Things to do / Travel Guide
Some come to northeastern Florida and the Panhandle for the history, some come for the beaches and the nature, and some are just passing through; whichever way your pleasure tends, you'll find plenty in the region to see and do. Excellent beaches, beautiful architecture, and exciting water activities, are what bring tourists to the region.
Adults and kids alike can live it up on the region's beaches: Daytona Beach, Jacksonville Beach, and the Emerald Coast are three prime beach areas. The Emerald Coast, a beach system boasting white sands and emerald-green waters, draws tourists from all over the country looking for something unique. These beaches, such as at Fort Walton, Destin, and Panama City, are breathtakingly beautiful.
You can experience nature afresh on the St. Johns River and its environs in the middle of the Florida peninsula, and on the Nature Coast south of the Panhandle. There are manifold locations all over these areas for all your favorite water activities, such as fishing, kayaking, and diving. Divers, don't miss out on northern Florida's unique caves, caverns, and sinkholes, featuring ghostly stalactites and stalagmites. You can check out the lovable manatee, which is currently enjoying a wave of public admiration and curiosity, on the St. Johns River, Crystal River, and other inland bodies of water in the region.
You'll have a great time on a visit to northeast Florida and the Panhandle exploring all the historical and architectural highlights. St. Augustine and Pensacola, on opposite sides of the state, feature many witnesses to their 300-400+ year pasts. Many of these are reminders of periods of war, and of the persistent attempts of the Spanish, French, and British to gain footholds on the New World. The Spanish architecture in St. Augustine enchants, as if transporting you to a Mediterranean fishing town from the 17th and 18th centuries.
Of a different era, time stopped in Fernandina Beach, tiny Micanopy, and other towns of the region, giving you the opportunity to relive a 19th-century resort town. Tallahassee offers its treasures within city limits and without - its downtown is filled with historic and gilded government and residential buildings. The outlying areas are crisscrossed with the Canopy Road loops overflowing with images of the Old South, like old plantations.
Northeast Florida and the Panhandle is no longer just the route to southern Florida. There are many ways in this region to have great fun, and you don't have to wait in long lines and pay hiked-up prices for it either!
Funny thing about northeast Florida and the Panhandle: It's in two time zones. Tallahassee and everything to the east of the city is on Eastern Time, three hours ahead of Pacific Time; to the west of Tallahassee the region is on Central Time. Late for a meeting? No problem - skip across the Apalachicola River.
The most obvious risk associated with the region is a hurricane. Only rarely do they strike inland, but be aware that hurricanes are a potential hazard along both the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. If you're planning a trip during hurricane season, from June-November, you should be prepared in case you'll have to change those plans suddenly. Rest assured, however, that there will be ample warning from local authorities about dangerous weather patterns approaching the region.
A unique risk in the region is the potential for a run-in with an alligator or a black bear. While they usually stay away from people, they are definitely dangerous, so keep your wits about you when near inland bodies of water. You'll only see alligators inland, never at sea, and black bears roam around Apalachicola, Osceola, and the Blackwater State Forest complex. Alligators will only attack humans if they are hungry and they are used to being fed by humans; therefore there is a state law against feeding them. A precaution is to avoid alligator haunts during early morning and evenings, as these times are when alligators come out to eat. Black bears are vegetarians, and they'll only attack if they feel threatened. Sound advice: Don't bother them, and they won't bother you.
Sharks can be common off the northwest Florida coast. If you see a shark in the water, calmly move away and leave the water. Don't swim in the water if you have a cut or wound, as they are attracted to blood. But really, folks, these attacks occur around twice a year on the entire Florida Atlantic Coast, and if you stay by the shore they won't happen at all.
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