Experience More

3

Fernandina Beach

£ @ n 961687 Gateway Blvd, Nassau County; www.ameliaisland.com

alt image

t Charming store-lined street in Fernandina Beach, known as the Isle of Eight Flags

The town of Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, just across the St. Marys River from Georgia, was renowned as a pirates’ den until the early 1800s, its deep-water harbor drawing a motley crew of foreign armies and adventurers. Nicknamed the Isle of Eight Flags, today Fernandina is a charming Victorian resort and Florida’s primary source of sweet Atlantic white shrimp – more than two million pounds (900,000 kg) are caught by the shrimping fleet each year.

The original Spanish settlement was established at Old Fernandina, a sleepy backwater just north of the present town. In the 1850s, the whole town moved south to the eastern terminus of Senator David Yulee’s cross-Florida railroad. The move, coupled with the dawn of Florida tourism in the 1870s, prompted the building boom that created the much-admired heart of today’s Fernandina – the 50-block Historic District.

The legacy of Fernandina’s golden age is best seen in the Silk Stocking District, which occupies more than half of the Historic District, and is so-named for the affluence of its original residents. Sea captains and timber barons built homes here in a variety of styles: Queen Anne houses decorated with fancy gingerbread detailing and turrets jostle graceful Italianate residences and fine examples of Chinese Chippendale furniture.

Watching the shrimp boats put into harbor at sunset is a local ritual. The fleet is commemorated by a monument at the foot of downtown Center Street, where chandleries and naval stores once held sway. These weathered brick buildings now house antique shops and upscale gift shops. The 1878 Palace Saloon still serves a wicked Pirate’s Punch at the long mahogany bar adorned with hand-carved caryatids.

Down on 3rd Street, the 1857 Florida House Inn is the state’s oldest tourist hotel, and a couple of blocks farther south, the Amelia Island Museum of History occupies the former jail. Guided, 90-minute tours cover the island’s turbulent past – from the time of the first American Indian inhabitants to the early 1900s. Guided tours of the town are also offered, but be sure to reserve ahead.

" '

Amelia Island Museum of History

233 S 3rd St # 10am–4pm Mon–Sat; 1–4pm Sun ameliamuseum.org

Did You Know?

The Isle of Eight Flags Shrimp Festival is held in Fernandina Beach on the first weekend of May.

4

Fort Caroline National Memorial

12713 Fort Caroline Rd, Jacksonville, Duval County # 9am–5pm daily nps.gov

The actual site of Fort Caroline was washed away when the St. Johns River was dredged in the 1880s. At Fort Caroline National Memorial, a reconstruction of the original 16th-century defenses illustrates the style of the first European forts in the New World.

In the attempt to stake a claim to North America, three small French vessels carrying 200 men, led by explorer René de Goulaine de Laudonnière, sailed up the St. Johns River in June 1564 and made camp 5 miles (8 km) inland. Local Timucua people helped them to build a triangular wooden fort, named La Caroline in honor of Charles IX of France. A year later, with the settlers close to starvation, a large fleet of reinforcements under Jean Ribault arrived. The Spanish, however, took the fort in September 1565.

5 ' =

Kingsley Plantation

11676 Palmetto Ave, Fort George, Duval County # 9am–5pm daily nps.gov

This is the oldest plantation house in Florida. Sitting at the northern end of Fort George Island, it is thought that the house was originally built by John McQueen in 1798, but it is now named for Zephaniah Kingsley, who moved here in 1814. Kingsley owned 32,000 acres (12,950 ha) of land stretching from Lake George near the Ocala National Forest north to the St. Marys River. This area used to encompass four major plantations; the Kingsley plantation itself had as many as 100 enslaved people working in its fields of cotton, sugarcane, and corn.

Visitors can join free tours of the grounds and the plantation house. The building is topped by a small rooftop parapet called a “widow’s walk,” once used to survey the surrounding fields. Nearby are the barn and separate kitchen house, but the plantation is best known for the 25 slave cabins in the woods near the entrance gate. Built of durable tabby, these basic dwellings have survived the years, and one is now restored.

