OKEECHOBEE
Quail Creek Plantation
It’s not easy to find a place that exemplifies Old Florida. Fortunately, Quail Creek Plantation is one such place. Here, cypress trees rise from unspoiled swamps, and you’ll walk through lush native grasses and other vegetation instead of on asphalt or concrete.
You also can shoot ‘clay pigeons’ or set your sights (literally) on quail, turkey or pheasant. There are two courses for sporting clays, with 28 total stations, so guests of any skill level can fire 12- or 20-gauge shotguns at creatively presented targets in different environments.
Spend the night in a tin-roofed log cottage that sleeps two or more. Ten of them are nestled about the lake and shaded by stately oaks and pines.
Quail Creek Plantation, 1399 N.E. 224th St., Okeechobee, 34972, 863-763-2529, www.quailcreekplantation.com.
NAPLES
Edgewater Beach Hotel
One of two Waldorf-Astoria properties in the area, the Edgewater Beach Hotel is an all-suite hotel featuring 125 one- and two-bedroom suites with separate kitchen, living areas and bedrooms.
What the Edgewater does have is a friendly staff and a great location. Just steps from the pristinely calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico with its soft white sand and clear water, this is Naples at its best. There’s nothing to do but pull up a lounge chair, sit back, sip on a mojito and relax.
Edgewater Beach Hotel, 1901 Gulf Shore Boulevard North, Naples, 34102, 888-564-1308, www.edgewaternaples.com.
LAKE WORTH
Havana Hideout
Cuban fun and flavor infuse Lake Worth’s Havana Hideout. You’ll see why Food Network chef Guy Fieri featured the hot spot on ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.’
Havana Hideout is hidden behind a jungle of tropical plants, thatched roof-covered tables that form little private huts, colorful lawn furniture and an attractive garden. Its stage, decorated with a mural re-created from a wall in Havana, hosts live bands and a popular open mic night. Try the Pionono, the tropical version of shepherd’s pie, and top off your meal with the homemade Chocolate Chili Pepper Ice Cream. (Eddie Ritz – Palm Beach Post)
Havana Hideout, 509 Lake Ave., Lake Worth, 33460, 561-585-8444, havanahideout.com.
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