Morocco’s main port and the largest city in the Maghreb, Casablanca is a multicultural financial centre known more for its modern construction than its history. For one, the Hassan II Mosque is the largest mosque on the continent, and a technical achievement with a retractable roof on its prayer room and a high level of …
First settled in 1888, the city of Zephyrhills got its unusual name in the early 20th century. It’s what you get when you blend the area’s rolling hills with its warm zephyr breezes. Founded by Union veterans, for decades Zephyrhills was known mainly as a retirement community. But things had really gone into overdrive in …
About five miles in from the Atlantic shore, West Park is a residential city with a tiny footprint. I’m serious when I say that you could walk from one side to the other in a few minutes. In one of the most expensive metropolitan areas in the country, West Park is a relatively affordable enclave. …
On the Florida Panhandle’s Emerald Coast, this city is my idea of a dream beach destination. The shoreline on Okaloosa Island, with its sugar-white sands and twinkling clear waters, needs to be seen to be believed. On the gulf here you can choose between natural, undeveloped beaches, and all the fun of the Okaloosa Island …
In 1916, Oldsmobile founder Ransom Eli Olds bought up this land at the north end of Tampa Bay to build a planned city. Despite a huge marketing push, this was a financial disaster for Olds. His oil well never yielded any oil, and the proposed city of 100,000 had only attracted 200 people when he …
In the very northwest of Lake County, Lady Lake is a town with a population that has more than doubled since 1990. Part of that growth can be explained by The Villages. Set next door, this vast retirement community resembles a full-fledged city, and has a series of public districts that non-residents are free to …
Sitting beside the picture-perfect East Bay, Callaway is a small residential city just outside of Panama City. With a short drive you can reach the sandy shores of Panama City Beach, or downtown Panama City, with its dining, shopping and farmers’ markets. I adore St. Andrews Bay, renowned for its large pod of bottlenose dolphins …
At the head of Choctawhatchee Bay, Niceville is a city that got its cheery name in 1910. Before then, this place was called Boggy, so I reckon you can see why they made that choice. Boggy comes from the Boggy Bayou, which is a picturesque watercourse feeding into the bay. Fringed by pine flatwoods, these …
Nestled on the eastern shore of Lake Dora is a lovable little city, with a cozy downtown made for strolling. Dating back to the 1880s, Mount Dora gets its name from the plateau that it sits on, and has earned the nickname, Festival City. I’d say this is a pretty accurate monniker, as the spring …
Home to almost 20,000, this small but growing city is in a scenic part of Central Florida, defined by its lakes. In fact, almost 40% of Auburndale’s area is open water. Many of Auburndale’s lakes are framed by residential developments or RV resorts. The biggest of these is Camp Margaritaville, with an easygoing island-style atmosphere. …