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.

Saturday, Feb. 18 from 9-noon, Pups at the Point - dogs welcome on the third Saturday of each month at Spanish Point south of Sarasota. Must be leashed.

The Florida Pets newsletter carries a list of dog parks around Florida (more are being added!) and recently updated their Port Charlotte page, lots of good places to go.

In my book “50 Great Walks in Florida,” a total of 32 walks are all or partly dog-friendly.

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 . . .”

by Lucy Beebe Tobias

Susan Becker is a Street Concierge in Naples, Florida. Say what? Naples may be the only place in the country to have Street Concierges, located at the Third Street Concierge, an outdoor kiosk on Third Street South – part of an historic area also called the birthplace of Old Naples.

Planter on Third Street South, Naples

The concierge service is open seven days a week from 10-6 and Thursday and Fridays hours are extended from 10-9 p.m. Thursday is Becker’s day to work. She answers question, hands out maps, brochures and restaurant menus and loves every minute of her 12-hour shift.

“I came from a helping profession, a college professor, I was used to helping several hundred people a day, this continues that,” said Becker.

With the holidays coming on Becker grandparents who have family coming want to know what there is to do with children of all ages.

“The best thing is free – the beach!” Becker laughed. “They can run, play, build sandcastles, swim, ride boogie boards.”

The beaches, and the historic Naples Pier, are just a few blocks from Third Street South. Walk or ride a bike to any free access point to the beach. Within the city limits every avenue (streets that go east and west) ends in a public beach walkover access. Arriving by car to the beach means feeding parking meters or having an annual beach-parking sticker.

One access point to the beach is the historic Naples Pier. There is no admission fee to the Pier. I found free parking lots just off Third Street South then took an easy walk for two blocks down tree-lined streets past old homes to the Historic Pier, a delightful walk with a great sunset view.

Open 24 hours a day, no fishing license is required. Fishermen come equipped

with food and chairs for a long stay on the long pier.

On the beach, stretching left and right of the pier, a parade of umbrellas in bright colors testify to beach popularity. Other signs of sun and fun: blankets, outdoor chairs, sunbathers, Frisbee throwers, surf swimmers and sand castle builders.

Who could have imagined all this back in the 1800s? Back then General John S. Williams and Water N. Halderman sailed into the bay. Williams thought it looked like the Bay of Naples in Italy and thus Naples was named. The two men brought families from Ohio and Kentucky. The first two homes were built in 1887 and the first pier, a freight pier with railroad ties, was built in 1889.

Walking tours of Naples Historic District are popular. Design your own with help from the Third Street Concierge or visit Palm Cottage, built by Halderman, and take one of their walking tours, $16 for non-members, on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. from November through April. Reservations required.

View of The Norris Gardens through a gate at Palm Cottage

For ardent fans of GPS, Out’nBack Nature Tours has a walking tour of Naples using hand-help GPS and clues along the way. They also offer bicycle tours.

Bicycling is another popular way to see Old Naples.

“I am a citizen of Old Naples, live just a few blocks from Third Street South and I ride my bike to and from work,” said Becker. “Bicycling is very popular. The roads are all flat.”

Sculpture on Third Street South, Naples

For strolling along, and thinking of food, Third Street South has small, unique boutiques and off-the-usual-beaten path restaurants including Jane’s Café with organic and natural food and Sea Salt where Chef Fabrizio Aielli uses organic and local produce along with wild caught seafood.

Being addicted to coffee, I soon found Bad Ass Coffee, a shop whose name raises eyebr

ows. But it is all good – Bad Ass was founded in Hawaii and serves Hawaiian coffees. Really super coffee.

The day of the week matters on Third Street South and also along Fifth Avenue South, an upscale shopping and dining area along with places to stay like the boutique Inn on Fifth Street.

Live entertainment throbs on Thursday evenings at Third Street South from January through May. Called Thursday on Third, stores stay open, you can dance in the street, have dinner, enjoy all kinds of music. During the summer, June through December, the music happens every third Thursday.

Along Fifth Avenue South enjoy Evenings on Fifth the second Thursday of each month. And in November Fifth Avenue South has added a special Evening on Nov. 25 during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Walking along Fifth Avenue South, Naples

On Saturdays check out the Third Street Farmers Market from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Grownups, children and well-behaved dogs are all welcome. The market happens all year long.