The plantation and the rest of Fort George Island are part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve, as the island has evidence of pre-Colonial Timucua life, and the remains of a Spanish mission known as San Juan del Puerto.

6 "

Talbot Island State Parks

12157 Heckscher Dr, Jacksonville, Duval County # 8am–sunset daily floridastateparks.org

alt image

t Sunset over the sea at a remote beach in Talbot Island State Parks

Much of Amelia Island and the neighboring islands of Big Talbot, Little Talbot, and Fort George remain undeveloped and a natural haven for wildlife such as otters, marsh rabbits, fiddler crabs, and herons. Bobcats hide out in the woods, manatees bob about in the Intracoastal waters, and in summer turtles lay their eggs on the beach. In fall, whales travel here to calve offshore.

7

Daytona Beach

k @ n 126 E Orange Ave, Volusia County; www.daytonabeach.com

alt image

t The Boardwalk at Daytona Beach, with its roller coaster and neon-lit Ferris wheel

Extending south from Ormond Beach is brash and boisterous Daytona Beach. As many as 200,000 students descend on the resort every Spring Break, even though Daytona has tried to discourage them. Its famous 23-mile (37-km) beach is one of the few in Florida where cars are allowed on the sands – a hangover from the days when motor enthusiasts raced on the beaches.

Daytona is still a mecca for motorsports fans. The nearby speedway attracts huge crowds, especially during the Speedweek in February and the Motorcycle Weeks in March and October. Downtown Daytona, known simply as “Mainland,” lies across the Halifax River from the beach. Most of the action, though, takes place on the beach, which is lined with hotels. The Boardwalk still retains some of its arcades and carnival-style atmosphere, but the area has been regenerated and offers updated rides, including a roller coaster. The Daytona Lagoon water park and the bandstand still draw crowds. Down on the beach, jet skis, windsurf boards, buggies, and bicycles can be rented.

Across the Halifax River, in the restored downtown area, the Halifax Historical Museum occupies a 1910 bank building. Local history displays include a model of the Boardwalk in about 1938, with chicken-feather palm trees and a Ferris wheel.

West of downtown is the excellent Museum of Arts and Sciences. The Florida prehistory exhibit is dominated by the 13-ft (4-m) skeleton of a giant sloth, while Arts in America features arts from 1640 to 1920. There are also notable Cuban and African collections, and a planetarium.

Gamble Place is run by the same museum. Built in 1907 for James Gamble, of Procter & Gamble, this hunting lodge, surrounded by open porches, sits on a bluff above Spruce Creek. The furnishings are all period pieces. Tours are available by reservation through the museum, and take in the Snow White House – an exact copy of the one in Disney’s 1937 classic – built in 1938 for Gamble’s great-grandchildren.

"

Halifax Historical Museum

252 S Beach St # 10:30am–4:30pm Tue–Fri, 10am–4pm Sat halifaxhistorical.org

"

Museum of Arts and Sciences

1040 Museum Blvd # 10am–5pm Mon–Sat (from 11am Sun) moas.org

Did You Know?

Alexander Winton set the land speed racing record of 68 mph (109 km/h) at Daytona Beach in 1903.

8 " =

Marineland® Dolphin Adventure

9600 Ocean Shore Blvd, Marineland, Flagler County @ St Augustine # 8:30am–4:30pm daily marineland.net

This center began in 1938 as Marine Studios, a set location for many movies, including Tarzan, and is the home of the first trained dolphin. Now the focus is on conservation and education through the park’s Dolphin Conservation Field Station, in partnership with the Georgia Aquarium. Visitors can still meet dolphins at Marineland, and there are also eco-friendly kayak and boat tours in the stunning surrounding area.

9 "

Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

6400 N Ocean Shore Blvd, Flagler County @ St Augustine # 8am–sunset daily floridastateparks.org

alt image

t A gazebo in a luxuriant corner of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

Beneath a canopy of oaks and palms, a huge area of former plantation land has been transformed into beautiful gardens of hydrangeas, azaleas, and ferns, plus a rose garden and trails through a coastal hammock to the Matanzas River. Across the A1A, a boardwalk leads down to the lovely beach, strewn with coquina boulders and tidal pools eroded from the soft stone.

