Guest Post: RV to Tallahassee-Three Reasons to Go

Hey, y'all. Tallahassee is still on my mind. Enjoy this guest post...

Have you been tempted to make a trek to Tallahassee? Pack the RV and get moving! There are hundreds of reasons to go RV camping to Tallahassee. We've picked our top three to share.

Five Hundred Years of History!
Florida's capitol draws history-loving RVers year-round, thanks to historical sites that harken back five hundred years. Mission San Luis, for example, a national historic landmark just two miles from Florida's historic State Capitol Building, is a living history adventure offering a taste of 1600's Spanish and Apalachee Indian culture.

To understand the enormous contribution of African Americans to the Florida Panhandle, be sure to visit the John Gilmore Riley Center/Museum of African American History & Culture. Civil War buffs also won't want to miss the Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Park, where one of the last battles of the Civil War saw Tallahassee saved from Union capture.


Tallahassee's Outdoor Attractions
The lush beauty of Tallahassee is showcased in several outdoor attractions worth any RVers interest. Maclay Gardens State Park offers two lakes, miles of hiking and biking trails and hundreds of acres of beautifully-landscaped green space. Another enormously popular outdoor attraction just outside Tallahassee is Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. Take a ride on a glass-bottomed boat to explore one of the world's largest freshwater springs. You can also swim, hike the nature trails and photograph the Springs' abundant wildlife.

And the biggest reason of all that active RV camping fans come to Tallahassee is Apalachicola National Forest on the outskirts of town. Five developed areas with campgrounds make coming to this half-million acre pine forest easy. Three small lakes within the park's boundaries present plenty of boating, fishing and swimming possibilities. Serious hikers will want to explore at least a short section of the Florida National Scenic Trail that runs through the park.

Just north of Apalachicola National Forest, Lake Talquin State Park is a favorite with anglers. Hit the bright blue waters of this lake nestled in the pine-covered hills for some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the Panhandle.

From QKG's Tallahassee Blog

Tallahassee's Stellar RV Campgrounds
The Florida capitol knows how to welcome RV campers! From National Forest campgrounds in amazingly scenic settings to urban campgrounds close to the action, Tallahassee RV parks fit every kind of camper.

Big Oak RV Park, for example, has every modern amenity including wireless internet, a post office and free cable television. Tallahassee RV Park offers quiet camping in a lush, green setting. CampFlorida.com is a great place to start when planning your RV campground reservations.

It's definitely time to make tracks to Tallahassee! Comfortable RV parks, plenty of historic sites to explore and a wealth of outdoor wonderlands make this Florida Panhandle city one of our top picks for RV camping.

About the Author
Joe Laing is the Marketing Director for El Monte RV Rentals. For other great RV camping vacation ideas see the Monty's Musings RV Camping Blog or the new

Monty's RV Vacation Photo / Picture Gallery.

Pedicure Fit for a Mermaid: Find it in Sarasota

Planning a trip to Sarasota, Florida, soon? You'll have to check out this quirky experience, a spa offering "live fish pedicures." Yes, that's what I said. Pictured below is my right foot acting as lunch for some toothless fish. Read about the experience over at Suite101.

New Florida Travel Guidebook Highlights Monuments, Memorials and Statues

Hey Tallahassee! Wonder what those obelisks are in the lawn of the Old Capital? Or the story behind the Edward Ball Monument at Wakulla Springs State Park? Wonder no more, a new book called A Brief Guide to Florida's Monuments and Memorials by Roberta Sandler will be hitting bookshelves soon. Want a sneak peek? Read my review of the new Florida guidebook.

Florida Black Bear Festival in Umatilla, Fla. April 12, 2008

When I lived in South Florida, I received notices about film festivals, wine festivals and arts festivals. Living up here in North Florida, I'm learning about the Worm Grunting Festival, Florida Hiking Festival and now the Florida Black Bear Festival in Umatilla, Fla. (I didn't know where it was either, but thanks to Google, it's in Lake County.) I love it!

Hope the Florida Black Bear Festival isn't like the Rattlesnake Roundup in Wingham, Ga. I mean, I like browsing all the vendors and learning but I don't want to taste a black bear, although, watching someone wrestle one would be entertaining and my bet is always on the bear.

