Sponsored by Go to Florida
Depart behind the well-known Florida locations and head to a quieter, extra rural expertise in Pure North Florida.
One the place your bliss is kayaking down meandering rivers, cooling off in refreshing luminous-blue pure springs, and catching your individual scallops off the Gulf shoreline.
Within the period of concern for well being and security in quieter places, these are the locations in Florida your loved ones can really feel protected and cozy touring by means of!
Whenever you go to North Florida, you’ll escape the everyday Florida crowds and welcome in area and serenity.
Throughout our one week highway journey by means of the Pure North Florida area we explored the areas of Suwanee Wilderness Path, Cedar Keys, Steinhatchee River, Wakulla Springs, and Monticello.
We skilled a few of our favourite Florida adventures and household moments to date on our better US highway journey and have been shocked we had not heard of this space earlier than.
Regardless of touring the globe for 22 years, I nonetheless handle to search out locations that amaze me and preserve me tapped into the magic of newness, awe, and marvel.
Our Pure North Florida highway journey podcast
We share our highlights and tales from our Pure North Florida highway journey in our podcast.
The place is Pure North Florida?
Pure North Florida is an space that encompasses unimaginable pure range between Gainesville to the east, Sopchoppy to the west, Cedar Key to the South, and the Florida-Georgia state line.
It’s an space that sits between the capital, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville on the Atlantic Coast.
A part of the enjoyment of our journey running a blog life-style, is we may be launched to areas we have now by no means heard of earlier than, and so we will share their less-charted hidden secrets and techniques with you.
Due to our paid partnership with Go to Florida and Go to Pure North Florida we have been in a position to go to and fall in love with the marvel of this space.
It was a kind of household roads journeys that gave us reminiscences we’ll discuss collectively ceaselessly.
Listed here are our recommendations for one of the best issues to do in North Florida.
Discover the Suwanee Wilderness River Path
The Suwanee River begins within the Okeefenokee Swamp in southeastern Georgia and travels 246 miles to the Gulf of Mexico.
The Timucuan Indians felt the river was sacred to the Solar God who introduced coloration to the flowers of the earth. Its river affords nature lovers the grandeur of unspoiled outdated Florida and the great thing about out of doors journey.
The Suwannee River Wilderness Path begins in White Springs, Florida’s first vacationer city and is an space that provides exploration of small cities, state parks and pure springs.
The river continues for 170 miles by means of towering pines, stately cypress lining the riverbanks, excessive limestone outcroppings, salt marshes and gently slowing banks because it widens on its method to the Gulf of Mexico.
For these searching for a novel journey you possibly can get pleasure from a multi-day journey canoeing the river stopping on the river camps spaced a days’ journey aside.
We’re saving that journey for one more day, on this quick journey we visited just a few of the star points of interest within the Suwanee River Wilderness Path.
Suwannee River State Park
The Suwannee River State Park is positioned close to the city of Stay Oak and affords a few of the greatest backcountry canoeing alternatives within the state.
This Florida State Park affords lovely mountaineering trails by means of the woods alongside the river and encompasses historic ghost cities, and Civil Struggle battlements, and remnants of a 19th Century steamboat.
Take the straightforward Suwanee River Path which runs for just below a mile alongside the riverbank and affords lovely views of its quickly operating waters and the gorgeous reside oaks with Spanish moss dripping over the banks.
You possibly can then proceed alongside the Balanced Rock, which toppled into the water years in the past, and is now solely seen when the water is low.
Because it was excessive, we turned again through the Lime Sink Run path which is just below a mile and takes you previous a novel Florida freshwater spring and weaves out and in of a hardwood forest lush with quite a lot of vegetation and wildlife.
Take your mosquito repellant!
Swim at Madison Blue Springs
A few 20-minute drive from Suwannee River State Park, is what has been dubbed by USA At this time, “one of the best swimming gap within the US” and one of many high north Florida points of interest!
We didn’t expertise the complete glory of Madison Blue Springs State Park and its typical luminous blue coloration as a result of rising river ranges and darker coloration water, however that didn’t cease us from loving this refreshing option to cool off from a scorching Florida day.
Give your lymphatic system time to regulate to the 68-degree year-round temperature. After the preliminary shock it’s divine.
There’s a sturdy present that can push you out to the sting of the Withlacoochee River and you may stroll again across the perimeter of the spring and benefit from the views.
Take your float and simply relax. There are picnic tables within the space in the event you wished to make an entire day of it. This was one in all our favourite issues to do in North Florida.
Different North Florida’s Pure Springs:
Sadly, there had been a little bit of flooding simply earlier than we arrived, which meant lots of the springs have been closed due to what’s known as a brown out.
