Central Florida

Hornsby Spring

Hornsby Spring

Hornsby Spring was once a beautiful 1st magnitude spring, and one of the best springs in Florida. Today Hornsby Spring has stopped flowing because of damage and over-pumping of the Florida Aquifer.  Hornsby spring also suffers from excessive nitrate pollution, caused by sewage, fertilizer and other contaminants. The story of Hornsby Springs was told in…

ginnie springs, florida

Ginnie Springs

Ginnie Springs is one of the most beautiful springs in Florida, but it comes with some serious downsides. Unlike many other springs in Florida, Ginnie Springs is privately owned, and allows excessive crowds and alcohol consumption. Partly due to the alcohol, Ginnie Springs has a reputation for rowdy partying and trashy crowds, especially on holiday…

seven sisters springs underwater caves, chassahowitzka river

Seven Sisters Spring

Seven Sisters Spring is one of the best springs in Florida, and one of the most beautiful. Seven Sisters Spring is part of the Chassahowitzka Springs Group, and is located on the Chassahowitzka River. Seven Sisters Spring is popular for many activities, including swimming, snorkeling, manatee viewing, kayaking, and canoeing. Video of Seven Sisters Spring,…

Devil's Den Cavern in Williston Florida

Devil’s Den Spring

Devil’s Den Spring is a natural spring, set inside a giant cavern. This spring is gorgeous, and we love this place! We think Devil’s Den is one of Florida’s coolest and most unique spots in Florida. It’s one of the only springs in Florida that’s located inside an underground cavern. Plus, there is on-site camping….

beaches in cocoa beach, floria

Cocoa Beach

Cocoa Beach is one of the nicest beach towns in Florida. It’s an attractive city with many positive features, including beautiful public beaches and a historic beach boardwalk and pier.  Beaches in Cocoa Beach are among the most beautiful beaches in Florida. The sand is clean and the coastline offers some of the best surf…

A historic home in Brooksville, Florida

Brooksville

Brooksville is often called the “Real Florida” and is representative of how the state used to be decades ago.  One refreshing thing about Brooksville is that it actually has hills and elevation changes!  Many of the hills in and around Brooksville are beautiful, rolling green pastures.  Some hills are more dramatic than others, and may…

Manatees in Three Sisters Spring, near the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge

Three Sisters Spring

Three Sisters Spring is one of the most beautiful natural springs in Florida. It’s also one of the best places to see wild manatees in Florida. Note: The Chassahowitzka River is another excellent location to swim with manatees, and it’s relatively nearby Three Sisters Spring. If you will visit Three Sisters Spring, be sure to…

A surfboard on the beach near the Sebastian Inlet, Florida

Sebastian

Sebastian is a small beach town on Florida’s east coast, along the famous US Highway 1. Unlike many other busy cities on Florida’s east coast, Sebastian still has the charm of a small beach town. Sebastian is located in Indian River County, in a quiet, laid-back section of Florida’s east coast. Sebastian is located in…

The sunrise from Circle B Bar Reserve in Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland

Lakeland is a medium-sized city in Central Florida. It sits just about half way between two of Florida’s biggest cities, Tampa and Orlando. Not surprisingly, Lakeland got its name from the large number of lakes that surround the city. There are 38 major lakes in the surrounding area. The largest and most popular are Lake…

Melbourne Florida Sunset over the Indian River Lagoon

Melbourne

Melbourne, Florida is a small beach town on the east coast of Florida. Melbourne is located in Brevard County and has a population of approximately 80,000 residents. Location The city of Melbourne is located on Florida’s mainland, along the Atlantic coast. Melbourne is approximately 70 miles southeast of Orlando, and 20 miles south of Cocoa…

Chassahowitzka River Campground

Chassahowitzka River and Springs

The Chassahowitzka River is located in the city of Homosassa on Florida’s central gulf coast. It’s located in Citrus County. Chassahowitzka River Video Tour History of Chassahowitzka River and Springs Like many springs in Florida, Chassahowitzka Springs has a fascinating history. It has attracted humans for tens of thousands of years. There are several notable…

A beach access point in New Smyrna Beach, Florida

New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach is a small beach town on Florida’s east coast. It sits in Volusia County, about 20 minutes south of Daytona Beach, and an hour north of Cape Canaveral. The town is sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Indian River to the west. Beaches and Outdoors This part of Florida…

An aerial drone photo of luxury waterfront homes in Windermere, Florida, one of the best suburbs of Orlando

Windermere

Windermere, Florida is a small, vibrant city in Orange County, Florida. It’s one of the best and popular suburbs of Orlando, especially for wealthy people. Windermere is known for its luxurious lakefront homes, famous residents and a quiet, charming atmosphere. Approximately 2,500-3,000 residents live in the Town of Windermere. Location Windermere’s location is one of…

Winter Haven, Florida

Winter Haven

Winter Haven is a medium-sized community in Central Florida. Winter Haven is a part of Polk County. It is well-known for its desirable winter climate and a chain of lakes, which are linked via canals. Location Winter Haven is centrally located between two of the largest cities in Florida, Orlando and Tampa. Both Tampa and…

Driving on the beach in Florida, Ormond Beach, Volusia County

Ormond Beach

Ormond Beach is a relaxed, coastal town on Florida’s east coast. It sits in the northern section of Florida’s peninsula, in a region called the Palm Coast. It’s located in Volusia County. It’s located 6 miles north of Daytona Beach, and 50 miles south of St. Augustine. It is 71 miles east of Ocala, and…

Ichetucknee Springs Campground provides the best camping near Ichetucknee Springs State Park

Ichetucknee Springs Campground

We just got back from camping at Ichetucknee Springs Campground, and had such a great time! We were very happily surprised by our experience. We usually try to avoid private campgrounds because we prefer state parks, national forests, free camping and boondocking whenever possible. But, this campground was different. It’s one of the best we’ve…

The Singing Tower in Bok Tower Gardens

Bok Tower and Gardens

Bok Tower and Gardens is one of the best things to do in central Florida. Most visitors absolutely love it, you should definitely consider visiting. Bok Tower and Gardens is a botanical garden, nature preserve and the site of a beautiful, world-famous bell tower, called a carillon. A carillon is a series of musical bells…

The Centennial Plaza in Winter Garden, Florida

Winter Garden

Winter Garden, Florida is a small, charming city located on the outskirts of Orlando. It sits on the southeast shore of Lake Apopka, and is often considered to be the easternmost suburb of Orlando. It’s home to just over 46,000 residents. Winter Garden is located inside Orange County, Florida, and is part of the greater…

Downtown St. Cloud, Florida

St. Cloud

St. Cloud is a small town in central Florida, 28 miles south of Orlando. Saint Cloud is often considered to be part of the Greater Orlando metro area, and is part of the large Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford metropolitan statistical area. St. Cloud is one of two incorporated cities in Osceola County. The only other city is the…

Orlando

Orlando is Florida’s fourth largest city. Florida’s cities, ranked from largest to smallest population:  Jacksonville Miami Tampa Orlando The City of Orlando is relatively small, and occupies about 114 square miles. But, the greater Orlando Metro area is much larger. It includes several suburbs and surrounding communities.  Combined, the greater Orlando metropolitan area covers more…