By Lauren Tjaden Florida Department of Citrus Citrus is an integral part of Florida’s identity, intertwined with its history, part of its landscape, and still leaving its intoxicating mark today. In the Sunshine State, the orange is the official state fruit, orange juice is the state beverage…
Read More
What's less expensive than a trip to the zoo but just as fun and educational? A visit to an animal sanctuary! More specifically, the Shy Wolf Sanctuary. On a recent trip to Naples, my husband and I came across these words in a local magazine: "Pet a wolf." Um... yes, please! Two days later, we…
Read More
By Janet K. Keeler and Kellilynn Hann It’s just not enough to get a taste of place at a great restaurant when you’re on a Florida vacation. Yes, the grouper sandwich needs to be fresh and the cocktail ice-cold, but the view should be delicious, too. Florida restaurants with a view often mean wide…
Read More
By Gary McKechnie Long before there were super-sized theme parks, Florida attractions were based largely on the state’s exotic natural beauty, wildlife, and crystal clear springs. While not every classic attraction had staying power (Cypress Gardens, The Atomic Tunnel, and Six Gun Territory among…
Read More
By Janet K. Keeler Orlando International Premium Outlets may just have the best location of any shopping mall in the U.S.A. The complex has unmatched visibility, tucked as it is into a huge pie-shaped parcel where Interstate 4 and the Florida Turnpike meet. These are two of Florida’s busiest…
Read More
By Janet K. Keeler The best shopping complexes are something like vibrant towns and Coconut Point in Estero, near Fort Myers, is an example of that. Sure, there are plenty of businesses at which to beautify, fortify and spendify at this commercial hub, but creative thinking on the part of…
Read MoreThe fish and coral reefs that inspire the tropical palette await explorers seeking to go snorkeling near Miami at Biscayne National Park. By Susannah Nesmith After a leisurely, 30-minute boat ride in Biscayne Bay, we were out of sight of land. The captain stopped in the crystal clear waters and…
Read More
By Julie Landry Laviolette Want to try Cuban food, but don’t know what to order beyond the well-loved standard, the quintessential Cuban sandwich? Here’s the good news: Cuban chefs have lots of tasty treats up their (guayabera) sleeves. Let’s go through the basics of Cuban food. It’s as easy as…
Read Moresu·per·la·tive (suh-pur-luh-tiv) – adjective 1. Surpassing all else or others; supreme; extreme. By Terry Tomlinson As evidenced by the popularity of books on world records, extremes always fascinate people. A book on the planet’s most interesting features would surely list many locations in…
Read More
By Kevin Mims If you're headed to Rocky Bayou State Park in Niceville-- just north of Destin in Northwest Florida-- make sure to spend some time on the park's fantastic network of Florida nature trails. There are three loops: the Rocky Bayou Nature Trail, the Sand Pine Trail and the Red Cedar…
Read More
