At Wakulla Springs, Florida’s mysterious, primordial beauty has been preserved in a rustic, 1940s-era setting. The place has always been a tourist attraction, but commercialism is kept a minimum. Financier Edward Ball built a Spanish-style lodge and resort here in 1937, and it’s now operated as Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. All along, the […]
Florida Day Trips
Where to Swim with Manatees
CRYSTAL RIVER, FL — Florida’s manatees may be endangered, but they’re not difficult to find. There are several ways to see a sea cow in central Florida. Crystal River Manatee Swimming Tours About 200 manatees (about 10 percent of the total manatee population) spend the winter in Crystal River. Here you will find the largest […]
Juniper Springs Wilderness Experience
JUNIPER SPRINGS STATE PARK, FL — As the sun rises over the tall grass and scrub pines of Juniper Prairie Wilderness, lighting up the mist on Hidden Pond, the only sound is the gentle breeze in the trees and the occasional call of scrub jays or the echo of woodpeckers. Here in the nation’s southernmost […]