What visitors can expect are educational sessions, field trips, music and fun for the whole family! For more info, visit the Web site or call: (352) 669-9600 Wish I were in town this weekend.

If anyone goes, tell me all about it!

FreshBooks RoadBurn 2008 Stops in Tallahassee

The guys from FreshBooks stopped in Tallahassee today on their way from Miami to Austin for SXSW. The Toronto-based company is an online invoicing and time tracking service. Basically, they can handle the back end of your business so you can be more involved in the front end.

Anyway, this post isn't about what they do, you can find that on the FreshBooks site to learn more. This is about RoadBurn 2008, their wondrous road trip (follow the blog) and their stop to see ME!

Their office had contacted me about two weeks ago asking if I'd be available to spend 20 minutes with the crew. Timing was right, I needed a distraction with everything else going on and with limited time, decided on a bit of geocaching at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park.

Long story short, they arrived, I showed and explained a bit about geocaching, had some fun and went on our way. I'm thankful it was a gorgeous day. The guys are heading to New Orleans tonight.

I gotta thrill seeing Saul and Sunir opening the cache. There was a really creepy (and dirty) baby in there. No, not a real baby, a little plastic one. I really think the baby should be sitting on the crew's RV dashboard making the rest of the road trip, but someone who shall remain nameless was not comfortable with the baby. The FreshBooks crew left some groovy swag in the box and if you're a lucky geocacher, maybe you'll find it.

Stay tuned to RoadBurn 2008 blog for updates and get their side of the story :)

Pictured in the group photo are: Sunir, Mike, Eamonn (did I get that right?), Saul and Me.

Happy travels and thanks for stopping in Tally!

Road Trip: Travel to Stephen King's Sarasota

Stephen King has a new book out, it's called Duma Key: A Novel. While Duma Key is a fictional island, the plot takes place in and around Sarasota, Fla. This is King's first Florida-based novel and reading Duma Key, one has to wonder, are all the Sarasota-based businesses King mentions some of his favorite hang outs? Maybe.

I really enjoyed writing this article, "Travel to Stephen King's Sarasota" and hope you enjoy exploring Sarasota through the eyes of the book's protagonist, Edgar Freemantle.

Travel to Sarasota: Have Ya Made the Trip Yet?

I spent the weekend in Sarasota to help my grandma celebrate her 85th birthday. Although I didn't grow up there, I spent four years living in Sarasota prior to coming to Tallahassee. It always feels like going home when I make the 5 hour drive down I-75. And I feel like such a college student when I bring my dirty laundry with me and return with goodies from my pal Zelda May.

The 10-hour round trip journey is worth it when I get to walk the beach (Siesta Key, to be exact), spend time with family and friends and just hang out and enjoy the city.

The Sarasota bay front currently has the Season of Sculpture exhibit with dozens of intriguing (and controversial) pieces of art. I didn't get to see much of the art, was on a tight schedule, but had time to play under the giant tooth. There was a sculpture paying tribute to Andy Wharhol but didn't get to see that one up close. Will make note to see it during my March visit.

Saturday night was an evening family and friends. Good times, good times. I started at Yume Sushi for, well, sushi, sake and good conversation. I was able to get caught up with my team members from the Rotary GSE program.

I ended at Ophelia's on Siesta Key for grandma's birthday dinner. She was so cute. I had to point out to her on her driver's license that yes indeed, she was turning 85 and not 84 as she'd been telling everyone.

It was a fab evening outside on the water. I blew my entire dining budget on that one dinner but it was well worth it. It's probably the area's most romantic restaurant.

Sunday was Sarasota Art's Day, one of my most favorite events in Sarasota. It's a day to celebrate all arts. All the cultural and arts organizations have booths set up to educate visitors about their services. Stages are set up throughout downtown and everything from folk trios to ballet dancers perform throughout the day. Best of all are all the artists who display their artwork. I was tempted to purchase a painting which was well under priced but opted to put those funds towards last year's trip to Italy.

Enjoy these images of my weekend. If you're a nature nut, pop over to my other blog and check out this video called "Siesta Key Scallop Watching." Enjoy!

Two State Tourism Offices Have Tongues Waggging

A couple of state tourism offices are in this week's spotlight with their advertising campaigns.

