Off The Beaten Path
“Roads to Nowhere” and dead ends often lead to special places in Natural North Florida. Blogger Tommy Thompson writes about places that are interesting, out-of-the-ordinary, and “off the beaten path”
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 …
World Sea Turtle Day Celebration, Gainesville, FL–June 20, 2015
World Sea Turtle Day Celebration Jun 20th 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Florida Museum – 3215 Hull Road, SW 34th Street and Hull Road Gainesville, FL 32611 GET DIRECTIONS Celebrate World Sea Turtle Day with the Sea Turtle Conservancy! Children and families are invited to tour the Museum’s sea turtle exhibit with …
Down The Less-Beaten Path Through The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
There’s nothing quite like the United States’ National Wildlife Refuge system, and Natural North Florida has three of the best– St. Marks, Lower Suwannee and Cedar Key. All are interesting and worth the trip, but The St. Marks Preserve, located in Wakulla County, in the middle of the Big Bend, is especially interesting to visitors …
61st Annual Watermelon Festival, Chiefland, FL–June 6, 2015
The 61st Annual Chiefland Watermelon Festival is coming up on June 6th. There will be contests, a parade, music, entertainment for the kids, and of course watermelon! This event will be taking place at the Train Depot Park in Chiefland from 8am to 2pm The Annual Watermelon Festival is perhaps the biggest event in Chiefland …
Take a Tour and Taste a Sample at Island Grove Winery, near Gainesville
I’m a product of college in the 60’s. That means when I hear the words “local”, “southern” and “blueberry wine” in the same sentence, I think of the Boones’ Farm Apple wine and “Mad Dog 20/20” common at fraternity parties. But I’m a pretty open-minded guy and recently took the opportunity to visit Island Grove …
10th Annual Williston Ranch Rodeo, May 22 & 23, 2015
Heading towards Natural North Florida this weekend? Florida’s Levy County is “cowboy country” and the 10th annual Williston Ranch Rodeo is taking place May 22 & 23 at 8pm at Williston Horseman’s Park. There will be shopping, concessions, and kids’ events. Check out the flyer for more information on rodeo events.
Newly-Renovated and Ready for 2015 Scallop Season: “The Shacks at Sea Hag Marina” in Steinhatchee, FL.
It’s taken a couple of years, but the “Shacks” at the Sea Hag Marina have been renovated, repainted and repaired to a state rivaling almost all the other motel-type accommodations at Steinhatchee. With Florida’s recreational scallop season almost upon us (June 27 to September 24), these nice motel rooms, cabins and houses offer excellent access …
Paddle Natural North Florida’s Suwannee River Wilderness Trail: October 22 – 27, 2015
While there seems like plenty of time to sign up for this excellent paddling adventure, be advised that it’s very popular and the limit fills quickly. So….act now! And if you’d like to see an itinerary of the trip, click on https://www.naturalnorthflorida.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/suwannee_trip_itinerary_2015-599498116b4fe34b99b6584b7f03a85a.pdf More information can be found on the Paddle Florida website at: www.paddleflorida.org Here …
Visit Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Wakulla County–An Educational Jewel on Florida’s Big Bend
Any trip to Panacea, in Florida’s Wakulla County, should include a visit to the Gulf Specimen Marine Lab. Here’s some information from their website: Established in 1963, Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that provides marine life to schools and research laboratories. We also study endangered species and conduct …
New Sportody Mobile App Simplifies Finding and Planning Outdoor Activities in Florida
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (April 28, 2015) – Florida visitors and outdoor enthusiasts now have a comprehensive resource for the many trails, golf courses, boat launches, dive spots, skate parks and other sporting activities in the state. Gainesville-based startup, Sportody, released its new application to supplement Sportody.com, the online review network for outdoor sports. The free app …