It's a safe bet that Florida's the only place where can you stroll through tropical gardens with Southern belles, look down the throat of a 13-foot alligator, stare up at a life-sized Tyrannosaurus rex and walk the streets of Jerusalem all in the same day. It's this kind of quirkiness and wonders, natural and manmade, that gives Florida's older theme parks an unrivaled character.

These original Florida tourist attractions focused on what came natural - the state's abundance of sparkling fresh and salt water, unique wildlife and tropical climate - and added a little dazzle to make them seem unnatural.

Time may have glossed them with nostalgia, but in my revelry of all that's vintage, I found the parks from Pensacola to Key West to be more than roadside kitsch. They're a blast. Also, their small size gives them a folksy personal touch that makes you feel like you're the guest of honor.


Ripley's Believe It or Not!

 The wackiest of Florida kitsch can be found in the nation's oldest city, St. Augustine. Believe it or not, it is here that Robert Ripley chose to display his eclectic oddities in what would spawn the freakiest museum chain in America - Ripley's Believe It Or Not!

After traveling the world collecting oddities such as a shrunken head and a stuffed cow with two legs protruding from her back, Ripley decided the Moorish Revival residence Castle Warden with its battlements, massive chimneys and rose windows was the ideal place to display his wacky collection.

My husband James and I find the home almost as interesting as its contents, although not as shocking or hilarious. The tramp chair, little more than an iron cage, evokes terror. According to the museum's description, Britons of old would put a homeless person in the metal chair and drag him through the streets. My favorite is a replica of the Tower of London made of matchsticks.

More of Ripley's weird collection can be seen at the Ripley museums in Orlando and Key West.


Silver Springs

 It's no coincidence that some of Florida's oldest theme parks lie in the center of the state, as this was once the primary route to Southern Florida from the north. Before Interstates, most visitors drove down Highway 27, which stretches from Georgia to Miami. But there was one attraction northeast of Ocala that pulled them slightly off the beaten path.

When I reach Silver Springs theme park, I find the water a blue hue unlike any natural color I've seen. I would think it had been dyed if not for the expansiveness of it. Its sheerness gives me the feeling of looking down into a giant fish bowl. The 100-year-old park and its waters are truly one of America's great natural wonders.

Although the park has added zoo animals, a water slide park, rides and a light show, the glass-bottom boats remain the premier attraction. The boats have been upgraded since the park originally opened, but the vessels still have an old-fashioned feel, friendly captains and a clear view of the deep lagoon's bottom and all the fish and crustaceans that swim in between.

The boat captain tells us that the seven large springs release 550 million gallons of water a day. He points to the mouth of one of the largest springs, and says no one, not even divers, has ever seen the bottom of the hole.

It's chilling to see a natural wonder that remains a mystery, but not as chilling as the water. The springs stay 72 degrees Fahrenheit year 'round.

Back on land, the park's museum is almost as captivating as the blue waters. Filmmakers discovered the springs as an ideal underwater movie set. Photos from early Tarzan movies to James Bond films fill the room. I am surprised by the number of celebrities who have visited these waters. But then again, how can anyone miss them?

Spring-fed waters are also home to other old Florida theme parks. Manatees are the attraction at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. It is one of the few places to see manatees year 'round. Plus, an underwater observatory allows you to get within inches of the sea cows without getting wet. About 20 miles south of Homosassa Springs on U.S. Hwy. 19, Weeki Wachee Springs has Florida's only "live mermaid" show. These mythological maidens, half fish, half woman, perform shows daily.


Cypress Gardens Adventure Park

Cypress Gardens first entered my life in the form of a pair of Dick Pope water-skis that my siblings and I wore out hot dogging on the Tennessee River. As I wander into the recently revamped Florida theme park, I am pleased to discover that the revived Winter Garden Park still offers the inspiration for my childhood stunts.
Many of the rides are highly embellished versions of rides you might see at the state fair - scrambler, Ferris wheel, Tilt-O-Whirl, bumper cars.

