Southern Florida, a glorious coastal area lined with a host of famous cities along its eastern seaboard, is a highly popular, entertaining destination with a number of unique and affordable activities.
Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of Florida, is a popular destination for many visitors to this area. There are numerous hotels along A1A (Fort Lauderdale Boulevard) that offer the best location for easy walking access for beach and night life activities. The beaches here are perhaps the city’s true gem. Twenty three miles of pristine, sandy beaches stretch along the Atlantic seaboard, offering chaise lounges, umbrellas, volleyball sites, basketball courts and even workout areas.
Night life along Fort Lauderdale Boulevard has plenty of action and entertainment for those so inclined. Both young and old are attracted to the music, restaurants and festive atmosphere.
Sun Trolleys provide transportation around the city sites, allowing riders to embark and disembark at will.
For the money, The Jungle Queen Riverboat excursion can’t be beat. This three hour trip is humorously narrated by a crew who know the area and its extravagant residents residing in the conspicuous mansions and yachts that line the waterway. The Jungle Queen travels a distance up the New River through the heart of Fort Lauderdale, where one can truly appreciate the “Venetian” appeal of the city. Under drawbridges and past exquisitely beautiful sites lies a city most unique and fascinating.
No trip to S.E. Florida is complete without an excursion to the Everglades. Numerous outings are available, with the Alligator Farm being a top draw. Affordability makes this excursion truly enjoyable. Entry fees include all exhibits and an exhilarating airboat ride through the Everglades. Only a short distance away is Everglades National Park – well worth the jaunt for a hike or bike ride.
While here, consider finishing the day with a trip to Key West, only a two hour drive south. Plan on spending at least one night in this historic, mesmerizing small city. A stroll along the famous Duval Street will take one from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic. En route, a stop can be made at the Southernmost point in the continental U.S.
Tour Ernest Hemingway’s captivating house while here, and visit Hoover’s “Little White House” and other historic sites. Both landmarks are easily accessible on foot, only one block south of Duval Street. There will be too many sites to visit in just a day, which will leave most visitors planning another trip to this fascinating, festive area.
Many people who vacation in this area plan a day excursion to Grand Bahama. Reservations for this trip aboard a Discovery Line vessel can be made at most hotels or online. The roundtrip tickets include meals and entertainment aboard the small ship. State rooms are also available if needed.
Butterfly World is another unique, popular tourist attraction in the Fort Lauderdale area. Over ten acres are dedicated to the captivating, delicate world of butterflies, insects and exotic birds.
Naturally, there's a zoo, Jungle Island, Monkey World, Flamingo Gardens, malls, flea markets, and a host of other attractions, like Hugh Taylor Birch State Park where visitors can rent canoes, bikes or just walk paths through the dense, lush vegetation. Tourist maps clearly show these locations, most of which will require vehicular transportation to get to.
There are many interesting museums in the area, from the Bonnet House, which was artist Frederic Bartlett’s estate, located on Fort Lauderdale Boulevard, as is the Internation Swimming Hall of Fame, to the Vizcaya House located in Miami.
Golf courses, casinos and fishing excursions are readily available, so everyone will be able to find something entertaining to do in this area.
Savvy travelers looking for a family vacation with value and variety need look no further than the Northwest Florida gulf coast. Boasting 227 miles of white-sand beaches and turquoise-colored water, the region has more than enough sun, surf, water sports and fishing to create the best beach vacation.
Dozens of beach towns line the coast, each with its own unique history, atmosphere and attractions. From the 450-year old city of Pensacola, founded by Spanish explorers, to Apalachicola, home of the famous Apalachicola Bay oysters, the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast is a region just begging to be explored. Visit Destin, the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” experience new urbanism at Seaside, or find old fashioned Florida fun in Panama City Beach. There’s plenty to do.
However, a beach vacation doesn’t have to be expensive. There there are lots of free things to do or things that cost under $10 among the many tourist attractions available. Forget the pricey theme parks. Here are the top ten free things to do on the Northwest Florida gulf coast.
One of the most popular Florida attractions is the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station. This 300,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art museum is the world’s largest naval aviation museum and houses 150 vintage aircraft and over 4000 pieces of memorabilia, including uniforms, flight gear and weaponry. Throughout the summer, the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron practices at 8:30 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Panhandle Butterfly House in Navarre offers a rare glimpse of the life cycle of butterflies. This interactive educational conservation facility is open through the summer and is located in the Navarre Park on U. S. Highway 98 and offers an outdoor garden for migrating butterflies and a butterfly habitat housing local species.
