Candid Florida

One of my family’s favorite destinations in Florida when I was growing up was Rainbow Springs State Park just north of Dunnellon. Back in the day, it was filled with flights of fantasy – cruising underwater in submarine boats to see the fish face-to-face, drifting through the treetops inside a leaf on the Forest Flite monorail, and standing at the base of an immense waterfall to feel the cool splash amid tropical vegetation.

Now a Florida State Park, it’s still a favorite getaway. Here’s a peek at what Rainbow Springs used to be like back in the 1960s, courtesy of my mom, Linda Friend. And yes, that’s me in the photos.

I’ve been chasing pirates across the Ancient City the past couple days, and I’m finding their echoes everywhere. “On Stranger Tides” at the IMAX has folks looking for the Fountain of Youth. Memorials to Ponce De Leon. And best of all, in the vibrant new St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum across from the Castillo, where you can immerse in the age of the pirates, the sights, sounds, and smells. Be there with Blackbeard. Lift a bar of gold. And peer into the faces at the Rogues Tavern, the men who brought terror to these sunny shores. Among them, Sir Francis Drake.

The posters are up. Drakes Raid is coming! June 4! Would it have been that the good people of St. Augustine had such warning before Sir Francis Drake swooped in and burned the city. Here”s your heads-up for the biggest pirate event of the summer.

The Museum:
http://www.thepiratemuseum.com/
The Raid:
http://searlesbucs.com/drakes.html

Here at the tip of Punta Rassa, Jacob Summerlin, in the 1850s and 1860s, once oversaw massive cattle drives loading into ships bound for Cuba. Inside the lobby of the Sanibel Harbour Resort, exhibits portray this period of hustle and bustle along the waterfront on San Carlos Bay. From my picture window in the resort, I can relax and watch the modern bustle of sailboats and yachts slipping by, guests climbing in and out of the pool, and herons winging from island to island. It’s a quiet slice of calm with a Sanibel view.

Sour cream and onion flavored crickets. Soda that comes with a warning that you’ll poop blue after drinking it. Stacks and stacks of exotic beers and ciders floor to ceiling. And all of it jam-packed into a historic wrapper, a general store in downtown Fort Pierce. It’s weird, wild, wonderful and whimsically unexpected. Don’t miss it! They serve deli and bakery items, but you’ll have a hard time finding it behind all the beer and candy. Good luck! Open Mon-Sat 8:30-6:00 @ 100 Avenue A, Fort Pierce.

At Bethedsa-by-the-Sea, worship is not held just in hallowed halls but in the grace of the garden. Surrounding this historic Palm Beach church are colorful plantings of unusual tropical plants like the big leafed sea grape. Behind, the lively Cluett Memorial Garden invites a stroll, where the fishes – colorful koi – will follow you until you break bread with them. Find a moment of serenity here.

Tallahassee’s newest portal to the past is also its oldest. It was a delight to return to Mission San Luis and see the ancient village from a whole new perspective, thanks to a new prominent entrance on US 90 (Tennessee Ave) and a grand two story visitors’ and education center in the style of a historic Spanish mission. The approach to the plaza is now perfectly level, affording the insight that this was once the entrance to the Messer House, a historic site in it’s own right and the former visitor center. There is now a modest entrance fee, but it’s well worth the price, especially with a new museum of artifacts in place and detailed, colorful interpretive signage throughout. Do pay a visit!