One Day Trips
Christmas On The Square, Live Oak, Florida–Nov. 29 & 30 and Dec. 1, 2019 (Expect SNOW!)
Winters in our Natural North Florida region are never harsh or especially cold. For the most part, it’s shorts and short-sleeve weather. However, the Suwannee County Chamber of Commerce wants everyone to get in the Christmas Spirit and are again (for the 34th year!) hosting “Christmas On The Square“, Nov. 29 and 30 and Dec. …
Free* Kayak Eco Tours at Cedar Key
Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Paul King, a Florida Coastal Master Naturalist, Tom Liebert at Kayak Cedar Keys and the folks at the University of Florida’s Nature Coast Biological Station, visitors can arrange free guided kayak Eco-tours of the area around the Cedar Key archipelago. Paddlers may bring their own boats or rent from …
Hart Springs Park, Gilchrist County, Florida–New and Improved For 2018!
Florida’s State Parks are excellent, but often crowded. However, we have a number of very fine county-operated parks in Natural North Florida that are generally less crowded, with the same spring access as the bigger state parks. Hart Springs, in rural Gilchrist County, is alongside the famous Suwannee River, and has recently been renovated. The …
Steinhatchee Springs WMA—Explorers and Photographers Welcome
Florida’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are a varied collection of public and private lands, managed and overseen by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Many include tracts of private homes and leased hunting lands, but all allow some access by the public. The Steinhatchee Springs WMA is a narrow, 20,000+ acre parcel stretching …
Take A Walk On The “Wild Side”– In Gainesville’s City Limits–At Sweetwater Wetlands Park
Gainesville’s Sweetwater Wetlands Park is about more than 125 acres of protected land near the intersection of South Main Street and Williston Road. The park is not only a place to connect with nature, it’s a way to protect our environment. Featuring wetlands and ponds, the park was created to improve the water quality of …
Visit Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens Near Williston, Florida–It’s the “Pits”!
So….what do you do with a retired hundred-plus-year-old rock quarry? If you want to create a masterpiece of flora and fauna, you move tons of rock and divert lots of water and build a park for visitors to enjoy. That, in a nutshell, is the history of Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens, located just off …
2018 Watermelon Festival, Monticello, FL, June 8 & 9 and 15 & 16
Don’t miss this fun weekend in one of Natural North Florida’s most historic towns! Monticello is the county seat of Jefferson County, just east of Tallahassee on US90 and just north of I-10. The Watermelon Festival is centered on the county courthouse and stretches throughout the shop-lined streets of the downtown. Festival events include the …
Fort White–The Good Jumping-Off Spot for Ichetucknee Springs State Park!
The Ichetucknee River and springs put Fort White on the map, so to speak. Originally settled near “Fort White”, a military post built in the 19th century at the time of the Seminole Wars, this Columbia County town is truly a gateway to one of Florida’s most beautiful state parks. Ichetucknee Springs State Park stretches …
A Valuable Tool For Kayak Anglers! A Guide to Kayak Fishing Trails in the Nature Coast, From Nature Coast Biological Station in Cedar Key
What’s small enough to carry on a kayak, waterproof, and presents enough information about kayak fishing Florida’s Big Bend to keep any angler occupied for many months? It’s the new guide to Kayak Fishing Trails in the Nature Coast, compiled by William Wolfson, a summer intern at Cedar Key’s UF/IFAS Nature Coast Biological Station. There …
Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival—A Unique Experience in Natural North Florida, April 14, 2018
Sopchoppy, Florida, located on US319 in western Wakulla County, is “famous” for two things: One tasty and one not! The local swamps are home to a huge growth of Tupelo Poplar trees and the soil is loaded with large earthworms! Sopchoppy is famous for Tupelo Honey, harvested by local apiaries and one of the most …