This is National Travel & Tourism week. Here in Florida, no matter where you are, there’s a fun day trip. Most are easily within an hour of where you’re sitting right now.
You can take a drive up the backroads. Perhaps make a journey to a destination location. And a jaunt to a special event always is fun. We think the Sunshine State simply is packed with places to go, things to see and people to meet.
Florida back roads.
Now’s the Time
If you’re not in Florida, this is the perfect time for you to travel to Florida. There’s fun, experiences and good times just around the bend. The weather is right now. And many of the winter residents have retreated to there homes back north. That means less crowded conditions and in many cases, lower rates.
Do you enjoy the beach? We do! Did you know Florida has more shoreline than any other state? There’s the Atlantic coast or the Gulf – not to mention all the freshwater lakes. In fact, there’s a spot calling your name right now for swimming, sunbathing, boating and fishing.
Sun, sand and lots of room,
If you like to play golf, tee times are readily available on courses with skill levels ranging from duffers to zero handicap. Personally, we opt for the courses with a single club, colored balls and hazards that include a windmill or a dinosaur.
Of course, when people say Florida the major theme parks come to mind. But there are literally hundreds of other amusements here. There are historic attractions such as the mermaids of Weekie Wachie and the glass bottomed boats of Silver Springs – both of which now are state parks.
The mermaids of Weekie Wachie
In factl Florida has a great state park system. There are dozens of them from the Gulf to the Atlantic, from the Panhandle to the Keys and wherever you are in Florida chances are there’s one near you.
There are lesser-known but equally interesting destinations such as the Coral Castle, Butterfly World and even the Skunk Ape Research Center.
And while you’re exploring the Coasts of Florida (there are at least a dozen of them), or the geographic regions of the state (there are at least six of those), there are great places to stay and wonderful places to eat.
Naturally there are the national chains, but there also are some wonderful regional names. Moreover, there are a host of one-offs that provide delicious and unique dining experiences.
How about a Candied Citrus Gator Waffle at Melbourne’s Backwater?
Yes, this is National Travel and Tourism Week, but even after the Merry Merry Month of May there are lots of opportunities to enjoy the Sunshine State. There are minor league ballgames all summer long, arts and craft shows, food festivals, concerts and much more.
Striker is the mascot for the minor league Florida Fire Frogs who play in Ocala.
And if you are fortunate enough to live in Florida, an overnighter starting on Friday can give you the opportunity to enjoy a nice hotel or motel, several different restaurants, a destination location and still be back in time for church on Sunday.
Tourism is a way of life here in Florida. You can expect friendly faces and helpful staff wherever you go. And remember, the travel experience is something that never can be taken away from you and the memories now can be stored in the comfort of your smart phone
So don’t wait for when, do a little travel and tourism right now. There’s always time for fun here in the Funshine State.
Although “The Best Breakfast” has been an elusive title, we have managed to come up with a list of our five best breakfasts in Florida – so far. By no means is this all of them – and we travel continually, so we are always discovering new and interesting places.
That being said, we have found five eateries of great merit. These have combined a unique atmosphere, a wonderful presentation, delicious food and a reasonable pricepoint to make their breakfast experience something special.
The Perfect Cup
The Perfect Cup in Matlacha came on a recommendation by our hotelier at The Angler’s Inn. Fairly unimpressive from the outside, the interior is funky, fun and inviting.
In addition to the printed menu, there were options on a chalkboard, white board and a replaceable letter menu that opened a world of dining opportunities
We opted for the regular breakfast off the menu. The food came out quickly and cooked exactly as we had ordered. The coffee was some of the best that we we’ve tasted. In addition to being a restaurant, The Perfect Cup also is a roastary.
It would be hard to find any complaints about breakfast at The Perfect Cup. Even our crisp bacon was cooked to perfection.
It’s easy to see how they have won the local “Best Breakfast” award seven years in a row. We give it The Best Bacon Award for the best thick and crispy bacon we have ever had.
And looking over TripAdvisor reviews of this place, they also were challenged to find anything wrong. I guess we should have known something was up when this little place had its own gift shop with their namesake T-shirts and other merchandise.
For us, recommending this place too highly is impossible. In fact, it might be one of the major attractions of Pine Island. We urge you to go across the drawbridge to Matlacha and try it for yourself.
One taste and you’ll understand why it is a Florida best breakfast.
