Author: Tommy Thompson
Visit Alachua County’s State Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites
In addition to being North Central Florida’s most populated (but not overpopulated!) county, Alachua County is known for its museums, fine dining, upscale lodging–and the University of Florida. But equally important and impressive are its natural assets, especially the State Parks, preserves and historic sites. The State Parks in Alachua County range from small to …
Spend The Night and Spread Your Wings From Perry, Florida
Perry, in Florida’s Taylor County, is known as the “Forest Capitol of the World”. And rightly so, as for many years the smell of the local paper mill was the giveaway that this small city was more important than just a “wide spot in the highway”. But now, with the Foley mill is now turning …
The Best of The Best–Florida Stone Crabs
Crabs are a favorite of American diners. There are Dungeness crabs on the Pacific coast and blue crabs from Maryland to the Carolinas. But there’s no crab like Florida’s stone crab, Menippe mercenaria. Found off both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, stone crabs are not killed during the harvest of their claws. Harvesting is accomplished …
Megalodon–and More–at Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville
I recently saw “The Meg”, a terrible sci-fi movie based around the reemergence of an extinct super-sized shark and its proclivity for biting submarines. Fun, but fiction! 100 million years ago, the “Meg” did exist. It roamed the seas and feasted mainly on large mammals, like whale. Now, all that’s left of it is a …
Spend The Night and Spread Your Wings From Lake City, Florida
Lake City, Florida is more than a convenient stop for travelers to the state at the junction of I-75, I-10 and US90. It’s the county seat of Columbia County and a great place to stay a few days to explore many of Natural North Florida’s wet and wild wonders. I’m not sure exactly when it …
Rain or Shine, Cedar Key Is An All-Weather Destination…by Dawn V. Perez
This was our second trip to Cedar Key for the day and this is the second time it rained the whole time! You know what, it didn’t matter, the town is amazing rain or shine. We had the best day. Aside from being foodies, my husband and I love to shop. After an early dinner …
Highlights Of Your Paddling Adventure On Florida’s Mighty Suwannee River
Our Natural North Florida region is blessed to have the Suwannee River as its main freshwater attraction. Yes, we have no crowded beaches or amusement park, but we have Florida’s longest free flowing river. There are no dams and just a few obstructions along its path from White Springs to the Gulf of Mexico. While …
LET’S GO FISHING ON FLORIDA’S BIG BEND! LESSON #3: SPOTTED SEA TROUT
On Natural North Florida’s Big Bend, there’s no argument about the most popular and sought-after fish. Without doubt, it’s Spotted Sea Trout. In terms of sheer numbers, they outnumber all other species, with the exception of bait fish, upon which they prey. And they’re great table fare, too! Another reason Spotted Sea Trout are popular …
Park Your RV—and Enjoy The Chiefland, Florida “Neighborhood”
Located in northern Levy County, just south of the Suwannee River, is a naturally diverse county. It has springs, State Parks, and Chiefland, its largest city, offers plenty of amenities valuable to RV’ers heading to Natural North Florida. Five RV parks come to mind when thinking of staying in Chiefland. Four are close in, and …
Paddle(Board) Natural North Florida’s Rivers and Lakes
If you’re a canoeist or a kayaker, you’ll certainly like paddling a stand-up paddleboard (SUP). In the past few years, SUPs have gained in popularity due to ease of operation and ease of transport. Also, they’re relatively inexpensive to purchase and can also be rented from many outfitters, like Rum 138 Outfitters or Santa Fe …