jazz Festival in 2011. Check out the official Amelia Island Jazz Festival website for all details or call 904-504-4772.

14th annual Greek Festival
Friday, Oct. 7 – Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011

St. Augustine, FL 32084

Local Phone: 904.829.0504

Website: http://www.stauggreekfest.com

Come join the fun and experience St. Augustine’s fascinating Greek Heritage at the 14th Annual Greek Festival hosted by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. Enjoy a delicious assortment of Greek foods, pastries and beverages along with nonstop entertainment with live Greek music and performances by Greek dance troupes. Location: Francis Field Hours: 4 to 9 p.m. on Friday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission: $2, children under 12 are free.

La Florida Festival
Saturday, Oct. 8 – Monday, Oct. 10, 2011
Paul Morris Park , 1401 South River Road , Englewood
941-270-2040
La Florida Festival

Forgotten Coast Black Bear Festival
October 15, 2011
Sands Park, Carrabelle, Florida
The festival is an opportunity for Floridians of all ages to learn about wildlife and the environment around them. This years’ celebrations will include favorite programs such as the “Procession of Species” parade produced by Carrabelle Cares, bear and bird field trips to Tate’s Hell State Forest and a workshop on living with bears and bear-proofing your trash. We are adding some terrific new programs such as our “Bear Banners” created through a program with local school children. We will be giving a nice prize for the best home baked pie brought to the festival. Prizes will also be offered for the best original painting and sculpture displayed at the Festival. The festival will have live music, stories and tall tales told and read by local residents and authors. There will be food, arts and crafts for sale, a raffle and lots of fun for all.

BRING IT HOME

check out the Upcoming Events page for Lucy Tobias and pick a book signing event that fits your schedule. FREE terra cotta pots to all who buy the new book “Florida Gardens Gone Wild”, while the pots last. Let’s get potted! Oh wait, that is a chapter in the book . . . .

Well, buckle up. Have I got a super road trip just for you.

Fernandina Beach, 23 miles north of Jacksonville, combines the gracefulness of yesterday hand in hand with today’s amenities – upscale shopping, awesome seafood and other culinary delights (including fantastic fudge), great places to stay and a slew of things to do both outdoors and indoors.

Tucked on the north end of Amelia Island, this town is all about water. Fernandina Beach touches the Atlantic Ocean on its east side. The Amelia River laps at its north point (you look across the water and see Georgia) and the place to watch sunsets is along the Intracoastal Waterway on its west side. With water on three sides it is no wonder many start their day inhaling salty air by going fishing or taking a walk.

Start your morning walking the Atlantic side beach at low tide. Bend over and do the shoreline shuffle, a slow walk with eyes pealed for shark’s teeth and whole shells.

Look up once in a while. Perhaps a line of pelicans will swoop by low to the water, alert to any fish below. Or you might see a submarine coming out of Kings Bay and headed into the Atlantic. Shrimp boats may be headed out too.

Ah, shrimp. Here in Fernandina Beach, the little crustacean is the stuff of legends. The modern shrimping industry started right here in the early 20th century, and there is no need to remember that because the Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival, a huge weekend blowout always held the first weekend in May, will do it for you.

Pirates roam the streets and so do visitors. Eight blocks of downtown are closed to traffic so pedestrians have the right of way to view arts and crafts booths, vendors selling, what else? Shrimp, live music, happenings all day long and late into the night.

By comparison, the rest of the year in Fernandina Beach seems positively quiet, but not really. There is always a festival or a happening of some kind going on – a writers festival, music festival, food festival, antique car festival – you get the idea. This is a town that likes to party.

A good place to gather information is the Fernandina Beach Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center inside the old Railroad Depot at 1102 Center Street. Lots of free brochures for the taking and we found a friendly face at the desk to answer questions.

If walking in historic districts is your thing, be sure to pick up the free Fernandina Historic District Tour guide. Fifty blocks are on the National Register of Historic Places. The guide has color pictures.

