Traveling Huntleys

Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.

florida

Apalachicola Oysters & Carabelle Gulf Views

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Apalachicola is one of those Florida towns that operates on an entirely different frequency from the rest of the state. Located in the panhandle east of Destin, it sits where the Apalachicola Bay meets the Apalachicola River — a quiet, historic port community where life revolves around the water, the tides, and the extraordinary oysters that have made this bay famous across the country. There are fewer crowds here than on the sugar-white beaches to the west, fewer chain restaurants, and far more of the real Florida that drew people here in the first place. We had been to this area before and couldn’t wait to return.

Jake the dog exploring a foggy morning low tide on the calm shores of St. George Sound, Carabelle, Florida
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St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1931 to protect the wintering grounds for migratory birds — making it one of the oldest national wildlife refuges in the United States. Encompassing over 68,000 acres of coastal marshes, tidal flats, pine flatwoods, and open Gulf waters along the Apalachee Bay, St. Marks is one of the finest wildlife destinations in the entire southeastern United States. From Manatee Springs, it was an easy three-hour drive north to Crawfordville, Florida — and worth every mile.

Historic St. Marks Lighthouse at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Apalachee Bay, Florida, built in 1842
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Chiefland, Florida Manatee Springs & Cedar Key

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Chiefland sits on Florida’s Nature Coast in Levy County, north of Tarpon Springs and well off the typical tourist path. The local economy runs on agriculture — peanuts, watermelons, cattle ranching, and timber — and the surrounding landscape reflects that: open fields, longleaf pine flatwoods, and the wide, slow-moving Suwannee River winding through it all. We came specifically to visit Manatee Springs State Park and to revisit Cedar Key, a tiny island community we had loved on a previous trip. Both exceeded expectations in very different ways.

White-tailed deer browsing near the campground at Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland, Florida
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Manatees at Blue Spring State Park, Florida

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Manatees are among our favorite animals to observe — slow, serene, and utterly unbothered by the world around them. We had encountered them several times around Florida, but always in murky, brackish coastal waters where you caught only fleeting glimpses of grey shapes drifting beneath the surface. Seeing them in the crystal-clear water of a Florida freshwater spring was something else entirely. From Lady Lake, it was a short drive northeast to Blue Spring State Park in Orange City — and it turned out to be one of the most memorable wildlife experiences of our entire journey across Florida.

Three West Indian Manatees gliding through crystal clear spring water at Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, Florida
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Land O’Lakes & Lady Lake, Florida

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Land O’Lakes is a peaceful community in Pasco County, located just north of Tampa and within easy reach of Clearwater and St. Petersburg. We made it our home base for several weeks while our Newmar Dutch Star received its annual Freightliner service at the factory service center in Tampa — about an hour’s drive away. After the sun-drenched Keys and the sponge docks of Tarpon Springs, it felt wonderful to settle into a quieter rhythm for a while.

Equestrian rider jumping a horse in competition at Grand Oaks Resort, Lady Lake, Florida
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Tarpon Springs, Florida’s West Coast

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

From Everglades City we drove a few hours north along congested city streets to reach Tarpon Springs on Florida’s Gulf Coast — a town unlike any other in Florida. While most of the state’s tourist towns lean on beaches and theme parks, Tarpon Springs leans on something far more distinctive: a thriving Greek-American community, a working sponge industry, and a waterfront that feels more like a Greek island village than the American South. It is one of the most culturally interesting stops on Florida’s west coast, and paired with the nearby towns of Dunedin and Clearwater, it made for a memorable few days.

Golden sunset over the Anclote River at Tarpon Springs, Florida
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