Category Archives: South Florida

Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Picture yourself on a secluded island, seventy miles off Key West at one of America’s most remote National Parks. You can be snorkeling, sunning, and swimming in the most inviting turquoise ocean. On land you can tour a 19th century fort, … Continue reading

Posted in Florida Keys | 2 Comments

A Weekend in the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys is an archipelago of over 1,700 islands connected by a series of bridges, including the southernmost part of the continental US. A trip to the keys is synonymous with day drinking and beach lazing – but if … Continue reading

Posted in Florida Keys | Leave a comment

Shark Valley, Big Cypress, and Everglades City, Florida

The North entrance to Everglades National Park is Shark Valley, just under an hour from Miami on the historic Tamiami Trail. Here is a 15 mile paved scenic loop trail and there multiple means of exploring it. You can take … Continue reading

Posted in Everglades | Leave a comment

Everglades NP South Entrance, Florida

An hour south of Miami, but an entire world away, is the main entrance to Everglades National Park. A great place to start your exploration is at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center [40001 State Hwy 9336, Homestead, FL 33034], … Continue reading

Posted in Everglades | Leave a comment

How-to on visiting Everglades National Park, Florida

The Everglades is an expansive 1.5 million acres of wetland, the third largest National Park in the lower 48, and it’s only 20% of the original tract. At one point there was a plan to drain the entire swamp, which … Continue reading

Posted in Everglades | Leave a comment

Grab a bite at Shiver’s BBQ, Florida

Florida isn’t the first state I think of when it comes to BBQ, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some seriously kickin plates in the state. When in the Miami area Shiver’s BBQ [28001 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL … Continue reading

Posted in Homestead | Leave a comment

Hike Castellow Hammock Park, Florida

It’s funny how a huge international city can feel like a small town sometimes. I met a fellow birder at Fairchild Gardens who gave me a local tip when I lamented that I had not seen any hummingbirds in the … Continue reading

Posted in Homestead, Miami | Leave a comment

See the Coral Castle in Florida

I cannot pass up a quirky roadside attraction. Since the 1940s, right off U.S. Route 1 the Coral Castle [28655 S Dixie Hwy, Homestead, FL 33033] has been raising questions. How did one man build this structure and why on … Continue reading

Posted in Homestead | Leave a comment

Explore Biscayne National Park, Florida

Everybody knows about the swampy gator filled Everglades National Park, but did you know there is another natural wonderland in the NPS, easily day-trip-able from Miami? Biscayne National Park is mostly aquatic, but you can take an amazing boat tour … Continue reading

Posted in Homestead | 2 Comments

Tour R.F. Orchids in Homestead, Florida

Orchids are among the most elegant and delicate of blossoms in our world. They can be difficult to grow, rare to see in the wild, and an absolute pleasure to witness thriving in a garden. R.F. Orchids [28100 SW 182 … Continue reading

Posted in Homestead | Leave a comment