Highlands Hammock

Highlands Hammock is a state park which has a botanical garden. It also has nine hiking trails for those who enjoy hiking. If you like bicycling there is a three-mile loop drive. Do you have a horse? If so there is a horseback-riding trail here. A really good way to see the wildlife in remote areas of the park is by going on a ranger-led tram tour. You may even get to see some deer, a bear,or even a bobcat. Check out the Hammock Inn Restaurant which is located in the park. The food here is very good. They have an all you can eat fish fry on Friday nights and don't forget to order the Wild Orange Ice Cream and Pie which is also very good. This is a great place to come and go camping because of it's full-facility campground. Highlands Hammock is located at 5931 Hammock Road, Sebring, Florida 33872.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is great place to go and see all kinds of wildlife in Florida. There is an observation tower where you can view the prairie. This 21,000-acre preserve has wild horses, alligators, bison and a huge variety of different kinds of birds. There are also eight trails here for horseback riding, bicycling, and hiking. Gasoline powered boats are not allowed on Lake Wauberg but canoes and boats with electric motors are. If you would like to stay overnight, there are full-facility campsites available. Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is located at 100 Savannah Blvd. Micanopy, Florida 32667.

The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens

The Caribbean Gardens is a beautiful botanical garden which was founded in 1919. In this 52-acre tropical garden there is a zoo where you will see anything from apes to zebras. The monkey island cruise is a fun cruise to take where you can check out the rare monkeys. There are also African wild dogs and Asian deer that barks and eats meat. They also have live animal and reptile shows. The Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is located at 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road Naples, Florida 34102.

Pirate Soul Museum

The Pirate Soul Museum is a museum that has real pirate artifacts. It is also has an authentic pirate treasure chest. There is a computer which tells stories about the world's notorious pirates. In one part of the museum, you feel like you are on the deck of a pirate ship. It is very cool and fun for the little ones. Then in another area, you feel as if you are in a pirate town which is Port Royal. In another area there is an audio room. It has headphones in this dark 6 person booth and you get to hear Blackbeard threaten to slit your throat! Of course this is not really recommended for little kids to listen to because it may be too scary for them. The Pirate Soul Museum is located at 524 Front Street, Key West Florida 33040.

Collier Seminole State Park

One of the best ways to see the wildlife here at Collier Seminole Park is by hiking. The hiking trail is around 6 miles and will take you through the pine flat woods and cypress swamp. If you would like to see the salt marsh there is a self-guided tour that you can go on. For those interested in the Second Seminole War you can see artifacts for that. The collier Seminole Park is located at 20200 East Tamiami Trail Naples, Florida 34114.

Need Your Auto Fixed?

Traveling through Florida I have had my share of car accidents. Nothing major, just a few fender benders. I am glad there is a place like collision repair experts where I can take my car to and know they will be able to get my car back to pre-accident condition. With 10 years of business experience collision repair experts really cares about your safety and they never compromise the quality of their work.

National Key Deer Refuge

The National Key Deer Refuge is home to many of the key deer which are the smallest deer in the world. I know it may be hard to believe but a little newborn fawn will fit right into cupped hands. You can see the deer as they come in for a drink of water from an observation deck. The best time to see these deer are in the early morning or in the late evening. There are two hiking trails that go through the pine rocklands which are called the "Wildlife Trails". Another trail they have here is a wheelchair-accessible trail called the Fred Manillo Trail. There is a trail which is recommended that you wear long pants and sleeves called Jack Watson Nature Trail. This trail has poisonwood which has sticky sap which oozes and is worst than poison ivy. The National Key Deer Refuge is located at 28950 Watson Blvd. Big Pine Key, Florida, 33403-0510.

Sarasota Classic Car Museum

The Sarasota Classic Car Museum has vintage, classic, exotic and muscle cars on display. This is a non profit museum that has been around since 1953. With over 100 of these antique cars, it is home to the famous such as Paul McCartney's Mini Cooper and John Lennon's Mercedes Roadster. There is also the Antique Game Arcade which only costs pennies to play! Don't forget to stop by the ice-cream and sandwich shop here and get some ice cream. If you looking for a great gift to take home, the Collectibles Shop has things like antique signs, posters, motorized bicycles, jewelry, toys, clothing and games. The Sarasota Classic Car Museum is located at 550 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida. 34243.

Great Explorations

If your looking for a fun place to take the kids then take them to Great Explorations. This is a children's museum where kids get to be hands-on with the exhibits here. This is a fun way for them to learn about things such as robotics, computer animation, sound and music. There are also tree houses in the museum for kids to play in and puppet shows for them to come and watch. If your child ever wondered what it's like to be a firefighter they have an exhibit that lets them play in the firehouse. This is where they have things like a children's fire engine, fire pole and a locker with gear. Kids can also make their own cartoons at the computer animation section of the museum. There is so much for kids to do here. The admission is free for children 11 months and $9.00 for everyone else except seniors which for them is $8.00. Great Explorations is located at 1825 4th Street N. St. Petersburg, Florida 33704.

Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary

The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary takes care of birds such as egrets, pelicans, hawks, owls and other species that have been injured. What's great about this seabird sanctuary is that not only do they take very good care of the birds here but they release them back into their natural environment as soon as the birds are ready. This is probably as close as you will get to these exotic birds. It is great learning experience for everyone. The sanctuary has been around for over 36 years and donations are welcomed. The admission is free and there is a cute little gift shop that is worth checking out. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary is located at on the Gulf Coast at 18328 Gulf Blvd. Indian Shores, Florida 33785.

