When visiting faraway places ask yourself – what will I be unhappy about if I don’t get to see/experience it while I’m here? The same question works for being in Florida, even if you live here. What would I miss…
West Indian manatees – see them in Florida
“Mary Margaret Manatee lived in a river that ran to the sea.” Thus begins a children’s picture book for ages 4 through 10 that I’ve written. Naturally, I had to go hang out with manatees for research. Where to go?…
Garden Festivals in Florida – Rejoice!
Smell the air – fresh, invigorating with a hint of spring flowers and a touch of rain. Ah, in Florida it is the magic time of year, when new growth springs out of plants that looked dead over the winter.…
Walk Leaf-strewn Trails in a Florida Forest
My dogs like walking the Sand Hill Trail at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala. Often we’re the first ones walking the leaf-strewn path and that means our chances of seeing wildlife are pretty good. A fact of life –…
Peace River Seafood & More in Punta Gorda
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. Ah,…
Naples Street Concierge there for you
IN FOCUS – Florida Feature Story 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,…
Knott House Museum and more history
History walks and talks at the Knott House Museum on Park Avenue in downtown Tallahassee. Knott House Museum has ties to the Civil War Built in 1843 by a free black builder named George Proctor the house in 1865 served…
Fernandina Beach Sings a Beach Song
Are you fed up with summer simmer and showers? Ready to break out of the house? Well, buckle up. Have I got a super road trip just for you. Fernandina Beach, 23 miles north of Jacksonville, combines the gracefulness of…
Apalachicola is a Time Travel Trip
Time travel. It is out there somewhere – the ability to step through a door and, whoosh, go back in time. Time travel is possible in Florida. Seriously. It takes a bit of driving instead of a magic door but…
Funky Florida, Cedar Key at the End of the Road
This small Florida town calls itself a city. Pretentious? Heck, when you live at the end of the road and are a throwback to a slower time then you can be whatever you want to be. The City of Cedar…
Manatee Festivals, Oh My!
Holy guacamole! Can you believe it? Two manatee festivals take place on the same weekend this month! What were they thinking? (That would be the festival planners, not the manatees; they are just trying to stay warm). Ah, the choices…
Florida birding festivals take flight
Somewhere in a drawer or under a pile of file folders you can, with a little luck, locate your wish list of adventures in Florida you haven’t done yet. Oh, I know you have one. Yep, I’ve got one of…
DeLand Lives up to its Founder’s Dream
Here are your quiz questions for today – who wanted to build the Athens of Florida and what city is it? Tick tock. Tick tock. Time is up. Got your answer? The correct answer is: Henry DeLand, the baking soda…
Dog Friendly beaches in Florida
Dog days of summer are here. There is only one cure – grab your leash and water bowl and head for the beach! Obi, a Welsh Corgi, and I did just that, winding our way down A1A south of St.…
Loving the Levees in Florida
Levees are elevated structures built by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to impound and hold back high water. Building levees causes “unintended consequences” as they like to say in political speak. The “unintended consequences” in this case turn out to…
DeLeon Springs Boat Tour shows history’s wake
Breakfast at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant inside DeLeon Springs State Park is an event. The tables have built in griddles. Our waitress showed us the button to turn on the griddle (gee, that was the hard part, it…
Native Plants Bring Birds & Butterflies
Jeff Nurge went native eight years ago. He planted native flowers, bushes and trees in an effort to attract wildlife. You can’t really tell from the front – native trees and bushes are spaced apart. It is the sides and…
Florida Books – five fall favorites
School has started. You know what that means. In the morning, after the macaroni munchkins are gone, you may even have a few minutes to yourself. And the weather is trying to turn towards fall. Cooler days suggest that outdoor…
Turtle Walk with Grandchildren & More
When I go to book presentations and signings for “50 Great Walks in Florida” the most asked question is: “What is your favorite walk?” Each one is different. I love them all. As proof, I’d do them all again in…
Five Fun Things to Do in April
Ah, spring. Open the windows. Let in fresh air. Inhale. Find fun things to do. Makes you restless, doesn’t it? Have I got a cure for you – five fun events for April all happening in places from my book…
Rainbow Springs State Park has Azaleas
Yes, all the azaleas are blooming! That’s the good news from Rainbow Springs State Park in Dunnellon. Rejoice. Do not hesitate. Pack up the kids, the family dog and its leash. Alert your neighbors, get together and carpool or caravan.…
Liberty Bell Museum Rings True in Melbourne
The Liberty Bell Museum is pointed out by a small arrow on a city map. Hummm, I thought the Liberty Bell was in Philadelphia and I am in Melbourne, Florida. What’s up? Curiosity got the better of me. I’m glad…
Alachua County Forever Opens Sweetwater Preserve
Alachua County Forever opened its fifth property to the public on July 19, 2008, with a vine cutting at Sweetwater Preserve. Two reasons to cheer – new trails to walk plus another piece of natural Florida saved from concrete and…