For a guided tour check with the Amelia Island Museum of History.
If you take one of their private tours of historic homes, it is a chance to see the inside of some historic homes. They also offer museum tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, Ghost Tours every Friday starting at 6 p.m. and a Pub Crawl (one ticket takes you to four pubs) every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Reservations required.

Just across the railroad tracks from the Train Depot is a stop for the Amelia Island Trolley, a different way to see the sights.

Personally I try to plan my visit so that a Saturday is in the equation. Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. is the Fernandina Farmers Market located on 7th Street and Centre Street. Small but full of local farmers, organic produce, outstanding plant vendors, fresh foods including a bakery. Yummy.

Here’s a plan for a Saturday. Throw off the shoes, get sand between the toes, and go for a beach walk. That will work up an appetite. Head downtown, have breakfast at Bright Morning Cafe a great breakfast spot with indoor and outdoor seating. They have something called Southern Comfort – a bowl of grits with poached eggs and cheese on top. Over the top but so truly southern comfort.

Be advised to always check hours and days of operation for any place you want to visit. Bright Morning opens early, 8 a.m. on Saturdays, but most of downtown Fernandina does not rise and shine until 11 a.m. It is not unusual to see tourists wandering around downtown early, looking for places that are open.

After breakfast, take a walk uptown and visit the Farmers Market, it is open all morning. Right across the street is Eileen’s Art & Antique Centre full of fun stuff including artwork by the owner, Eileen Shannon Moore.

If art is calling you do visit the Island Art Association at 18 N. Second Street, downtown. In addition to the co-op gallery a new art education building next door offers all kinds of classes, including walk in adult art classes.

Notice the mosaics on the outside wall. It is a work in progress and future sessions include mosaic “parties” where you can get involved. Ask about the Mosaic Project.

Whew! By now I’d be ready for a good latte at Amelia Island Coffee on Centre Street. If you are feeling electronically deprived, there is free wi fi here.

Fortified by caffeine, I never miss a chance to visit Barnabas New to You at 930 S. 14th Street. It is a car trip from downtown, but not far. It should be on everyone’s trip list. This amazing place is loaded with great high end brands of everything from clothes to furniture to household goods all at prices that will knock your socks off they are so low. And you are helping to fund their charitable work. I easily walk out with a bag full of great finds for under $20 and had fun doing the deed.

Well, you get the drift of how my Saturday in Fernandina is going. I’d like to head to Fort Clinch State Park next, maybe walk or ride a bike and surely take a walk out on the fishing pier. It may be a weekend when they have Civil War reenactments, a real bonus. If so, do take the evening candlelight tour of Fort Clinch.

On our last visit we went to dinner at the Crab Trap downtown at 31 N. Second Street, and had shrimp caught that day! Of course the day is not complete without walking a few blocks over to the waterfront and watching the sunset. You will have lots of company. This is an evening ritual.

What are we waiting for? Start the engines. Fernandina Beach is calling.

Oh, and about that fudge. Fantastic Fudge at the corner of Centre Street and 3rd Street has been making their own fudge for 20 years. And, yes, it is fantastic.

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias. All rights reserved.

A view of the Anclote River was a lunch requirement and we certainly met that by sitting outside on the back deck at Dimitri’s on the Water, 698 Dodecanese Blvd., phone (727) 938-6890.

Pleasure craft glided by. Had we arrived by boat we could tie right up at Demitri’s dock.

Our waiter confessed he had the best job in the world, serving food with the river life happening right alongside.

We felt special sitting on the water with blue sky, puffy white clouds and a bit of a breeze. I ordered the special that day, a fish gyro to die for. Others ordered octopus, chick peas cooked in rosemary, sautéd chicory. The list goes on.

When food arrived, out came the cell phone cameras to photograph the dishes. Welcome to the 21st century where a well-presented meal will end up on Facebook, Twitter and FoodSpotting within minutes of arrival.