Pensacola Naval Air Station

Have you ever been to the Pensacola Naval Station in Pensacola, Florida? Even if your not into learning about history, this Naval Air Station Museum lets you climb in and out of the cockpits here. You can't help but admire the Blue Angel jets. The scale models of aircraft carriers are interesting to see. You will really feel as if you stepped back in time when you see this reconstructed main street from the 1940's and a jungle camp. Its all very cool. You may be able to see planes taking off from the nearby runway. Be sure to check ahead of time to see if the Blue Angles are practicing so you won't miss it. The Pensacola Naval Air Station is located at 190 Radford Blvd. Pensacola, Florida 32508.

St. Sebastian River

St. Sebastian River is this beautiful preserve that has open grassy forests of longleaf pine. You will find a lot of wildlife and more than 70 protected species. You can go canoeing and boating at the nearby Donald MacDonald Park or Dale Wimbrow Park or the Indian River County canoe launch. Some great ways to explore here is by bicycle,on foot or even horseback. There are 60 miles of trails here so be sure to bring along some water and sunscreen. With different types of birds here, you will have lots of photo opportunities. One of the best times of the year to go here is in the fall. This way you may see deer and turkeys in the early morning hours. If you like camping there are five primitive tent camp sites on the preserve. St. Sebastian River is located at 1000 Buffer Preserve Drive, Fellsmere, Florida 32948.

Rogers' Christmas House Village

Rogers' Christmas House Village is a great place to come and visit. It has five houses that are turn of the 20th century with gardens. As soon as you walk into the main house, you can't help but notice the two 9 foot tall white Christmas trees. They are really spectacular to see. Each house you enter has something different to see. One of the houses called the Cottage has a couple of decorated tropical palm trees. I really enjoyed the Magnolia House because I like to cook and it has lots of kitchen gadgets and cookbooks. I always end up buying something in that part of the house. You can also buy Christmas trees, ornaments and gifts in their gift shop. Rogers' Christmas House is located at 103 S. Saxton Ave. Brooksville, Florida 34601.

Olustee Battlefield

Olustee Battlefield is the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle. This state park has a visitor center with historical information and artifacts. On February 20, 1864 is when this civil war took place. In a pine forest near Olustee is where more than 10,000 cavalry, infantry and artillery troops fought a five-hour battle. If you like reenactments, there is one held every February and there is a Civil War Expo which takes place in the late summer. Olustee Battlefield is located at U.S 90, Olustee, Florida.

Little Talbot Island

Little Talbot Island has more than five miles of white sandy, beautiful beaches. It also has salt marshes, desert-like dunes, forests which are all on the western side of the island. You may even get to see bobcats, river otters and marsh rabbits, and of course, native and migrating birds as well. If you enjoy fishing, you may be lucky enough to catch some flounder, blue fish, striped bass or other types of fish. This park is also a good spot for camping. Little Talbot Island is located at 12157 Heckscher Drive, Jacksonville, Florida 32226.

Dinosaur World

Have you been looking for the world's largest dinosaur attraction? Now you can take a step back in time and visit life-size creatures. There are around 150 of these model dinosaurs here. You will see all different kinds of dinosaurs around almost every corner! Another great attraction here is the fossil digs which is a favorite among kids. This is a fun adventure for the whole family. You can have a picnic here and stay for the day. Don't forget to stop at the gift shop where you can buy unique souvenirs. Dinosaur World is located at 5145 Harvey Tew Rd. Plant City, Florida.

Feeling Healthy and Looking Good!

I am outdoors a lot when I visit other sites in Florida. I notice my skin does dry out and I need something to keep my skin feeling smooth. That is why I am glad of a product called Ocean Actives Topical Deep Water Squalane by Dr Lark. This product reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also smoothes and softens the texture of your skin. I also like that this product hydrates and soothes dry, rough skin. All of Dr. Lark's Squalane Products are reasonably priced. You won't have to worry about breaking the bank! With automatic order plans, ordering products is very easy to do.

Pine Island

Pine Island is one of my favorite Florida spots to go. It has a very nice beach where you can kick back and relax, watch the occasional pod of dolphins swim by or even cast a fishing line in to test your fishing skills. If the sun gets too hot go for a swim along the nice beach area. Pine Island also has a cafe where you can get anything from sandwiches, hot food, ice cream as well as hot and cold drinks. There are also vending machines by the cafe for after-hours needs. If the kids don't want to go swimming anymore, not to worry, there is a playground area for them. For those who like to bbq, they have covered and non-covered picnic benches with available permanent grills. For me, the best part about Pine Island are the spectacular sunsets right off the Gulf of Mexico. If your looking for a great restaurant, Bayport Inn is a seafood and steak restaurant. It is located at 4385 Courtez Blvd in Spring Hill, about half a mile from Pine Island. It has indoor and outdoor dining. I like to sit outside on the patio and enjoy the view of the gulf when the sun is setting. I do recommend their grouper basket. They also have a prime rib special on Thursday nights. Pine Island is located in Hernando County, at 10800 Pine Island Drive (off County Rd. 495 west of Weeki Wachee).