| Plan a trip to Tallahassee |
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| January 31, 2008 |
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| Tallahassee is a college town, a Capitol town, a town full of history and highlights (www.visitflorida.com/Tallahassee). The Florida Legislature begins March 4 and adjourns May 3. Plan now for a Tallahassee visit during that time, taking in the Capitol, seeing the Legislature at work, riding up to the top floor to catch the view, then down to ground level and the fun of discovering the great town of Tallahassee.
When the Legislature starts, parking in downtown Tallahassee becomes as slim as your chances of winning the lottery. Fortunately, parking garages are available. Booking rooms in downtown may be difficult but surrounding areas including Quincy, Havana and Monticello are a good bet and Interstate 10 provides quick access to Tallahassee.
On Saturdays from March through November, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., stroll through the Saturday Market (www.downtownmarket.com), an eclectic collection of arts and crafts, homemade products and fresh produce, music and food. The Saturday Market sets up in city parks lining the Park Avenue Historic District, just a stone's throw away from the Capitol.
Long before Tallahassee became the seat of Florida government, the Apalachee Indians lived here. Missionaries arrived and started Mission San Luis. When the British invaded Florida, the Spanish burned the mission to the ground so the British could not use the buildings.
Mission San Luis is rising from the ashes. Reconstructed from drawings and archaeological diggings, you'll be impressed, as I certainly was, by the amazing, round council house, the center of Apalachee culture. (www.missionsanluis.org)
With the mild winter we're having, springtime is arriving early. One place to see spring in vibrant color is the Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park, known for its camellias and azaleas. They are at their peak in mid-March.
For a walk through Florida history and natural habitats, check out the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science (www.tallahasseemuseum.org)
Back in the heart of downtown Tallahassee, the Tallahassee Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.visittallahassee.com) has a Visitor's Information Center at 106 East Jefferson Street. This is the place to load up on brochures and get information on the best places to have lunch and dinner.
Personally, after a hard day of seeing the sights, I like to head for Lake Ella, just a mile from downtown. It is on Munroe Street between Sharpe and Seventh. A large circle of a lake with a wide paved path all the way around it, Lake Ella is the place to gear down, take a break, and get ready for your next adventure. Perhaps it will be dinner at Chez Pierre, a restored 1920s home on Thomasville Road. (www.visitflorida.com/articles/a-gentler-tastier-tallahassee) |
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| The Council house for the Apalachee Indians, rebuilt at Mission San Luis, Tallahassee |
| Credit: Lucy Beebe Tobias, VISIT FLORIDA Authentic Florida Expert |
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