As you possibly can think about the rising river ranges took away the glory coloration of the pristine springs.
And due to COVID a few of the boardwalks have been closed.
Based mostly upon our analysis, these are the Pure North Florida springs we have now listed for a return to this space:
Keep: Music Pageant Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and Campground
The Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park and Campground is 800 acres of out of doors tenting enjoyable located alongside the banks of the Suwannee River.
Not solely does it supply primitive and powered tenting, it has miles of mountaineering and horseback driving trails, disc golf course, and canoeing and kayaking on the river.
You can even keep in cabins right here like we did in our 2-bedroom cottage.
Suwannee isn’t just a spot to pitch your tent, it’s rated as one of many US’s high out of doors music venues. It hosts a number of out of doors music festivals every year, plus common concert events, and campfire pickin’ session.
You understand we love our reside music right here and so have pegged this as a spot to return to as soon as the reside occasions begin once more.
We liked our little self-driving tour of the large property and discovering issues like out of doors amphitheater and levels, lovely fishing lakes, hidden campgrounds, the river, and this gigantic troll.
Is that this not the good art work you’ve ever seen?
Mates let’s meet up right here one yr for tenting and reside music and troll hunts!
When you’re on the lookout for a spot to eat, whereas primarily based close to or at Stay Oak, the next two locations are really useful.
Large Wooden BBQ & Grill
We have been impressed by the scale and high quality of the meals right here. All of us selected one thing completely different: blackened shrimp, child again ribs, and rib eye steak, and sliders – all have been improbable.
I used to be impressed by the standard of the grilled greens and baked potato – the seasoning on it was excellent.
Dixie Grill
When you love pleasant Southern attraction, you’ll love eating at Dixie Grill.
The proprietor Charles walked round to greet every individual with a fist pump, a coupon chat catch-up, or a dialog to find extra about you (in the event you’re clearly not from spherical right here).
You’ll discover good home-cooked southern meals and beneficiant parts to get you thru the day.
Steinhatchee River
“Gradual. Manatees round right here.”
The signal on the dock outdoors my lodge room immediately informed me I used to be in a cool place.
I hustled everybody out of the room to wander the fantastically manicured lawns of the Fiddler’s Resort on the banks of the Steinhatchee River.
We quickly discovered that swimming alongside the manatees are alligators and bull sharks and we’d not be becoming a member of them!
However we actually wished to hitch the Key West boats cruising up and down the Steinhatchee River with music blaring and laughter ringing out.
This place will get me.
When you’re on the lookout for locations to go to in north Florida with the proper mix between journey and leisure in a surprising pure setting, you get that in Steinhatchee.
Scalloping within the Gulf of Mexico
In Steinhatchee, we had what the ladies dubbed, “probably the most enjoyable ever!’ We went scalloping out within the Gulf of Mexico with Captain Mike, a personal constitution captain.
This is without doubt one of the greatest locations in Florida to go to for scalloping, an space often called the scallop capital of the US. Yearly from June to August, folks can free dive for scallops within the grassy shallows.
We spent 4 hours snorkeling among the many turtle grass, spying the scallops camouflaged and grabbing them with our fingers. Fairly quickly you get the cling of it and might spy their mouths opening and shutting.
There are limits on what number of every individual can catch, and we didn’t even come near that, ensuring we solely grabbed as a lot as we might eat.
I liked the nearer connection it gave me to nature. You’ve got a a lot deeper appreciation for the place meals comes from whenever you go to the hassle of catching it your self.
It additionally gave me a deeper sense of gratitude and honor for the scallop that gave me one thing to eat. It is a follow indigenous cultures have around the globe – taking time to bless and honor every animal that gave its life so we might eat.
Captain Mike was a improbable information with a straightforward going, pleasant nature.
He took us to a sand bar on the best way house – once more waist deep, the place we might swim and hunt although the sand for sand {dollars}.
Fortunately, he was capable of finding a pair and we obtained a more in-depth have a look at these fantastically designed animals.
Captain Mike organized for our sea scallop bootie to be shucked again on the marina, after which Fiddler’s Restaurant at our resort cooked them up or us and we loved them with a chilly drink and reside music on the newly constructed deck overlooking the river.
Leisure scalloping begins on June 15 and ends on Labor Day.
That is positively the most effective issues to do in Florida with youngsters!
Learn extra: Wild scalloping in Florida
Keep: Fiddler’s Resort
We loved the simplicity of our keep at Fiddler’s Resort. The resort is laid-back and blends in lovely with the beautiful pure setting of its Steinhatchee River location.
Rooms have a screened in porch and grassed sections outdoors crammed with large jenga, corn gap, swinging chairs and hearth pits.
