Less Known Florida Attractions

Florida Small Museums and Attractions Well Worth the Time To Visit

There was a time when small roadside attractions where the highlight of family road-trips. While they have been overshadowed by the mega-parks and major resorts, there are still a number of roadside gems that you should explore – amazing little pieces of history encased in small museums. If you take the time, you will discover these surprises everywhere.

Thomas Edison’s study

The Edison House, Ft. Meyers

The famous American inventor, Thomas Edison first visited Fort Myers in 1885. On his first trip to Southwest Florida he purchased more than 13 acres along the Caloosahatchee River and returned to Fort Myers in 1886 with his bride, Mina Miller Edison. For sixty years the Edison family wintered at their Florida estate. In 1947, Mina gave the Estate to the City of Fort Myers. The city opened the estate to the public in 1947, and the Edison Ford estate property is a National Register Historic Site and is one of the most visited historic home sites in America.

Central Florida Railroad Museum

Railway Museum Winter Garden

The Central Florida Railway Historical Society Museum is a beautiful collection of railroad memorabilia displayed in a train depot in downtown Winter Garden, Florida.

The Florida Air Museum

Located in Lakeland, Florida off I-4, The Florida Air Museum displays a wide variety of vintage aircraft, ultralights, experimental homebuilts, air racers, military, aerobatic and factory-built aircraft from all eras.

The Bonnet House was built in 1920 on Fort Lauderdale oceanfront land given to Frederic Clay Bartlett and his second wife, Helen Louise Birch, by her father, Hugh Taylor Birch, a prominent Chicago attorney, real estate investor, and naturalist. In 1925 Helen died from breast cancer and in 1931 Frederic married Evelyn Fortune Lilly, who spent winters at Bonnet House until 1995. Today, the estate is a museum dedicated to remembering the history of Fort Lauderdale.

St. Augustine Pirate Museum

The St. Augustine Pirate & Treasure Museum offers an interesting and educational museum experience that transports you and your family back in time over 300 years to Port Royal, Jamaica, to the height of the Golden Age of Piracy.

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Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum

Another great museum of Spanish treasure is Mel Fisher’s Museum in Key West, Florida. Working out of Key West, Florida, treasure hunter and diver Mel Fisher spent decades searching for the resting site of a Spanish treasure fleet destroyed in a hurricane. They located the Nuestra Señora de Atocha in 1975, with an inscribed cannon to verify the wreck of Atocha. Subsequently, a substantial part of its remaining cargo of silver, gold and emeralds was discovered making it one of the worlds greatest sunken treasures. Much of the treasure is on display at the Key West museum.

In Sebring, home of the the famous race course where the first 12 Hours of Sebring was held on March 15, 1952, is an interesting gem for those who served in the military at sea.

Military Sea Service Museum

The Military Sea Services Museum – an admittance free museum that has collected seagoing artifacts, stories, books and photographs relating to the time spent at sea by our military. In the collection are a large number of custom ship models, uniforms, weapons and some real finds like a commemorative brass plate cast for the WWII Japanese surrender on the battleship Missouri. The building sits in the middle of a WWII military training airfield.

Florida CCC Camp Museum

CCC Museum at Highlands Hammock State Park

The Florida CCC Museum – Another stop in Sebring is a visit to Highlands Hammock State Park. Established in 1931 and developed later by Florida’s Civilian Conservation Corps, the park features a lush and incredibly diverse 9,000 acre refuge for endangered animals and ancient flora. While the park is a great place for hiking, it is also home to the Florida CCC Museum. Chock full of memorabilia and AV displays, it is a remarkable place to learn about the Civilian Conservation Core, the New Deal program that gave hundreds of thousands of young American men an opportunity for paid work and training during the Great Depression.

UDT – SEAL Museum

UDT – Seals Museum

The UDT SEAL Museum – While on the subject of Florida small museums, there is one located on the southern end of North Hutchinson Island at Ft. Pierce. The National UDT And Seal Museum. It’s located at Ft. Pierce because that was the site of the original WWII training facility for Underwater Demolition Teams. It was originally named the UDT Museum but was later updated as the Navy’s UDT teams evolved into the Seal Teams.

The Seal teams have overshadowed UDT in recent years but Seals are a progression from the UDT units that were active in WWII up to the early 1970’s and they share the same training program (Buds for Basic Underwater Demolition School). Stop by and learn something about Seals, their training, missions and their predecessor’s, the Underwater Demolition Teams..