Since the park had been closed for more than a year and had changed owners, I was leery of changes to the park famous for it's lush gardens, trick skiers and hoop-skirt maidens. But as I checked out the park's new thrill ride additions, I was soon put at ease.

I am surprised to find so many rides, more than three dozen in all, comfortably compact, away from the waterfront, topiary garden and winding pathways. Many of the rides are highly embellished versions of rides you might see at the state fair - scrambler, Ferris wheel, Tilt-O-Whirl, bumper cars. But there are also five roller coasters and a doozie of a water ride (more on that later).

The Triple Hurricane, appropriately named after three hurricanes delayed the park's re-opening, is an old-fashioned wood-framed coaster. I can hear the tat-tat-tat of the coaster's wheels moving up along the rails and feel light as the car races toward the ground. Eat your heart out Magic Mountain lovers; I only wait in line five minutes to ride.

It is the Storm Surge ride that rocks my boat. I assume the danger of this rubber-raft water ride is getting drenched. I don't expect the constant spins of the raft as it plunges down and around a big slide. Not wet, but dizzy, I stagger off for a tamer ride - the Ferris wheel. I board a round carriage with a friendly retired couple from Minnesota.

High up I can see the waterside amphitheater where people are beginning to gather, the winding pathways through the lush gardens and even a swish of bright red, yellow and blue as hoop-skirted Southern Belles scurry to their dressing room. (Which, by the way, was my second childhood fantasy to being a Cypress Gardens trick skier).

One of my fellow passengers punctures my daydream and calls me a wimp for refusing to ride the bumper cars. The park, after all, is for children of all ages.

Back on the ground it takes me less than 10 minutes to reach the amphitheater. I hear the boat motors rumbling and see young men in wet suits and young women in bathing suits doing calisthenics on a nearby dock.

A young man starts by slalom skiing as easy as if he were walking down the street. He quickly drops his ski and goes barefoot, a feat none of my family dared attempt. But it was the female skiers who stole the show. Atop the male skiers' shoulders, the female skiers balanced and twirled in the air like ice skaters, graceful and confident despite the slippery surface moving rapidly beneath them. Ski pro Dick Pope would be proud.


Sunken Gardens

Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg shares a lot in common with Cypress Gardens. It's famous for its colorful flowers and tropical plants, and it also has changed ownership and undergone a transformation in recent years.

Some of the installations, like the King of Kings wax museum, the World's Largest Gift Shop and the hot dog stand may be gone, but the new owner, the City of St. Petersburg, renovated the park's building to its original Mediterranean-revival architecture and added an award-winning children's exploration museum.

Tropical plants and a butterfly house and garden fill space vacated by bird aviaries and alligator shows. Sunken Gardens' highlight, the 100-year-old tropical and subtropical garden, remains just as dazzling and relaxing to all who choose to stroll through it.

Although only four acres, the park seems much larger, and the air always feels cooler. That's in part because the park is about six feet below the streets outside its stone walls. Originally the property was a lake, but park founder George Turner drained it to practice his favorite hobby, gardening.

Boy, did he have a green thumb. Today more than 500 species of plants fill the garden, many of which are now the oldest of their kind in the Southeast.


Lion Country Safari

I used to daydream about assisting Marlin Perkins on "Wild Kingdom," so as I drive south toward Miami, I can't resist the temptation to experience the wilds at Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee.

America's first drive-thru cageless zoo, Lion Country Safari keeps humans in the cage of their cars as lions, giraffes, monkeys, rhinos and even elephants roam freely. I must admit that I'm a little nervous when the attendant at the entrance hands me a detailed pamphlet and tells me that the wild animals may come right up to my car (except the elephants who are separated by a moat). I become even more squeamish when he reminds me that the rhinos have the right-of-way (however, he assures me that I have nothing to worry about).

