DEL.ICIO.USTravel writer tells her top ten great places to visit
Published on: 03/12/06
• Cedar Key
• Manasota Beach
• Captiva
• St. Augustine
• Islamorada
• Ocala
• South Beach
• Fernandina Beach
• Wakulla Springs
• Seagrove Beach
Mary Thurwachter knows a little something about quick getaways. For 10 years she's written about Florida travel for The Palm Beach Post.
 JOEY IVANSCO/AJC STAFF | |||
| St. Augustine boarst the oldest wooden schoolhouse in the United States | |||
 The Moorings | |||
| The Moorings, a former coconut palm plantation on one of the longest, lushest private beaches in the Keys, is the place to say in Islamorada. | |||
 Visit Florida | |||
| Ocala is surrounded by horse farms. | |||
 | |||
| Skaters and diners share the sidewalk on Miami's South Beach. The trendy neighborhood boasts popular nightclubs and art deco architectural gems. Celebrity sightings are plentiful Ñ some hang out here; others have homes in the area. | |||
 LISA CARDEN/Orlando Sentinel | |||
| Fairbanks Folly, now an inn, was built in 1885 by Maj. George Fairbanks, who presented it to his bride. Amelia Island, Fla., includes historic Fernandina Beach, a huge fort and several resorts. | |||
 Ron Wiggins | |||
| Turles sun themselves at Wakulla Springs State Park | |||
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MOST POPULARShe's cased all sorts of Florida joints — from the Panhandle to the Keys — and found some hidden treasures.
When questioned, she confessed, spilling the beans about which getaways are worth your time and money.
Here are her 10 favorite hideouts.
Cedar Key
Why I love it: Cedar Key (population 668) has slowly changed from a quiet fishing and lumber village to a haven for artists and writers, retirees and tourists who want to experience Florida the way it used to be. You can watch birds (the bird count is high), but you won't find a movie theater or a mall. There are no fast-food restaurants. And despite the fact that people scoot about the town in golf carts (many with a dog riding in the passenger seat), there is no golf course here, either.
Cedar Key is part of more than 100 islands (13 of which are designated as a federally protected sanctuary). Paddle a kayak around this island and your chances of seeing dolphins are good.
Best time to go: October is a good time and you can coordinate your visit to indulge in the great fish dishes at the annual Cedar Key Seafood Festival. For details, call 352-543-5600.
Favorite hangout: Old Fenimore Mill. Built on a site once home to the Fenimore Steam Saw and Planing Co., the one- and two-bedroom furnished apartments on stilts have sweeping views of the gulf. Rates start at $130 per night for a one-bedroom unit (reduced rates available for longer stays). 1-800-767-8354, www.fenimoremill.com.
Don't miss: Dock Street has good restaurants and a dozen fun art and gift shops. Minutes away on Second Street, the heart of the "downtown district," there are more galleries and museums. The Cedar Key Historical Society Museum on Fla. 24 at Second Street has a fascinating exhibit that shows the town's history through photographs dating back to 1850.
Curious factoids: In the late 19th century, the town of Cedar Key was the western rail head of Florida's first cross-state rail line. Its cedar trees were used to make pencils. Cedar Key is the No. 1 producer of littleneck clams in the United States.
Information: Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce, 352-543-5600, www.cedarkey.org.
Manasota Beach, Englewood
Why I love it: "Easy does it" is the mantra at Manasota Beach, where the gopher tortoises are friendly and the shells gigantic.
At the Manasota Beach Club, a 25-acre Old Florida-style retreat on an island between Venice and Boca Grande, the turtles have been known to show up at guests' front doors. The slow-moving reptiles are adorable and never overstay their welcome.
Humans, on the other hand, will be tempted not to leave the lush grounds, with unpretentious beach cottages set among cabbage palms, live oaks and palmettos.
Walk the miles of sandy beach, play croquet, tennis or basketball, splash in the pool, hike on the nature trails or take the club's Hobie Cat out for a sail. Golfers have access to a nearby private club.
Binoculars are a good idea if you like to watch birds. Guests have tallied 93 species on the property.
The Manasota Beach Club has its own library and books are cataloged by the Dewey Decimal System. No librarians, though. Books are loaned using the honor system.