The Historical District in Milton, 25 miles north of Navarre, reflects the 1825 beginnings of this old Florida trading post town. The West Florida Railroad Museum, the Milton Opera House/ Imogene Theatre and the Blackwater Heritage Trail are all great for family time explorations.
Stroll along the Destin harbor for sights, sounds and smells of the fishing industry that has long been a staple of the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village." Restaurants cook the catch of the day brought in by the fishing boats that dock here.
Also in Destin, visitors and locals enjoy free concerts every Thursday in May and June on the event lawn at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village.
Turtle watching on the Beaches of South Walton is an educational family time activity. From May through October, sea turtles nest on the beaches, laying hundreds of eggs at a time. These creatures are protected, so be sure not to disturb them or their nests and keep the beaches clear for their laborious crawl from the gulf to their nesting site.
The Frank Brown Park on U. S. Highway 98 offers more than 200 acres of recreational facilities, including a freshwater fishing pond, trails and greenways, a playground, tennis courts, shuffleboard courts, and a fenced dog play area.
The Pier Park Summer Concert Series offers free concerts in the park every Thursday during the summer months. Visitors are invited to bring beach chairs or blankets and small coolers out to the Pier Park Amphitheater. Concerts start at 7:00 pm and usually last until around 9:00 pm. Pets on a leash are permitted.
The 1997 movie “Ulee’s Gold” was filmed in the little town of Wewahitchka where the famous Tupelo Honey is made. Here visitors can learn about the method used to make this premium nectar, which involves placing bee boxes in the swampy areas of the Apalachicola River.
The Three Servicemen South Statue in Apalachicola is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. It is a one-of-a-kind detail of the original bronze sculpture made from part of the original molds and is the centerpiece of Apalachicola's Veterans Memorial Plaza.
They have been the settings for gothic novels and the focal points for stories of heroism, but in a practical sense, lighthouses have for centuries helped steer sailors home from the sea.
In the early days, light keepers kept torches or oil lanterns burning at night in the tops of stone towers so that mariners would know to stay clear of a point of land. As time passed, navigation lights became more sophisticated, using prisms and angles to project the light further out, allowing sailors to follow a series of lights to a destination.
Even today many lighthouses are still in use and are identifiable to mariners by the type and brilliance of the light as well as the shape, style, color and design of the exterior. No two lighthouses are alike. Some are tall, some are short, some have stripes, some are solid color, some are concrete and some are cast iron skeletons.
As one of the earliest areas of the state to be settled, the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast was also an active shipping area, with bustling ports in Pensacola, Port St. Joe and Apalachicola. Cotton, turpentine and other goods were shipped all over the world, and lighthouses were constructed all along the coast to light the way.
The oldest lighthouse in the region and the second oldest lighthouse in Florida is the St. Marks Lighthouse located in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The first tower was built with hollow walls in the 1820’s and was rebuilt with solid walls in 1830.
The Cape St. George Light was built in 1833 on the west side of St. George Island to mark the Apalachicola Bay. It was rebuilt in 1848 on the east side of the island, but destroyed in a hurricane in 1851. A third structure was completed in 1852, but after more than 150 years of storm battering, the structure collapsed in 2005. The current lighthouse is a reconstruction using much of the original brick
The first Pensacola Lighthouse was built in 1824, but by 1850 the light was considered too dim and the lighthouse was deemed inadequate. The current tower was first activated in 1859 and stands 150 feet tall.
The Cape San Blas Lighthouse is the fourth tower to serve the area since 1849. The current 98-foot tall white skeletal structure was built in 1885.
The Crooked River Lighthouse near Carrabelle is a 103-foot cast iron skeletal tower built in 1895.
Much of Florida history is tied to the gulf and shipping and lighthouses make great Florida attractions. All of the lighthouses can be seen and photographed at any time. Both the Pensacola Lighthouse and the St. Marks Lighthouse are active and operated by the U. S. Navy and the U. S. Coast Guard respectively.
Visitors can climb the Pensacola Lighthouse, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse and the Cape St. George Light. The Crooked River Lighthouse and the St. Marks Lighthouse are open for special events and offer picnicking facilities. Admission to climb the lighthouses is usually about $5 for adults. Both the Cape San Blas Lighthouse and the Cape St. George Light have gift shops that offer lighthouse gifts and collectibles.
St. Marks Lighthouse, 850-925-6121
Cape St. George light, 1-888-927-7744
Pensacola Lighthouse, 850-944-0179 or 850-916-7864
Cape San Blas Lighthouse, 850-229-1151
Crooked River Lighthouse, 850-697-2585
Fort Lauderdale is a Popular Destination
Fort Lauderdale, the Venice of Florida, is a popular destination for many visitors to this area. There are numerous hotels along A1A (Fort Lauderdale Boulevard) that offer the best location for easy walking access for beach and night life activities. The beaches here are perhaps the city’s true gem. Twenty three miles of pristine, sandy beaches stretch along the Atlantic seaboard, offering chaise lounges, umbrellas, volleyball sites, basketball courts and even workout areas.
