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All Articles by Lauren Tjaden
Beaches with the Most Bang for Your Buck
Dreaming about a beach getaway, but afraid it might break the bank? Here are five affordable – and fabulous – seaside destinations that won’t leave your wallet singing the blues.
Tags: beaches, Clearwater_Beach, New_Smyrna_Beach, Panama_City_Beach, Jensen_Beach, Marathon,
Shake It Up
Here are suggestions for – and information about – sports that are especially suited to the Sunshine State seashore.
Tags: water_sports, beaches, surfing, diving, fishing, Islamorada, Destin, Florida_Keys, Charlotte_Harbor,
Spring Break Seaside
Ready to dump your jacket and books in the nearest snowdrift and get some sand between your toes? These six, sweet Sunshine State beaches are ideal spring break escapes.
Tags: beaches, Clearwater_Beach, Daytona_Beach, Fort_Myers, Key_West, Panama_City_Beach, South_Beach,
Florida Sports Overview
The Sunshine State is a spectator-sports Mecca, boasting an abundance of football, baseball, basketball and hockey.
Tags: sports,
Weird, Wacky and Wonderful: Florida’s Oddest Annual Events
Remember to embrace the oddity, smile at the strange, and make sure not to miss out on these wild, wonderful, uniquely Florida celebrations of the weird.
Tags: events, St_Augustine, Pensacola, Orlando, Coconut_Grove, Key_Largo, Key_West, Naples,
Magic at Sunrise
“It was like being in a dream,” he said, his eyes misting. “And it turned out to be a more beautiful, peaceful dream than I could have imagined. I’ll never forget it.”
Tags: flight, Orlando, museums, Pensacola,
Serving Up Fun
When I asked the little girl if she was having a good time, she grinned. “Oh, definitely,” she said. “I don’t want to go home.” I understood completely.
Tags: sports, Longboat_Key,
Soar to New Heights at Fantasy of Flight
Want to do more than fantasize about soaring the Sunshine State’s sky? No problem.
Tags: adventure, sports, flight, Orlando,
Mountain Bike Mania
You’ll want to allow lots of time for exploring, since you can pedal more than 60 miles of trails.
Tags: biking, Ocala, trails, adventure,
Splat! A Paintball Primer
Paintball is fun. It is also most certainly an adrenaline sport, involving stealth and bravery. A good aim doesn’t hurt, either.
Tags: St_Augustine, sports, adventure,
The Whole-Hog on Bike Week
The usual attendance is about a half-million, and activities are more adult-oriented, so you may want to leave the kids at home with the babysitter for this event.
Tags: motorcycling, Daytona_Beach, festival, events, adventure,
Zookeeper for a Day at Miami MetroZoo
Our experiences included checking the eye of a red river hog, hand-feeding sweet potatoes to a rhino, warding off the advances of an amorous parrot and accepting kisses from New Guinea Singing Dog puppies.
Tags: Miami, zoos, wildlife, family,
Diving in Islamorada
Islamorada is located in the upper Keys, and benefits from its proximity to the 120 mile long reef that runs along the Florida Keys Island chain, the only North American living coral reef.
Tags: diving, water_sports, Islamorada, Florida_Keys, adventure,
Hang Gliding at Wallaby Ranch
In that first tandem flight, Chad taught me how to turn, how to slow down and how to speed up. By the time we rolled in, only 15 minutes later, my life was forever changed.
Tags: sports, Orlando, flight, adventure,
Wind, Water and Fun: Windsurfing on Merritt Island
Open year round, Calema rents kayaks and teaches sailing, but the location is perfect for its windsurfing operation. There are no ocean swells to fight, and the river isn’t tidal.
Tags: water_sports, Merritt_Island, sports, surfing,
Wakeboard to Wind Tunnel
You can jump out of a perfectly good plane when you visit Skydive City. Skyventure in Orlando presents a slightly tamer alternative with its vertical wind tunnel.
Tags: sports, racing, equestrian, water_sports, motorcycling, manatees, adventure,
Ultimate Key West Adventure
We hooked into a tandem harness and were dragged into the sky under the bright, colorful canopy of a parasail. The turquoise ocean stretched beneath us, the boat became toy-sized, and we got a glimpse of Key West from an eagle’s view.
Tags: Key_West, Florida_Keys, water_sports, snorkeling, boating, sailing, kayaking, sports, adventure, , destination,
Delve Into the Underground at the Caverns
Stalactites reached down from above, often bleeding into the stalagmites poking from the floor, forming pillars and columns painted in vivid hues.
Tags: Marianna, parks, outdoors_and_nature, tours, camping, fishing, wildlife, hiking, trails, been_there_havent_done_that,
VISIT FLORIDA Experts
Lauren's picks
Help Preserve Florida's Beaches
Beach cleanups keep trash off our beaches – trash that is not only unsightly, but ... More
Favorite Florida Beaches
Since the sheer number of stunning shores in Florida can be a bit overwhelming (unless, ... More
Saddle Up in the Sand
I’m now a part of the brushed surf of the Atlantic, a washed Nassau Sound ... More
Zipline - Forever Florida
Zipline at Forever Florida ... View