This state park is the perfect place for a relaxing stroll, an afternoon picnic, or even simply spending a day at the beach. There are also plenty of picturesque photo opportunities.

0 "

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park

3501 Old Kings Rd S, Flagler Beach, 3 miles (5 km) S of SR 100 @ Daytona Beach # 9am–5pm Thu–Mon floridastateparks.org

Somewhat off the beaten path, the ruins of this 19th-century plantation stand in a dense hammock where sugarcane once grew. The site is part of the 4,675 acres (1,890 ha) of land adjacent to a creek that Major Charles Bulow bought in 1821. Slaves cleared half this area, planting rice, cotton, and sugarcane. The plantation, known as Bulowville, was abandoned after American Indian attacks during the Seminole Wars. Today, Bulow Creek is a state canoe trail, and you can rent canoes to explore this backwater. On its banks are the foundations of the plantation house; a ten-minute stroll takes you to the ruins of the old sugar mill, which resemble the remains of some ancient South American temples.

About 10 miles (16 km) north of Bulow Plantation is historic Flagler Beach, a charming old-world town with a fishing pier, quaint museum, and ocean-front eateries serving fantastic food with splendid views.

Flagler Beach

20 Airport Rd, Suite C, Palm Coast cityofflaglerbeach.com

EXPERIENCE The Northeast

Stay

The Shores Resort & Spa

The bright and breezy rooms at this resort deliver a seaside chic that’s enhanced by four-poster beds and splendid ocean views. There’s also a full-service spa and a brilliant tiki bar to retire to in the evening.

2637 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach shoresresort.com

\


Streamline Hotel

For fans of the retro look, this three-story, mint-green Art Deco building (dating back to the 1940s) will be just the ticket. One of the oldest hotels on Daytona Beach, it underwent a major renovation in 2017. Worth it for the views from the rooftop cocktail bar alone.

140 S Atlantic Ave, Daytona Beach streamlinehotel.com

\

q " ' - =

Daytona International Speedway

1801 W International Speedway Blvd, Volusia County @ 9 # 9am–5pm daily daytonainternationalspeedway.com

Daytona’s very own “World Center of Racing,” the Daytona International Speedway, which opened in 1959, attracts thousands of race fans and visitors every year. People travel from all around the world to attend the eight major racing weekends held annually at the track – which can hold about 160,000 spectators. The Speedway plays host to NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) meets in addition to sports car, motorcycle, and even karting races.

The most famous and prestigious of the NASCAR meets held here is the Daytona 500. Also known as “The Great American Race”, this important 500-mile-long (800-km) race, which takes place annually in mid- to late February, is a must-see event for all racing fans and attracts the most visitors to the speedway.

The Coca-Cola 3-D IMAX® Theater shows NASCAR 3D: The IMAX® Experience, which gives an inside look at the world of NASCAR’s elite team and drivers.

A half-hour trolley tour around the track at Daytona International Speedway is available on days when no races are due to take place. Other worthwhile tours last between 30 minutes and three hours and take visitors to the Velocitorium, home to Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird V, the car that set a land speed record on nearby Ormond Beach in 1935. A trip around the track, along the infield and down the pit road, gives visitors an idea of what the drivers go through during a race. It is also possible to get a closer look at the $400-million renovation project completed in 2016. Speed fanatics can choose from one of the many driving experiences on offer, or even opt to be the passenger as a professional instructor reaches exhilarating speeds of up to 165 mph (266 km/h).

w " ' =

Ponce de León Inlet Lighthouse

4931 S Peninsula Dr, Volusia County # 10am–6pm daily ponceinlet.org

This imposing red brick lighthouse dates from 1887 and guards the entrance to a hazardous inlet at the tip of the Daytona peninsula. The lighthouse tapers skyward for 175 ft (53 m), its beacon is visible 19 miles (30 km) out to sea, and there are far-reaching views from the windswept observation deck. One of the former keepers’ cottages at its base has been restored to its 1890s appearance, another houses the small Museum of the Sea, and a third contains a magnificent 17-ft-(5-m-) high Fresnel lens.

