Best Road Trips in Florida

Who's ready for a trip? I've discovered that you don't have to go too far for some of the greatest little adventures. Before I lived in Florida, I assumed it all looked like Daytona Beach. I had no idea about the sandhills, pine flatwoods, marshes and cattle rancher history that dot the landscape in infinite diversity and culture. Five of my faves are:

1. Everglades National Park. Right there at the top of my list. Stay down at the Ivey House in Everglades City, explore Cypress Preserve and don't forget the tram ride at Shark Valley. Promise it won't disappoint. (You can catch an unforgettable airboat ride through the mangrove tunnels right beside the Ivey House, and at the National Park entrance 5 minutes away, the rangers will get you on a boat ride through the 10,000 Islands.)
   
   
2. Tarpon Springs. The Greeks knew it was special. Stop on by for an intriguing look at the sponge industry, a plethora of olive oil inspired products and Mediterranean food.



3. Gainesville. Admittedly, even while going to school there, it was underrated. Frat parties and football games aren't my thing. But there is an enormous amount of coolness around in terms of natural abundance. Kanapaha Gardens, Payne's Prairie, Devil's Millhopper (an enormous sinkhole where you can get lost in time), San Felasko Hammock, etc. Sooo many it's hard to name. The bat house on campus is a must see--nothing like tens of thousands of bats flying out in a river of insect famished delight!
   
   
4. Of course Anna Maria Island. It's 15 minutes from my house, but even if you're driving from Sarasota, it feels like you're in a different country. I hear the Harrington House is the bomb if you're looking for a quaint night at a B & B.



5. New Smyrna Beach. The fam moved to this little beach town, and it's such a great place to spend the weekend or a week. Nearby is Canaveral National Seashore, where you can enjoy a wild surf, red sand and palmettos right up to the dunes with no sight of condos or buildings anywhere in either direction. Oh yeah, it's also a nude beach. Apparently, there is no federal law against public nudity, and the seashore is federal property, baby. A little scary if you don't know what to expect, but now you're prepared. Merrit National Wildlife Refuge and Kennedy Space Center are right around the corner.

We're headed to Cedar Key for a couple of days, and I hear it's the cat's pajamas. Staying at a Cedar Key Bed and Breakfast owned house overlooking the gulf, with canoes at the water's edge and bikes in the driveway waiting to be used, we're looking forward to exploring. We always teased Ingrid, who seemed to be the official ambassador to the fishing village.

What's on your list? And more importantly, when are we headed out next? I'm game if you are.