But for the lack of beaches (unlike most Florida cities, Tallahassee isn’t generally associated with the beach) Tallahassee makes up in beauty and history and here is where you’ll find one of the most astounding award-winning historic sites in this parts of Florida.

The Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens extends on over 1,176-acres of land and consists of 18 historic buildings, four structures and four objects. The Gardens are also known as the Killearn Plantation Archaeological and Historic District underwent a series of changes. Initially they were a part of the Andalusia Plantation growing cotton, before adding a vineyard on the property in 1882 producing wine until 1904 when Leon County voted to go dry. After that the Gardens turned into a quail-hunting estate called Lac-Cal. Throughout all these alterations, The Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens never lost their charm and beauty drawing visitors from all over the world, admiring the suburb allure of the blooming lush gardens and the two emerald colored lakes surrounding them.

The Award- Wining Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens are best to be visited during their peak blooming season (towards end of March and April), when the Magnolia Trees in the large formal gardens are in bloom, but even if you come in January and February the camellias and azaleas start to open and showcase the beauty of this marvelous place.

Grass and paved paths snake through a rain of blossoms from over-hanging moss trees by the side of the pond that are like soft pink snow falling from the clear blue skies above you. The beautiful benches located all around the garden make for enjoyable sitting under the large shaded trees with the aroma of daylilies and wisteria floating in the air. 

The Maclay House build in 1909 has been furnished to appear as during the residence of the former owner. The small but beautiful home has a grand view of the lake. There are several large shade-giving  moss trees at the front of the home that are ideal for an afternoon picnic.

Take a step away from the path and onto one of the several small platforms that overlooks the beautiful emerald colored lake.

Alfred B. Maclay State Park is open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset. Parking is $6 except for the blooming months (Jan. – April) when visitors pay extra for a tour of the gardens. The Maclay House museum is open daily from January through April, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and cost extra to tour.

Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens offers a wide range of events throughout the year. There are opportunities for swimming, fishing, canoeing and kayaking here as well as boating with boats without gas-powered motors. There are plenty of space for picnic at any of the pavilions and grills along the lakeshore.

Two short walking trails wind through the woods overlooking the lake for walking admirers and six miles of shared-use trails and five miles of designated biking trails meander through the woods surrounding Lake Overstreet designated for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians.

The Pensacola Lighthouse at Pensacola Bay was build in 1859 and is the third iteration of what was originally a lightship moved to Pensacola in 1823 from its previous post at the mouth of the Mississippi River after a lighthouse had been completed there. The conical tower is 190 feet tall and has 177 steps which visitors can climb up and the view at the top is more than worth it.

There are incredible views of the Emerald Coast blue waters, Pensacola, the Navy base, and the three Civil war forts from the top of the light and even better is the view of the Blue Angels buzzing past the tower if you visit at the right time. If you have a chance reserve a spot for one of the Blue Angels tours that are offered most Tuesday and Wednesday mornings during regular season.

We were advised to not bring our baby that we had in a front carrier to the top of the light as the stairs are very narrow and not really suitable for that. So instead we took turns with one of us staying back managing to both get to the top and enjoy the insanely beautiful views. 

Inside the tower once you get to the top of the Light you’ll find the original first order Fresnel lens that is still in operation.

The Lighthouse museum is located in the keepers house and is full of information about the lighthouse and the Pensacola area. Here is where you can purchase tickets for their tour and learn what you’ll be seeing as you explore around. The admission is only $5 for adults and $3 for children. Make sure that you are wearing sandals with straps in the back or closed shoes and no pointy shoes per Lighthouse request. If you are not equipped with proper footwear you’ll be asked to leave your shoes at the bottom of the steps and start climbing bare feet.

The living quarter you’ll be visiting while climbing the 15 story tall lighthouse gives examples of what family life used to look like in the historic 1869 Keeper’s Quarters. Downstairs there are artifacts from the civil war battles that broke out from the three surrounding forts. 

Pensacola Lighthouse offers the best haunting tour in the  State of Florida suggesting that six people are still occupying the Light and not really looking to move out anytime soon. According to Rob Boothe who is the Haunted Night Tour Coordinator the story begins with Ellen Mueller who grew up here and got married at the lighthouse. She died from complications during childbirth more than 100 years ago. In an article he did for News 5 WKRG he said that “There are about 20 ghost hunters and they use two different devices that pick up on electromagnetic energy to communicate with ghosts”. Both the Travel channel and the Scy-FY channel have done haunted specials on the Pensacola Lighthouse and the ghosts that reside within, and they have the videos playing in the museum.