Best time to go: During the winter season (Feb. 1-March 31), when rates range from $270 to $480 per night (plus tax and tip) and include three meals a day at the clubhouse.
Favorite hangout: At Manasota Beach Club, the Sanderling cottage, a one-bedroom cottage on the beach with views of the gulf from the bedroom, living room and the huge porch with its own private tanning deck.
Don't miss: A short drive north to Sarasota is Ringling Center for the Cultural Arts, which includes the Museum of Art. 941-359-5700, ringling.org. Shoppers will like St. Armand's Circle on Lido Key in Sarasota (941-388-1554).
Curious factoid: In the 1930s, the Manasota Beach Club was a nudist camp called the Palm Ridge Health Club. When the name changed, so did the policy of allowing naked campers.
Information: 941-474-2614 or www.manasotabeachclub.com.
Captiva
Why I love it: It's so captivating! Once you get here, you'll want to stay put. In part because of the things that aren't here — no gas stations, traffic lights, supermarkets or chain stores. In part because of what is here: marinas, boating charters, restaurants and miles of sandy beach with an abundance of seashells.
Yes, Hurricane Charley made an uninvited visit here in August 2004. The storm brought down trees and damaged houses and other buildings, but workers continue to make repairs and islanders are welcoming back tourists. The number of shells may have temporarily dwindled, but the white sandy beaches are wider and even more impressive.
Also to be found on Captiva: a general store, a day spa, retail shops and galleries, a post office, a branch bank, an interdenominational chapel, a small library and old cemetery. The foliage is gorgeous and pastel-colored houses have fanciful names like Mermaid Place, Captivated, Shellusion and Pink Paradise.
During the 1950s, the beaches of Captiva inspired Anne Morrow Lindbergh to write "Gift From the Sea."
Best time to go: Summer or fall when rates are down and the snowbirds have flown the coop. You'll still find an abundance of shells on the beach, but the line at the Bubble Room is much shorter.
Favorite hangout: 'Tween Waters Inn. This 138-unit resort between the bay and the gulf has everything from motel rooms to suites to deluxe cottages with screened-in porches. There's a marina, a fine restaurant, a huge pool and pool bar, a spa and a sandy beach with lots of shells. Rates range from $275 to $690 a night and include breakfast. 1-800-223-5865, www.tween-waters.com.
Don't miss: Go on eco-tours with kayaks and canoes or catch a boat for a sunset cruise. Stroll through shops on Andy Rosse Lane (Captiva's main drag). Watch the sunset from the Mucky Duck Restaurant. Have dinner or lunch at the Bubble Room, where Bubble Scouts deliver behemoth entrees and desserts in a kitschy '30s and '40s ambience. Take in the crab races at the Old Captiva House. Visit the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum.
Curious factoid: Raymond Burr (who played Perry Mason in the long-running TV series) and weatherman Willard Scott, a part-time Sanibel resident, were heavily involved in raising money for the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. The current celebrity spokesman is Kevin Nealon — formerly of "Saturday Night Live."
Information: Sanibel-Captiva Chamber of Commerce, 239-472-1080.
St. Augustine
Why I love it: Chock-full of history and quirky tourist attractions, St. Augustine is one of those places you leave with this feeling: "Hey, that was fun and we learned something!"
The oldest European settlement in North America, St. Augustine was already 55 years old by the time the Pilgrims came to Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts 1620. Juan Ponce de Leon landed in St. Augustine in 1513 and took possession of the area for Spain. In 1565, Pedro Menendez de Aviles was sent by King Philip II to colonize the area. He landed on the Feast Day of St. Augustine, which is how the city got its name.
Tourists have been coming to St. Augustine since the 1880s, thanks in part to oil baron and railroad magnate Henry Flag -ler, the founder of Palm Beach, and his railroad. The place to be is Old Town, a restoration of the original city center.
Best time to go: There's no bad time, but visitors can cash in on great savings at bed-and-breakfasts during June. Some inns offer three nights for the price of two if you stay midweek. www.staugustineinns.com.
Favorite hangout: The St. Francis Inn. It's historic, beautiful, close to everything, has a pool, off-street parking (a rarity here), great breakfast — and a ghost. Rates range from $129 to $289 and include a buffet breakfast, use of inn bicycles, admission to the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum, and 50 percent discounted admission to the Oldest House and evening social hour. 1-800-824-6068, www.stfrancisinn.com.
