St. Augustine has interactive history. Go ahead and drink the water! Hope springs eternal and this is after all the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine. I’m sipping water from a spring found by Spanish explorer Ponce de…
It’s a Summer to Remember in West Volusia County
With great pleasure I present West Volusia Tourism as my guest blog for June, 2021. Their motto: Old Florida. New Vibe. Let’s go soon . . . It’s a Summer to Remember in West Volusia County By David Swanberg, Marketing…
Pass-A-Grille Offers Beach Vibes & Memories
Pass-A-Grille Beach, part of St. Pete Beach in Florida, boasts the world’s shortest Main Street. Come shop till you drop in just two blocks. I saw it with my own eyes. Two blocks of chic shops and restaurants bordered by…
Birding is a Simple Pleasure Done Everywhere
Please welcome Lorrie Muldowney, this month’s guest blogger. When we go on walks she identifies the birds we see – and here in the March 2021 Saturday Morning Magazine blog she introduces you to her love of birding.Photographs of owl,…
Sanibel and Captiva Islands Have a Serene Side
Sanibel and Captiva islands. Ah, say those words with me again. Sanibel and Captiva islands. What images come to mind? Sun. Sand. Shells. Got it. The unwritten rules of travel writing require me to put sun, sand and shells high…
Shark’s Teeth and Serendipity
Sharks teeth and serendipity go together. Pick a Florida beach, any beach and show up at low tide. You are in the right place at the right time. Walk barefooted where the surf meets the sand. Adopt the shark’s teeth…
St. Pete Pier is an Awesome New Experience
The St. Pete Pier is all new and absolutely amazing. Twenty-six acres in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, called the Pier District, transformed seamlessly into A park experience, A playground experience, A garden experience, A dining experience, A beach experience, A…
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory Beckons
I’m just inside the door at the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory at 1316 Duval Street, Key West, my feet rooted to walkway, looking around at astounding beauty – plants, trays of cut up fruit for butterflies, birds singing,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Grab flip flops, Let’s Go Visit Hollywood, Florida
Let’s go to Hollywood. No, not that one in California, instead grab your flip-flops and let’s go to Hollywood, Florida. The city of Hollywood sits on the Atlantic Ocean. It is conveniently located north of Miami and south of Fort…
Florida Lighthouses Welcome Visitors
Florida Lighthouses – When it comes to climbing St. Augustine Lighthouse, remember this number – 219. It will become important to you. Getting to the top of St. Augustine Lighthouse means going up, up, up, yes, you got it, 219…
Don Pedro Island, Sombrero Beach and more beaches calling your name
This is a test: Ever heard of Don Pedro Island, Klondike Beach or Sombrero Beach ? Hands up for Yes. My hands are down. All new to me! Florida native David McRee, aka The Beach Hunter, is our guest blogger…
Florida Beaches – Here are Five You Never Heard Of
Florida beaches – everyone’s favorite thing, right? This month’s Saturday Morning Magazine features a guest blogger – David B McRee, AKA as the “Beach Hunter”. David knows his beaches and he’s written this story about five you never heard of. …
Florida Coloring Books Are Yours for Free
‘Tis the season for free Florida coloring books and free Florida parks. Put them together with children on school break looking for things to do and – oh my, road trips coming up! Combine seeing the real thing with these…
Florida’s Outdoor Coolest Spots for Summer
What would outdoor Florida be without wading along the shoreline, swimming, tubing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, boating and fishing? Definitely a sorry place indeed – I honestly wonder how many of us would stick around without all these wonderful wet places we take…
Art and Food Go Together in Puerto Vallarta
The smell of salt air hits our senses like a savory spice. We are at the edge of downtown Puerto Vallarta. Does the name sound familiar? This is the small fishing and pearl-diving village that became famous due to a…
Mount Up – Horseback Riding in Florida
In his seminal book A Land Remembered published in 1984 author Patrick Smith traced three generations of a family homesteading in Florida. Life was tough. Mosquitoes were relentless in their pursuit of human blood and bad guys burned down their…
Key Largo has Conch Fritters Calling Your Name
Sitting outside on the patio we all sigh with relief. After a long car ride we’re in the Keys at the Key Largo Conch House, Mile Marker 100.2 Oceanside in the Upper Keys. Something profound happens when the mainland recedes.…
Discover Sea Grass Jungles in Florida
Florida shorelines are underwater jungles teaming with young fish and marine live finding food and shelter in mangrove roots and sea grasses. Their predators come and go with the tides. It is a world of eat and be eaten, just…
Let’s Change Gears and Volunteer
Sunrise is still sound asleep. We drive through the dark with lights on. During the day US 41 in Sarasota, also known as Tamiami Trail, will turn into a bumper-to -bumper traffic disaster. Before dawn it is empty except for…