Monthly Archives: March 2016

More Favorite Places in Florida

Further away from our home there are some other places I will miss in Florida. The most unique and incredible are the natural springs. There are dozens of these, probably hundreds, but my two favorite are Blue Spring State Park, not too far from Orlando:

bluespring

And Madison Blue Spring, where the river is crystal clear, which just feels magical.

madisonblue

Another magical place, surely inhabited by fairies, is Blue Hole at Florida Caverns State Park. The joy you feel here from the sheer beauty is top:

bluehole

Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando is another place that has brought me incredible joy! The water is blue as can be, and it’s just amazing to see all the different large birds and swans. You really can’t believe how nice it is! And it is fun to be in a scene where there are people jogging and walking and laying out in the sun on the grass or eating at one of the cafes or playing at the playground:

lakeeola

One of the nicest main strips in Florida is Park Avenue in Winter Park. Here you can eat at a French sidewalk cafe while students bask in the sun at the park across the street. Then you can stroll around the rose garden or visit a museum. It is like being in Europe! Best of all, you can walk around the campus of Rollins College at night when all the Spanish buildings are lit up like in Europe and the Spanish moss catches the moonlight in the oak trees.

winterpark

Another place I won’t forget is Miami Beach with its water the most vibrant shade of turquoise and its fun scene with all kinds of interesting people walking by and colorful lifeguard shacks (why don’t they make lifeguard shacks colorful at all beaches?)

21ststbeach

There are many fantastic places in Miami that I’ll miss, including the Venetian Pool, a historic spot at a natural spring, and the swinging chairs on the bay outside the Perez Art Museum. The empanadas at Charlotte Bakery on Washington Ave are mouth-watering. And it’s always fun to just walk on Washington Ave, Collins Ave, and Ocean Drive absorbing the atmosphere.

oceandrive

South Pointe Park in Miami is also fantastic, with its walkway by the water, pier, modern highrises, and playground. Water everywhere!

And there are some very unique places in Florida, where sort of crazy types have created things. One is Coral Castle, a delight at sundown.

coralcastle

My All-Time Favorite Places in Florida

When we leave Florida, these favorite places are going to stay in my heart! They are unique and I hope to come back and visit them:

Of all the towns we have seen in Florida, Jupiter, where we chose to live with only a few days to first check it out, has turned out to be our favorite! There is just no other place like it in Florida. It is near cosmopolitan Palm Beach Gardens, and yet it is more quiet with gorgeous beaches and a lighthouse. The best spot in Jupiter is Dubois Lagoon. For some reason it doesn’t come out as beautiful on camera as it is in real life.

dubois

Also fantastic in Jupiter is Juno Beach, where there is usually a fun group of people gathered enjoying the scene:

juno

At Juno Beach I love to go for a long walk on the great path atop the dunes. Here you can look through the sea grape trees at the blue-green water below:

Looking at a beach stairs from the walkway on Ocean Drive.

Looking at a beach stairs from the walkway on Ocean Drive.

Another place I will miss is the carousel at Downtown at the Gardens, a beautiful outdoor mall in Palm Beach Gardens. Here you can get a frozen yogurt and walk around amid the tropical plants:

carousel

I will also miss Stuart town, where there is the most amazing stage literally on the water! Here you can watch live bands play on Sunday afternoons while enjoying the cool breeze off the water. Nearby, you can walk along the historic main strip and get an ice cream or sit outside at Osceola Street Cafe and have a coffee:

stuart

Another spot I will miss is Lantana Beach, where you can have the best clear water swims! And also get a meat-filled pastry dough type of thing at a friendly Finnish bakery.

lantana