Shop-till-you-droppers will appreciate that you are not done yet. Tin City in the Naples Waterfront district has shopping and entertainment. And right across the street is Bayfront with shops that take the word “upscale” to a whole new level.

If you can extract yourself from Old Naples, nearby attractions have plenty of outdoor appeal.

Here are a few: Naples Botanical Garden is breathtaking, with gardens devoted to different areas of the world.

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has a boat ride through primate islands on a large lake. Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary features a 2.25-mile long boardwalk through the county’s last old growth bald cypress forest.
Whew! Time to head back to the beach and relax. Need a bathing suit? I’m sure the Third Street Concierge can help with that too.

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 Brian E. Holley, Executive Director of the Naples Botanical Garden telling in his own words how this amazing garden came into bloom:

Creating a new botanical garden requires a remarkable alignment to take place – you need dreamers to create a vision; pragmatists to assemble a viable plan from the vision; artists to create a design that sings to the soul; philanthropists to share and support the vision; land, lots of land; and worker bees – staff, board, volunteers, ecologists, engineers, contractors, plant nerds (I take pride in being one), artisans, educators, gardeners – who can merge their skills and energy into the team that makes it happen.

This amazing alignment has taken place in Naples, Florida and the result is the 170 acre, Naples Botanical Garden. The Garden started as a dream in Naples’ downtown library in 1993 when a group of a dozen or so plant people got together and agreed that it was important for the community to have a botanical garden.

In the ensuing years the group expanded and turned the dream into a plan for a major new garden that would combine urban renewal of Naples’ poorest neighborhood, a dynamic visitor attraction, great design, a venue for the arts, education, extensive documented collections of plants, research and restored natural areas.

The plan was compelling and attracted the attention of philanthropist Harvey Kapnick. Harvey agreed to purchase 170 acres of land in East Naples for $5 million in 2000. The Garden started slowly but with great innovation – they hired a very talented designer Gary Smith to turn a parking lot into a one acre garden so the community could see the potential of this endeavor.

In 2005, what the Miami Herald called “The Dream Team” – noted landscape architects Raymond Jungles, Robert Truskowski, Herb Schaal, Ellin Goetz and Balinese landscape designer Made Wijaya -agreed to join the project and create a new master plan for the Garden. There was a huge risk for the Garden in having five firms work on the plan but the mutual respect and excitement about the opportunity to work on a once in a lifetime project brought these brilliant minds together to work as one cohesive team. Shortly thereafter, Ted Flato of Lake/Flato Architects in San Antonio, Texas brought his sense of place and passion for sustainable design to the project.

By 2008, the Garden had raised $30 million toward building the project, led by a $10 million gift from Harvey’s son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Kathleen Kapnick, and in June of that year construction began.

In November 2009 Naples Botanical Garden opened its first new gardens – The Vicky C. and David Byron Smith Children’s Garden, The Brazilian Garden, The Kapnick Caribbean Garden and the Mary and Stephen B. Smith Family, River of Grass. In January 2010 another dream of Harvey’s became a reality, The Kapnick Education and Research Center, in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University, opened and gave the Garden excellent facilities for education. The expansion continued with the opening of the Marcia and L. Bates Lea Asian Garden, the Karen and Robert Scott Florida Garden and the Water Garden in November 2010.

Today the Garden welcomes over 100,000 people a year and hosts an extensive array of classes and events. Check us out at www.naplesgarden.org and watch for our free mobile app for iPhones and Androids in January, 2012.

GET OUT AND PLAY

November – Celebrate the Arts month presented by the United Arts Council of Collier County (where Naples is located) see their Celebrate Calendar for events.
Nov. 11-13 – St. Johns River Blues Festival in Palatka with 16 regional blues bands.
Nov. 12 – Second Saturdays at ArtSouth in Homestead. Browse four galleries and open artist studios. Children welcome. Hours: 3-7 p.m.
Nov. 21 – Annual Celebration of Festival of Lights happens from 6-9 p.m. on Third Street South, Naples. Santa arrives, lots of entertainment, and promptly at 7:30 p.m. snow will fall. I am not making this up. Lampposts have snowmaking machines; they all turn on at the same time.
Snow falls at 7:30 p.m. every night that week (except Thanksgiving) and continues on Thursday nights during December.

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.

Tick tock. Tick tock. Time is up. Got your answer?

The correct answer is: Henry DeLand, the baking soda magnate from New York who wanted to build an Athens of Florida in the late 1800s.