Lunch was long and leisurely. Afterwards, we felt compelled to walk around the Sponge Docks, checking out the shops, stopping inside the Sponge Exchange to buy sponges gathered from the nearby Gulf of Mexico.

Sponges come in all sizes and uses, from cosmetic to art to bath and really big ones as containers for plants.

St. Nicholas Boat Tours, (727) 942-6425, right next to Dimitris, give half hour boat tours ($8) on the river with a diver going down and bringing up sponges. Best to do this on a weekend, as they like to fill the boat before going out.

Tarpon Springs is called the “Sponge Capital of the World” with good reason. In 1896 John Cocoris was the first Greek to arrive. With five other Greek men he started a sponge diving business in 1905. Word spread that sponges were plentiful and Greek families began migrating to Tarpon Springs.

It is an easy stretch to say that sponges, and the Greeks that came to harvest them, are the reason you can buy baklava everywhere in Tarpon Springs today. Greeks love food and fellowship and they have a sweet tooth for desserts.

Baklava and a lot of other Greek pastries called us onward to Hellas Bakery, 785 Dodecanese Blvd., phone (727) 943-2400 at the other end of the Sponge Docks. So many sweet choices, too many actually.

But we braved the tough decisions and had dessert along with Greek coffee. Hellas has a restaurant as well as the bakery.

Tarpon Springs contains different areas to explore. The Sponge Docks are a destination, so is the historic downtown area and the distance between the two means taking a car or trolley.

The Jolly Trolley (www.clearwaterjolleytrolley.com) rruns between the Sponge Docks and historic downtown every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Single rides are $2 adults, $1 seniors over 65, $1.25 for students. Children five and under ride free.

We visited St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in historic downtown, with its beautiful stained-glass windows patterned after St. Sophia in Istanbul, and then we walked around the downtown area.

Be advised before you go that a number of stores are closed on Mondays, the day we made our visit. So we didn’t get to go inside Back in the Day Books or get caffeinated at the UnderGrounds Coffee House and Art Gallery or see the Train Depot Museum, all closed on Mondays.

But a new venue, the Artists’ Faire Fine Art Gallery and Gift Shop caught our attention. Located at 111 E. Tarpon Avenue, phone (727) 937-7125, this is a cooperative venture between the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce and the Tarpon Springs Art Association.

At Global Folk Arts, 208 E. Tarpon Avenue, phone (727) 942-6977, we wandered through an exotic collection of global gifts and paused at display tables full of beads and stones for making jewelry. You can make your own right here.

None of us could resist picking up menus for the Zante cafeneo, 13 N. Safford Avenue. They serve Cajun-Greek-Creole-Italian-French and bill themselves as an eclectic café. I am not making this up. They are closed on Mondays.

So much more to see and experience – the famous bayous, Anclote Nature Park, ride a bike on the Pinellas Trail, see the Inness Paintings inside Tarpon Springs Unitarian Universalist Church, go to the Leepa Rattner Museum, check out antique stores downtown, walk around Spongeorama, visit the Shrine of Saint Michael Taxiarchis, go to Sunset Beach, communicate with the primates at Suncoast Primate Sanctuary - whew!

Back at Dimitri’s their trademarked motto is “Only the love of food can lead you here”.

That could sum up a visit to Tarpon Springs – come for the cuisine, stay for the culture. We’ll be back. Opa!

UPCOMING IN TARPON SPRINGS
Every Sunday - Farmer’s Market, 9-2, corn of Tarpon and Pinellas Avenues.
June 11 – Second Saturday Downtown and Sponge Docks Events, call (727) 937-6109
June 16 – Sunset Beach Concert, The Little Big Show, 7 p.m. free (727) 942-5628, www.tsrdonline.com

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias, all rights reserved.