Weeki Wachee Mermaids

Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids, Weeki Wachee
If you’ve ever wanted to get up close to a real mermaid, here’s your chance. Weeki Wachee has been offering mermaid shows in an underwater glass sided theater since 1947. Watch as trained professionals captivate audiences with graceful underwater ballet performances.

East Martello Museum

Robert the Doll is an allegedly haunted doll exhibited at the East Martello Museum in Key West and is purported to be the inspiration for the Chucky movies. Robert was once owned by Key West, Florida painter and author, Robert Eugene Otto. Be careful with this visit, Robert is famous for cursing visiting people with misfortune. Fort East Martello Museum houses artifacts and displays about early Key West. It’s an old civil war fort that has been restored by the Key West Art & Historical Society in 1950.

Air Force Armament Museum

Air Force Armament Museum – Eglin Air Force Base is located in northwest Florida, comprising over 640 square miles.
This is one of the countries best air museums and it’s free. The Air Force Armament Museum houses Air Force aviation warfare armament from the early days of World War I right through to today’s high-tech planes and bombs – and it won’t cost you a dime. Bonus cool quotient: a vintage military aircraft including the fastest plane ever built, the SR-71 Blackbird.

Much of the base was part of a National Forest until the outbreak of war in Europe when a proving ground for aircraft armament was established at Eglin. The U.S. Forest Service ceded over 340,000 acres of the Choctawhatchee National Forest to the War Department on 18 October 1940.

Florida Caverns State Park
Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna is one of the few state parks in the U.S. with dry (air-filled) caves and is the only Florida state park to offer cave tours to the public. The cave has dazzling formations of limestone stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flowstones and draperies. Native Americans used the caverns for shelter for thousands of years.

The Citrus Tower

Driving route 27 through Claremont you’ll find one of Florida’s first “attractions.” . The Citrus Tower was built in 1956 on one of the highest hills in Florida’s ridge section. The Citrus Tower rises to a lofty height of 226 feet (equivalent to 22 stories). The tip of the highest antenna reaches to 500 feet above sea level.

The glass-enclosed observation deck allows visitors to enjoy the panoramic view of the rolling hills of Florida’s ridge section and hundreds of spring-fed lakes in the surrounding 8-county area.

Somerset Bridge • The Worlds Smallest Drawbridge

Going To Bermuda’s Famous Somerset Bridge

A Short Story

Recognized As The Worlds Drawbridge

As part of a recent cruise we spent two days in Bermuda and struck out early to see all we could. The first day we made it by ferry to Hamilton, where we spent the morning, took a bus out to St. George for lunch and a ferry back to the dockyards. One of our goals was a visit to the village of Somerset and with an hour and a half to sunset we decided to check off Somerset and the Somerset drawbridge. The bridge was described in a guide as the world’s smallest drawbridge with an opening of only 18 inches (actually it was less than 12 inches) and seemed to make it an interesting goal.

Not sure what to expect and with our bus day-pass in hand we climbed aboard the next bus toward Hamilton and asked the driver if he could let us off at Somerset bridge. I have to mention that everywhere we went in Bermuda everyone was very friendly and extremely helpful (another story about that later). The bus stops along the way are either stone and mortar shelters or are only marked by a six foot pole in the color of the route. Bermuda’s roads are very narrow and they are often cut thru notches in the coral and limestone rock with barely room for traffic going in both directions.

Our driver pointed out the bus stop poles and let us off just before the famous bridge. Once off the bus we weren’t sure we hadn’t made a mistake. Standing on the side of the road there wasn’t anything to see in either direction except the narrow road and bushes grown to the edge of the road. Looking in the supposed direction of the bridge the road cut thru a rock formation with no pedestrian path at all. Without much of a choice we march off toward the rock cut. The good news was that the speed limit sign approaching the cut was 15 Km. The bad news was that nobody paid any attention to it as cars just roared by. We commented to each other about if it was better to get hit from behind and not see it coming or to be facing the oncoming assault as we walked the narrow road?

Needless to say we made it to the bridge and I’m not sure what I expected but that surely wasn’t it. The bridge is again a narrow two-lane stone bridge over a channel thru the island. The center is a wooden structure with a section in the middle less than eighteen inches wide on hinges. It is obviously intended for the mast of a sailboat to thread that gap and there are a number of signs with the phone number to call to open the drawbridge. I could be wrong, but I doubt the drawbridge is opened often. It also probably requires a good sailor to keep from gouging his mast. Later locals said that the gap is almost never opened any more except for publicity.

We took some pictures and trekked back along the road to the bus stop, living to sightsee another day and getting back in time for sunset in the dockyards.