Truth be told, Henry didn’t even want to come look at the high ground area covered with pine trees and he definitely whined about the rough trip by horseback, including crossing the St. Johns River, to get there. But his brother-in-law, who wanted to plant orange groves, insisted on the visit so Henry came along.

Surprise! He loved it. Went home to eastern New York and began drawing up city plans for the Athens of Florida. Henry returned bought property near a small village called Persimmon Hallow in 1876 with a simple alluring premise – settlers could buy land from him but if they didn’t like the area he’d buy the property back within two years. The city was incorporated as DeLand in 1882.

Growth ebbed in the face of fires and freezes and grew with exquisite buildings of brick and masonry meant to withstand fire. DeLand Academy, founded by you know who, eventually became Stetson University with buildings so beautiful in the classic tradition that they are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Volusia County Courthouse moved to DeLand in 1886. Rebuilt in 1927 it is without a doubt one of the most beautiful in Florida, surrounded for a full block by a park and walkways. Courthouse business has moved but go inside to see history exhibits, paintings by Jackson Walker and visit the courtrooms.

A piece of a mural on the old DeLand Naval Station in downtown DeLand

And the trees – old oak trees still exist because people then (1800s) are just like people today – they wanted tax breaks. In 1886 you could take 50 cents off your taxes for each oak tree planted that lived for one year. Residents planted so many trees the tax break had to be stopped because there was not enough money from taxes to pay the town marshal. But the tree legacy endures.

If Henry DeLand rode into his city today his jaw would drop. His Athens is alive and well. Downtown DeLand rocks along Woodland Boulevard and the side streets. Stores in historic brick and concrete buildings showcase art galleries, jewelers, restaurants, coffee houses, antique emporiums, the famous Muse Book Shop, the Athens Theatre, a new Florida Museum for Women Artists, a bike shop that wheels in classic bikes – the list goes on.

The entire downtown has been revitalized through a MainStreet program, now 25 years old, with enhancements that invite genteel walking. Wide sidewalks flow past planters overflowing with flowers and partnered with nearby benches. Many restaurants have outdoor seating, perfect for this fine fall weather.

Discover DeLand has a really cool list of 102 things to do in DeLand. Let’s make our own list and start with three theme walks.

You’ll want your walking shoes for three specialized walks.

The DeLand Mural Walk has 15 murals, and counting, that grace the walls of old buildings. Look for an illustrated booklet describing each mural. We found ours at the Muse Book Shop at 112 South Woodland Blvd. Janet Bollum, owner, is a fountain of information on what to do in DeLand.

Still interested in Henry? Mural No. 1 is “Henry’s Vision” at the northeast corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Woodland Blvd. A new mural, not in the booklet, is a sepia-toned historic moment called “A Conversation over Chess in 1929″ by artist Jill Cannady. It is on a wall bordering Chess Park, a walkway next to the old Courthouse that runs between two blocks.

Chess Park has chess. A lovely three-panel waterfall at one end, built in tables with chessboards and even a chessboard built into the sidewalks, are all inviting.

Bring your chess pieces. Bring a brown bag lunch. Trees shade the tables. We liked this spot a lot.

waterfall at Chess Park, DeLand

The Museum of Florida Art has a DeLand Sculpture Walk with 12 pieces positioned in downtown DeLand through 2010 and 2011. The hope is that sculptures will be purchased and remain in place. Brochures with a locator map are free and available at most downtown stores. This is an easy and fun walk.

Two sculptures caught my attention – “Peace” by Joan Baliker of Ormond Beach, a bronze done in 2003, and sits at the north entrance to Chess Park on West Indiana Avenue. “Anniversary Spiral” by Gretchen Lotz of Orlando, a bronze done in 2010 is situated in front of Mainstreet Community Bank at 204 S. Woodland Blvd. and looks like was made exactly for that spot.

The Persimmon Hallow Quest is a River Quest treasure hunt using GPS coordinates. It begins at the northwest corner of Woodland Boulevard and Rich Avenue outside Hunter’s Restaurant. Get a free brochure at West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority at 116 West New York Avenue, off Woodland.

A suggestion that is not a formal walk or quest – wander around Stetson University campus. Beautiful landscaping and buildings plus a nice surprise – the Gillespie Museum of Minerals with its collection of 20,000 mineral, rock and fossil specimens. Hours are limited – Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adult admission is $2.