Back outside the Lighthouse you can take the waggling path to the sand beach for some more views of the Gulf and the Lighthouse from the back. You can bring a blanket or a folding chair and sit for awhile enjoying the sunshine and marvelous views. The soft white sand makes for the perfect spot for a picnic with a view.

The Pensacola Lighthouse is open daily from 9 a.m to 5 p.m with last admission at 4.40 p.m. If you are looking to take the tour make sure that you bring an I.D. card and wear proper shoes. Climbers must be 44 inches tall and at least 7 years old. Children 12 & under are not allowed to climb without a ticketed adult. According to their rules no bags or purses are allowed on the property. The Lighthouse offers several different events throughout the year and can be found here:

We like to escape the worst of the northeast winters and find the Florida Panhandle to be the perfect spot to enjoy some warmth in those long winter months while playing along the white sand beaches without the massive crowds of tourists that fill the area in the summer. Being able to drive down or up highway 98 without traffic and be able to explore all the hidden gems around is really refreshing and something we look forward every year.

Finding Camp Helen State Park while driving from Destin to Panama City was one of those unexpected adventures that we always hope for while setting out on a drive. It’s really not highly advertised (as it should be) and not many people other than the locals know about this Inlet Beach.

We saw the sign and quickly took the turn to the right that brought us to the entrance of the park where we found the honor box and paid the requested $4 before heading to find a parking spot right in front of the Visitor Center.

We went inside to grab a bottle of water and ask for information. One of the park employees directed us towards a hike on the beautiful hiking trails to the gulf coast beach not far away and the other gave us a choice between taking a walk along the Oak Canopy Trail, passing by the historical buildings from the 30’s and 40’s., or down to the Beach and Inlet or walk along the trail that goes under the Lake Powell Bridge (HWY 98) along Lake Powell.

After hearing their informative descriptions, we were so excited and really not sure which one we should pick as we didn’t want to miss any of the beauty surrounding us, and all the hikes were pretty short, so we decided to do all three of them.

First we walked by the historical building which had been recently restored. The setting of these cabins placed on the beautiful grounds with moss covered trees hoovering over them was gorgeous and definitely worth viewing. The Hicks House which was built in the early 30’s is available for weddings and other meetings. Americana Music Concerts are held in the Lodge from December through March and the Recreation Hall is also available for rental for family gatherings and other events you might be looking to host there.

After wandering around the historic camp for some time we set of on a hike to the beautiful undisturbed white sand beach. It is over half a mile from the camp under the trees out to the beach through sanded path. The better part of the walk to the beach was in sand, some of it deep in places and difficult to get through. It is a pretty long walk over dunes and but you’ll see a wonderful assortment of exploration, from beach to marsh to coastal forest along the way before finally seeing the clear water ahead.

Make sure you apply plenty of sunscreen and bring water with you as the whole trail is pretty much straight under the sun and no shade can be found along the way. The beautiful, uncrowded, undeveloped beach is certainly worth the walk.  Once you set your eyes on the Florida’s largest coastal dune lake you forget about everything.

The serene nature and no people around it makes for the most relaxing experience ever. We honestly were at the beach collecting seashells and playing with our toddler in the water for an hour and no one was to be seen anywhere near us. You can go to Lake Powell and rent kayaks, SUPs and even bring your boat. The park serves as a bird sanctuary so you will see a lot of that too.

After a delicious picnic on the beach we headed back through a woodsy area away from the sandy path, pass big moss trees. The old oaks with Spanish moss were beautiful.  We spotted a dear running away and sat on one of the benches along the way watching squirrels play and eat nuts while snacking on our own desert. There seemed to be a few people camping, but it was really quiet and secluded here.

Upon returning to the Visitor Center we took the last of the trails that goes under the highway for another short hike by the water and on some wooden bridges that let us to a marsh. There were plenty of signs along the way telling visitors what they are looking at and many benches to sit and rest with the views of the houses across and Panama City. The hike is about a mile long with plenty of sun and shade in between.

