Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for florida
St. Augustine’s Gilded Age
By Linda Tancs
Once the winter residence of Franklin W. Smith, a Boston millionaire who modeled his home after the Alhambra Palace in Spain, Villa Zorayda in St. Augustine, Florida, is a historic Gilded Age house museum. It features the priceless antique collections of both Franklin Smith and the home’s subsequeant owner, A.S. Mussallem. One of the most popular pieces on display is the “Sacred Cat Rug,” which is over 2400 years old and made from the hairs of ancient cats that roamed the Nile River. You’ll find some of the oldest furnishings in the “Prayer Room,” which was historically used as a library or office. Franklin Smith’s original office furniture dating to the 17th century (desk, curio cabinet and three-drawer chest) remain there. Audio-guided tours are offered daily in English, French and Spanish.
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Surfing Santas
By Linda Tancs
Christmas Eve in Cocoa Beach, Florida, marks Surfing Santa Day, a time to assemble both surfing and Christmas enthusiasts from around the world. Hundreds of surfers donned in Santa’s best will ride the waves in the morning before 10,000 or so onlookers. Join them on the beach at the end of Minutemen Causeway.
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The Largest Doors in the World
By Linda Tancs
The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is a massive building designed to assemble large, pre-manufactured space vehicle components. In fact, its interior space is capable of fitting over three Empire State buildings in it. The high-bay doors are the largest in the world (at 456 feet) and take about 45 minutes to completely open or close. From time to time NASA offers “up close” tours that include the VAB; check their website or call for opportunities.
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Little River History
By Linda Tancs
The Little River is one of Miami’s four original natural rivers draining into Biscayne Bay. It’s also an important historic site, being the river crossed by Henry Flagler’s original railroad as well as being home to one of the earliest indigenous settlements in Florida. Today it winds its way through 12 miles of diverse communities and represents a thriving arts and cultural hotspot.
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In Homage to Mother Nature
By Linda Tancs
An icon of Disney’s Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, the Tree of Life is a 145-foot sculpture of a baobab tree boasting over 8,000 branches of very different sizes and about 102,000 artificial leaves. Over 300 animals are carved into the tree, celebrating nature’s diversity; they come alive during a colorful light show that begins after dark. You’ll get a close-up view of the carvings by walking the pathways around the tree, where a lush landscape brims with wildlife.
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Sasquatch of the Southeast
By Linda Tancs
Often thought of as Florida’s Bigfoot, the skunk ape is rumored to live in the Everglades near Ochopee. At Shealy’s Official Skunk Ape Headquarters in Ochopee, you’ll meet self-proclaimed skunk ape expert Dave Shealy. His outpost is one of America’s top roadside attractions. You might not see the giant ape himself, but the sanctuary offers a close-up look at Florida’s fascinating wildlife, including live pythons, alligators and snapping turtles. Make a reservation for an Everglades tour.
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Sea Turtles in Juno
By Linda Tancs
Loggerhead Marinelife Center is one of Florida’s most visited nonprofit scientific destinations focused on sea turtle research, rehabilitation, education and conservation. The site offers both public and private guided tours of their patients. One of the most exciting experiences is the guided turtle walk, returning this summer, when experienced Loggerhead Marinelife Center scouts patrol their designated section of Juno Beach in the evening searching for sea turtles while visitors enjoy an informative presentation on the plight of sea turtles and engage in a variety of hands-on learning experiences. If a loggerhead sea turtle emerges and begins her egg-laying process, then the group is led down to the beach to witness this unforgettable experience. A nesting event cannot be guaranteed on any given evening, but this popular experience books up quickly.
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Creativity and Invention in Florida
By Linda Tancs
The Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in Gainesville, Florida, is named for Dr. James Robert Cade, lead inventor of the sports drink Gatorade. A prolific inventor, he was also a medical doctor, scientist, musician, writer and poet. His namesake museum (opened in 2018, some years after his death) reflects his creativity and desire to inspire inventors, entrepreneurs and visionaries. The facility’s programs include weekly events for children that introduce them to science concepts and permanent exhibits showcasing life-changing inventions like Gatorade and toilets as well as an audio tour around the rotunda highlighting inventions motivated by factors such as necessity, curiosity, imagination, iteration and serendipity.
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Florida’s Underwater Playground
By Linda Tancs
Encompassing nearly 70 nautical square miles in Key Largo, Florida, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is the first undersea park in the United States. As the name implies, the coral reef (the only living coral reef in the continental United States) is a key draw. The reef can be viewed via glass-bottom boat tour, snorkeling or scuba diving. Be sure to stop by the visitor center, which has a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. The park is named for the late John D. Pennekamp, a Miami newspaper editor whose efforts contributed to the establishment of Everglades National Park and led to the preservation of the reef system bearing his name.
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The Cape of Florida
By Linda Tancs
Cape Florida (also known as the Cape of Florida) was named by explorer Ponce de Leon during the first Spanish expedition to Florida in 1513. It’s where you’ll find Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, just minutes from downtown Miami on the tip of Key Biscayne. The centerpiece of the park is Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest structure in Greater Miami and a veritable time capsule of state history. Dating to 1825, it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, old enough to have featured in an attack by Native Americans during the Second Seminole War. Its wrap-around balcony offers some of the most stunning views of Key Biscayne, Miami Beach, the Atlantic Ocean and Stiltsville, a collection of stilt houses perched on sand flats a mile offshore.
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