Biography
Jim Abbott is the Orlando Sentinel music and travel writer.
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Beaches and beyond in Brevard
June 8, 2013
Even a bad day at the beach is better than being at the office.
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Lakeland stops that beat the heat
June 1, 2013
A few of my friends are trying to be optimistic about it, but there's no doubt that hotter summer weather is just around the corner.
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Collectibles and more at Webster Flea Market Florida
May 25, 2013
The last time I went to the Webster Flea Market, a bargain-hunter's heaven in rural Sumter County, I was just a youngster.
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Changes coming to Silver Springs
May 18, 2013
I'm pretty sure I just made my first trip to Silver Springs, the iconic old-school tourist attraction in Ocala.
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Keys road-trip never grows old
May 11, 2013
There is a finite number of destinations in the Sunshine State, a fact that is becoming apparent to me after more than three years of writing a column about Florida travel.
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Fernandina Beach: Big on shrimp
April 27, 2013
Regular readers of this column know that my travels are often motivated by food.
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Bok Tower: From bells to banjo
April 20, 2013
Anyone who has visited lovely Bok Tower Gardens, one of Florida's enduring, old-school tourist attractions in Lake Wales, is familiar with the soundtrack:
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Florida Panhandle driving offers landscape treat
April 13, 2013
In last week's column, I framed my trip to the lovely Gulf Coast destination of Anna Maria Island with an uncharacteristically unpleasant tale of traffic gridlock in downtown Tampa.
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Sun, surf, stress-free: Anna Maria
April 6, 2013
No matter what anyone might tell you: Getting there isn't always half the fun.
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A bird's-eye view of Cedar Key
March 30, 2013
A remarkable bird is the pelican; his beak can hold more than his belly can.
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Umatilla's Old Crow Real Pit Bar-B-Q makes a good pit stop
March 16, 2013
Occasionally, alert readers can catch a glimpse of the inner workings of the Postcards from Florida column, pull away the curtain to look behind the scenes at the creative process.
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More than baseball on the menu for spring training
March 9, 2013
There was a time when I would have considered a trip to a baseball park without a visit to the hot-dog stand as something close to sacrilege.
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Ringling showcases 'L.A. Style' in Sarasota
March 2, 2013
It's a fine time to be a photography fan in Florida.
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A tale of whales in Flagler Beach
February 23, 2013
On a previous visit to Flagler Beach, I glimpsed a rare and wondrous site.
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Florida's drive-in movie theaters offer a time-travel ticket
February 16, 2013
According to the theater's website, it was important that I arrived early at the Silver Moon Drive-In, but I probably overdid it.
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Mix history, art in Palm Beach at the Flagler Museum
February 9, 2013
If ever a room was aptly named, it's the Grand Hall of the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach.
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History and fun on tap at the Florida State Fair
February 2, 2013
Most carnival rides hadn't arrived on the recent afternoon I visited the Florida State Fairgrounds in Tampa.
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It's strawberry time in Plant City
January 26, 2013
There's still roughly a month until the Plant City Strawberry Festival opens in that berry-fixated agricultural hub between Lakeland and Tampa.
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Quiet Cocoa Village to party soon
January 19, 2013
It was typically quiet on my visit last week to Cocoa Village, a quaint district of antiques shops and eateries in Brevard County, but expect the place to be more rowdy next month — at least briefly.
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Birders ready to flock to Titusville
January 12, 2013
When it comes to bird-watching, or sighting other critters in the wild, I'm often reduced to acting like that annoying guy in the movie theater who doesn't understand what just happened in a big-budget spy thriller.
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Kumquats are king in Dade City
January 5, 2013
About 20 years ago Orlando had its own much-beloved kumquat celebration.
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2013: Point me in right direction
December 29, 2012
On the road in 2012, I ate gator jerky but somehow never made it to Gatorland.
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Different ways to dive into history
December 26, 2012
It's interesting to look at history, but it's even better to be immersed in it.
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Take a literary trip in Micanopy
December 15, 2012
A bookstore is always a welcome stop on a weekend road trip.
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Holiday traditions can be found on the farms, on the ice
December 8, 2012
Some holiday traditions endure and others, well, they just don't have what it takes.
