Country In The Pines Music Festival, Perry, Fl, September 25 & 26, 2015

  This year’s Country In The Pines Music Festival  is going to be a great, two day event, with music, good eats and lots of fun.  The event will take place September 25 and 26, 2015 at the Forest Capital Park in Perry, FL.  The schedule of events is still being put together, but should …

“Meat and Three” at Bett’s Big T Restaurant in Chiefland, Florida

“Meat and Three” restaurants are a southern tradition.  In many parts of Florida, they’re dying out and being replaced by fast-food enterprises, especially in the more urbanized areas.  But if you’re traveling through (or hopefully stopping in) our 11 county Natural North Florida region, you’ll find several of these classic eateries.  A good example is …

“Early Birds” Catch The Fish–Summertime Fishing on Florida’s Big Bend

There are several reasons to get up early and go fishing on hot summer days.  One, if you’re fishing from one of our busy scalloping areas (Steinhatchee, Keaton Beach, St. Marks), you’ll beat the crowds to the water.  Another, the weather is more likely to be calm, unlike the afternoons when thunderstorms usually develop. The …

Hike, Bike and Camp at Paynes Prairie State Park’s South Side, in Alachua County, Florida

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is biologically, geologically and historically unique. The park became Florida´s first state preserve in 1971 and is now designated as a National Natural Landmark. Noted artist and naturalist William Bartram called it the great Alachua Savannah when he wrote about his visit to the prairie in 1774. The State Park …

Don’t Stand In Line–Order Your Florida Fishing License Online!

If you have a major credit card, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) offers you two ways to buy your fishing license without leaving your home. Convenience fees apply. Some licenses are not available online or over the phone (read more below). Follow this link to buy your license online. *(A $2.25 or $1.75 …

Boat Rentals at St. Marks and Steinhatchee on Florida’s Natural North Florida Gulf Coast

Not everyone has a boat (AKA a hole in the water in which to pour money!).  And not everyone needs to have a boat if they only use it a couple of times each year.  Florida’s recreational bay scallop season, running from June to September each year, is the perfect time to rent a boat …

Cool Off In Gornto Springs–A Dixie County Favorite!

There are many “plain ‘ol swimmin’ holes” left anymore.  Many have been privatized and others (for the better) have been turned into state parks.  One of my favorites is Gornto Spring, sometimes referred to as Guaranto Spring, in Dixie County, alongside the Suwannee River. Gornto Spring Park has nice restrooms, picnic facilities and a boat …

Florida Marine Fisheries Seeks Angler Input, Steinhatchee, July 20, 2015

Do you have ideas about how Florida’s marine fisheries should be managed? The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) wants to hear from you. Whether you are a seafood aficionado who wants priority placed on getting fish to the dinner plate, a recreational fisher who prefers to catch and release or a commercial fisher …

2015 Bay Scallop Reports, Steinhatchee and Keaton Beach

The second week of Florida’s 2015 recreational bay scallop season proved much more productive than the first.  There were no steady sea breezes keeping the water dirty and the travel to the scallop grounds rough.  And the mid-day low tides made it easier for kids and beginner-swimmers to search the grass for the tasty bivalves. …