Stetson Mansion in DeLand is Florida’s first luxury estate. Built in 1886 as a winter retreat for Philadelphia hat manufacturer John B. Stetson and his family, the house, built to last, still wears its legacy of luxury. Rooms on the…
Go Fly a Kite
Go fly a kite. Well, why not? When my boys were in grade school in Gainesville, Florida they became infected with a bout of kite fever. As a result we constructed diamond-shaped kites using the color Sunday comics from the…
Sponge Docks, Greek Food and More in Tarpon Springs
Your travel checklist for Tarpon Springs: 1. Score a parking place at the Sponge Docks. Check. 2. Take a boat ride with an old-fashioned sponge diver demonstration or a nature cruise that includes visiting Anclote Island. Check. 3. Eat way…
Beach Time & Fun Time on Anna Maria Island
I’m on Anna Maria Island at a local eatery, glad to get inside just ahead of a downpour. “Hey check this out!” said a diner who arrived after me. He slid onto a counter seat two down from me and…
Take a Walk in a Park Today
Saturday, March 30, 2019 is National Take a Walk in a Park day. Do your duty! I did mine a bit early at De Soto National Memorial Park in Bradenton – a small park on the south shore of the…
Nature Coast Botanical Gardens Seeks Visitors & Volunteers
Who knew you could fit 12 different gardens on a small 3.5-acre plot and still have room for a nursery? The Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, 1489 Parker Avenue, Spring Hill, Florida, has done just that. A wide brick path heavily…
Gainesville Labyrinths Offer Quiet Time
Gainesville labyrinths are easy to miss. Seasons here are highlighted by games. Football takes the fall focus. Soccer, basketball and lacrosse play hard in winter months. Baseball blooms in springtime. Tennis courts reverb with the sound of balls being whacked…
Appreciate Art at the Appleton & More Museums
Been a while since you visited the Appleton Museum of Art in Ocala? Pencil in a visit soon. Things have changed. There is a hushed reverence in the exhibit rooms. Walls are painted with themed colors and room displays unfold gracefully.
Bradenton Brims with History, Fun and Food
Bradenton brims with history, fun, food – a family friendly place, easy to navigate and enjoy
Have Dog, Will Travel
Jennifer A. Huber is Saturday Morning Magazine’s guest blogger for December, 2018. Welcome, Jennifer! We love how adopting a dog lead you to new adventures. Both the story and photos are by Jennifer A. Huber/ SoloTravelGirl.com A traveling pet parent…
Sarasota Celery Fields Attracts Butterflies
At the Celery Fields Marc Minno stands in the grass behind the Sarasota Audubon Nature Center. He speaks in a casual, low-keyed voice belieing the fact that Minno, a Live Oak resident, is one of Florida’s top butterfly gardening…
Explore the Wild Side of Englewood
Englewood, Florida has a wild side. I’m thinking parks and beaches and dining discoveries. What were you thinking? Moving right along – Swim, paddle, board a boat, walk, run, amble or meander, it all works in Englewood. Day of Discovery…
Lake Eola Park hosts Farmers Market
Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando becomes the place to be. Tents of all sizes line both sides of the park’s winding sidewalks for the weekly Orlando Farmers Market. Music, ethnic food,…
Babcock Ranch is Powered by the Sun
While growing up, my passions ebbed and flowed – in second grade, horses galloped across my landscape always with me riding out front. By fourth grade being a ballerina took center stage. Did you dream dreams as a kid of…
Walk or Paddle into Florida Mangroves
Mangroves. It is the Wild West out there in the roots. The blue crab raised both claws up in the air ready for a fight with me. I stood back at a respectful distance and zoomed in with my Nikon…
St. Augustine Walks & Talks History Daily
After a long hard day of tacking into the wind, where do sailors go? Often they navigate to the nearest wine bar. So too in St. Augustine after a hard day of enduring long lines for visiting the Castillo de…
Visiting Florida Butterfly Gardens Could Be Sinful
Florida Butterfly Gardens. Now is the time to visit. Why? Butterflies are solar powered. Their prime tie is when it is 80 degrees and above. Turns out April through September is perfect butterfly weather in Florida. But I have to…
Flamingos Come Home to Roost
Flamingos are flamboyant, funky and famous. Who knew they are now considered Florida natives? Hunters and poachers did in the population in the 19th century. From then on, captive flocks, a tourist attraction around the state, settled in as THE…
Andy Warhol Inspires Selby Gardens
Andy Warhol. Just saying his name conjures up pop art images like Campbell’s Soup Cans and the Marilyn Diptych with Marilyn flashing her famous come hither smile. But did you know the Pope of Pop had a love affair with…
Visit Tallahassee Florida’s Capitol City
Visit Tallahassee, Florida where the past, present and future merge together. A little known slice of history: state officials took turns traveling between two cities, every other year, in the early 1820’s. Travel then was not fun or fast. In…
Visit Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens
Welcome to Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens, a 27-acre site located on both sides of Riverside Drive in Punta Gorda, Florida. Soaring sculptures and spectacular gardens sit side by side in splendid accord. As soon as you park and…
Food and Fun in Historic Downtown Tarpon Springs
Saturday Morning Magazine welcomes Patricia Pochurek as our guest blogger for December. Patricia is a member of the Florida Outdoors Writers Association (FOWA) and a resident of Palm Harbor. She bravely went forth beyond the Greek sponge docks to find…
Winter Park Walk can be a Treasure Hunt
Like treasure hunts? Then a walk on Park Avenue in Winter Park is your kind of adventure. For starters, stepping into the Spice and Tea Exchange is an aromatic treat. Try to find your favorite spice smell – there are…
Labyrinths are Mindful Walks in Florida
Update 1/27/2019 Lucy Tobias’ book Circle the Center Labyrinths in Florida is now available. Get your copy at this link: https://gumroad.com/l/CircleTheCenter Labyrinths. What a nice surprise to find them in Florida. Egan’s Creek Park, for example, has been transformed with…
Florida State Parks are Calling Your Name
I LOVE FLORIDA STATE PARKS Yes, I do. Deeply. Passionately. Just thinking about taking my dogs for walks on dirt trails shaded by tall trees or getting my wading shoes wet climbing in and out kayaks for river trips makes…