Don’t Miss Smokin’ In The Pines BBQ Festival, Perry, FL, September 20-21, 2019
The 2019 Smokin’ In The Pines BBQ Festival is just around the corner, Septermber 20-21 at Forest Capitol Park in Perry. The Park, located on US19, south of Perry, is adjacent to the Forest Capital Museum State Park. With Free Admission, and plenty of good food and entertainment, it’s time to mark your calendars NOW! …
Don’t Miss Gainesville On Your Next Visit to Natural North Florida–It’s Where Nature and Culture Meet!
While Gainesville is our region’s largest city, it’s still relatively small compared to Florida’s “mega-cities” like Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando and Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater. Gainesville’s size is largely due to its central location, its access to US Interstate 75 and to the fact that it’s home to the University of Florida, our “flagship” university. Gainesville is the …
The Suwannee River and It’s Tributaries–The Beating Heart of Natural North Florida
Florida’s mighty Suwannee River represents the heart (and arteries) of our Natural North Florida region. It flows over 200 miles from south Georgia’s Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, on the border of Dixie and Levy counties. It is fed by countless springs, each flowing from the Floridan Aquifer, as well as tributaries like …
Florida’s Big Bend Recreational Bay Scallop Harvest Underway, June 2019
Tiny bay scallops “rule” the waters of Natural North Florida’s Big Bend during the summer months. The harvest brings visitors from all over the state, as well as many internationals wishing to snorkel for these tasty treats. Snorkeling for bay scallops isn’t about filling the freezer, but it’s about having fun one the water, followed …
A Sinkhole Like No Other–Devils Millhopper Geological State Park, in Gainesville, Florida
When there’s a news story about a sinkhole in Florida, it’s mostly about one “eating” a house or a car dealership. But there are thousands more, and none at quite the scale of Devils Millhopper, just west of downtown Gainesville.. This huge, 120-foot deep, sink, no doubt opened eons ago by a cave-in of the …
Have A Ball—At Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
By many accounts (and opinions), Edward C. Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, located just 17 miles south of Tallahassee, is the largest and deepest natural spring in the world. Prehistoric humans thrived there, and for many years, modern man has taken advantage of this natural wonder. Open daily from 8AM to sundown, the park is …
Get A Head Start on Your July 4th Festivities–Celebrate at Jasper, FL on June 29th, 2019
In an effort to “upstage” the usual July 4th celebrations throughout our Natural North Florida region, the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners and the Hamilton County Parks and Recreation Department are planning their holiday celebration early, on Saturday June 29th, in Jasper. There will be a full day of fun at the Jasper Recreation Center. …
St. Marks: Where Good Things Come in Small Packages
The sun is barely up in St. Marks, Florida, as the town gently wakes to the rhythms of the day. Boaters cruise slowly toward the confluence of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers, on their way to Apalachee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Cyclists clad in crayon-bright gear pedal onto the shady, 16-mile stretch …
The Early Bird Gets To Swim Without The Crowds at Fanning Springs State Park!
Florida’s State Parks are some of the most popular in the U.S. and needless to say they can get crowded during the summer months, especially if they feature springs, like many in our Natural North Florida region. Fanning Springs State Park can be crowded for several reasons. One, it’s proximity to US19/98 just south of …
Sunsets, Seafood and Six Other Reasons to Visit Steinhatchee
It takes a little effort to reach Steinhatchee, a coastal village in Northwest Florida’s Taylor County. You’ll find it’s worth every minute of the drive along sparsely developed Highway 51 to visit this town alongside a river of the same name. As you might guess, “Steinhatchee” was derived from the Native American language: “esteen-hatchee” means …