A Fun Restaurant In Manila

Singing Cooks & Waiters • Great Food & A Good Time

entrance sign of The Singing Cooks & Waiters

Manila is a large and diverse city with lots to see and do. If you are there for several days it is possible to enjoy the diversity and to venture into the outlying countryside for some picturesque sites. If you only have a day, Singing Cooks and Waiters should be your number one stop.

First, and most important, is to know the address of this Manila Gem. It is located in the Ongpauco Building on Roxas Blvd, Pasay, Metro Manila. It is best to have this written down for your taxi driver as they seem to have a hard time finding this place. It is open for lunch (11-3) and dinner 6-11) but confirm the hours by either calling (632 832 0658) or checking their website.

cooks and waiters sing for patrons

Once you are seated in the dining room, you are presented with an extensive menu of local Filipino foods in a wide range of prices. There are several pages of poultry, meat and seafood to choose from so it is easy to pick several dishes that can be shared. If you are inclined, there are also a few local beers to enjoy with your meal.

Traditional Philippino dishes

As you wait for your food, you can enjoy the Filipino hospitality and the amazing entertainment. The show varies by time of day and day of the week. On our lunch there was a piano player and a local on the guitar and they were joined by singers who are also your waiters and cooks. They sing together and also perform some impressive solo numbers. The microphones are soup ladles from the kitchen. The singers walk among the tables to get diners to join in and eventually staff and guests make their way to the “stage” to sing and or/dance. The only problem comes when you finish eating and it is time to leave. Getting your check can take a while as everyone is having so much fun they don’t want to break away!

As you exit the restaurant there is a very attentive doorman who will send you on your way or help you get a cab. If you still have a little time left in your day and you feel like shopping, the fabulous Mall of Asia is just a short taxi drive away.

DIY Travel Pin Maps! Free!

Our own travel pin map

What, you don’t have a pin map? Well, let’s fix that…

If you love travel, keeping a travel pin map is a great way to keep track of where you’ve been while also a fantastic decorating accent. We started ours years ago and even today it is a fantastic conversation piece.

Years ago we started getting requests from family and friends to make one for them. It became a favorite gift item and after a few dozen maps we decided we’d try selling them online.

We started selling on Etsy with a few world map color versions and added a United States map. We offered a selection of titles and provided personalization included (all our friends and relatives wanted theirs personalized). Within a couple of months sales took off and soon I was spending hours printing and shipping maps. A few dozen a week wasn’t going to make me rich but it was eating up a lot of my week. After about six months I shut it down because it was just too much work…

After a lot of prodding we’ve decided to put in some more time exploring our travel pin maps again. After talking to a number of friends about the process and discussing options we’ve started developing a plan.

This time we’re using a do-it-yourself approach and if you follow our steps you’ll have a decorating accent to be proud of!

Making Your Custom Travel Pin Map

Here’s how to create your very own custom 16×20″ pin map for under US$50 in five simple steps:

  • Get our pin map at Etsy HERE* (Please note that for a few of weeks our Etsy shop is on vacation – so we’re making our visitors a special limited time offer*.

*While we are traveling you can download our pin map for FREE instead of buying it on Etsy.

World map G&B 16×20 5mbDownload Now
  • Print it up to 16×20″ At Walmart or Office Depot
  • Pick out a standard 16×20 frame
  • Remove glass in frame and back up with a sheet of foam board
  • Get a set of map push pins

Do It Yourself  Instructions For Our Travel Pin Map

Download Our Map And Make It Your Own

Customizing Your Map

Microsoft

Microsoft offers several software tools and services that can be used for annotating our JPG map file that include:

Our files are formatted in a 4:5 ratio that will produce prints from 4×5” through 16×20” and are provided in an open jpg file format that can be customized using many standard applications in computers using MS, Apple and Google operating systems by following the steps outlined here.

• Microsoft Paint: A basic image editing program included with Windows that allows users to add simple annotations such as text, lines, and shapes to images.

• Microsoft Office Picture Manager: A more advanced image editing program that comes with Microsoft Office and provides more features for annotating images, including the ability to add captions, watermarks, and other effects.

• Microsoft OneNote: A digital note-taking application that allows users to insert and annotate images, including JPG files.

• Microsoft SharePoint: A cloud-based collaboration platform that allows users to store, share, and annotate images, in JPG files.

Apple Macintosh

Using the Preview application:

• Open the JPG image in Preview.

• Click the “Markup Toolbar” button in the toolbar.

• Select the annotation tool you want to use, such as the “Text” tool, “Shape” tool, or “Arrow” tool.

• Click and drag on the image to create your annotation.

