Between mangrove-lined bays and the Gulf of Mexico, Marco Island is a city on the namesake barrier island. This is the largest island of a chain known as the Ten Thousand Islands, stretching for more than 70 miles down to Cape Sable. Starting in Marco Island you can spend unforgettable days paddling in mangrove tunnels, …
Near the very geographical center of Florida, this city gives its name to a sandy ridge running along the spine of the state for 100 miles. A local high point is Iron Mountain, which is the setting for a magnificent garden attraction, open since the 1920s. Bok Tower Gardens was laid out by Frederick Law …
The seat of Okaloosa County, Crestview lies in the pine-covered sandy hills in the very heart of Florida’s panhandle. As a nexus point for long-distance transport networks, including the Florida Gulf and Atlantic Railroad, Crestview has the nickname Hub City. I’m a real fan of the downtown here, which has been given a lot of …
When I visited this residential city about ten miles west of downtown Miami it had just doubled in area. This came after annexing two square miles of unincorporated land, while the famous Dolphin Mall became a part of the city in 2010. Sweetwater is known for its sizable Nicaraguan community, earning it the nickname, Little …
A beach getaway par excellence, Destin occupies a narrow peninsula, with Choctawhatchee Bay on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other. The first thing I have to talk about when it comes to Destin is the beaches, with otherworldly sugar-white sands that look almost like snow. These are lapped by transparent waters …
Towards the north of Greater Orlando, Longwood is a mostly residential city with a growing population. For me, the historic district sums up Longwood neatly. Rather than a bustling downtown, this is a peaceful grid of streets with ornate 19th-century residences and beautiful live oaks with streams of Spanish moss. On the wooded theme, Big …
On the winding lower reaches of Pithlachascotee River, this city was developed at breakneck speed during the Florida land boom of the 1920s. That was a time of great optimism, and New Port Richey was marketed as a winter escape for Hollywood stars. Several stars, including actor Thomas Meighan spent time in the city in …
About 15 miles north of Orlando’s Central Business District, Lake Mary is one of Florida’s fastest-growing communities. The city was incorporated in 1973, and has burgeoned since 2000. Over time the cityscape has been endowed with lively mixed-use developments. I adore the leafy downtown area, and Colonial Town Park, a whole dining and entertainment district. …
Between US 1 and the Intracoastal Waterway, Lighthouse Point is a coastal community laced with residential canals. In the absence of a main street, US 1 has a long succession of shopping centers, restaurants, and entertainment attractions. What I love most about this place are the canal-side parks and restaurants, imbued with South Florida’s maritime …
This city in North Central Florida can trace its history back more than 200 years. For a long time, Lake City was known as Alligator, and its most famous resident was the Seminole chief, Alligator Warrior. Nature abounds in the immediate countryside, with state parks, and city owned nature park, and the massive Osceola National …