alt image

t The Ponce de León Inlet Lighthouse

EXPERIENCE The Northeast

alt image

t The stairs to its observation deck

Experience The Northeast

The birthplace of speed

alt image

t Vehicles line up at the start line at Daytona International Speedway

Daytona’s love affair with the car started in 1903, when the first timed automobile runs took place on the sands at Ormond Beach, the official “Birthplace of Speed.” The speed trials were enormously popular and attracted large crowds. Speed trials continued until 1935, when Malcolm Campbell set the last world record on the beach. Stock cars began racing at Ormond Beach in 1936, and the first Daytona 200 motorcycle race took place there the following year. Development forced the racetrack to be moved in 1948, and in 1959 Daytona International Speedway opened and racing on the beach was abandoned.

Racing on the Beach

In 1902, a guest at the Ormond Hotel noticed just how easy it was to drive his car on the hard sandy beach. He organized the first speed trials, which continued for the next 32 years at Ormond Beach.

Olds’ Pirate was the first car to race on the beach that year. The first official race was held in the next year, when Olds challenged Alexander Winton and Oscar Hedstrom on a motorcycle. Winton won in his car, Bullet No 1.

Years later, the Bluebird was driven to a new world record for the measured mile by Malcolm Campbell at Ormond in 1935. Powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, the car reached speeds greater than 276 mph (444 km/h).

The “World Center of Racing”

In 1953, Bill France, who had entered the inaugural stock car race, realized that the growth of Daytona Beach would soon put an end to the beach races. He proposed the construction of Daytona International Speedway, today one of the world’s leading racetracks. The speedway hosts the 500-mile-(805-km-) long Daytona 500 motor race every February. The event is the most prestigious in the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).

Experience The Northeast

Lee Petty

alt image

In 1959, Petty won the first Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, controversially beating Johnny Beauchamp by a mere 2 ft (50 cm). The 500-mile (800-km) competition was watched by a crowd of 41,000 and involved 59 cars.

e

Sanford

£ @ n 400 E 1st St, Seminole County; www.sanfordfl.gov

alt image

t Red-brick buildings along 1st Street, in Sanford’s historic downtown

Built during the Seminole Wars, Fort Mellon was the first permanent settlement on Lake Monroe. Sanford was founded nearby in the 1870s. It became a major inland port thanks to the commercial steamboat from Jacksonville on the St. Johns River, which eventually brought Florida’s early tourists.

Restored downtown Sanford dates from the 1880s, the height of this steamboat era. Several of the old red-brick buildings (a rarity in Florida) house antique shops, and the area can easily be explored on foot in a couple of hours. Today’s visitors are more likely to arrive on the Auto Train or by SunRail than by river, but short pleasure cruises are still available.

EXPERIENCE The Northeast

Eat

Bolay

Popular health-forward spot that offers protein and veggie bowls.

2905 SW 42nd St #80, Gainesville bolay.com

\


La Cocina de Abuela

Homey decor and Colombian-style dishes such as oxtail soup.

125 NW 23rd Ave, Gainesville § (352) 204-5561 ¢ Sun & Mon

\


Beque Holic

This Korean barbecue restaurant allows you to grill your own meats.

3812 W Newberry Rd, Gaines-ville bequeholic.com

\


The Top

A typically American burger joint with vegetarian options.

30 N Main St, Gainesville thetopgainesville.com

\

r

Gainesville

~ @ n 300 E University Ave, Alachua County; www.visitgainesville.com

A lively university town, the cultural capital of north central Florida, and home of the Gators football team, Gainesville is a comfortable blend of town and gown.

In the restored downtown historic district are brick buildings that date from the 1880s to the 1920s, several of which house cafes and restaurants. The university campus is dotted with fraternity houses and two important museums.