Employees are pleasant and accommodating and have a lot of insights on the encircling space.
One other should not miss in Steinhatchee is the nightly reside music outdoors on their new, spacious deck overlooking the water.
Each artists we noticed have been unimaginable and the proper option to finish a wonderful day in North Florida having fun with the sunshine and pure magnificence
Eat: McDavid’s Cafe
Seize your conventional Southern breakfast at native’s favourite McDavid’s Cafe. You should definitely seize a field of heat cinnamon donuts in your means out.
The ladies have been delighted to have these to snack on throughout our scalloping journey. (And okay, the following day too as we drove to Wakulla Springs!)
Video: Scalloping in Steinhatchee, Gulf Coast Florida
Discover Wakulla Springs State Park
Wakulla Springs is without doubt one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs on this planet. Its sapphire waters are ample with wildlife together with manatees, alligators, turtles, deer, and birds.
The cypress mangroves rising out of the swamp offers it an eerie and ethereal really feel and it’ll really feel acquainted to you.
Hollywood liked its primeval setting and filmed scenes from Tarzan and the Creature of the Black Lagoon right here.
We have been so disillusioned we couldn’t take the glass backside boat to tour the springs, really useful as one of many high issues to do in north Florida. We might solely glimpse at its magnificence within the distance by means of the boats lined up on the jetty. It was closed as a result of COVID.
There’s a small swimming part out the entrance of the historic Wakulla Lodge, which was inbuilt 1937.
The water is a refreshing 70 levels and there’s a diving platform for further enjoyable. Because it was COVID, we selected to swim in our personal quiet space. The jungled canopied views surrounding it have been beautiful.
Staying at Wakulla Lodge for a few nights was a tranquil expertise and the meals of their eating corridor was wonderful.
Gulf Seaside: Alligator Level
In order for you a hotter ocean swim, a thirty-minute drive from Wakulla Springs will take you to Alligator Level with this white sandy seashore on the Gulf Shore.
The water is the everyday brown coloration this area is understood for, however nonetheless fantastic for swimming and snorkeling among the many grassy beds.
Tiki bar lovers will get pleasure from grabbing a day drink from the Oasis Tiki Hut simply down the highway on the small marina.
We extremely suggest stopping in at The Sieneyard Rock Touchdown on the best way house for scrumptious seafood on the water.
Time it for sundown and be sure you reserve a desk!
Historic and Charming Monticello
Monticello was the proper finish to our pure North Florida highway journey and a chance for us to get to know the historic and cultural heartbeats that make up this lovely area.
This charming, historic city is positioned 24 miles east of the state capitol, Tallahassee and has a inhabitants of simply 2,000.
It’s the seat of Jefferson County, which is named the Keystone County for its unspoiled magnificence and gentle local weather providing the ‘keys to high quality residing.’
We found a spot filled with journey, distinctive and pristine magnificence, historic and academic experiences, and a neighborhood centered on supporting native companies and a vibrant life-style.
You possibly can learn extra concerning the fantastic issues we did in Monticello.
Listed here are two of them we liked probably the most and are particular don’t miss on our Pure North Florida highway journey. They’re a few of the greatest adventures we’ve had within the USA.
Airboat Trip on the Wicassa River
The Wacissa River is a primary magnitude clear, spring-fed stream that’s fed by about 20 springs at its headwaters at Wakulla Springs.
Simply seeing the great thing about this area is sufficient to fulfill you, however we extremely suggest exploring the springs and the river by kayak or, as we did, airboat – it’s one of many coolest issues to do in north Florida!
One of many distinctive issues to do in Florida is an airboat journey.
We joined Captain Brad Cooley from 5 Rivers Journey who took us on an 11-mile airboat journey zig zagging over the eelgrass and vivid inexperienced lilies masking river, navigating by means of slender channels canopied by Spanish moss cypress and oak timber, chasing egrets and bald eagles, and quick diving alligators.
It was an exhilarating journey made all that significantly better by Savannah’s tight grip on my arm and squeals of equal terror and delight. The Wacissa River captured my coronary heart.
It’s actually one of the pristine and exquisite locations in Florida (and the USA) I’ve visited.
You possibly can learn extra of this journey, and the following one, in our in-depth submit on Exploring the Wacissa River and take a look at this different wonderful airboat tour in Sebring, Fl.
Kayaking the Slave Canal
We traded our airboats for kayaks and set off on an exciting and difficult journey by means of the Slave Canal, which connects the Wacissa to the Aucilla River.
The Slave Canal was initially constructed by the slaves for plantation house owners to move cotton all the way down to the Gulf. Blocks of limestone stay and are a reminder alongside the best way of the arduous work pressured by slaves.