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Holidays light up Florida waters
December 1, 2012
A white Christmas isn't in the Florida forecast, but the Sunshine State does offer its own twist on holiday traditions. With hundreds of miles of ocean coastline and riverfront shores, holiday light shows often take to the water.
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Gator jerky: A roadside delicacy?
November 24, 2012
Despite the formidable pile of debris on my desk, the back seat of my car and in other quasi-public areas, I'm actually a closet germaphobe disguised as a carefree dude.
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Geneva fish camp offers an old Florida angle on dining
November 17, 2012
By a conservative estimate, I've driven past the Jolly Gator Fish Camp about a thousand times without stopping.
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Florida's Fort Christmas celebrates holidays with annual Cracker Christmas
November 10, 2012
Sitting in a rocking chair, basking in the quiet of a lovely fall afternoon at Fort Christmas Historical Park in east Orange County, I almost believe that I could have been a pioneer settler.
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Tips for when the road trip stalls
November 5, 2012
"You put a lot of miles on this car!"
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Parrot Heads headed to Key West
October 27, 2012
And you thought it was always Parrot Head time in Key West.
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Sweet stops at old-school shops in Florida
October 20, 2012
It's possible to drive past landmarks for years without stopping, but that's not my style anymore.
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Dali Museum, mullet flavors St. Petersburg
October 13, 2012
At last, my notoriously poor eyesight has yielded something useful.
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Fall brings roar of bikes, waves for Biketoberfest
October 6, 2012
Roaring engines and crashing waves are the soundtrack for this week's Postcards dispatch.
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I-4 attractions: History takes flight at Polk County's Fantasy of Flight
September 29, 2012
If there's a ground zero for kitschy roadside art in Central Florida, it's a stretch of Interstate 4 between exits 9 and 44 on the way from Orlando to Tampa.
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Take a lazy river tour of St. Johns
September 22, 2012
There's an old joke about why the St. Johns River flows north, but out of respect for our good friends from Georgia, I won't repeat it here.
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Make Brevard trip of animals, art
September 15, 2012
Beaches are a big attraction in Melbourne, but a road tripper needn't venture to the sand and surf for day-trip diversions.
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Mermaids shine at Weeki Wachee
September 8, 2012
There's something about a mermaid that makes a guy a little bit nervous.
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Wekiva Island still laid-back spot
September 1, 2012
No man is an island — and, obviously, the same applies to riverside watering holes.
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Ichetucknee tubing still fun in fall
August 25, 2012
Even though summer unofficially ends on Labor Day, the hot weather almost certainly will continue into the fall in Florida.
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DeLand's Shady Oak Restaurant offers rustic charm on river
August 18, 2012
As regular readers know, I'm still building momentum toward my long-delayed, inaugural trip to Orlando's iconic Gatorland attraction.
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Florida air shows abound this fall
August 11, 2012
One of my most treasured memories from many years of reporting was the chance to ride with the Blue Angels in the early 1990s.
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Baseball basics in Daytona Beach
August 6, 2012
It was sacrilege, and I knew it, but I pulled out my cellphone to call a friend from my perch in the third-base bleachers at historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach.
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Tips for summer trailer trips
July 28, 2012
One of my favorite funny movies of all-time is "The Long, Long Trailer," a 1953 film starring the legendary Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as newlyweds embarking on married life with an enormous silver trailer in tow.
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At last, it's time to visit Gatorland
July 21, 2012
It's embarrassing admission time for your Postcards correspondent.
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Drink up this St. Augustine tour
July 14, 2012
Did someone mention beer?
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Advice for healthful summer travel
July 7, 2012
I was going to make some joke about this summer's heat wave, but the sun and soaring temperatures can be serious business for travelers basking in Florida's tropical climate.
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Hemingways: Head to Key West
June 24, 2012
I could never win Sloppy Joe's Ernest Hemingway Look-alike Contest.
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Practical tips for solo road trip
June 16, 2012
I'm preparing for another road trip, a journey from Central Florida to Key Largo: Alone again, naturally.
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Florida's got beaches for dog day afternoons
June 14, 2012
My recent travel story on Florida beaches generated some nice email responses, including a terrific request from reader Jeanine Vaerewyck of Orlando:
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Tips for road trips with your pet
May 26, 2012
In last week's column, I opened a window to the glamorous life of traveling alone and offered a few tips to keep the voices in your head from shouting down your sanity.
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Have road, will travel ... and figure out how to pass the time
May 19, 2012
Among the things I learned on a recent marathon road trip that covered almost 1,300 miles to destinations that ranged from Pensacola Beach to Vero Beach:
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Fests add to Fort Myers charm
May 12, 2012
The combination of shells, sand and surf is a powerful incentive to visit the beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel in Southwest Florida.
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Tips for making most of festivals
May 5, 2012
As much as I love music, looking at this photo of fans crowded against the barriers at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival makes me realize all the aggravation involved in the festival experience.
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Ron Jon rules, surfboard or not
April 28, 2012
It has been a week of confessions for me.
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St. Augustine hosts 10th Annual Florida Birding and Photo Fest
April 21, 2012
Whether it's mastering the art of capturing "tiny landscapes" or learning the difference between warblers and shorebirds, there's something for photographers and bird-watchers at the 2012 edition of Florida's Birding & Photo Fest this week in St. Augustine.
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More ideas for roadside exploring
April 14, 2012
Readers of the Postcards column offered lots of feedback about last week's column on my favorite roadside stops.
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Go long way with roadside stops
March 31, 2012
When I was married I used to receive complaints from the wife about my driving.
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In the air, people are the wild card
March 24, 2012
My father worked for the airlines in Miami for more than 30 years, in the golden age of air travel on iconic fleets such as Eastern, Pan American and TWA.
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Find romance on road with tips for single travelers
March 17, 2012
"These sunsets are made for romance."
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Gators star at Orlando Wetlands Park
March 11, 2012
The Postcards column often is laced with whimsy, but today's edition is powered by fear.
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Keys fests go to the dogs, ocean
March 3, 2012
One of the many things that I love about the Florida Keys is that the place has a quirky animal presence.
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Picture these perfect Florida spots
February 25, 2012
This week's column is dedicated to regular Postcards reader Allan Greene, who emailed last week to inquire about the 10 most photogenic spots in Florida.
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Take yourself out to the ball game in DeLand
February 18, 2012
Major League Baseball's spring training will be in full swing with games starting on the first weekend of March and your Postcards columnist will be reporting from at least one Grapefruit League destination.
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On the road with Florida sounds
February 11, 2012
Watching Jimmy Buffett in concert this past weekend, I couldn't help imagining again how deliriously happy the Key West tourism people must be about his long, successful career.
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Festival looks to the stars in Keys
February 4, 2012
There are spectacular sunrises and sunsets in Florida and the skies can be breathtakingly beautiful during the day.
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Coming soon: New Miami stadium builds on Orange Bowl history
January 28, 2012
It's almost time for another Super Bowl, which always makes me think of the Miami Orange Bowl.
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Spa spells Valentine romance
January 21, 2012
At last, I'm starting to understand my problems with romance.
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Events mark Flagler railroad's Key West milestone
January 14, 2012
It's only a week until the 100th anniversary of the inaugural journey of Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, which arrived for the first time in Key West on Jan. 22, 1912.
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Find quiet getaway in New Smyrna Beach
January 7, 2012
If you don't like the weather in Florida, just wait 15 minutes: It'll change.
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Vintage bikes star at Dania Beach festival
December 31, 2011
Confession time: I'm not much of a motorcycle fan.
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A look in the rearview mirror at a year's worth of Postcards from Florida
December 24, 2011
You learn things on the journey along life's pathway, which is one of the joys of traveling.
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Classic music stars to perform on Soul Train Cruise in 2013
December 17, 2011
Kid Rock cruises. So do the Backstreet Boys. Now, one of the genuinely iconic musical TV shows will be represented in a weeklong cruise to depart in 2013 from Fort Lauderdale.
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Finding quiet in St. Augustine
December 10, 2011
I only make it to St. Augustine about twice a year and the trip is always framed by memories of chaperoning elementary-school field trips.
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Signs all point to enjoyment on a road trip through rural Florida
November 26, 2011
I missed the sign when I first passed it on the stretch of County Road 42 that bridges Lake and Marion counties.