Don't miss: Tour one of America's oldest man-made structures, the fort of Castillo de San Marcos, and imagine how Spanish, British and American soldiers protected the city of St. Augustine hundreds of years ago. Other good stuff: ghost tours, trolley tours, horse and buggy rides, the Fountain of Youth, the Lightner Museum.
Curious factoid: Visitors can expect oddities at Ripley's Believe It or Not, but St. Augustine is full of them. The Lightner Museum has a 3-inch-high shrunken head on display. (It was boiled down from its original size by the Jivaro Indians in the early 20th century.) Also of note: Henry Flagler is buried in Memorial Presbyterian Church. He built the lavish Venetian Renaissance-style church to honor his daughter, who died from complications in childbirth in 1889.
Information: St. Augustine Visitor Information Center: 904-825-1000.
Islamorada
Why I love it: You can pet a shark, sing with a seal, shop till you drop or dance the night away in Islamorada. Sport fishing (bonefish and tarpon) is a big draw here. Then again, you don't have to fish to love it here. The beaches are beautiful, the shops are fun and the restaurants are memorable (for yummy fish in a romantic ambience, try Pierre's at mile marker 81.5). At the nearby Lignumvitae Key State Botanical Site, ranger-led tours can teach you about the Keys' tropical flora and fauna. The World Wide Sportsman (mile marker 81.5), a mega-mall for outdoor lovers, has a 46-foot replica of Ernest Hemingway's boat, the Pilar, and a giant aquarium.
Islamorada, or the purple isles, is made up of the islands of Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe, Lower Matecumbe and the offshore islands of Lignumvitae Key and Indian Key. It's about 82 miles from Key West.
Best time to go: Summer, after the Northern tourists thin out, or December if you're looking to reel in sailfish and kingfish.
Favorite hangout: The Moorings, a former coconut palm plantation on one of the longest, lushest private beaches in the Keys. Stay in one- to three-bedroom cottages. The Moorings is a popular backdrop for fashion photo shoots. Rates range from $250 a night for a one-bedroom cottage to $7,875 a week for a three-bedroom villa. 305-664-4708, www.themooringsvillage.com.
Don't miss: Indulge your seaside thespian urges with a trip to Theater of the Sea in Islamorada (84721 Overseas Highway). The old-time marine park has dolphin and sea lion shows, collections of sharks and stingrays and other marine-life programs. Reservations are required to swim with the dolphins or stingrays. 305-664-2431, theaterofthesea.com.
Curious factoid: The most devastating occurrence in Islamorada's history was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. The storm packed winds of more than 200 mph and created turbulent seas that sent a 17-foot wave across Islamorada, killing more than 200 people. After the railroad ties and other debris were removed, a hurricane monument was erected at mile marker 81.
Information: 1-800-322-5397 or 305-664-4503.
Ocala
Why I love it: With its rolling meadows, moss-draped oak trees and meticulously groomed ranches, the countryside is picture-postcard pretty. Added to the magnificent landscape are some of the handsomest horses you'd ever imagine.
Many of the horse-breeding farms are open to visitors. You can get nose to nose with Florida racing legends like Mecke, Jeblar, Pistols and Roses, Fortunate Prospect and, my favorite — I once won $60 betting on him at Calder — Sir Leon.
Nearby springs (Silver and Rainbow) are gorgeous for picnics and boat rides, and a tour of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings historic home in Cross Creek offers a splendid view of Florida in the 1930s.
Best time to go: Fall.
Favorite hangout: Jumbolair Inn & Country Club, a two-story Old South-style mansion with its own horse barn, billiards room, pool, gym and jet airstrip. John Travolta has a home in the development and lived in the B&B while his home was under construction. Rates range from $230 to $395 per night. 352-401-1990, www.jumbolair.com/inn.htm.
Don't miss: Glass-bottom boat rides at Silver Springs, touring the Appleton Museum of Art or "Big Daddy" Don Garlits' Museum of Drag Racing or swimming at Rainbow Springs State Park.
Curious factoids: New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has a thoroughbred horse-breeding farm here and owns the Ramada Inn on Blitchton Road at Exit 70 of I-75. The hotel's restaurant and bar, full of baseball pictures and memorabilia, are stomping grounds for Yankees fans.
