Empires rise and they fall, leaving behind the ruins of their fortresses. Until armored warships rendered masonry forts and their black powder cannons obsolete, warring European empires set on colonizing the rest of the world …
June 13, 2013
Florida
Forts of the Deep South
Mexico Beach
Here’s the thing about Mexico Beach: It’s not in Mexico. It’s on the panhandle 20 minutes south of Panama City and just off the tip of Port St. Joe – a little bit of yesterday …
March 26, 2013
Florida Road-tripping
California isn't the only state that holds claim to a scenic coastal drive. With more miles of coastline than any other state in the contiguous lower forty-eight, Florida has several. State Road Atlantic 1 Alternate …
February 26, 2013
Ambling in the Everglades
At 1.5 million acres, Everglades National Park is the third-largest national park in the U.S. It is, nevertheless, half the size it was a century ago. Once you’re away from the visitors and crowds, the …
March 20, 2012
Getaway to Key West
The Conchs (those born in Key West) are friendly sorts, and so are the chickens: you’ll see them anywhere and everywhere. Large iguanas can also be found basking in the historic city cemetery, where some …
February 10, 2012
Manatees in Blue Spring State Park, Florida
Blue Spring State Park is located in Orange City, Florida – a one-hour drive from Orlando, so it's a perfect place to spend the day and get away from the theme parks. This is one …
November 10, 2011
Florida Keys: Dry Tortugas National Park
The best months to visit Florida are September and October, when rates are lowest and you avoid the crowds. 70 miles west of Key West, you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park, North America's most inaccessible …
August 2, 2011
Grayton Beach State Park, Florida
Eight days into our around-the-country trip, my friend and I walked the long stretch of white sand beach in Grayton Beach State Park from the setting sun towards the rising full moon. We had pulled …
June 23, 2011
Camping in South-Central Miami
Through the thin walls of the tent, I hear an elephant trumpet, and a breeze caries its musty smell across the open expanse. Somewhere nearby, a lion joins in. If you had told me this …
June 16, 2011
Camel Lake, Apalachicola National Forest, Florida
After just a week on the road together, my friend and I found that we were living for the next set of trees, the next perfect spot to string the hammock. It may seem like …
May 14, 2011
Twelve Hours in Miami
A 12-hour layover in Miami isn’t anybody’s idea of a bad time. I arrived from Chicago O’Hare so early, I couldn’t even check my bag. Transforming an inconvenience into an opportunity, I began to search …
July 2, 2010
Panama City Beach, Florida
From a beachfront hotel balcony you can take in panoramic views of Panama City’s gulf coastline, a long stretch of sugar-white sand and emerald green waters. Located in the Florida Panhandle, Panama City Beach is …
The Don CeSar, St. Pete’s Beach, Florida
Nestled between St. Pete’s Beach and Pass-a-Grille Beach west of St. Petersburg is a stately little castle-hotel called the Don CeSar. This pink castle by the sea boasts amazing views, delicious meals and a colorful …
Florida Overpays For San Diego's Cluster Outfits
Will San Diego's vaunted industrial clusters bomb out? Hardly. But one biotech center, Scripps Research Institute, is already setting up a branch in Florida, and another, Burnham Institute for Medical Research, is expected to announce …
August 10, 2006
A Florida Newspaper Writes
A Florida newspaper writes, "Louis XIV, a San Diego foursome set to release its major-label debut on Atlantic in April, is better when it locks into a tight, retro groove: Big, dumb, loud rock 'n' …
February 17, 2005