If you like exploring places off the beaten path and seeing a little history along the way all while being surrounded by beautiful scenery, you will enjoy Camp Helen. The Park is a great place for picnic, bird-watching, swimming, basking in the sun, fishing or taking a kayak out in the water. For full list of their events check here.

We drove on U.S. 95 from Destin and the park was on our left. After we crossed to the other side of the highway we followed Eden Road before reaching the entrance of the State Park. We were asked to pay $4 which allows you to tour the grounds and take some of the trails around it. After another short drive from the entrance we reached the shaded parking lot with plenty of spots open even on a busy day. We lucked out with the weather. It was unusually pleasant for a late summer day in Florida and visiting the park was a nice escape from the crowds on the beaches that were enjoying this same lovely weather, sunbathing by the water.

We knew from friends that have visited here before us that in order to tour the actual house you need to have cash in hands (another $4) since they do not accept credit cards and there is no ATM anywhere near the grounds of the park. So after we parked we made our way to the museum where we paid for the next available tour. The museum is located inside the house to the right coming from the parking lot. Guided tours of the Wesley House are offered on Thursday through Monday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hourly and the house is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The Wesley house sits among huge moss-draped live Oak trees and looks like an antebellum mansion embraced between them and is absolutely stunning. It has gone through some renovation but you would still be able to get close and see some of it original furnishings, especially examples of late 18th century French furniture, paintings and fabrics. The house also holds the second largest collection of Louis XVI furniture in the USA. The tour is about 45 minutes and talks about all the stages that the mention had gone through through the years and the fascinating history that it holds.

We passed the time on the rocking chairs on the porch, waiting for our tour time to see the house while marveling at the absolutely breaking views of the garden. It was nice and quiet couple of minutes for just us with our thoughts. Over Christmas the park offers a candlelight tour where they have the Civil War re-enactors and the women dressed in their long dresses giving the tours. And recently they’ve added a yoga flow instruction in the land of Eden, where you can bask in the beauty of Eden Gardens State Park as you move through a gentle yoga flow.

After the lovely and quite fascinating tour of the Wesley House we went on exploring the rest of the grounds. What first caught our eyes was the reflecting pond sitting right in frond of the mansion. We sat by it and enjoyed looking at the water lilies and large koi, before heading on one of the many nearby paths through the ornamental gardens with heritage roses, camellias, azaleas and than made our way to the beautiful butterfly garden. The paths were covered with flower petals and the birds were singing. It was so peaceful and surreal we could’ve stayed there for hours sitting on one of the metal benches for a great delight to our senses.

We walked on few of the trails in the park which are perfect for exploring with little ones and than decided on a picnic by the bay/lake called Tucker Bayou where we got to watch people fishing and even saw jumping fish which was quite entertaining for our little one (despite the expression on his face). You can also bring a blanket and find a spot on the greens or in the shade of the oak trees surrounding the house.

Eden State Park offers a variety of events through the year all of which you can find here and is open 365 days from 8 a.m. until sunset. It is the perfect spot if you live in the area for family pictures or a wedding under the 600+ year old “Wedding Tree” with limbs that stretch more than 50 feet long. The Park is impeccably maintained and can be found here:

We have visited a great number of National Parks and have to say that this one should be up there on everyone’s list as one of the most beautiful and by far the least crowded. The fort was built prior to the outbreak of hostilities during the US Civil War, completed in 1834 and named after American Revolutionary War hero Andrew Pickens.

Visitors can take a walk around the old fort, see some coastal defense batteries built between the world wars, and enjoy a nature trail and the great pristine beaches surrounding the structure that kind of reminds you of the Rome Colosseum a little bit. It will cost you $20 per vehicle to enter the park which also has some real nice bike trails if you brought your bikes. If you have a national park senior pass the entrance for you is free.

We drove to Fort Pickens on an early weekday morning coming from Pensacola where we were spending few days exploring. It’s a little over a half an hour drive pass stunning white sand beaches and the change of the flora and fauna in such a short distance is striking. The area is a far cry from the overbuild Pensacola beach-site and a nice relief from the tourists. We heard that after hurricane Ivan went through Florida, the road leading to the Fort was closed for some time and serious renovations had to be done. Some of Fort Pickens was heavily damaged in the Hurricane as well but it is being repaired now and most of it is back to a good state.

