Cumberland Island, Georgia, is a place where time seems to have folded in on itself. As the largest and southernmost of Georgia’s Golden Isles, it offers a rare glimpse into a coastal wilderness that has largely escaped the high-rise sprawl characterizing much of the American Atlantic seaboard. Accessible only by boat, the island is a […]
Destinations & Activities
Okefenokee Swamp
The Okefenokee Swamp is a truly remarkable and enigmatic natural wonder. Spanning over 400,000 acres, it is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the United States, and it is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for its outstanding natural and cultural significance. As I’ve explored this captivating landscape over the years, I’ve been […]
The Alligator Farm in St. Augustine
The Alligator Farm, as it’s affectionately known by locals, has been a beloved institution in St. Augustine for well over a century. Established in 1893, it is one of the oldest continuously operating alligator farms in the United States, and it has evolved over the decades to become a premier zoological and educational facility, attracting […]
The Dalmatian Coast and Beyond
We spent 18 days in September and October 2025 in six countries: Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Italy, Greece and Turkey. We started in Split, Croatia for a few days, then eleven days was on a cruise ship, then we spent another few days in Istanbul. Key observations: By any reckoning, the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia is […]
Selby Botanical Gardens
On mornings when Sarasota feels like a luminous shell just lifted from the Gulf, I point my compass toward the bayfront and step into Selby Botanical Gardens the way a man steps into a tidepool—slowly, reverently, ready to be surprised by what the water has been tending all night. Even before the gate closes behind […]
Gulfport Geckofest
A fun way to hang out in Gulfport, which is a great place. Explore the colorful quirkiness of Gulfport at the annual GeckoFest on August 30, 2025. Browse great art, listen to live music, check out fun street performers and enjoy food and drinks. This event is typically scheduled from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. along Beach […]
Babcock Ranch Reserve
Nestled in the beating heart of Florida’s wildlands, Babcock Ranch Reserve sprawls across 67,000 acres of pristine wilderness, mere miles from the buzz of Punta Gorda. As a naturalist venturing here in late October, you’re granted a front-row seat to some of Florida’s finest seasonal transformations. The dry air settles in as autumn’s crispness hints […]
The Baths at Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
This was a welcomed retreat in the middle of a long bike ride on the GAP trail. The Healing Waters of Berkeley Springs: A Naturalist’s Immersion There is something ancient in the sound of a spring. Long before science measured temperature and mineral content, the bubbling voice of water rising from the earth called to […]
Leffis Key (Sarasota, FL)
Leffis Key… for some reason, there are almost always interesting birds that hang out at the preserve and today I saw an American Redstart (in migration), and overhead were a couple of magnificent frigatebirds, which I rarely see this far north. They are common in the keys, and I have also seen them down at […]
Ringling Grounds (Sarasota, FL)
There are days when I walk into a place in Florida and feel—before even seeing anything—that the land has something to show me. Not merely a display or an exhibition, but a conversation, a story waiting in a shadow, a rustle, a shaft of light. The Ringling Museum Grounds in Sarasota—John and Mable Ringling’s sprawling […]
Historic Spanish Point (Sarasota, FL)
Make sure to check out the butterfly tent when you go. I have gone to Spanish Point a few times since it became part of Selby Gardens, and it is definitely fun to visit. Very different from Selby downtown, and I would say that I prefer it. There are places in Florida where the past […]
Red Bug Slough Preserve (Sarasota, FL)
The first thing you notice about Red Bug Slough Preserve is how improbable it feels. One moment you’re on Beneva Road—traffic lights, grocery stores, lawn crews—and the next you’re stepping into a pocket of old Florida, 70-ish acres of hammock, wetland, and water tucked right into the middle of Sarasota. (sarasotacountyparks.com) As a Florida naturalist, […]
Pinecraft Park (Sarasota, FL)
On some days, Pinecraft Park feels less like a city park and more like a tiny rainforest that somebody accidentally dropped into the middle of Sarasota. Tucked along the shady banks of Phillippi Creek and wrapped in the quiet hum of the Amish and Mennonite neighborhood around it, this little 15–20 acre patch of mesic […]
Highlands Hammock State Park (Sebring FL)
Some parks whisper. Highlands Hammock State Park sings. It begins the moment you turn off US-27 onto Hammock Road, the traffic falling away behind you like a shed skin. Before you even see the official sign, the landscape shifts: more oaks, more shadows, more sense that you’re entering an older, wiser Florida—one that existed long […]
Urfer Family Park (Sarasota, FL)
If Sarasota had a beating green heart tucked inside its suburban chest, it would be Urfer Family Park—a 72-acre blend of pine flatwoods, wetlands, history, wildlife, and playful modern comforts, all stitched together in one of the most walkable nature parks in the county. It’s a place where families picnic, runners jog, toddlers conquer playgrounds, […]
Brooker Creek Preserve (Tarpon Springs, FL)
Some places in Florida feel like they’ve been hiding in plain sight, quietly thriving while the world rushes past in a blur of pavement and Publix shopping plazas. Brooker Creek Preserve, tucked into the northeastern corner of Pinellas County near Tarpon Springs, is one of those places—a wild, breathing sanctuary where the land remembers what […]
North Lido Beach (Sarasota, FL)
This is one of the best beaches in Sarasota for seeing plants and birds, and on arrival, we sawa northern harrier hunting in the scrub. There were also a bunch of Sandwich Terns on the beach.
Red Bug Slough Slough Loop (RBS)
Location: Red Bug Slough PreserveTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7GG2+VR South Gate Ridge, FloridaHike Length: 2 milesTime Estimate: 1.5 hoursHabitats: WetlandsNotes: Amazing amount of plant and wildlife for a suburban setting.
Rothenbach Park Loop (RP)
Location: Rothenbach ParkTrailhead (Google Plus Code): 7JW3+97 Fruitville, FloridaHike Length: 3.7 milesTime Estimate: 1.5 hoursHabitats: Hardwood HammockNotes: All pavement — good for biking. Loops around a covered landfill and has a beautiful hardwood hammock at the east side, as well as a smaller area on the southwest.
Bee Island & Back (MRSP)
Location: Myakka River State ParkTrailhead: 7P56+3W Myakka City, FloridaHike Length: 5 milesTime Estimate: three hoursHabitats: Pine Flatwoods, Hardwood Hammock, Dry PrairieNotes: Can be very hot and dry – bring lots of water. This is a great hike to see the undisturbed pinelands in the park, but it is an out and back hike that’s pretty […]