The drive-through park with 1,300 animals is divided into seven areas that mimic regions of Africa, India and South America. I enter Las Pampas, named for the grasslands of South America. No concern for my vehicle here. Tapirs, which to me look like pigs with long legs, look up at me as I pass.

As I pull into the Ruaha National Park section, I experience a moment of girly awe. Two female Impala antelopes, delicate creatures whose tan and white fur looks as soft as a teddy bear, are bathing one another with licks of the tongue. I want to herd them into my car and take them home, but there just isn't room.

It's not until I reach the Gorongosa Reserve that I see the park's namesake. A pride of lions are stretched out sleeping underneath a large tree. Only an occasional swish of a tail tells me they are alive. It's noon and hot. I find out later that they are most active in the morning and late afternoons.

In the Serengeti Plains, I find a pair of ostriches only too eager to greet me. The two towering birds stand on the side of the road looking toward my car as if they want to hitch a ride. So, I stop. One comes up to my passenger window and cocks his head to the side as he checks me out. I kick myself for not getting more batteries for my camera. But then again, it's not a sight
I can forget.

My hour-long self-guided tour ends where my trepidation began - the white rhinoceros. Much to my relief, they paid about as much attention to me as the lions did. But a smacking giraffe looked my way with mild interest. The striped zebras were too busy grazing to notice.

The Safari also has a walk-through park where you can take boat rides, see spider monkeys and pet a pygmy goat and other more docile wild animals. For an unforgettable sleep, pitch your tent in the park's campground and wake to a lion's roar.


Miami Seaquarium

 Dolphins from St. Augustine to Key West were drawing laughs before Mickey and Goofy were born. Although the older marine parks can't compete with the newer SeaWorld Orlando in size, the Miami Seaquarium, Theater of the Sea, the Key West Aquarium and Marineland (which is closed for remodeling until summer) make up for it with intimacy and character.

After all, it's pretty tough to compete with the playfulness and innocence of Flipper the dolphin and his lagoon at the 50-year-old Miami Seaquarium. The Flipper TV series was filmed here, and the park continues to be Flipper's home.

Because of this famous dolphin's nostalgic charm, my husband, James, and I make our first stop at Flipper Lagoon, where Atlantic bottlenose dolphins dance across the water to show tunes. Needless to say, part of the fun is the kitsch. But their leaps, spins, tail walks and flips are enough to draw our awe and get us a little wet. We sit in the splash zone.

Not to be missed is the Killer Whale and Dolphin Show where, miraculously, this traditionally vicious whale (hence the name) makes friends and performs with Pacific white-sided dolphins.

It takes us three hours to see the park's four shows and watch 200-pound sharks eat lunch while an animal marine specialist tells us about different shark species. We lament that we didn't make reservations to follow the path of many celebrities and swim with the dolphins in the Water and Dolphin Exploration Program (WADE). The two-hour program, which allows you to touch and hug the dolphins, is offered twice a day, Wednesday through Sunday, but reservations are a must.

While you're in the area, check out other tropical wildlife at Parrot Jungle Island and Monkey Jungle, both in Miami. Parrot Jungle is famous for it's bird shows and Monkey Jungle is a park where you can mingle with the monkeys.


Theater of the Sea

 Farther south, another marine park offers a chance to swim not only with the dolphins, but also sea lions and stingrays. Theater of the Sea in Islamorada is about half the size of the Miami Seaquarium, but offers closer experiences with marine life without going for a dolphin swim.

I am able to sign up to swim with the dolphins only three hours before it starts. However, in the meantime, I watch the dolphin show and am one of 10 chosen from the small audience to meet a dolphin up close. Satisfied with my dolphin encounter, I change my reservation to instead frolic in the shallow waters with the sea lions.

I wade into the clear waters with a small group of children and join more than a dozen friendly and whiskery sea lions. One in particular pals up with me. I call him Slick (so original), shake his fin and let him sniff my cheek.