Once you get to the gate where you need to pay make sure to ask what time the next Ranger tour starts. Be sure to go on one of this tours which will make your experience ten times more enjoyable! While waiting on the Ranger tour take a seat and watch the video tour which is extremely informative and well worth watching. To be able to take a peek of the grounds throughout the years was astonishing. It helps you make sense of the fort itself as you walk through it.

If you just want to go at your own pace and stop here and there as you please you can also take a self-guided tour of Fort Pickens. A very interesting fact we learned while reading the informative signs placed strategically throughout the Fort was how it was used during the Civil War and later used as a jail to hold the Indian chief Geronimo and that it was never occupied by Confederates during the Civil War. Some historians even claim that the first shots fired in the Civil War were fired here after villagers  intended to occupy the fort.

While exploring the historic buildings you’ll find yourself passing through what seems to be miles of tunnels in which you can get lost and open areas that were once occupied by prisoners. It was so interesting to learn all about how the Fort Pickens was built and what different areas were used for and just to be able to walk in the footsteps of history was really neat.

We made a short stop by the small gift shop and chatted with the rangers, who were are very informative, before taking the little path outside the fort that snakes pass grass fields and leads you to the beach. The beaches here are beautiful and virtually deserted and way less crowded than the ones in Pensacola.

You can collect  sea shells and sandollars while strolling by the emerald green water, find a great spot to lay your towel for some sun basking or even take a deep in the ocean if the water is warm enough for you. There is so much wildlife to see around and if you came at the right time of year you might even witness the Blue Angels doing their show.  Grab binoculars and you’ll have a great view of the lighthouse across the fort. Or stay a little longer and enjoy a stunning sunset over the skyline of Pensacola Beach. It’s a great spot to bring the kids and have a family day to remember.

If you love camping here you can find a great campground that is quiet and clean, very secluded and really well maintained with bathrooms and showers, a water fountain near the Park Ranger’s house and fishing piers. It’s a great option where you can enjoy the natural beauty of the area and still be in driving distance to all of the fun in Pensacola. You can bring and pitch a tent just make sure you grab a spot with shade as some are full sun due to hurricane Ivan where a lot of trees got damaged.

Fort Pickens is open year round from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. The Bookstore & Discovery Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Big Lagoon Park is home to nine distinct natural communities including mesic flatwoods, estuarine tidal marsh, wet flatwoods, and is dominated by scrubby flatwoods and features a number of threatened and endangered species such as the gopher tortoise, the large-leaved jointweed, migratory shorebirds, one of which is the snowy plover, least tern among some twenty other listed species.

We arrived early in the morning expecting to see more people but as we drove the winding road through the beautiful park we soon realized that we might just be lucky enough to have it all to ourselves that day. Maybe because of the early hour or possibly because we were visiting during off season, but this is the place to be if you are looking to stay away from the tourists and find a quiet and beautiful spot to watch the birds and calm your soul.

We parked our car and took the stroller out. The boardwalk is perfect to push a baby on or just to take a walk along. The stairs up the four story observation tower led us to spectacular views of the Long Pond and Grande Lagoon and we found a bench to sit on and have a quick snack before continuing exploring the rest of the park.

Visitors can take a stroll on the boardwalk by the untouched pristine beaches, bike down the 2.6-mile park drive, boat from a boat ramp on the Intracoastal Waterway. You can bring your own or rent a canoe and kayaks and go along the Big Lagoon and Grande Lagoon, bring a fishing pool and sit by the water. There are numerous hikes along the 4 miles of trails in the park. Blue Lagoon State Park  is the ‘gateway site’ for the Great Florida Birding Trail and we highly recommend it to everyone who loves bird watching.

We learned from the rangers that there are 75 electrified camping sites and a group camp. You can call in advance and reserve a spot fro $20 and also consult with them which site would be the best as some of them get flooded when it rains.

Each campsite varies in size, they are very well maintained, there is water and electric (no sewer) and each site has it’s own clothing line which we thought was pretty neat. There are bath houses that are acceptable and clean and the rangers make regular trips through the campsites, so campers can feel quite secure staying here.

