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”
Starke, Florida’s Downtown Architecture Is Anything But “Stark”!
It happened nationwide–and especially here in North Central Florida. As the Interstate Highway System became fully implemented, many highways, like US301, US90, US41 and US19, became less popular routes for travelers to and from sunny Florida. Interstates 10, 95 and 75 drew traffic away from those routes, leaving many smaller communities to suffer. However, there’s …
Island Grove Winery Fall Winery Festival, Saturday November 7, 2015, Island Grove, FL
Yes, Florida is producing some very nice wines, and while many Florida wineries have appeared over recent years, there are few as big and sophisticated as Island Grove Wine Company in Alachua County. Located just east of Gainesville, near Cross Creek, at Citra, this place produces some very tasty products. And, on Saturday, November 7, …
Fiddlefest and Cane Boil at Gainesville’s Morningside Nature Center, November 28, 2015
This event is held each year the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and combines traditions of giving thanks and fall harvest with live fiddle, banjo and string-band music, which were major influences on American entertainment for more than 150 years. Bring your holiday guests, friends and family out to Morningside’s beautiful Living History Farm to experience the …
Kayak to Atsena Otie Key—An Easy and Informative Trip at Florida’s Cedar Keys
The locals call it “Seenie Otie” but it’s official name is Atsena Otie Key, It lies just about a quarter mile south of the boat basin at Cedar Key. And it offers some interesting sights to see if you paddle across the sound. Cedar Key was once a railroad terminus and western shipping point for …
Natural North Florida Springs–Cool in Summer, Warm in Winter
Our Natural North Florida counties (Alachua, Gilchrist, Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Madison, Jefferson, Union, Lafayette and Wakulla) have the largest concentration of natural freshwater springs in the world. And, when the weather gets hot, they’re the perfect place to cool off. However, visitors and residents flock to the springs, and their contant 72-degree water temperatures, when …
Cedar Key, Florida’s Main Ship Channel—No Ships, But Great Access to Some Excellent Fishing!
In the 1880’s, steamships plied the waters between New Orleans, Havana, and Cedar Key. Yet after the hurricane of 1896 and the depletion of the cedar trees by pencil manufacturers, Cedar Key became a sleepy fishing village on Florida’s Big Bend. But in spite of the town’s loss of commerce and population, its main …
Don’t Miss Octoberfest 2015 at Alachua County’s Rogers’ Farm!
Rogers’ Farms is a culinary landmark in the Gainesville, Florida area. Known far and wide for its strawberries (in the spring) and its late summer crop of peas, Rogers also maintains a healthy stock of healthy fruits and vegetables throughout the year. But October is special! The 2015 Rogers’ Farm Fall Festival, AKA Octoberfest, is …
Gainesville Area’s “Big City” Farmers’ Markets Bustle in Fall
While mostly rural, the 11-county region we call “Natural North Florida” has one large urban area. Gainesville and Alachua County are large, that is, if you count the 75,000-plus college students at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College. Without those venerable institutions, you’d see fewer Publix Supermarkets and more roadside farmers’ markets! Not …
Join The Fun at the Wood and Swink Preservation Society “Paint Out”, October 19-24, 2015
The Wood and Swink Store and Post Office in Evinston, FL is a cultural landmark in Alachua County, Florida. Located in the southern part of the county, almost adjacent to Orange Lake, the building is considered by many to be one of the few remaining examples of “original Florida architecture”. In recent years, the building …
Where’s The Beach?—at Horseshoe Beach!
If you’re heading to Horseshoe Beach, forget about swimming and sunbathing along sandy shores. But if you’ve got fall fishing on your mind, you’re heading in the right direction. This small fishing village is located at the dead end of CR351, about 25 miles southwest of Cross City and US19/98, on a small peninsula jutting …