florida
O’Leno State Park and Its Civilian Conservation Corps Legacy
One of Florida’s first state parks, O’Leno State Park was first developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The park is located along the banks of the scenic Santa Fe River, a tributary of the Suwannee River, and features sinkholes, hardwood hammocks, river swamps and sandhills. As the river courses through the park, …
Fishing News: Redfish daily bag limit in Big Bend to change to 1 fish per person
On May 1, 2016, the individual bag limit for redfish (red drum) will drop from 2 fish to 1 fish on Florida’s Big Bend (Pasco County to the Alabama line). The FWC’s Northwest Zone is affected, as shown on the map below: Red drum, also called redfish, channel bass, spottail, red bass or reds, are …
Day Trip Idea: Florida’s Citrus History at Gainesville’s Matheson History Museum, Through 8/26/16
Although our Natural North Florida region is no longer an important player in Florida’s citrus industry, there’s still lots of history and images to remind us how valuable “liquid gold” was to the area in past decades. As “cooler” weather crept northward, freezes killed many commercial groves, and only a few remain, mostly near lakes …
52nd Annual Cedar Key Arts Festival, April 9 & 10, 2016
2016 marks the 52nd year of the Cedar Key Arts Festival. The town of Cedar Key comes alive with fun for the entire family during the event. Expect great food, professional arts and crafts and a chance to see one of Florida’s best-kept secrets–the town of Cedar Key. Located just an hour west of …
Take A Kid Fishing–But Stop at Wilson’s Bait and Tackle in Perry, Fl First!
Have you seen that neon sign outside of Wilson’s Bait and Tackle in Perry? And do you remember that it used to move, flash, and say, “Take a BOY Fishing”? Well, times have changed, and lots of GIRLS go fishing–but Wilson’s is pretty much the same. In the world of the “www” and outdoor “megastores”, …
Ken’s BBQ–Great “Cue” at Two Locations in Lake City, FL
BBQ “joints” need to smell. Not like Lysol or Clorox, but like smoke! And at either of the Ken’s BBQ & Steaks locations in Lake City, Florida, the first thing that hits you when you walk in the door is the smell of smoke and smoked meats. Unlike bigger BBQ Restaurant chains (Ken’s has a …
When The Weather Is Cool, Our Spring Waters Are “Warmish”
The Visit Natural North Florida 12-county region has more natural first-magnitude springs than anywhere else on earth. And while they’re magnets for visitors during the warmer months, folks often overlook the fact that the water flowing from our underground aquifer is a year-round, constant 72-degrees F. Some of the bigger springs are found …
Miller’s Marina, Suwannee, to Become GATEWAY MARINA, March 2016
Things are changing at “Suwannee Town”. Most interesting is that the Miller family has sold the marina bearing their name, and it’s now known as Gateway Marina. “Gateway” is a fitting term, as the marina is the closest to the mouth of the mighty river and to the Gulf of Mexico. Plans for the …
Sheepshead Providing Great Fishing Action and Eating on Florida’s Big Bend, Spring 2016
First, they’re officially sheepShead, but many Floridians call them sheephead, with out the “S”. and what’s more, sheepshead, found all along Florida’s Gulf coast, are notorious bait stealers. During most of the year, these small-mouthed fish inhabit coastal oyster and rock bars, docks and rock jetties searching for their favorite prey—crustaceans, including small crabs, …
20th Annual Suwannee Springfest, March 17-20, 2016
While not technically/officially/yet in our Visit Natural North Florida region, the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park offers some events that draw from our 11-county region, as well as from the southeast U.S. The music begins at noon on Thursday and continues until Sunday evening. Featured artists include John Prine, Brandi Carlile and the Del …