Leave plenty of time for the first of these, the excellent Florida Museum of Natural History. The natural science collections contain more than 10 million fossil specimens, plus superb butterfly and shell collections. There are displays dedicated to the various natural environments of Florida and an anthropological journey through the state’s history up to the 19th century. The Harn Museum of Art is one of the largest and best-equipped university art museums in the country. Its excellent permanent collection of fine art and crafts includes a broad range of east Asian ceramics, African ceremonial objects, Japanese woodcuts, and European and American paintings.

Just southwest of town, the lovely Kanapaha Botanical Gardens are at the height of their beauty from June to September, although visitors in springtime are rewarded by masses of azaleas in bloom. A trail circles the large sloping site, whose beauty was first noted by the American naturalist William Bartram in the late 1800s. The paths meander beneath vine-covered arches and through bamboo groves. Other distinct areas that are worth visiting include a desert garden, a lakeside bog garden, and a colorful hummingbird garden.

=

Florida Museum of Natural History

Hull Rd at SW 34th St # 10am–5pm Mon–Sat; 1–5pm Sun flmnh.ufl.edu

' - =

Harn Museum of Art

Hull Rd (off SW 34th St) # 11am–5pm Tue–Fri, 10am–5pm Sat, 1–5pm Sun harn.ufl.edu

" =

Kanapaha Botanical Gardens

4700 SW 58th Dr (off Route 24) # 9am–5pm Fri–Wed kanapaha.org

t " ' - =

Silver Springs State Park

5656 E Silver Springs Blvd # 8am–sunset daily silversprings.com

alt image

t Sailing on a glass-bottom tour boat on the placid Silver River at Silver Springs

Glass-bottom boat trips at Silver Springs have been revealing the natural wonders of the world’s largest artesian spring since 1878. Florida’s oldest commercial tourist attraction, Silver Springs became a state park in 2013 after undergoing a $4-million makeover, which included removing exotic animals and amusement rides. The boat trips offer the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Florida outback, where the early Tarzan movies starring Johnny Weismuller were filmed.

On a quieter note, at Silver River State Park – 2 miles (3 km) southeast of Silver Springs – visitors can take a pleasant 15-minute walk along a trail through a hardwood hammock and a cypress swamp area, leading to a splendid swimming hole in a bend of the crystal-clear river.

"

Silver River State Park

1425 NE 58th Ave, Ocala # 8am–sunset daily floridaparks.com

Florida’s Bubbling Springs

Most of Florida’s 320 known springs are located in the northern half of the state. The majority are artesian springs, formed by waters forced up deep fissures from underground aquifers (rock deposits containing water). Those that gush more than 100 cu ft (3 cu m) per second are known as first-magnitude springs. Filtered through the rock, the water is extremely pure and sometimes high in salts and minerals. These properties, plus the sheer beauty of the springs, have long attracted visitors for both recreational and health purposes.

y " '

Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park

S CR 325, Cross Creek, Alachua County @ Ocala # Grounds: 9am–5pm daily; house: Oct–Jul 10am–4pm Thu–Sun floridastateparks.org

The author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings arrived in the tiny settlement of Cross Creek in 1928. Her rambling farmhouse remains largely unchanged, nestling in a well-tended citrus grove where ducks waddle up from the banks of Orange Lake.

The writer remained here during the 1930s and then visited on and off until her death in 1953. The local scenery and characters fill her autobiographical novel, Cross Creek (1942), while the big scrub country to the south inspired her famous novel The Yearling (1938), a coming-of-age story about a boy and his fawn.