After coming off of the boardwalk we continued our adventure on the wooded path, passing many wooden bridges and picnic areas. We love bringing our own lunch and having it at our convenience at a beautiful spot that we find while exploring in nature. After hearing about all the alligators living in this area we were hopeful that we would see one and we did indeed catch a quick glance of a little one swimming by the shore, but he quickly swam away and disappeared in the water before we can snap a good picture of him.

We did however see a ton of turtles, few snakes, lots of lush vegetation, tons of wildlife and plentiful of birds. We were told that if we sat long enough quietly we might be able to spot a hawk, bald eagles or egrets just to name a few. We would’ve loved to do this however we were only here for a day, but will be sure to return and rent a campsite and spend some quality family time here once the kids get older.

If you are ever in the area Big Lagoon State Park is open from 8 a.m. until sunset daily. It offers shelling, surfing, tubing, swimming, wildlife viewing, roller blading,  snorkeling, scuba diving, star gazing and tours. It costs $6 per vehicle and $2 for Pedestrians, bicyclists and extra passengers. For full list of prices check here. The park has an amphitheater which holds about 125 people for concerts, lectures, etc. and offers a variety of events for visitors. You can be found the Park here:

A great inexpensive boat ride ($6) brings you up and close to tons of wildlife, jumping fish, gators which seem to happily co-exist with everything else, turtles, all kinds of exotic birds and manatees, all nestled in amazing scenery, not to mention the moss trees in the background that on a foggy day which looks like a scene straight out of a scary movie. The boat ride takes about an hour and is a great way to get to know the wildlife of the park.

We were greeted upon arrival by a school of manatees floating by happily. The little beach under the lower level of the observation/diving tower was not busy but there were a few kids swimming. The sand beach looked nice and clean. We did not however attempt to swim this day.  Kudos to the other children swimming in the water, but we were not courageous enough to trust the buoy barrier separating the swimmers from the gators. The water is crystal clear and you can see the fish swimming under you and around you. They are not shy and would come close with no fear.

I have to say the highlight of our visit was the boat ride. We got tickets as soon as we got there and waited on the platform for just a short bit.

The boats run fairly often but even if they didn’t there is so much to see and do around that we wouldn’t have necessarily been upset if we were to wait a little longer. The lodge is a great place to grab a bite to eat if you are killing time. The rustic Florida hostel is a true throwback to the 1940s and looks like a scene from a TV show.

There is always something happening inside it that keeps guests amused and entertained. There are many benches surrounding the water that are a great spot to sit and enjoy the peaceful surrounding and the serene scenery.

There is the Glass Bottom Boat tour running as well which we decided to skip as we were unsure of how our little one would react, but that would be a great option if you are looking to get even closer to the water and the abundance of wildlife around you. The facilities are neat and clean and there are plenty of places where you can sit and have a picnic if you brought something from home.

The man operating the boat was hilarious and so knowledgeable. He made sure to point and explain everything that was to be seen around and even turned the boat couple of times so all of us would have the best seat to see it all and the perfect opportunity for picture taking. He pointed towards the alligators creeping in the bushes, to the manatees swimming under us and than reversed the boat so we can take a look at them. We got to see alligators sunbathing on top of tree logs in the company of turtles, herons flying by us looking for lunch and the sweetest little family of ducks our toddler have seen as well as all sorts of beautiful birds.

The  tour guide told us all of the names of the birds, the trees and all with great attitude which made the boat ride so much fun and so enjoyable for all of us. Kids were kept happy and entertained the entire time and our little one got to make a friend with another child on the boat.

We couldn’t have imagined a day better spent. Maybe if we had enough time to stay at the lodge that would’ve done it, but we had to leave something for our next visit which is sure to happen soon.

The culmination to such awesome day and the greatest experience for us and our little one must’ve been seeing a bird coming flying down from the sky with a speed we couldn’t even imagine, nearly missing hitting the boat and instead splashing in the water and coming out with a fish in her mouth, than proceeding to feast on it. WOW! What a scene to witness!

I think the expression on our toddler’s face says it all!

If you are ever in the area Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is a must! If you are a wildlife lover or an avid bird watcher or a trill seeker or looking for a great swim spot while in Florida away from the crowds on the beaches this place is for you!

Wakulla Springs is located 14 miles south of Tallahassee and 5 miles east of Crawfordville in Wakulla County at the crossroads of State Road 61 and State Road 267 and you can find it here: