All photos and text by Kelsey Walters With our recent taste of cooler weather, Floridians everywhere are flocking to the outdoors. With the promise of days ahead that won’t feel like they’re being spent on the surface of the sun, my family is gearing up for camping season and we kicked it off with a trip to a fun riverside spot for plenty of fresh Read More » Continue reading ‘Tis the (Camping) Season
Photos by Kelsey Walters Like any city or town with a long history behind it, St. Augustine is no stranger to scary ghost stories and unusual happenings. Seeing as it lays claim to the title of the oldest established city in the United States, it’s no surprise that there’s plenty of chronicles of sordid ongoings throughout the city’s cobblestone streets. In fact, on any given Read More » Continue reading A Haunting We Will Go
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters Considering Florida’s reputation as a tourist trap, you don’t often think of the state’s agricultural business when you cite the state’s popular attractions and money-makers. Sure, we obviously have our citrus industry as a cash cow, and you-pick blueberry season is increasingly popular in the spring. I bet you don’t conjure up sprawling vineyards when you imagine Floridian agriculture, Read More » Continue reading Ripe for the Picking: Spring Garden Vineyard
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters You may recall earlier this year, our family visited Wild Florida, just south of Orlando. We had an amazing time there and were thrilled when we were invited back to try out the wildlife park’s newest experience, the VIP Safari Tour. Wild Florida offers the chance to not only see native Florida wildlife, but exotic creatures as well, in Read More » Continue reading Wild Florida: A New Ride on the Wild Side
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters, photos of the Dolphin Encounter provided by Marineland Recently, Scott decided to surprise Avery and I with a fun day out. All he told us was to grab our towels and get in the car. Before we knew it, we were at Marineland, a classic beachside attraction in St. Augustine right on the border with Palm Coast. I didn’t Read More » Continue reading Dolphin Days: Marineland
Photos by Scott and Kelsey Walters Summer is here and for a lot of us, that means more time outdoors, enjoying the beach, springs and waterways while we soak up the sun. Living in a coastal community, it’s easy to forget about Florida’s other non-oceanic ecosystems and the abundance of wildlife we are surrounded with on a daily basis. The Reptile Discovery Center in DeLand Read More » Continue reading Slither into Summer: The Reptile Discovery Center
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters Living in a peninsula like Florida, we are surrounded by water and ocean life, but it’s rare that we get to see the animals beneath the waves face-to-face. The Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota combines adventure with education to provide the opportunity to meet hundreds of marine species from in and around our coastal communities. Mote Marine Read More » Continue reading Somewhere Beyond the Sea
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters When you picture a Floridian landscape, what do you think of? Perhaps sandy beaches, sprawling flatlands…maybe some wooded forests? Rolling hills and tumbling waterfalls probably didn’t come to mind, right? In Williston, just south of Gainesville, you’ll fi nd just that. Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is a gardener ’s dream project over 100 years in the making. Cedar Read More » Continue reading Chasing Waterfalls at Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
Photos by Kelsey & Scott Walters McKee Botanical Gardens – Vero Beach We’ve been very fortunate this past winter in Florida to have mild weather with just a few dips into the colder temperatures but no hard freezes. Because of this, crops and plants everywhere are thriving and even blooming a little earlier than normal. Thanks to our sunny days and comfortable temperatures, anything outside Read More » Continue reading Botanically Speaking
Photos by Kelsey Walters When the beginning of the year rolls around, you probably aren’t thinking about a trip to one of Florida’s many natural springs, of which there are over 700. The chilly water is a great way to cool off in the sweltering summer, but not exactly a winter warm up. There is, however, one group spending their winter vacation in the cool Read More » Continue reading Florida’s Winter Tourists: Manatees