All this wandering will make you hungry. We ended up at Manzano’s where their bread is flown in from New York every day. Trust me, half a sandwich is enough for two meals. They are huge. They are wonderful and the bread is so good they sell it by the loaf.

Manzano’s, 120A North Woodland Avenue, is one of three businesses located inside the old Volusia County Bank build in 1909 with massive Greek columns announcing the front entrance. Manzano’s Facebook page keeps you up on the latest hours and happenings.

Being somewhat addicted to coffee (all right, totally is a better word) we ended up at the Boston Coffee House, 109 E. New York Avenue. We were too stuffed from Manzano’s to stay for a meal but the lunch menu looked most attractive. This coffee house regularly wins the best coffee awards for West Volusia and in Florida Living magazine.

Henry rode here on a horse. You arrive by car today or is a motorcycle your thing? DeLand has Thursday Thunder Night the last Thursday or each month from 6-9 p.m. Stores stay open late. Signs direct you to motorcycle parking and a DJ will spin music.

DeLand loves a festival or two or more. The weekend before Thanksgiving, Nov. 20-21 is the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts, each day from 10-5 in the downtown historic shopping district.

A heads up about parking in DeLand. Look closely at the times. You may be wandering around for four hours and your car is in a two-hour spot. Oops. Go onto the side street where times are longer, say three hours.

Enjoy a day in DeLand. This Saturday Morning Magazine story is the first of an ongoing series of stories on authentic Florida towns. When you go, give me your feedback!

walk in peace
Lucy

Lucy Tobias is an author, artist and photographer living in Ocala.

Building levees causes “unintended consequences” as they like to say in political speak. The “unintended consequences” in this case turn out to be good for you and me.

Consider the levee – lots of dirt piled at least six feet high and oh, say eight feet wide or more. The top of the level is flat.
There it is, the “unintended consequence” – turns out that flat, high surface is a great place to walk or ride bikes or watch birds.

Birders love levees because the sight lines are so great. Winter birds come to hang out in the waters impounded by levees. Birders use levees as their own elevated viewing platform, at least six feet about the water.

In the wintertime at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge south of Tallahassee, drive down Lighthouse Road and see all the birding scopes set up on tripods along the levees.

St. Marks levee

St. Marks is a classic levee story. Walk down the Mounds Trail (chapter 7 in my book “50 Great Walks in Florida”) and find Marker No. 2. It is on a tree, about five feet up, showing how high the water rose on Sept. 13, 1843. The Hurricane of 1843 wiped out the nearby towns of St. Marks River, Magnolia, Rock Haven and Port Leon. Today the refuge has a LOT of levees.

A specially designated levee trail starts at the end of Lighthouse Road. It is one-half mile long, with free leaflets at the start. Travel the trail on foot, on bike or by horseback.

Walkers like me like levees because I don’t like surprises, say wildlife crossing the road or a snake sunning itself. I prefer my wildlife viewing from a distance and distance (good sight lines) is exactly what you have on levees.

Levee at Sunnyhill. Note sandill cranes in middle

At Sunnyhill Restoration Area, St. Johns River Water Management District, located in southeast Marion County, sandhill cranes may join you on your levee walk. That happened to me. Their attitude was “What took you so long? We’ve been expecting you.” And so we walked together. Sandhill cranes like this area and tend to stay year round. Ch. 28 in 50 Great Walks is titled “Walking with Friends” about the Sunnyhill Restoration Area.

Sandhill cranes at Sunnyhill

There is one down side to levees – no shade. The tops are mowed. No trees grow here.

That said, now you know to bring a hat with a wide brim and carry lots of water for your levee walk.

Another good place for levee walking is Arthur R. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boynton Beach. This area is also a gateway for the Great Florida Birding Trail.

The big daddy of levee walks in Florida is the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail with the unfortunate acronym of LOST. Some 113 miles of LOST encircle Lake Okeechobee with gaps where the walker has to come down from the levee, and then get back up at a later point.

This levee is along the 35-foot high Herbert Hoover Dike. Surfaces are crushed gravel, some paved asphalt.
Once a year the Loxahatchee Chapter of the Florida Trail Association hosts the Big O Hike, a week of going around the lake. This year’s dates are Nov. 20-28, 2010.

Springtime is the perfect time for walking levees – cool, sunlit days with lots of breezes and no bugs or humidity. See you on the levee.

©2010 Lucy Beebe Tobias, all rights reserved