That’s how it was fishing on the Ocklawaha River last week. Twenty assorted brim ended up in the boat cooler and later sizzled in my cast iron skillet as stir fry dinner. My cats were delighted to share in the bounty. The dogs woofed down their portion and looked for more.

Capt. Tom holds a redbreast sunfish caught in the Ockalawaha River

Are we having fun yet? Oh yes.

Let the good times roll. Four hours cruising down the Ocklawaha River with Captain Tom of Captain Tom’s Custom Charters, had me floating along, admiring the scenery (no houses, just wild Florida), and becoming so de-stressed I felt like Gumby, all limp like putty, no joints, just totally relaxed.

Fishing on the Ocklawaha River

For me going fishing is a great excuse to get out of Dodge for a while. Actually catching fish is an added bonus.

Mother wood duck and her ducklings on Ocklawaha River

It is a novel concept. Getting away is so often packaged with salt water. Visitors are always inundated with beach brochures. Surely tourists go home think Florida is the coast, the beach and that’s it. That is fine. It means more play time on the fresh inland waters for those who live year round.

Getting ready to kayak on the Rainbow River

Here are the facts: Florida has some 7700 lakes with more than 10 acres. We have 27 first magnitude springs more than any other place in the world. Add to this some 11,000 miles of rivers and streams.

But, you say, you don’t have a pontoon boat or kayak. Join the crowd. Neither do I. Does that mean you stay home? Nope. Four hours of fishing with Capt. Tom cost $20 per person. He provides rod and reels, bait, and even cleans the fish. Compared to $87 for a day pass to Disney, going fishing is a cheap thrill. Or rent a kayak or canoe for your float time.

Canoes & kayaks for rent at KP Hole in Dunnellon

We were fishing away when Captain Nick Bozman of Slick Charters came alongside, telling some bass fishing stories. Captain Nick (slickcharters@aol.com) does both salt and fresh water fishing.

Did I mention fishing is optional? I took pictures, just looked at scenery and got out the sketchbook too, all this in between dealing with fish that have a thing for worms.

So many rivers and streams, so many different ways to go. Lars Andersen has Adventure Outpost in High Springs, right in the heart of North Florida’s “Spring Country”.

Get on his “wanta go” list (free) and read about upcoming kayak and canoeing trips, including water trips at Crystal River to see manatees in season.

Tubing down the Rainbow River

Come summer, float down a river in a tube. Bring friends and neighbors. Wherever you are in Florida there is going to be some fresh water near you and at the very least, go sit on a bank and watch the water flow by. Leave the cell phone at home. Count this as valuable down time. We all need it.

Take a look at the Florida Outdoor Writers Association (yes, I am a member). Many of their members are also guides and see who is in your area.

Spring has decided to stay around for a while and even when summer simmers being out on the water is a cooling change.
The fish are calling. Or is it the river itself, flowing along, calling you? No matter, time to answer the call.

Kayaks from Marion County Parks & Recreation at Rainbow River

UPCOMING

You are invited to the Florida Museum of Women Artists in DeLand on Friday, May 13 from 5-7
Lucy Beebe Tobias, author of “50 Great Walks in Florida” will give a talk on “Seeing Florida with Fresh Eyes.” Presentation begins at 5:30 p.m. Starting at 5 p.m. there are hors de’oeuves by Chili’s Restaurant. Come early and see the new exhibit “Through the Collector’s Eye”. There will be copies of “50 Great Walks” available for signing in the Museum shop. The address is 100 N. Woodland Blvd., Suite 1, DeLand, FL, phone (386) 873-2976.

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias

Time travel is possible in Florida. Seriously. It takes a bit of driving instead of a magic door but then, whoosh, you are descending a tall bridge into Apalachicola – dropping back in time, literally.

Apalach (the locals prefer the short version) is a small town with one blinking light, one zip code. This is a walk able friendly place where people find contentment in a community defined by water, trees, rivers and marshes. Their coastal nature and colorful history are treated like family members to be cherished and celebrated.