• Adjust the properties of the annotation, such as font, color, and size, using the options in the Markup Toolbar.

• Save the finished file for printing.

Google Operating Systems

With a Google computer using Google Cloud, This system offers a comprehensive platform for image annotation. It provides a suite of tools and services that enable users to annotate JPG images efficiently and accurately providing powerful image editing tools that facilitate the annotation process. Users can easily draw bounding boxes around objects, add polygons, or even create 3D annotations. These tools ensure precise and consistent annotation, which is essential for high-quality machine learning models.

Printing Your Map

If you have access to a printer that can print to a sheet size of 13×19 you can print your map yourself at either 11×14 (standard frame size) or use 13×19 paper trimmed to 13×16.

Large prints can be ordered from a number of sites including Office Depot and Walmart. If you have a wide format (13×19) you can of course print it yourself.

Print yours with Walmart Custom Prints. The 16×20” print is the best format at under $14.00 and the order can be placed with your local Walmart online at the web page below.

Click Walmart Link HERE

Framing Your Map

Our maps when printed can be formatted to fit a 16×20” standard size frame, or 11×14”, 8.5×11” and 8×10”that are available nationwide from many stores like Michaels or Walmart as well as online. In order to convert the frame to a pin map all need to do is to remove the plastic or glass front, back up the map with a sheet of foam board and reassemble. See a good choice from Michaels HERE.

Pushpins

Hopefully you’ll be adding a lot of pins to your map and while you can find push pins in most office supply departments we recommend a smaller headed shorter pin made for that purpose and recommend Yalis Push Pins 600-count Map Tacks available from Amazon HERE.

One Scary Road In Utah

A Short Story
Utah’s Hogsback on Route 12

Several years ago we spent a couple of weeks checking off items on our bucket list in the National Parks of Utah. We rented a car in Salt Lake City, toured the parks and dropped off the car in Las Vegas.

One afternoon halfway through the trip we left Capital Reef National Park headed for our next hotel in the town of Panguitch near Bryce Canyon National Park. We came out of Capital Reef on Route 24 headed west and soon hit an intersection with Route 12 and 24. At the intersection Rt. 24 headed to the north, which is the way we had been told to go while Rt. 12 headed south. Just looking at the map it seemed like Route 12 was a much shorter trip. We turned left and headed south.

At this point I should add that the older I get the more nervous I am about heights. Already on this trip I had driven a couple of roads that had given me reason to pause. The entrance road up into Arches National Park was a bit scary to me. I’m not sure where this fear of heights has come from but when I was much younger I was fearless. Today I find it hard to believe that decades ago I hung one handed off high catwalks and jumped out of hovering helicopters into the ocean. I must admit that my wife has almost no real fear of heights.

The Anasazi State Park and Anasazi excavations

Anasazi village

Some distance along this two lane Route 12, near Boulder Mountain we came across the Anasazi State Park and archaeological site. This was a lucky find and well worth stopping for a visit. It is the site of an excavation of an ancient Anasazi village with an interesting museum.

Back on the road we headed southwest again and soon came up on one of the scariest bit of road I can remember. Its called the Hogsback (or Hog Back) and it’s a narrow two lane road with, at times, barley any shoulder on either side. It rides along a ridge for about four miles with often steep drops of over a hundred feet on one side or the other and sometimes both sides at once. There were few guard rails and almost no room to pull off. The speed limit was between 25 and 35 mph and with my fear kicking in that seemed way too fast.

The good news was there was almost no traffic and the driver in the car ahead of us seemed really terrified. He crept along at 15 mph and never reached 20. Just fine with me. Not only did I feel safer but he gave me an excuse when eventually another car caught up to us.

Watch this YouTube video of a drive along the Hogsback.

A Dozen Of The Best Florida Beaches

Get a jump on Summer and get in some serious beach time. There’s no better time for sun on the beach than Florida in the Spring with its hundreds of miles of sandy beaches lined with palm trees and lapped by crystal turquoise waters. If you’ve been dreaming about a Florida beach vacation here’s some tips on what consider.

Floridas best beaches

First, Florida is not all hot tropical weather all the time. The state has three primary temperate zones:

  • A sub-tropical zone with mostly warm winter months that includes the Florida Keys, Miami through Palm Beach on the Atlantic coast and Marco Island up to Tampa on the Gulf. High season is Winter.
  • A moderate zone with cool evenings and nights through the Winter months that stretch from the sub-tropical zone north for 50 to 100 miles on both coasts. Can at times see very cool days.
  • A mild temperate zone with a climate stretching through Northern Florida that can see average winter days in the 50° to 60° range and where frost is not uncommon. These are popular Summer beaches

The Panhandle – This piece of Florida is a popular vacation destination but its season actually runs from Spring to Autumn because of its mild temperate zone location. Also because there are no major airports nearby it is often a summer driving vacation destination for Southeastern families and Spring Breakers.