Backwater
There are several great breakfast restaurants in Melbourne but a trip to Backwater is a must – both for the atmosphere and the culinary experience. The dining room features a breakfast bar, high top and “griddle” tables. There, you actually have a hot plate where you can make your own pancakes to order.
You can make regular pancakes and kids have the option of colored batter to make their own creations for themselves, hot and ready to eat.
Backwater prides itself on having an “old southern” feel with a unique decor that includes an aluminum tile ceiling, plenty of pictures and advertising signs. They also feature many locally sourced ingredients for their recipes.
There’s actually a butcher paper sign that greets customers at the entrance, suggesting where some items on today’s menu actually originated. To that end, my first choice was the Candied Citrus Fried Gator Waffle (how could you not)?
Yes, the infamous Gator Waffle and my wife’ Traditional Southern Breakfast
In a word, it was spectacular. It was topped with breaded gator and infused with orange zest and marmalade. We only wished our breakfasts had not been so filling and that our time constraints would not allow us to come back again (at least on this visit.)
Backwater really is the kind of place that encourages return trips just to try some of the other great menu selections. And is easy to rank as a Florida best breakfast.
The Orange House
Who would think that a wine bar also would make a good breakfast restaurant? Obviously, the folks at The Orange House in Punta Gorda. The restaurant gets its name from a line of houses on Sullivan Street – each with it’s own specific color.
This is the cheery exterior that greets you at The Orange House
We had seen this on TripAdvisor as a breakfast place and decided to check it out. Imagine our surprise when the interior was darkened wood, with jazz music playing and lighted wine bottle illuminating the tables – not exactly a breakfast decor.
However, the breakfast menu was intriguing. They have “Do-scuits, ” a combination of donuts and biscuits, there also was Avacado Toast, a selection of flatbreads and a quiche-of-the-day.
A breakfast of Quiche and Biscuits ‘n Gravy, Illuminated by a wine bottle
My ham & cheese quiche was served with a nice spinach and arugula salad, my wife had a more southern-inspired breakfast with a biscuit tomato, crispy bacon and a side of sausage gravy. Lisa in the kitchen took care to make certain it was tasty and well presented.
The Orange House provides both a best Florida Breakfast and one of the more unusual combinations we’ve experienced.
Simply Delicious
Simply Delicious in Cocoa Beach is, well, simply delicious. We liked it so well that we actually ate there two consecutive mornings. We sat in different dining areas and tried different selections. What remained unchanged was the high quality of the food and the service.
With its bright color scheme, Simply Delicious is simply hard to miss.
We should have guessed that it would be good. When we arrived early, there already were people milling about waiting for them to open the doors. The bright color scheme is continued inside, with the food and drinks served on Fiesta ware.
The Simply Delicious breakfast is healthy and tasty
Looking for a best Florida breakfast served with panache? In Cocoa Beach it’s Simply Delicious. Warning: there is a great bakery case on your way out.
Over Easy Cafe
Sanibel is an island full of great eateries. For our breakfast, we chose the Over Easy Cafe. It was the right move. The morning we were there, the place was packed full of participants from a just-finished marathon run.
Despite the fact they had spacious indoor and outdoor seating, the place was jammed. Not a problem, they took our name, gave us a pager, and we set out shopping at the nearby shops. It wasn’t long before I began buzzing and we had a great seat.
We were served in the Over Easy Cafe vanity cups, blue for my coffee and pink for her tea.
We were seated in the covered patio and enjoyed our breakfast in the cool morning island breeze. Billed as “one of the most popular spots in the two islands,” it’s easy to see why. The ambiance is palpable and breakfast was a delight at the Over Easy Cafe
Additionally, the menu selections are virtually endless. They boast Pancakes-o-Plenty, French Toast, “Skillets to Fill Ya,” 3-Egg Omelets and a variety of Eggs Benedict. And that’s just for breakfast.
A great breakfast can be had at The Over Easy Cafe
Moreover, the staff was wonderful and the service is impeccable. Again, there is no shortage of great places to eat on Sanibel and Captiva Islands – but this one makes our best Florida breakfast top five list for sure.
What’s your favorite breakfast place in the Sunshine State? Let us know at the Florida Fun Travel Group Facebook page.
For the past few years we have tried to search out a great place to celebrate Easter. We have been to several Sunrise Services, but none have paralleled the one we attended on The Space Coast.
Celebrating the Resurrection of our Savior on the shores at Satellite Beach was one of the most wonderful and spiritual times we have had the privilege to experience.
Rev.Dr Jason Carter of Trinity Wellsprings Church gave the Easter message in the sand at Hightower Beach as the sun came over the horizon on Easter Morning.