And this history heritage is a boon for the visitor. You really are going to experience time travel here. Step into historic Orman House built in 1838 by Thomas Orman. This home was built to impress and it does.

Orman House, Apalachicola.

When Mike Kinnett, 2008 District I Interpreter of the Year, gives his guided tour, speaking in the time of 1838, you found yourself looking closely at the things on Orman’s desk, even listening for footfalls, perhaps someone will visit wearing period costumes.

At the Coombs Inn on Sixth Street, completed in 1905, one of the rooms is James N. Coombs bedroom. The mattress is new but the four-poster bed is over 100 years old and so high there are STEPS you climb to get into the bed. How’s that for time travel?

Coombs Inn

Confession time – first time visitors come for the oysters, then, after a good meal, they often stay for the history. Ninety percent of the oysters in Florida are grown here in Apalachicola Bay and ten percent of the nation’s oysters are grown here.

Until I came here I thought an oyster was an oyster. Not so. These taste different, better than anything you’ve had before. You can see the surprise on my face in a VISIT FLORIDA video on Apalachicola.

Your turn. Try oysters served 17 different ways at Boss Oyster on the waterfront at Apalachicola River Inn. After oysters, give the world’s largest fried fish sandwich a go at Apalachicola Seafood Grill, a dog-friendly restaurant on Market Street.

My advice – park anywhere because walking around Apalach is easy. In fact, if you stay overnight, leave your car wherever you are staying, everything is walking distance.

Cotton display at John Gorrie Museum

Notice how wide Market Street is – one of the widest streets you’ll find in Florida. Back in the 1800s, when Apalach rocked as port town with lots of cargos coming and going, like big loads of cotton, brought from Georgia by river boats, then unloaded, rolled down Market Street towards the docks and lighters that would carry the cargo to tall ships anchored out at sea.

A must-see studio on Market Street is Richard Bickel Photography. He arrived in 1994 after photographing cultures around the world. Bickel took one look at the oystermen working on their boats and decided he had to capture what he calls Florida’s Last Stand.

Trinity Episcopal Spire seen through old live oak tree

Time doesn’t stop in Apalach just because there is only one blinking light and T-shirts for sale with the one zip code proudly displayed. Be prepared to shop till you drop. A nice surprise is the splash of shops nestled in the old buildings, plus new structures built to blend into the ambiance.

Peddlers Alley, Apapachicola

The Grady Market along the waterfront has antiques, art, gifts and clothing and food in a building that used to house foreign counsels.
Clustered with the Market are the Consulate Luxury Suites and the Apalachicola Exchange, all part of a whole city block restored past glory polished for today’s high end use.

For a good overview of Apalach’s historic heritage, stop by the Apalachicola Bay Chamber of Commerce, 122 Commerce Street, and pick up a free brochure “Apalachicola Historic Walking Tour.”

Pomagrante the cat at the Chamber

When tired of walking, get wired (literally) at Café con Leche Internet Café at the High Cotton Market Place on Water Street.

Cow sculpture outside Cafe con Leche

If gardens are your thing, visit the Garden Shop (also called Gardens) on Commerce Street, full of eclectic garden objects and organic herbs and vegetables.

Gardens

Book stores always speak to me and I gravitate to this bookstore that also has fine yarn – Downtown Books & Purl on Commerce Street. They have an excellent section on Florida and yes; they are kind enough to carry my book “50 Great Walks in Florida.”

Speaking of walks, Lafayette Park is delightful. Dedicated in 1832 (you read that right) and refurbished 100 years later, enjoy the landscape then walk out the long pier out into Apalachicola Bay.

Chapman Botanical Gardens, right next to Orman House Historic State Park, has meandering walkways, a butterfly garden and plans to plant some of the species discovered by Dr. Alvin Chapman, a 19th century botanist.