Destin

Destin Beach

A stretch of Florida coast heading east from the Alabama line that features some of the cleanest, whitest sand in the whole world, gorgeous Gulf waters and frequent sunshine. Centered on Destin this stretch of Florida coast is one of the state’s most affordable beach areas. Along with stretches of resort hotels and beach communities Destin also offers some remarkable state park beaches like June White Decker Park and Crystal Beach. Again season runs from Spring to Fall.

Panama City Beach

Panama City Beach’s 27 miles of beautiful white sand Gulf beaches offers a range of accommodations. Because of its resort vibe and wide selection of activities and restaurants it’s a popular Spring Break destination and a Summer family vacation destination.

The Treasure Coast

The best moderate Winter beaches are mostly found on the central East Coast and include wildlife refuges, long barrier island beaches, the Space Coast all within easy driving distance of Orlando.

Merritt Island

Daytona Beach

Famous for its wide expanse of white sand beach Daytona also draws Spring Break crowds, a biker week and the famous Daytona 500 race. It also has the advantage of the theme parks of Orlando only an hours drive away. If your looking for a bit more action than just lounging on the beach this city has a lot to consider.

Merritt Island

The unincorporated “town” of Merritt Island is located on Florida’s largest island and is adjacent to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and also serves as the home of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center with its launch activities and the popular Visitors Center. Located on the north end of a stretch of coast that includes Palm Bay, Melbourne, Titusville, Vero Beach and Hutchinson Islands there’s a lot to take in.

Clearwater

West Palm Beach South to Miami includes the beautiful beaches of the Fort Lauderdale area, the excitement of Miami’s South Beach and incredible diving and sport fishing.

Ft. Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale

Ft. Lauderdale

Located on a strip of land south of Boca Raton and North of Miami between the Florida Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean, it includes towns like Pompano Beach, Hollywood and Dania Beach. This area draws Winter vacationers to its warm weather, white beaches and crystal clear waters all surrounded by the excitement of a major metropolitan city.

Miami and Miami Beach

Miami Beach

This world class city has a decidedly Latin vibe with it famous South Beach, incredible resort hotels and magnificent beaches. You could spend a month here and never run out of things to do.

St. Petersburg

The Florida Keys draw boaters, sport fisherman scuba divers and snorkelers to its warm clear waters. Hundreds of islets, islands and quays (keys) stretch south from Miami to Key West but if you are looking for fantastic beaches this isn’t what you are looking for with one small exception.

Key Colony Beach

Located just east of Marathon this small town features one of the best beaches in the Florida Keys. The beach stretches for less than a mile in front of a row of classic beach motels but you are only minutes away from the attractions of Marathon, Islamorada and about 50 miles from Key West.

Naples

Florida’s Southern Gulf Coast includes another hundred plus miles of fantastic beaches. After crossing through the Everglades from Miami on the Gulf Coast you’ll discover a number of famous islands and beach resorts. Starting in the south is Marco Island, farther north is Sanibel and Captiva and in between is the upscale beach town of Naples. Traveling north along the coast are great beaches at Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and Dunedin along with stretches of sany barrier island beaches.

Naples

Wall to wall with golf courses, gourmet restaurants and fancy boutiques, Naples is a seriously upscale Florida beach town. While the luxury resorts and fancy restaurants can make Naples seem a bit expensive there are moderately priced accommodations to be found and luckily, the beautiful beaches are free to enjoy. Watch for the frequent dolphins swimming near the beach and visit Naples’ iconic fishing pier.

Sanibel Island

Great beaches and one of Floridas best places for shelling. Shell hunting there even has a name – the Sanibel stoop. Like its sisters, Marco and Captiva, Sanibel has a laid back feel that benefits from its sense of being off the beaten path. Perfect choices if you are trying to just get away.

Tampa Bay Clearwater Beach

Vero Beach

Another major metropolitan center is Tampa Bay with its string of white sand beaches the area also offers major attractions like the Florida Aquarium, Busch Gardens, the Dali Museum and some of the best Sunsets anywhere. At Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60 watching a breathtaking sunset is a popular pastime. The 1,000-foot pier with its lights draws anglers here at night to fish.

When your dreams start drifting to tropical climes, remember Florida has an antidote waiting for you.