Candid Florida

Slow day at Falling Creek

Yes, Florida does have waterfalls! Every time I’m up near White Springs or Lake City, I make a detour to Falling Creek Falls, a little gem of a natural destination right near the I-10 and US 41 interchange. Head east on Falling Creek Road for a mile to find the park, which has two historic structures and a playground.  Falling Creek was the original settlement in the region, where folks from South Carolina came down and started a small community in the early 1800s.

A wheelchair-accessible sidewalk and boardwalk lead you less than a quarter mile through the lush floodplain forest to an overlook of the falls, which are about 15 feet high and deeply undercut by erosion.  Waterfalls in Florida are highly rain-dependent, and this one’s no exception. I’ve seen it gushing and frothing in full force, with tannic water bubbling like a root beer soda, but yesterday it was almost dry, a slender, clear cascade as transparent as glass.  It’s the easiest waterfall in Florida to get to, and the boardwalk and footpath along the creek are less than a mile to walk, so c’mon out and see one of Florida’s geologic wonders!

There is something to be said for the perfect sweet tea: so properly Southern that when it’s done right, you don’t need to think about it. It just is.

That was my tea today, when I stopped in with friends to catch the tail end of the Telford’s always-satisfying buffet in White Springs. This historic hotel dishes up a mean catfish and hush puppies, fried chicken and mac-and-cheese, but it’s the tea that weaves the best magic. Especially quenching a post-hike thirst, but when it’s so good you just can’t turn down another glass … well, that’s the way sweet tea should be.

Telford Hotel & Restaurant
16521 River St
White Springs, FL 32096
(386) 397-2000

En route back from Pensacola two weeks ago, I stopped late night at the Taco Bell just south of I-10 along US 129 at the Live Oak exit. Now I’m not a big fast food fan, but long drives after a day of hiking call for a fruitista and a taco quick so I can get back on the road again. Imagine my surprise to find this otherwise typical on the outside Taco Bell transformed into a mini-bistro with an interior bursting with Southwest colors, fresh new fabrics, fancy lighting, a variety of seating … and flat screen TVs all around like a sports bar! It was after 9 PM and the place was hopping. It reminded me of a coffeeshop. It’s the only one I’ve encountered so far in Florida that looks like this. If this is the future of Taco Bell, good for them.

Once settled in Pensacola (a month ago today or so) for the eve, I called my brother-in-law Jeff, newly residing in Pensacola,  and made plans to go out on the town. He consulted his brother, a long-time Pensacola resident, and came up with two options: a popular Irish pub or the Pensacola Fish House. It didn’t take long to decide: when on the water, fish is best!

Right along the bay downtown, the Pensacola Fish House is a hopping place, especially on a Friday night. It took a little while to get a seat, and we had to eat outdoors.  We both ordered seafood, of course, mine a spicy shrimp dish. The chef’s into Asian fusion, so there were a lot of funky tastes with the sauces and accompaniments, but it worked. I wasn’t so pleased with the Lemon Drop martini, however, as it wasn’t tart like the ones I’ve had elsewhere. And I drink so infrequently, it was a little disappointing.  But the tasty meal was well worth pushing through the swinging Friday eve crowd to ask for a seat on the deck — a bit chilly with the breeze off the water.

When I’d heard (thanks to the Pensacola News-Journal’s Twitter stream) about the fire in downtown Milton, I was very distressed. The historic downtown here is one of Florida’s finest, and the fire broke out in the heart of it, putting the Imogene Theatre at risk. This multi-story theater was also home to the local historical museum. On my drive out to Pensacola, I swung through Milton to assess the damage. The adjoining buildings were a total loss, but the Imogene was saved, thanks to the diligent efforts of the local firefighters. Milton isn’t far off I-10, and is worth the jog on your drive to or from Pensacola to visit the art galleries, antique shops, historic sites, and the riverwalk along the Blackwater River.

Ever since my first visit to Turkey Creek six years ago or so, I’ve come back several times to savor the cool breezes along the boardwalk that parallels this crystalline stream. The creek rises somewhere in the wilds of Eglin Air Force Base and flows through Niceville en route to Choctawahatchee Bay. This city park offers not just a comfortable stroll along a shady boardwalk, which many residents were enjoying the afternoon I stopped by, but you can bring your tube and float down the creek for a mile or so, or dive in off several platforms for a chilly wake-up in the swift-flowing water.  It’s right next to the airfield, so you feel like you have to duck when planes come in for a landing!