Guided tours explore the Cracker-style homestead, built in the 1880s, which has been imaginatively preserved and contains Rawlings’ original furnishings: bookcases full of contemporary writings by authors such as John Steinbeck and Ernest Hemingway, a secret liquor cabinet, a typewriter, and a sunhat on the verandah. Lived-in touches like fresh flowers make it look as though the owner has just gone out for a stroll around the garden.

alt image

t The typewriter used by the author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

u "

Ocala National Forest

# 24 hours daily n 45621 State Rd 19 Altoona fs.usda.gov

alt image

t The aqua waters of Silver Glen Springs in Ocala National Forest

Between Ocala and the St. Johns River, the world’s largest sand pine forest covers 366,000 acres (148,000 ha), crisscrossed by spring-fed rivers and numerous hiking trails. It is one of the last refuges of the endangered Florida black bear and also home to deer and otters. Birds, including bald eagles, ospreys, barred owls, the non-native wild turkey, and many species of wader (which frequent the river swamp areas), can all be spotted here.

Dozens of hiking trails vary in length from boardwalks and short loop trails of just under a mile (1.4 km), to a 66-mile (106-km) stretch of the cross-state National Scenic Trail. Bass fishing is popular on the many lakes scattered through the forest, and recreation areas such as Salt Springs, Alexander Springs, and Fore Lake offer swimming holes, picnic areas, and campgrounds. The 7-mile (11-km) canoe run down Juniper Creek from the Juniper Springs Recreation Area is one of the finest in the state; reserve in advance via the Juniper Springs Recreation Area.

Birdwatching is particularly good along the Salt Springs Trail, and wood ducks congregate on Lake Dorr. Information and guides can be picked up at the main visitor center on the western edge of the forest, or at the smaller centers at Salt Springs and Lake Dorr, both on Route 19.

Juniper Springs Recreation Area

26701 State Rd 40, Astor # 8am–8pm daily recreation.gov

i

Ocala

£ @ n Chamber of Commerce, 110 E Silver Springs Blvd, Marion County; www.ocalacc.com

Surrounded by undulating pastures, Ocala is the seat of Marion County and the center of Florida’s thoroughbred horse industry. The grass in this region is enriched by a subterranean limestone aquifer, and the resulting calcium-rich grazing helps to contribute to the light, strong bones of championship horses. Florida’s equine industry has produced many champions, including five Kentucky Derby winners.

There are hundreds of thoroughbred farms and breeding centers around Ocala, many of which can be visited. Expect to see Arabians, Paso Finos, and miniature ponies on the farms; contact the Ocala Chamber of Commerce for up-to-date information regarding visits. East of Ocala, the Appleton Museum of Art was built in 1984 by the industrialist and horsebreeder Arthur I. Appleton. His collection includes pre-Columbian and European antiquities and Meissen porcelain, and is known for its strong core of 19th-century European art.

"

Appleton Museum of Art

4333 NE Silver Springs Blvd § (352) 291-4455 # 10am–5pm Tue–Sun

1,200

The number of horse farms in Ocala, the “Horse Capital of Florida.”

o

Mount Dora

n 341 N Alexander St, Lake County; www.mountdora.com

Set among the former citrus groves of Lake County, this town is one of the prettiest Victorian settlements left in the state. Its name comes from both the relatively high local elevation of 184 ft (56 m), and the small lake on which it sits. The town was originally known as Royellou, after Roy, Ella, and Louis, the children of the first postmaster.

Mount Dora’s attractive tree-lined streets are laid out on a bluff above the lakeshore. The historic tour takes in quiet neighborhoods of late 19th-century clapboard homes and the restored downtown district, with its many antique shops.

On Donnelly Street, the splendid Donnelly House, now a Masonic Hall, is a notable example of ornate Steamboat architecture. The Modernism Museum on 4th Avenue houses a collection which perfectly showcases the movement. Nearby, the small Mount Dora History Museum depicts local history in the old fire station, which later became the jail. Down on Lake Dora, fishing and watersports are available.