Night life along Fort Lauderdale Boulevard has plenty of action and entertainment for those so inclined. Both young and old are attracted to the music, restaurants and festive atmosphere.
Sun Trolleys provide transportation around the city sites, allowing riders to embark and disembark at will.
Excursions in Southern Florida
For the money, The Jungle Queen Riverboat excursion can’t be beat. This three hour trip is humorously narrated by a crew who know the area and its extravagant residents residing in the conspicuous mansions and yachts that line the waterway. The Jungle Queen travels a distance up the New River through the heart of Fort Lauderdale, where one can truly appreciate the “Venetian” appeal of the city. Under drawbridges and past exquisitely beautiful sites lies a city most unique and fascinating.
No trip to S.E. Florida is complete without an excursion to the Everglades. Numerous outings are available, with the Alligator Farm being a top draw. Affordability makes this excursion truly enjoyable. Entry fees include all exhibits and an exhilarating airboat ride through the Everglades. Only a short distance away is Everglades National Park – well worth the jaunt for a hike or bike ride.
While here, consider finishing the day with a trip to Key West, only a two hour drive south. Plan on spending at least one night in this historic, mesmerizing small city. A stroll along the famous Duval Street will take one from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic. En route, a stop can be made at the Southernmost point in the continental U.S.
Tour Ernest Hemingway’s captivating house while here, and visit Hoover’s “Little White House” and other historic sites. Both landmarks are easily accessible on foot, only one block south of Duval Street. There will be too many sites to visit in just a day, which will leave most visitors planning another trip to this fascinating, festive area.
Many people who vacation in this area plan a day excursion to Grand Bahama. Reservations for this trip aboard a Discovery Line vessel can be made at most hotels or online. The roundtrip tickets include meals and entertainment aboard the small ship. State rooms are also available if needed.
Other Attractions in Fort Lauderdale Area
Butterfly World is another unique, popular tourist attraction in the Fort Lauderdale area. Over ten acres are dedicated to the captivating, delicate world of butterflies, insects and exotic birds.
Naturally, there's a zoo, Jungle Island, Monkey World, Flamingo Gardens, malls, flea markets, and a host of other attractions, like Hugh Taylor Birch State Park where visitors can rent canoes, bikes or just walk paths through the dense, lush vegetation. Tourist maps clearly show these locations, most of which will require vehicular transportation to get to.
There are many interesting museums in the area, from the Bonnet House, which was artist Frederic Bartlett’s estate, located on Fort Lauderdale Boulevard, as is the Internation Swimming Hall of Fame, to the Vizcaya House located in Miami.
Golf courses, casinos and fishing excursions are readily available, so everyone will be able to find something entertaining to do in this area.
Top Ten Free Things to do in Northwest Florida
Savvy travelers looking for a family vacation with value and variety need look no further than the Northwest Florida gulf coast. Boasting 227 miles of white-sand beaches and turquoise-colored water, the region has more than enough sun, surf, water sports and fishing to create the best beach vacation.
Dozens of beach towns line the coast, each with its own unique history, atmosphere and attractions. From the 450-year old city of Pensacola, founded by Spanish explorers, to Apalachicola, home of the famous Apalachicola Bay oysters, the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast is a region just begging to be explored. Visit Destin, the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village,” experience new urbanism at Seaside, or find old fashioned Florida fun in Panama City Beach. There’s plenty to do.
However, a beach vacation doesn’t have to be expensive. There there are lots of free things to do or things that cost under $10 among the many tourist attractions available. Forget the pricey theme parks. Here are the top ten free things to do on the Northwest Florida gulf coast.
Pensacola Area
One of the most popular Florida attractions is the National Naval Aviation Museum at Pensacola Naval Air Station. This 300,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art museum is the world’s largest naval aviation museum and houses 150 vintage aircraft and over 4000 pieces of memorabilia, including uniforms, flight gear and weaponry. Throughout the summer, the Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron practices at 8:30 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
The Panhandle Butterfly House in Navarre offers a rare glimpse of the life cycle of butterflies. This interactive educational conservation facility is open through the summer and is located in the Navarre Park on U. S. Highway 98 and offers an outdoor garden for migrating butterflies and a butterfly habitat housing local species.
The Historical District in Milton, 25 miles north of Navarre, reflects the 1825 beginnings of this old Florida trading post town. The West Florida Railroad Museum, the Milton Opera House/ Imogene Theatre and the Blackwater Heritage Trail are all great for family time explorations.
