For more pictures click HERE

Chances are you have heard of Florida. Maybe you have heard of the bronzed bodies you can find at Miami Beach. Maybe you have heard of NASA launching space ships from Cape Canaveral. Maybe you have heard of Ponce de Leon landing at St. Augustine, one of the oldest European settlements in the continental United States. Maybe you have heard of the mouse named Mickey who lives in Orlando. Maybe you have heard of the mass movement of college students to Panama City during spring break or the flight of “snowbirds” (older people who live in the northern US half the year and Florida the other half of the year) during the winter months. All of these things call Florida their home. And I do too.

^{_{Panama City Beach}}

I loved growing up in Florida. I grew up in Gainesville, which is the home of the University of Florida in north central Florida. Gainesville is two hours from both the Gulf coast and the Atlantic coast. It’s a little less than two hours from Orlando and a little more than two hours from Tampa. It’s also about two hours from Florida’s capital, Tallahassee.

Gainesville is a fun, college city. It’s a humid climate, located in a swamp, and there is lots of wildlife to look at. I love looking at the trees draped in Spanish moss. My favorite native critters are alligators, ibises, anhingas, and manatees. I’m less fond of mosquitos.

^{The Thomas Center, Gainesville}

My favorite thing to do in Florida is go to the springs. Central Florida is riddled with natural springs. The water is 72 degrees Fahrenheit (22 Celsius) all year round. They are beautiful little oases that are the best way to beat the heat in the summer. In the winter, it’s not uncommon to spot a manatee basking in the balmy water. They’re often in tiny little towns that offer fun local restaurants and great antique shopping.

^{Homossasa Springs}

^{A manatee at Fanning Springs}

Another Florida favorite is going to the beach. The Atlantic coast is great for beautiful sand, quirky beach towns, and great waves. The Gulf coast hosts beautiful sunsets, delicious Cuban food, and sharks’ teeth to discover in the sand. I also enjoy going to the numerous theme parks in Florida. There’s Universal, Islands of Adventure, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Busch Gardens, Legoland, Cypress Gardens, and all of the numerous parks associated with Disney World. There are also multiple water amusement parks in Florida.

My best childhood memories occurred in Port Charlotte, Florida. Port Charlotte is a sleepy southern Atlantic coast town full of snowbirds. There’s nothing special about Port Charlotte. It’s special to me because my grandparents lived there. Every summer I spent a week there. I enjoyed searching for sharks’ teeth on the beach with my Grandpa, playing hide and seek in his orange and grapefruit orchards, picking strawberries from his strawberry patch, and trying to climb his banana tree. We always got in trouble for trying to climb the banana tree. I also got to eat fresh oranges, orange cake, and fresh fish prepared by my Grandma. It’s a tiny little town, but it holds a lot of memories for me.

^{Sunset in Port Charlotte}

Florida is a fun vacation destination for the whole family. There are numerous beaches, fun amusement parks, and lots of wildlife to enjoy.

^{A sign outside of Marjorie Kinnan Rawling's house in Cross}

Florida Memories

Jamie Greene

Little Known Seattle

Seattle - It Has Everything!

North Ontario - Cottage Country

A little slice of Heaven on Brittany’s coastline

Brest Maritime Festival 2016

Kanchanaburi - A Trip up the Death Railway

Leiden - 'City of Discoveries'

A Taste of Japan

The Emerald Island