Beyond The Tourist Areas
To the north of the State there are lush forests and rolling
hills. Spectacular displays of bougainvillea and azaleas in
the spring dispel the idea that Florida is just for Theme
Parks lovers only. Wherever you are it is only a short trip
from civilisation to the wilder areas. In southern areas,
although most live in reservations, you can see Seminole Indians
by the road side selling their colourful hand-made crafts.
True 'Floridians' are the Cracker farmers - the name deriving
from the cracking of corn to make grits - whose ancestors
settled in Florida in the 1800s. Exploring the interior is
the only way to see these Cracker farmers.
The Gold and Treasure Coasts
The gold and treasure coasts are more synonymous with beach
holidays. But to the North of Palm Beach you will find beautiful
unspoiled landscapes. There are coastal parks rich in bird
life that provide reminders of how Florida once looked. On
the cultural side, do not miss West Palm Beach's superb 'Norton
Museum of Art'. Also not to be missed is the exclusive town
of Palm Beach.
For fishermen in your party, head inland to Lake Okeechobee
that offers excellent fishing. If you have a penchant for
wildlife then you must go to Loxahatchee National Wildlife
Refuge. It is a 221 square mile refuge of the most northerly
part of the Everglades. The best time to visit is ideally
in winter and visit either early or late in the day to see
the migrating birds from the north that have made their temporary
homes here. On a winter's evening it's a bird watcher's paradise
– observe herons, grebe, ibis, anhingas and many other
birds. There are also two memorable trails - the Cypress Swamp
Boardwalk and the Marsh Trail.
The Northeast
Far from the glitz of Orlando and Miami and just a few miles
from busy interstate motorways you will find salty fishing
villages, overgrown plantations and many quaint country towns
that recall old-time Florida. You can also visit the historic
town of St. Augustine, which claims to be the longest inhabited
European settlement in the US. Venturing inland you will find
the wooded expanse of the Ocala National Forest - the world's
largest sand pine forest that covers 366,000 acres. With numerous
hiking trails, it is the one of the last refuges of the endangered
Florida black bear and home to other animals and birds such
as, deer, otter, bald eagles, ospreys, barred owls, a non-native
wild turkey and many wading birds. Thinning out to reveal
rolling pastures you come in to Marion County's billion-dollar
thoroughbred horse industry. Nearby there are charming country
towns and villages, such as Micanopy, that have been virtually
bypassed by the 20th century. Visit too Blue Spring State
Park - one of the US's largest first-magnitude artesian springs.
The park is a favourite winter refuge for manatees.
Northwest - The Panhandle
The Panhandle has a history and sensibility closer to that
of the deep south than to the southern part of the State -
not just historically and geographically but in climate and
in time (the western Panhandle is one hour behind the rest
of Florida). Most visitors to the Panhandle head for the beach
resorts that offer activities such as water sports, deep sea
fishing, golf and tennis. Leave the coastal resorts and foray
into the rest of the Panhandle and you will find a hilly,
pine-forested interior. Canoeing can be enjoyed on the Suwannee
and Black Water Rivers whilst near Tallahassee (the State's
capital) you will find some of Florida's prettiest countryside.
Take the Cotton Trail Tour through the area around Tallahassee
which, in the 1820s and 30s was the most important cotton-growing
region in Florida. With outlying plantations and old red clay
roads, these old roads pass through one of the last corners
of unspoiled rural Florida.
Go too to Cedar Key that lies at the foot of a chain of little
bridge-linked keys jutting out into the Gulf of Mexico. It
is a picturesque Victorian fishing village. From here you
can take a boat from the docks to an offshore island beach
in the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge or take a bird-watching
trip along the salt-marsh coast.
The Gulf Coast
Known for its fabulous beaches and warm calm waters, kick
the sand from your shoes and visit some of Florida's most
interesting cities or explore wilderness areas that have been
left virtually untouched by the vagaries of time.
Crystal River in winter is the time to go and watch the manatees
which gather in herds of up to 300 to bask in the local warm
springs. Manatees are only active in the very early morning
hours and the clear waters make them very east to spot.
Tarpon Springs is a lively town on the Anclote River and
is most famous as a centre of Greek Culture - the legacy of
immigrant fisherman at the start of the 20th century lured
there by the prolific sponge beds. Some interesting cities
to visit are St Petersburg (home of the Salvador Dali Museum),
Sarasota (known as Florida's cultural centre) Venice and Fort
Myers.
The Everglades And The Keys
The southwest of Florida is mainly made up of the world famous
Everglades - low lying wetlands of ecological importance.
In the northwest of the region is Naples and Marco Island
with their spectacular beaches and golf courses. But they
also offer easy access to the expansive scenery of Big Cypress
Swamp and Everglades National Park. Big Cypress swamp is home
to several hundred species of birds and animals, including
the endangered Florida panther. It is not a true swamp as
it features a range of habitats determined by only slight
differences in elevation. One third of the swamp is made up
of Cypress trees (hence the name). The Everglades National
Park covers over 1.5 million acres and yet still only makes
up about one-fifth of the entire Everglades area. Well worth
taking a visit and walking through some of the numerous trails
- particularly some of the less visited ones.
The area is also famous for the towns and cities that pepper
the keys, but the region has another natural wonder - the
coral reef. North America's only live coral reef system extends
200 miles along the length of the keys and is a haven for
divers. |
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