More than 75 percent of Florida's 600 thoroughbred horse farms are near Ocala, making it one of only four major centers for thoroughbreds anywhere.
Information: Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce, 352-0629-8051.
South Beach
Why I love it: Miami Beach's hottest neighborhood has fancy cars, art deco gems, wild nightclubs and a great beach.
I like to walk along Ocean Drive to savor the balmy sea breezes and people-watch. You never know who you might see. The trendy and famous hang out here. P. Diddy and Gloria Estefan have homes in South Beach. Sightings of Uma Thurman, Beyoncé Knowles, Missy Elliott, Will Smith and several of the Miami Dolphins aren't all that uncommon.
Favorite hangout: The Ritz-Carlton — it's away from the crowds and noise of Ocean Drive and a complete and magnificent restoration of the historic DiLido hotel on Lincoln Road. Close to everything and a destination on its own, the Ritz has soundproofed windows, a huge pool with water ballet and tanning butlers to make sure guests don't get burned. Staffers fall all over themselves to keep guests happy. Ritz-Carlton rates start at $329. Check for Internet specials that include breakfast and valet parking. 1-800-241-3333, www.ritzcarlton.com.
Best time to go: Friday or Saturday nights because there's water ballet in the Ritz-Carlton pool.
Don't miss: Take a guided walking tour of Miami's art deco architecture. Check out Lincoln Road, a 10-block pedestrian-only street with outdoor cafes, nightclubs, art galleries and shops. Also, visit the Bass Museum of Art, with more than 3,000 works of art and exhibitions featuring Miami Beach design history and international architecture.
Curious factoid: In 1997, fashion icon Gianni Versace was gunned down by Andrew Cunanan in front of Versace's rococo mansion on Ocean Avenue. Tourists frequently stop to have their pictures taken in front of the mansion, which has since become a club (Club at Casa Casuarina) with membership-only access.
Information: www.miamiandbeaches.com.
Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island
Why I love it: A sense of Victorian splendor still exists in this small fishing village. And we can, in part at least, thank Henry Flagler for it.
Flagler bypassed Amelia Island when he built his railroad and tourist hotels along Florida's east coast. Because of it, mass modernization bypassed the island, too.
Shaded by moss-draped oaks, the main street called Centre Street ends at the Amelia River. There, shrimp boats rock with the tide at the Harbor Marina. The downtown is a 52-block historic district dominated by Victorian houses and churches along oak- and magnolia-shaded streets. Buildings date between 1873 and 1900.
Horse-drawn carriages, outdoor cafes and shops reflect an earlier, easier, mall-free era.
The small-town atmosphere offers a great escape. No honking horns. No blaring radios. And when it comes to shrimp, Bubba Gump (from "Forrest Gump") comes to mind. You can order it a lot of ways. Barbecued shrimp. Boiled shrimp. Teriyaki shrimp. Shrimp with pineapple. It's all good.
Another very cool thing about Amelia Island is that you can spend a night (or many nights) in a lighthouse on the beach. They're condos, really, but built like lighthouses, with great views. Rates start at $196 per night plus tax. 1-800-872-8531, www.amelialodgings.com.
Best time to go: Early June is good because you can take in the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival. 904-261-1779, www.ameliaislandchamber
music.org. Another great time is Christmas. The town's B&Bs are part of a festive holiday tour and designed to make you feel merry and bright. 1-866-426-3542, www.ameliaislandinns.com.
Favorite hangout: The Fairbanks House at 227 S. Seventh St. is the Ritz of B&Bs here. 1-888-891-9882. Rates range from $170 to $385 per night, plus tax. Of course, if you want a Ritz-Carlton, the island has one of them, too, and it's been garnering awards in excellence for years. Rates start at $209. 904-277-1100.
Don't miss: On Centre Street, belly up to the bar at the Palace Saloon, Florida's oldest bar, where Rockefellers and du Ponts toasted their successes. Explore Fort Clinch State Park: One of the oldest parks in the Florida park system, Fort Clinch was acquired in 1935. History re-enactors talk about life as soldiers stationed at Fort Clinch. While you're there, hike the trails, fish the pier, look for shells and sharks' teeth on the beautiful beach, and take a swim in the ocean. 904-277-7274.