First there's New Mexico and their alien tourism ad campaign. If you're not familiar with the buzz, some New Mexico tourism officials are upset with the ugly aliens pushing the great state. (In short, the aliens decide New Mexico is the best place in the Universe to visit). The people upset about the campaign claim the ads are geared towards Gen Xers while its the Baby Boomers who have the money and time to travel.

You can check out the video for yourself (see below). I have to admit, the aliens are ugly and the commercial doesn't even mention Roswell and Area 51, but I don't find it repulsive. But then again, I'm a Gen Xer. Is the commercial going to make me want to go to New Mexico? Yeah, a little bit. The spot tells me more about New Mexico and encourages me to think about the state differently from what my preconceived notion. One things' for sure, all this buzz has to be driving interest. Check out the accompanying Web site: The Best Place in the Universe. New Mexico, Earth.




Closer to home, have you read this article in today's Tallahassee Democrat? It's certainly sparked plenty of conversation around the office. The NAACP is upset with VISIT FLORIDA, the state's official tourism marketing corporation, upcoming campaign called "Shine." I've seen the campaign. It shows all sorts of happy people enjoying themselves in Florida. It's pleasant, calming and inspiring.

We live in the Sunshine State. Some of the definitions for "shine," according to Merriam-Webster include:
To emit rays of light.
To perform extremely well.
To have a bright glowing appearance.

These don't seem like negatives to me, but apparently, "shine" is a derogatory term against African Americans during the early 20th century. It's a term I've never heard of (and remember, I'm a Yankee) and asking various people in the office about the term, they don't find it offensive.

What I find more confusing is that the Tallahassee Democrat article uses the term "black" when I thought the politically correct term is "African American?" Or, is it uncool to be politically correct? Or, do the rules say it's okay to be politically correct only when it's convenient?

Green Guide Class: Critters in the Air, Sea and Land

Despite a 6 a.m. wake up call, today was awesome. Finally, the temperature has cooled down and the humidity has dropped making being outside enjoyable.

My day began at Mashes Sands Park on Hwy. 98 past Panacea. We met up with George for some early morning bird watching. (Stupid me, I forgot my binoculars, but honestly, I have no idea where they are. Well, I know which room they're in, just not which box).

I also learned something new about horseshoe crabs - usually the shells found washed up on beaches is just that, a shell. The crab inside most likely shed it for a new one. Pretty cool!

Next was lunch at Posey's - grouper sandwich, yum!

Then, Jack Rudlow, founder of Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories gave us a tour. I have to say, this place is pretty cool. There were several touch tanks to feel all sorts of sea critters, from starfish to scallops and sea urchins to seaweed. There are also non-touchable tanks to observe and watch the sea life, such as sea turtles, sharks and fiddler crabs.

While there, a fisherman had hooked a Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle and brought it in to have the hook removed. The Gulf Specimen Marine Lab is the only authorized turtle rehap center in the area. I've enclosed a photo of the turtle and circled the hook. Luckily, the hook was easily removed and the turtle will soon be released.

We were also at the lab during feeding time, which was fun to see the reactions of the sea critters. Enjoy the video below of the spider crabs feeding. They really are ugly creatures but fun to watch. Over on my QuirkyKitschGirl site, check out the video on the remora (suckerfish) feeding. These are the fish which attach themselves to the bottom of sharks, manatees and turtles.

Since I was already in Panacea, I decided to head over to the Florida Seafood Festival in Apalachicola. I love that town! Indulged in gumbo and oyster stew, saw a crab race and enjoyed great music. A band was even playing on a boat! (Not in the boat below, I just liked this boat.)

Got to tour the newest hotel in Apalachicola, Water Street Hotel & Marina. It only has 30 rooms but they're huge and very comfortable. It's not in the downtown area but an easy walk to the action. Nice property, I'd definitely stay there sometime.

Is Tallahassee an Expensive Place to Vacation?

This month, Frommers.com ran an article titled, "Where Does the Dollar Do Best? Frommer's Global Price Index for August" and guess what? Tallahassee's listed!

The article compares cities around the globe showing where the U.S. dollar has the most bang for the buck. The price of a Tallahassee cup of coffee (among other things) is compared against the price of coffee in other cities such as Split (Croatia), Pembrokeshire (Wales) and Pierre (South Dakota). While hotel rates may be cheaper in say Vientiane, Laos, remember to factor in the cost to travel there. Tallahassee is still a deal.