Hightower Beach
We actually had scoped out Hightower Beach the day before. It’s a nice facility in its own right. The stairs to the beach are dominated by a large viewing deck that gives a panoramic view of the ocean and beach in both directions.
Looking south from the platform at Hightower Beach gives a great view of the Atlantic and the unfettered beach area
There were a few people enjoying the afternoon. That paled in comparison to the hundreds that would be there the next morning to see that very special sunrise. Hightower Beach features a boardwalk that parallels the southern beach area. There are picnic tables, sitting areas and views overtop of the sea grapes, cactus and other vegetation lined both sides of the wooden walkway.
There’s quite a boardwalk with several sitting places and picnic areas at Hightower Beach.
Easter Sunrise
However, virtually none of this was visible when we first arrived for our Easter Sunrise experience. The Satellite Beach Police shepherded us across Highway 1 from the parking area. Members of the church were there with lights to help keep us on the path to the walkway.
When we got down on the beach itself, there was enough pre-dawn light to help us make our way to the front. The Praise Band “Cross the Jordan” played as hundreds made their way to the beach area to select a place for the service.
Some had chairs, others had blankets. We chose to stand. It was easy to find the stage, as they had placed an illuminated cross there.
An illuminated cross marked the front of the service area for Easter sunrise attendees.
The music was good and the message poignant, as Rev. Carter admonished us about “Practicing the Resurrection.” However, nothing could match that sun rising over the Atlantic on Easter morning. In fact, Rev. Carter paused briefly to allow us to enjoy one of the great sights on Easter morning.
This experience was unique. The hospitality was wonderful, all the way down to the free coffee in the tent at the base of the stairs. We have looked many times for the perfect way to celebrate Easter. None has been any better than our trip to Satellite Beach.
National Picnic Day is coming up, so we decided to go and have a real Florida picnic in preparation to blog about this blessed event. We had seen an old fashioned hoedown advertised near Bartow – and had planned to attend that even.
However, after hours of searching (it seems our satellite and computer-aided guidance systems cannot find Homeland), we decided to hang it up and head back to the house.
Just north of Fort Meade lies a little place called Patterson Park. We swung the funmobile into the parking lot and found a space. The park is poised on an “island” in the midst of a small lake. It apparently is a former phosphate pit, repurposed as a park.
We decided it was the perfect place
Finding a place to set down
My wife and I grabbed the picnic basket, and followed the path to a short red bridge that led to an “island” surrounded by water. There we saw a winding pathway with a choice of picnic tables, gazebos and other structures where visitors can sit, eat and pass the time of day.
One of two bridges leading onto the “island”
At the first picnic table there sat a hopeful squirrel. Not wanting an audience, we walked along down to the second concrete table where we could enjoy our lunch without an audience.
Our chosen lunch spot
It was short lived, the squirrel again located us. He climbed a nearby tree then carefully approached several times in search of a handout. We managed to get through lunch without incident.
Then with a chorus of “Apple core! Baltimore! Who’s your friend?” Mrs. Funmeister lobbed the remains of her apple in his general direction. Like a shot he picked it up, scampered back up the tree and did not bother us again.
Persistence pays off.
Plenty of Reasons to Enjoy this Park
We were particularly impressed by their use of winding trails and access ramps to some of the gazebos to add visual interest to what basically is a very narrow space.
The kink in this access ramp gives visual interest and makes it appear longer
Upon entering the park, there were signs with various rules and regulations for its use. There also was a uniquely Florida sign, warning that there are alligators present on the property. While we didn’t see any gators, we did see a lot of squirrels, grackles, fish and various other wildlife.
Most of the animals were largely unimpressed by us humans as we strolled along the concrete pathway, enjoying the scenery.
There was this Anhinga that did pose for usf
Following this lovely experience, we are encouraged to have more picnics and blog about it. Moreover, we have been assured that being outside can improve short-term memory, reduce stress and boost creativity,
But more about that later. Our message is don’t wait until National Picnic Day to go and enjoy a real Florida picnic.
No, we didn’t go to a seafood restaurant, we took some time to venture down to Port Charlotte. Where we saw the home opener of the Charlotte Stone Crabs minor league baseball team.
We have seen the Florida Firefrogs, the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Lakeland Flying Tigers. So this was the latest in our forays out to see all that Florida’s minor league has to offer.
