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Local Secrets, Big Finds - Florida

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Manatees Photo Courtesy of Matthias Meier and Christine Dulfer.
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Siesta Key Drum Circle
Siesta Key

941.316.1172
Sundays on Siesta Beach epitomize a "strong sense of community that is rare in our mobile society." There are many public access points and "people of all ages gather on the beach at sunset to say farewell to the old week." Many bring drums, build a fire, and "serenade the sunset." The white sand, which is 99% quartz, is award winning and among the whitest and finest in the world. This "tranquil, relaxing" activity is a great way to meet friends. Read more.

Jerry's Drive-In
Pensacola

850.433.9910
Locals know they're "in the know" if they frequent Jerry's. This "small dive is a Pensacola staple" and is consistently voted as serving the best hamburgers in town. The bacon cheeseburgers are decadent, requiring "at least five napkins for their juicy, right-off-the-grill taste." Not only are their burgers good, but the "banana milkshakes are to die for!"

Nicholson Farmhouse
Havana

850.539.5931
Nicholson Farmhouse
Start your meal at Nicholson Farmhouse with the local, favorite boiled peanuts, and feast on a Delmonico steak, which is so good "it should be served in heaven." This historic site, built in 1828, not only "serves up the best meal in Florida," but also offers wagon rides for the whole family to see the 45 acres of land, where you can relax under the stars with the farm animals after a huge steak feast. Read more.

Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival
Sopchoppy

Grunting for earthworms is an historic process that is "a culture shock experience" to most "city folk." "Professional, woodsy guys use wooden sticks and metal poles" to "bring earthworms to the top of the soil," collect them, and then sell them for bait. Sopchoppy, in the Apalachicola National Forest, is the self-proclaimed worm grunting capital and honors this unique ritual with the annual Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin' Festival held each spring. Read more.

The Wallflower Gallery
Miami

305.579.0069
The Wallflower Gallery is a "great, funky, one-stop spot" for everything "artsy." On any given night (or day) there's "weird music, independent film, spoken word, visual art, and lefty political tracts." "Wander aimlessly through the labyrinthine space" with a "cozy library full of arresting, big-format art books" and "mini-galleries featuring local artists." Every room has a closed circuit TV so you can "always see what's happening on stage!" Read more.

Black Hammock Restaurant & Fish Camp
Oviedo

407.365.2201
The fragrant orange groves, perfect sunsets, and "lots of alligators" make Black Hammock seem like "pure Florida." Set on Lake Jesup, home to the largest concentration of alligators of any lake in the country, the restaurant specializes in catfish and alligator--of course. Plus, they serve all-you-can-eat Dungeness snow crab legs on Thursdays. "All kinds of people go" for the food, plus they have airboat rides and bands. Black Hammock has "been around forever."

Swimming with Manatees at Crystal River
Citrus County

352.563.2088
Swimming with Manatees at Crystal River
The 20 islands in the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge are important habitat for about 25% of the endangered manatee population. The Refuge is made up of about 46 acres along the Crystal River, where you can swim with the manatees or admire them from shore. Swimming with manatees is "a truly unforgettable experience." These shy sea cows are "so big, yet so gentle." The refuge can only be reached by boat, but "it's an experience you'll never forget." Read more.

City of Tarpon Springs
Pinellas County

727.937.6109
Tarpon Springs, known as the sponge capital of the state, is a standout of Florida's "many attractions." Tour boats go out on the Gulf to "show visitors how they used to dive for sponges." There is also a sponge museum that features a movie of the sponge industry many years ago. Hundreds of shops and more than a dozen restaurants are located right on the waterfront, making it a "great place to eat, walk, and shop." Plus, there is an "old Greek Village on the waterfront" where you can get "the best Greek food" around. Read more.

Clam Pass County Park
Naples

239.353.0404
Teeming with natural resources, Clam Pass County Park is the site for "true adventure with a mile-long walk or tram ride along a raised boardwalk through a mangrove forest." Thirty-five acres of mangrove forest, dunes, and beaches make this beachscape unique--"the kids will love it." At the end of the boardwalk, you can "walk right down the beach into the preserve." The ground comes "alive" with "thousands of small crabs scurrying beneath your feet." Read more.

Blood's Hammock Groves
Delray Beach

800.255.5188
Founded in 1949, the fourth generation of Blood's is continuing the tradition of growing Florida's well-known citrus crops. "They have the best fresh citrus and produce anywhere." Open year-round, they sell "fresh orange juice and plants for your garden." You can even take a tour of the citrus packing plant. The best part of all is that there are "free samples too!" Read more.