Time travel is possible. Apalach is the proof. Come for the oysters, stay for the history and be there for a sunset. For anyone who has forgotten what a thrill it is to slow down and connect with nature, your neighbors and history, this is the place to come.

©2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias. All Rights Reserved. Photographs by Lucy Beebe Tobias

Butterflies. Their beauty makes us gasp. Here is another gasp – full immersion native butterfly gardening turns your yard into a butterfly world. Admission is free every day.

Butterflies on red Pentas

Planting certain flowers, called adult food sources in butterfly lingo, like pentas, brings them in like the smell of French fries draws people to you know where. Adding host plants, like milkweed, a site where they can lay eggs and then the caterpillars, means you are going to be there for the whole metamorphis thing – butterflies, eggs, caterpillars, and then chrysalis emerging as butterflies.

A monarch butterfly crystalis. Look close and see the butterfly

Blue passion vine flower

Let’s see now – beautiful flowers, butterflies wafting through the air, saving their species for the future by ensuring they can lay eggs – oh, joy, what is the plan to do this?

giant swallowtail

WARNING: Butterfly gardening can be addictive. Once you get your first arbor and plant passion vine or pipe vine, there will be another, and another.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Here we go:

• Start with inspiration. Walk around your neighborhood and see what butterflies are already there (assuming your neighbors have more than just grass and verbena bushes – this doesn’t cut it for butterflies). If you see no butterflies then you are going to be the local pioneer.

• Visit a paid admission butterfly garden like Butterfly Rainforest in Gainesville. Their Web site has a new identification guide. Take pictures then go on the Web and find the names.

• Another source of inspiration – Butterfly World in Coconut Creek. They really get into host plants. They have an arbor garden loaded with passion vines. Check out the Butterfly Campaign on their Web site. Visitors ask, “How can we bring butterflies back?” The answer: plant host plants so butterflies can lay their eggs.

Pipevine in bloom

• Another suggestion – Greathouse Butterfly Farm in Melrose. Check with them ahead of time about visiting hours – they change with the season.

• For free, go visit your nearest native plant nursery and walk around. One time when I needed milkweed badly (see my “Milkweed Crisis” blog) I went to Taylor Gardens Nursery, Inc. in Sparr. Both Gulf Fritillaries and Zebra Longwings, the Florida state butterfly, were swarming over the milkweed plants.

• Get a free pamphlet from your local Master Gardeners office on Florida butterflies and the host plants they need.

• Visit any of a number of Web sites about Florida butterflies for information on how to begin, nectar plants, host plants and the all important rule of thumb – stop using pesticides, they kill butterflies.

monarch caterpillar

• Check out your local community for any upcoming gardening festivals. Vendors will have host and nectar plants and they know which butterflies like which plants.

UPCOMING:

• The biggest event is the 17th annual Epcot Flower & Garden Festival opening March 3 and continuing until May 16.

• The Master Gardener Spring Festival in Ocala, March 12-13 is where I go for local inspiration.

• Kanapaha Botanical Gardens in Gainesville hosts their Spring Garden Festival March 26 and 27.

• In DeLand the Florida Wildflower & Garden Festival takes place March 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

• In Fort Pierce on Saturday, April 23 is the “Spring Into Gardening” festival.

Ah, spring. A perfect time to dig into native butterfly gardening. The winged wonders, these floating masterpieces, thank you in advance for saving their future.

Copyright 2011 Lucy Beebe Tobias, author of “50 Great Walks in Florida” and currently part of the Florida Audubon campaign 53 Parks in 53 Days.

The City of Cedar Key sits on a large spatter of an island, surrounded by more islands and kissed by the Gulf of Mexico. Get there by going west on State Road 24, a straight shot through the woods. Take the two-lane road to the very end and voila, you’ve arrived.

Could Cedar Key be the funkiest Florida town/city ever? Yep. Could be.

Where else will you find one resident curmudgeon, the best clam chowder in the world and dogs in every block straining on their leashes?

Walking the dog is a popular Cedar Key activity. Photo by Lucy Tobias

Plus Cedar Key has Second Street, just a few blocks long with more art galleries than parking places.

Sign on Second Street. Photo by Lucy Tobias

Mosaic art at Cedar Key Art Center. Photo by Barbara Fitos

Add on the Island Hotel & Restaurant, with rooms rumored to be haunted, some of them anyway, and a restaurant that serves great dinners. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this building anchors the corner of Second and B Street and has since 1859.

ONE ZIP CODE COVERS EVERYTHING

All this and more located in one zip code – 32625.

Pelicans on Dock Street. Photo by Susan Peters

Cedar Key celebrates stunning sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, has two fishing piers, hopeful fishermen, more birds than people, two history museums on an island with a census showing 927 people on a good day, great shelling, snorkeling and finally smiling locals who stop visitors like us to ask hopefully “Are you here to stay a few days?”

We began our visit to funky 32625 with food, standing outside in line waiting to get into Tony’s Seafood.

Old doors, entrance to Tony's Seafood. Photo by Barbara Fitos

Hale was a busy guy. In 1880 Henry Hale built a house at the west end of Sixth Street that looked out over a bayou called Goose Cove. In the 1920s St. Clair Whitman bought the house, raised a family and stayed until his death in 1959.

The house stood empty for a long time and we all know what that means. Scheduled for demolition in 1991 the Whitman family offered it for free to anyone who would move it.

Local citizens and elected officials formed a partnership with the Florida Park Service. The small red house with a metal roof was moved to the grounds of Cedar Key Museum State Park.

Table in the Whitman Kitchen, circa 1920s. Photo by Susan Peters

The St.Clair Whitman House. Photo by Susan Peters

You can do a self-guided tour of the home as part of your $2 park visit admission fee. The park also has a sweet museum with displays of Cedar Key’s history timeline. With all the marshes and tidal flats it comes as no surprise that the Timucuan Indians liked this place a lot. Artifacts put them here as early as 1500.

EAT, SHOP AND SOAK UP HISTORY TOO

Back to the food. We waited. Unlike the Timucuans who scooped their seafood out of the water, we wanted ours already harvested and cooked by someone else. After soaking up some sunrays we were ushered inside Tony’s.
Two thumbs up. The clam chowder is seriously wonderful and well worth the wait. Plus I had steamed clams on the side and they were pretty amazing too.

Aquaculture is big here. The demise of mullet fishing (gill nets were banned in 1995) led to retraining fishermen for growing clams in beds in the Gulf of Mexico. In 1997 clam farming produced 100 million clams.
If you like seafood, keep the record numbers going by coming here to eat your share. One opportunity – attend the annual Clamerica Clelebration on the Fourth of July, named a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society.

Tony’s sits on a busy intersection.

Colorful sign at 2nd and D streets. Photo by Barbara Fitos

Across the street is Curmudgeonalia with books (a good Florida selection), cards and gifts. The owner is a resident curmudgeon Dick Martens (I am not making this up). This is the only bookstore within 60 miles.

Curmudgeon sign, photo by Susan Peters

On the opposite corner is the Cedar Key Historical Museum housed in the Lutterlogh Building also built around 1880. Cedar Key recycles its buildings and treasures its history.

Just inside the museum door look left to see the arched doorway that once led to the Maddox Theater. The theater is gone but they saved the doors.

A self-guided walking tour has a new color booklet you can purchase with photos and descriptions. The price will be about $10 but the tour guides hadn’t arrived when we were there and the price was still iffy.

By the time we finished lunch and moved next door to plunder a truly eclectic consignment shop called Déjà Vu, we all agreed a day trip to Cedar Key was not enough. The locals are right – stay a few days.

STAY A FEW DAYS

Cedar Key is a small place. The pace is slow and yet you can’t drink it all up in four to five hours. Why would you want to? The laid back atmosphere aches for slowing down, for quality time with friends and family, for long conversations and good browsing through the art galleries, then sitting at the beach or renting a kayak and exploring the islands.

View of the Gulf of Mexico at City Park. Photo by Barbara Fitos

Consider this – if you are going to stay for the sunset show, why not spend the night? Beats the long drive back in the dark on SR 24.

Suggested excursion: a sunset cruise with Captain Doug’s Tidewater Tours, the cost is $25 per person.
The closest island is Atsena Otie Key and it is here that Cedar Key began as an army supply depot, 1836, and hospital, 1840. It is easy to see Atsena Otie Key from the new pier and dream of taking a day cruise over there to seek out the historical remains.

As we walked around we saw lots of rentals for condos, cottages, B&Bs, homes, hotels, apartments and rooms.

If it is view you want Harbour Master Suites on Dock Street all face west towards the Gulf of Mexico and that means splendid gulf views.

The Faraway Inn, a certified Green Lodging Florida, is pet friendly and sits on the site of the 19th Century Eagle Pencil Company Cedar Mill. We saw happy dogs outside when we went by.

There are 10 rooms at the Island Hotel. In keeping with historical ambiance there are no televisions or phones in the rooms of the main hotel.

THE AROMA OF CEDAR

The museums tell the story of all those pencil factories but not a whole lot of cedars to be seen today. They were chopped down before conservation policies. Backack in the 1800′s cedars were a hot item. In 1855 Eberhard Faber set off a timber boom when he bought large tracts of acreage in Levy County and started a pencil factory. You can buy a pencil smelling strongly of cedar at the Cedar Key Historical Museum.

Combine all the timber activity with Dave Yulee’s building of a cross-Florida railroad from Fernandina Beach to Cedar Key and it is easy to imagine Cedar Key as a booming port town. The population peaked at 1,887 in 1885.

Now that might not sound like much to someone from Chicago or Miami but Levy County in 1885 only had 5,000 people.

THE VENICE OF AMERICA

A newspaper clipping from the time called Cedar Key “the Venice of America”. Well, why not? When you are living the end of the line, literally, go for it.

Is the Venice of America a city or a town? It doesn’t matter. Cedar Key is a great place. We’re going back soon and stay a few days.

Speaking of small towns, Cedar Key is one of 20 American towns selected by Budget Travel Magazine as America’s coolest small towns. Until February 11 you can vote for Cedar Key by going to their Web site and casting a vote.

Mosaic fisherman at Cedar Key Arts Center. Photo by Susan Peters

Sat. Feb. 19 at 1 p.m. – Historical Society Auction to be held at the Island Hotel. Lively bidding on collectibles including china, art work, antiques and more.

Monday, Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m. join Refuge Ranger at Cedar Key Library for a program on bats and bat houses. Did you know there is a giant bat house on the Suwannee River that holds 40,000 bats? Learn how to make your own bat house for natural mosquito control.

March 16-20, Levy County Railroad Days (150th anniversary of the completion of the Florida Railroad), events in Bronson, Otter Creek, Cedar Key, see Web site for days and times.

According to George Sresovich with the Historical Society this is going to be a really huge event. From 9-4 p.m. on March 18,19 & 20 the Cedar Key Community Center will have the Ocala Model Railroaders’ Historic Preservation Society Florida Railroad Display.

See the trains. Then go to Tony’s for chowder or get a bowl of crab bisque at the Island Hotel. Want more? You have lots of seafood choices at restaurants lining Dock Street, all with those famous Gulf views.

April 2-3, Cedar Key Arts Center presents the 47th Annual Old Florida Celebration of the Arts. Yes, it is true. Cedar Key is a very small town with limited parking. For festivals, people park their cars on outlying keys and shuttle buses bring them into town.

For an event calendar with contact information see the Cedar Key Chamber’s Web site.

Mosaic bird. Photo by Barbara Fitos