Destin Area
Stroll along the Destin harbor for sights, sounds and smells of the fishing industry that has long been a staple of the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village." Restaurants cook the catch of the day brought in by the fishing boats that dock here.
Also in Destin, visitors and locals enjoy free concerts every Thursday in May and June on the event lawn at the Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village.
Turtle watching on the Beaches of South Walton is an educational family time activity. From May through October, sea turtles nest on the beaches, laying hundreds of eggs at a time. These creatures are protected, so be sure not to disturb them or their nests and keep the beaches clear for their laborious crawl from the gulf to their nesting site.
Panama City Beach Area
The Frank Brown Park on U. S. Highway 98 offers more than 200 acres of recreational facilities, including a freshwater fishing pond, trails and greenways, a playground, tennis courts, shuffleboard courts, and a fenced dog play area.
The Pier Park Summer Concert Series offers free concerts in the park every Thursday during the summer months. Visitors are invited to bring beach chairs or blankets and small coolers out to the Pier Park Amphitheater. Concerts start at 7:00 pm and usually last until around 9:00 pm. Pets on a leash are permitted.
Apalachicola Bay Area
The 1997 movie “Ulee’s Gold” was filmed in the little town of Wewahitchka where the famous Tupelo Honey is made. Here visitors can learn about the method used to make this premium nectar, which involves placing bee boxes in the swampy areas of the Apalachicola River.
The Three Servicemen South Statue in Apalachicola is part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. It is a one-of-a-kind detail of the original bronze sculpture made from part of the original molds and is the centerpiece of Apalachicola's Veterans Memorial Plaza.
Lighthouses on the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast
They have been the settings for gothic novels and the focal points for stories of heroism, but in a practical sense, lighthouses have for centuries helped steer sailors home from the sea.
In the early days, light keepers kept torches or oil lanterns burning at night in the tops of stone towers so that mariners would know to stay clear of a point of land. As time passed, navigation lights became more sophisticated, using prisms and angles to project the light further out, allowing sailors to follow a series of lights to a destination.
Even today many lighthouses are still in use and are identifiable to mariners by the type and brilliance of the light as well as the shape, style, color and design of the exterior. No two lighthouses are alike. Some are tall, some are short, some have stripes, some are solid color, some are concrete and some are cast iron skeletons.
Northwest Florida Lighthouses
As one of the earliest areas of the state to be settled, the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast was also an active shipping area, with bustling ports in Pensacola, Port St. Joe and Apalachicola. Cotton, turpentine and other goods were shipped all over the world, and lighthouses were constructed all along the coast to light the way.
The oldest lighthouse in the region and the second oldest lighthouse in Florida is the St. Marks Lighthouse located in the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The first tower was built with hollow walls in the 1820’s and was rebuilt with solid walls in 1830.
The Cape St. George Light was built in 1833 on the west side of St. George Island to mark the Apalachicola Bay. It was rebuilt in 1848 on the east side of the island, but destroyed in a hurricane in 1851. A third structure was completed in 1852, but after more than 150 years of storm battering, the structure collapsed in 2005. The current lighthouse is a reconstruction using much of the original brick
The first Pensacola Lighthouse was built in 1824, but by 1850 the light was considered too dim and the lighthouse was deemed inadequate. The current tower was first activated in 1859 and stands 150 feet tall.
The Cape San Blas Lighthouse is the fourth tower to serve the area since 1849. The current 98-foot tall white skeletal structure was built in 1885.
The Crooked River Lighthouse near Carrabelle is a 103-foot cast iron skeletal tower built in 1895.
Visiting a Florida Gulf Coast Lighthouse
Much of Florida history is tied to the gulf and shipping and lighthouses make great Florida attractions. All of the lighthouses can be seen and photographed at any time. Both the Pensacola Lighthouse and the St. Marks Lighthouse are active and operated by the U. S. Navy and the U. S. Coast Guard respectively.
Visitors can climb the Pensacola Lighthouse, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse and the Cape St. George Light. The Crooked River Lighthouse and the St. Marks Lighthouse are open for special events and offer picnicking facilities. Admission to climb the lighthouses is usually about $5 for adults. Both the Cape San Blas Lighthouse and the Cape St. George Light have gift shops that offer lighthouse gifts and collectibles.
Northwest Florida Lighthouse Contact Information
St. Marks Lighthouse, 850-925-6121
Cape St. George light, 1-888-927-7744
Pensacola Lighthouse, 850-944-0179 or 850-916-7864
Cape San Blas Lighthouse, 850-229-1151
Crooked River Lighthouse, 850-697-2585
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