Most Polk County residents know Bartow as the county seat. Some travelers may think that Bartow is the section of town where Florida Highway 60 and US 98 come together. However, just off that main thoroughfare is a quaint little section of town that is rife with interesting little shops and delicious eateries.
It’s been months in the making. Now, like a butterfly, Seven-The Sebring Raceway Hotel has emerged just in time for Race Week. The place was painted Sebring Blue earlier this year. The entrance sign now beckons visitors.
The hotel was christened just in time for the beginning of Race Month at the world famous Sebring International Raceway.
We have been in Frostproof before and when we heard there was a Valentine’s street dance going on, it called for a return visit. This tiny hamlet in Polk County is known as “The Friendly City and it’s easy to see why.
When we arrived, the sun had set. Wall Street was blocked off and the food trucks were parked. The overhead lights had been illuminated and all was ready for the party. We first were struck by the size of the crowd. Literally hundreds of people had set up their camp chairs and were milling about waiting for the entertainment to start.
Frostproof had decorated Wall Street for their Centennial and continue to use the lights.
As we turn our eyes to the advent of St. Patrick’s’ Day, Irish cuisine is on the horizon. On a recent trip to Melbourne we spotted Meg O’Malley’s Restaurant & Irish Pub – it may well have been the highlight of our downtown experience.
 We had the opportunity to visit Dade City just in time for their Kumquat Festival this past January. There literally were hundreds of vendors and thousands of people packing the streets of this tiny burg for this annual event. City blocks were sealed off for the double rows of 10×10 pop-up tents featuring art, jewelry, handmade soaps, plants and curios of all kinds.
There were hundreds of tents set up in the streets of Dade City,
Many businesses took the opportunity to sell their services as well. There were insurance companies, financial institutions, even the local hospital was handing out complimentary carry bags for shoppers.
When it came to the festivities, however, there was no Kumquat Queen, nobody threw out the first Kumquat, there was no “guess-how many-kumqats-in-the-jar,” kumquat eating or kumquat throwing contests. In fact, when we had driven downtown the day before, there were not any signs and actually no indication that there was even to be a festival.
“It’s all done on social media now. People figure it out for themselves” said a burly man at the Information Booth as he gestured to the throng walking past.
Local Businesses to the Rescue
Fortunately, the local merchants picked up the slack in the kumquat department. We were able to get kumquat scones at the Perks Cafe. Down the way at the Tropical Wine Shop we had a tasting of some kumquat wine. Later, at lunch we had a double-header, with both kumquat pie and a kumquat cookie.
Perks Cafe was doing a brisk business and had really tasty kumquat scones.
Although there were a couple of places you could purchase actual, live kumquat trees the only real kumquats we found were consumption were at the Sugar Shack Shop. A great little gift shop that also offered kumquat marmalade and some kumquat salsa – along with a great selection of interesting gift items and home decor.
We did find some actual kumquats at the Sugar Shack Shop – which also had great gifts
We perused some of the pop-ups and out of town displays but increasingly we were drawn to the shops themselves. Arts Eclectic for instance, was a framing shop that had a great display of already mounted pictures and pieces of art. The Cottage Shop had wonderful antiques while the European Emporium had a wide selection of consumer goods from England. Scotland, France, Germany, Italy and the continent.
The European Emporium was a fascinating collection of consumer goods.
The Lunch Challenge
Not wishing to eat from a food truck, we began to look at restaurant offerings. Our first enticement was The Williams Fashion Center & Lunch on Limoges – but they had been booked for weeks. There also was The Angel Tea Room & Heavenly Treasures. They had set up a “Kumquat High Tea Experience.” Sadly it featured no kumquat tea – despite a fine collection of upscale tea offerings in the shop.
We ended up at A Matter of Taste. A surprisingly wonderful restaurant in the heart of Dade City. Due to the crush of the festival they had gone to a limited menu.
“We are just serving our top sellers today…”
– Harried Hostes
It was easy to see why they were the top sellers. I had a Gobbler – a giant turkey and swiss with cranberry. Mrs Funmeister had the California Chicken Salad on Croissants. We topped it off with kumqat pie and a huge kumquat cookie.
Sadly, we did not get to see the car show, nor did we get any kumquat ice cream. However, we did enjoy some of the entertainers that were strategically posted around the city and scored some fabulous kumquat honey.
We were late in booking. Fortunately, we took our own advice and stayed off site in Brooksville at a Microtel. Great accommodations at a lower pricepoint.
All in all, it was a good time but we would recommend you do as much as research as possible before you go.