Curious factoid: From 1807 to 1878, Amelia was known as the "Spanish Hussy." Five blocks in Old Town, named Ladies' Promenade, housed 50 saloons and bordellos.
Information: Chamber of Commerce, 1-866- 426-3542.
Wakulla Springs
Why I love it: Edward Ball Wakulla Springs, a tourist favorite since the 1930s, has one of the largest, deepest freshwater springs on the planet. Surrounded by 3,000 acres of virgin forest, the park has glass-bottom boats, riverboats, an old-fashioned swimming area with diving ramp, a nature trail and a historic lodge. Wildlife is abundant. Alligators and turtles are easily sighted from the boats, and sometimes deer and turkey onshore. Almost 200 species of birds have been spotted.
Best time to go: Spring and winter, when headwaters are clear and you can see the spring's huge opening, 100 feet wide and 60 feet deep.
Favorite hangout: Wakulla Springs Lodge, built by du Pont financier Edward Ball. The lodge, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has an ornate lobby ceiling and beautiful marble floors. Rates range from $85 to $109, plus tax, per night. 850-224-5950.
Don't miss: Take a glass-bottom boat ride and watch as guides coax Henry the pole-vaulting fish to leap over a pole 30 feet under water. Cool off in an old-fashioned swimming hole. Have your picture taken next to Old Joe, the alligator — don't worry, he's dead.
Curious factoid: "Tarzan's Secret Treasure" and the "Creature From the Black Lagoon" movie and its sequels were filmed here.
Information: 850-224-5950, www.funandsun.com/parks/Wakulla/wakulla.html.
Seagrove Beach
Why I love it: Seagrove Beach is almost 600 miles from West Palm Beach and a time zone away. But it's worth the trip. Especially if you stay at WaterColor Inn, a block south of a rare coastal dune lake surrounded by pine forests. The vacation community of Seaside (where "The Truman Show" was filmed) is to the east, Grayton Beach State Recreation Area is to the west, and the sugar-fine sandy beaches of the Gulf of Mexico are south.
Guests have an instant view of the beach when they walk into the lobby. The reception desk is there, but so is a game table with chess pieces ready. An adjoining circular library is stocked with books, games and DVDs that guests can borrow (all rooms have DVD and CD players).
The plan is for guests to feel as though they're in a friend's casual, but elegant, beach house.
Guest rooms face the beach. Most have beach views, even from the showers. Canoes, kayaks and bicycles are available to rent, too.
Each evening, maids deliver freshly baked cookies to each guest room. Mornings, complimentary continental breakfast is served in the lounge.
At the resort's spa, guests who want pedicures are seated in a NASA-influenced zero-gravity chair, while their feet are treated to a soak in a copper tub. Robes and slippers are delivered to guest rooms before any spa treatment, and then guests are whisked away to a dream world of peaceful brush strokes of coconut milk, noni gel, lavender elixirs and geranium grape seed body polish.
Best time to go: Fall, when the weather is still good and the kids are back in school. WaterColor's annual "Taste of 30A" is held in October.
Favorite hangout: WaterColor Inn, of course, with 60 rooms with entertainment armoire, minibar, two-line speakerphones with voice mail and data ports, high-speed Internet access, cable television, business desk, electronic safes and coffee maker. Adirondack chairs on each deck. Beach club. Restaurants. WaterColor's 18-hole Camp Creek Golf Club, designed by Tom Fazio, is six miles away and accessible via shuttle. Rates range from $290 to $530 plus tax. 1-866-426-2656, www.watercolorinn.com.
Don't miss: Take a backcountry boat ride and fish with Bob Sanders. He knows where the fish are and can help you catch 'em. 850-231-2441. Shop and dine at Seaside, where there's always activity. Browse through the stacks at Sundog Books and have a grilled mahi-mahi sandwich at Shades restaurant.
Curious factoid: Before this part of Florida's Panhandle went upscale, it was nicknamed the "Redneck Riviera" because it appealed to the working-class, Deep South crowd.
Information: 1-866-426-2656, www.watercolorinn.com.
Mary Thurwachter writes for The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post; e-mail her at mary_thurwachter@pbpost.com.
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