The sea lion swim lasts about two hours including the educational pre-swim. Afterwards, I lounge on the beach and watch kids play in the waves.

Having no sea legs, I pass on the cruise and the four-hour snorkeling excursion but make plans to return for the stingray swim.


Key West Aquarium

 The Key West Aquarium may be small, but it is far from insignificant. Within footsteps of famous Mallory Square, the aquarium is Key West's oldest attraction. Built during the Depression by the Works Progress Administration, it is the world's first open-air aquarium. However, now much of the building is enclosed to allow all-weather viewing.

As I stumble in from the rain, I am grateful for this. For once I find myself entering a marine park to get dry.

The first thing I notice is the tidiness of the old, well-preserved building. Within a few steps inside I see sharks and rays in the long marine tank that runs the length of the building.

I join in on a tour as a guide points out seahorses and a giant spiny lobster. The guide moves along to identify hundreds of other colorful fish and sealife living in the numerous tanks along the walls.

My favorite part of the tour is watching the indoor sharks dine. I get to see the predators eat up close, behind the safety of glass. Even though they are smaller than Jaws, you get a sense of their table manners.

Outside it has conveniently stopped raining. The group is led through the backdoor to an enclosed ocean cove where larger sharks circle in a Pavlovian way. It's feeding time. As a shark lifts from the water to grab a piece of meat, it's clear this no place to take a dip.


Double Back

 That's a Tyrannosaurus rex peeking through the tree tops just off Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando, inviting you to stop and tour an ancient past. He's one of 150 life-size prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur World in Plant City.

Bone up on your prehistoric species as you stroll the park and read the identifying signs. You can also dig for fossils in a paleontological setting, and tour the hands-on dinosaur museum.


New Additions Old Traditions

 They're not older than Disney, but their themes go back to nearly the beginning of time. You don't have to be a religious scholar to enjoy The Holy Land experience in Orlando.

Upon entering, the park immerses you in Palestine of the New Testament era. Robed vendors sell from carts and pillars look like Jerusalem limestone. If you're hungry for something more theatrical, there are musical shows.

Pensacola's Dinosaur Adventure Land puts more physical action into its theme park. Kids can climb walls, pedal around the Dino 500 Race Track and Take a Leap of Faith via swing. The park has more than a dozen outdoor activities and a museum with 2,000- to 3,000-year-old artifacts.


Wish Upon a Star

 Peculiar things happen when you combine 2 million pounds of Florida coral and a man's abundance of free time. The Coral Castle in Homestead, built over 28 years by one, five-foot-tall, 100-pound man, still stands as a testament to determination.

Get inspiration for your home renovation by touring this mysterious house furnished with stone rocking chairs, a sun couch, coffee tables, a solar bath, a nine-ton gate, sundial and Polaris telescope.

Latvian immigrant stonemason Ed Leedskalnin moved stones as heavy as 30 tons in the cloak of night to create his castle. Celestial images abound, and Leedskalnin claimed to have used the alignment of the stars to move the mammoth stones without mechanical equipment.

The castle is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Forty-five-minute tours are offered year 'round. Well worth the time, even you don't plan on building your own monument.


Gator Sites

 No trip through Florida is complete without a 'gator sighting. Alligator shows are synonymous with Old Florida roadside fun, and thankfully, a few of the best ones still exist.

Stop at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoo-logical Park and see some of the world's oldest species in the nation's oldest city, including rare albino 'gators and Maximo, a 15'3" saltwater crocodile.

The giant 'gator head entrance alone is worth a photo stop at Gatorland in Orlando. But don't try it with Alf, a 15-foot American crocodile inside the park.

In Palmdale, the family-owned-and-operated Gatorama is vintage Florida with snake skins on the walls and some of the largest 'gators and crocodiles outside its backdoor.

View 'gators via airboat at the Everglades Alligator Farm in Homestead. An actual alligator farm on the outskirts of Everglades National Park, you can also see how the animals are raised commercially.