"

Mount Dora History Museum

450 Royellou Lane # 1–4pm Tue–Sun mountdorahistorymuseum.com

alt image

t Charming Steamboat Gothic Donnelly House, in downtown Mount Dora

p

Micanopy

n 30 E University Ave, Gainesville, Alachua County; www.micanopytown.com

alt image

t Herlong Mansion, an elegant example of Greek Revival architecture in Micanopy

Established in 1821, Florida’s second oldest permanent white settlement was a trading post on American Indian lands, originally known as Wanton. Renamed Micanopy in 1826, after a Seminole chief, this time-warp village is now as decorous as they come, and a haven for filmmakers and antique lovers. Planted with live oaks trailing Spanish moss, the main street, Cholokka Boulevard, is lined with Victorian homes and a strip of craft galleries and brick-fronted shops stuffed with bric-a-brac. Here, too, is the grandest building in Micanopy, the imposing red-brick antebellum Herlong Mansion, supported by four massive Corinthian columns. Built by a 19th-century lumber baron, today it serves as a bed and breakfast.

Micanopy’s picturesque cemetery, established in 1825, is located on a canopied street off Seminary Road, en route to I-75. Shaded by spreading live oaks and majestic cedars, and covered with velvety moss, it exudes a suitably mournful vibe.

During the 17th century one of the largest and most successful Spanish cattle ranches in Florida was located to the north of present-day Micanopy. Cattle, horses, and hogs once grazed on the lush grass of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, where a small herd of wild American bison can sometimes be seen, as well as more than 200 species of local and migratory bird.

Passing through the preserve is the pleasant 17-mile (27-km) Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail, a rail trail used by hikers, riders, and cyclists.

"

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

100 Savannah Blvd, US 441, 1 mile (1.5 km) N of Micanopy # 8am–sunset daily floridastateparks.org

alt image

Insider Tip

Antique Treasures

Micanopy is one of Florida’s best cities for antiques shopping. Cholokka Boulevard and Antique City Mall (17020 Southeast, Co. Rd 234) have the best finds.

a

Ormond Beach

@ n 110 E Granada Blvd, Ormond Beach, Volusia County; www.ormondbeach.org

Ormond Beach was one of the earliest winter resorts on Henry Flagler’s railroad. No longer standing, his fashionable Ormond Hotel boasted a star-studded guest list including Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller.

Rockefeller bought a house just across the street in 1918 after overhearing that another guest was paying less; despite his immense wealth, the millionaire chief of Standard Oil guarded his nickels and dimes closely. His winter home, The Casements, has been restored and is today a museum and cultural center, housing Rockefeller-era memorabilia, such as the great man’s high-sided wicker beach chair. There’s also a period-style room and a rather incongruous Hungarian arts and crafts display.

A short walk from The Casements, the Ormond Memorial Art Museum is set in a small but charming tropical garden. Shady paths wind around lily ponds inhabited by basking turtles. The museum hosts changing exhibitions of works by contemporary Florida artists as well as student shows.

'

The Casements

25 Riverside Dr # 8am–5pm Mon–Sat thecasements.net

"

Ormond Memorial Art Museum

78 E Granada Blvd # 10am–4pm Mon–Fri; noon–4pm Sat & Sun ormondartmuseum.org

s " - =

Blue Spring State Park

2100 W French Ave, Orange City # 8am–sunset daily floridastateparks.org

alt image

t A boardwalk in Blue Spring State Park

One of the country’s largest first-magnitude artesian springs, Blue Spring pours out around 100 million gallons (450 million liters) of water a day. The temperature of the water is at a constant 68° F (20° C), and consequently the park is a favorite winter refuge for manatees. Between the months of November and March, when the manatees escape the cooler waters of the St. Johns River, you can see hundreds of them from the park’s elevated board-walks. Snorkeling or scuba diving are available in the turquoise waters of the spring head, as is canoeing on the St. Johns. Thursby House, atop one of the park’s ancient shell mounds, was built in the late 19th century.

About 2 miles (3 km) north as the crow flies is wooded Hontoon Island State Park. Reached by a free ferry from Hontoon Landing, the island has an observation tower, camping and picnic areas, and a nature trail. Canoes can also be rented. In 1955, a wooden owl totem made by the local Timucua people was found here.

"

Hontoon Island State Park

2309 River Ridge Rd, De Land # 8am–sunset daily floridastateparks.org

alt image

t A West Indian manatee

..................Content has been hidden....................

You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.
Reset
18.206.185.68