It’s greatest to take this journey with an skilled information.
The Slave Canal is marked however you could possibly simply get misplaced and regardless of the rapidly transferring water helping your paddling, it’s fairly a technical paddle as you navigate slender areas, fallen logs and the overhanging branches of historic oaks, cypress and palmettos draped with Spanish Moss.
Preserve an eye fixed out of the alligators poking their eyes above the water watching you!
Cedar Key
Step again into the times Hemingway roamed by means of Key West. Cedar Key on the Gulf Shore is without doubt one of the most original north Florida seashores experiences that retains outdated world attraction.
There’s no bling or over-development right here. It doesn’t want it. It’s ample with quiet, pure magnificence and journey.
We liked its small city, fishing village vibe and sloth-like tempo. It’s about sluggish morning dawn begins, light day time paddles, scrumptious seafood, and sundown views.
We’ve got an in-depth submit on issues to do in Cedar Key.
Listed here are the do-not miss issues to do in North Florida or your highway journey cease in Cedar Key.
Kayaking the Cedar Refuge Islands
The Cedar Key Nationwide Refuge is an space composed of 13 offshore islands jutting into the Gulf Coast.
Cedar Secret is nestled amongst many of those small islands 4 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico and about half a mile out from Cedar Secret is Atsena Otie, which was the unique village till a hurricane blew it down.
You possibly can kayak over to discover the island. It’s a straightforward paddle over, and if fortunate, you might have dolphins as your companions.
There’s a small seashore for swimming and remnants of the outdated pencil manufacturing unit and cemetery. These wishing for an extended journey can paddle the additional 1.5 miles across the island and thru the internal marshes.
Formidable paddlers can go on to different close by islands of the Cedar Key Nationwide Refuge. They’re stated to have good seashores.
You can even discover these islands by boat. Put kayaking right here in your listing of enjoyable issues to do in north Florida!
Seafood at Steamers, Cedar Key
The most effective issues to do in Florida is eat contemporary native seafood.
Since 95% of farm-raised clams are harvested within the clear waters of Cedar Key, we suggest grabbing your self a bowl of steamed clams in a white wine sauce at Steamers, a seafood restaurant.
Suspended on stilts over the water, you get prime Gulf views over Atsena Otie and different islands of the Cedar Key Nationwide Refuge.
There are giant home windows that permit for views in the event you want to sit inside. Nonetheless, to make your meal right here a memorable expertise, we suggest grabbing one of many nooks on the deck.
The skin deck is slender so there are about 4 non-public nook areas the place you possibly can sit with entrance row seats of the view, the balmy breeze in your pores and skin, and dolphins frolicking in entrance of you.
Cedar Key Sundown
You could get colours within the sky at Steamers for sundown. In any other case you possibly can run across the nook to the pink Seaside motel for one of the best sundown views in the principle space,
The native’s tip for the last word sundown was the Tiki Bar somewhat out of city. It’s an adults solely bar, which is why its on our listing for a future go to to Cedar Key (with babysitters!)
And Savannah has put her foot down and demanded we come again to Cedar Key for a for much longer Florida Island seashore trip.
Keep: Harbor Grasp Suites with wonderful dawn views
Harbor Grasp Suites has entrance row stilted place on D Road with simple strolling distance to all over the place.
We stayed within the two-bedroom, Pearl Suite with a residing space and kitchen. We couldn’t consider we had the whole high deck to ourselves.
We had a spot for morning espresso and dawn views over the Gulf, a spot for afternoon drinks, after which one other hidden screened in porch that missed the road for later at evening when the ocean views have been gone and the folks watching simply began.
Giving again to Pure North Florida
As a part of the marketing campaign partnerships we do with native tourism boards, we donate again to native non-profits or native companies that assist the setting or native communities we journey by means of.
As so a lot of our wonderful reminiscences from our Pure North Florida highway journey got here from our interactions with the beautiful magnificence we discovered right here, we donated to a few causes that touched our hearts.
The Tall Timbers Analysis works to guard to preserve land within the Monticello/ Tallahassee Area. No Wal-Marts and subdivisions allowed! Solely pure pure magnificence.
The Fish and Wildlife Basis of Florida works to guard the area’s excellent animals and vegetation and the lands and waters they should survive.
The North Florida Wildlife Heart in Monticello companions with animal conservation initiatives around the globe.
Our women fell in love with the endangered lemurs due to our go to right here and wish to assist shield them. You possibly can study extra about that have in our Monticello submit.
Watch our Pure North Florida Highlights Video
When you’re on the lookout for enjoyable issues to do in Florida with some pure magnificence, attraction, and contemporary native delicacies thrown in, take into account Pure North Florida!
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