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Ice skating for the holidays? It can happen even in sunny Florida
November 19, 2011
I have a friend in Melbourne who already has her outdoor holiday lights up.
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Go tropical for the holidays with these events in the Florida Keys
November 12, 2011
Unless something really goes crazy, it won't be a white Christmas in Florida, but the Sunshine State still offers unique opportunities to celebrate the holidays in a tropical way.
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Boat parades: A unique Florida holiday tradition
November 1, 2011
Let's face it, Floridians, we don't do the holidays in the Sunshine State the way they do up North.
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Fisherman or not, you can taste a bit of old Florida in Oak Hill
October 22, 2011
"You're not a fisherman, are you?"
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'Wacky Women Week': Perdido Key getaway for a good cause
October 15, 2011
Somehow, when I hear about an event called "Wonderful Wacky Women Week," the image that comes to mind is a cross between spring break and a reality TV show.
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Florida songs could be the soundtrack for your next road trip
October 8, 2011
If you read this column regularly, you know that it's not unusual for the topic to have something to do with a photograph that looks inviting to me.
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'Mile Marker Zero': A literary look back at Key West's high times
October 1, 2011
Suddenly, I have a hankering to hoist a beer at Capt. Tony's, on that barstool with Bob Dylan's name painted on it, looking out the door at the free-spirited lifestyle of Key West.
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Here's a quiet way to appreciate the 'religion' of college football
September 24, 2011
In Florida, college football almost qualifies as a religion.
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Looking for love? You can find the spiritual kind in Cassadaga
September 17, 2011
"You are so loved!" That's the phrase that caught my eye in the press release that turned up in my email last week. I like the sound of it, because it's not something you see a lot — at least in emails around here.
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Art fests headed to Sarasota, Bradenton, Anna Maria Island
September 10, 2011
Floridians don't get the luxury of falling leaves and naked trees during autumn, but those living in the Sarasota area can take advantage of the fall festival season.
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In Key West, Sept. 11 artifacts to be donated to new museum
September 3, 2011
In the years since Sept. 11, 2001, the connection between travel and the events of that day mostly surfaces in long lines to remove shoes at airport security checkpoints.
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Nature, sunsets are the stars of new cruises in Amelia Island
August 27, 2011
There's plenty of pirate lore connected with Amelia Island, where the port at Fernandina Beach once was a safe harbor for buccaneer galleons.
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Marco Island resort offers another spin on the working vacation
August 20, 2011
Here's another spin on the notion of working vacations:
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Underwater art, birding fest offer different looks at Florida Keys
August 13, 2011
Whether by sea or by air, there are plenty of natural diversions in coming months in the Florida Keys.
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August is a good month to hit the links in golf-happy Florida
August 6, 2011
August is National Golf Month? Isn't it always golf month in Florida?
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Homeward bound: Time-travel feeling a reason to go home again
July 30, 2011
With apologies to Thomas Wolfe, I'd say that you can go home again.
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Flying with Fido? Here's a list of tips for a smooth journey
July 23, 2011
There's a dachshund in the Postcards household and, like most dogs, the pooch loves to go for a ride.
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Moonlight, cabanas? That just means that it's fall in South Beach
July 16, 2011
For you people who might wonder how these columns come together, today is your lucky day.
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True, traveling confessions of a self-guided guy
July 9, 2011
I know how this conversation is going to go, but it's always nice to keep your options open.
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Plenty to do this fall in Fort Myers, Sanibel
July 2, 2011
This past week, I was on the road to Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island and Captiva for a travel piece to run in the Orlando Sentinel in coming weeks.
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Sand becomes art at this fall festival in Brevard
June 24, 2011
My experiences with sand castles are inauspicious.
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Tropical fun continues in the fall in Florida Keys
June 18, 2011
It's summer now, but that season is pretty much endless in the Florida Keys, where the weather — and the mindset — is tropical year-round.
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It's time for summer fun at Bok Tower Gardens
June 11, 2011
If you'd like to introduce the kids to a bit of Old Florida charm, Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales is one of the state's enduring gems.
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In Mallory Square, they work hard for the money
May 28, 2011
I think I just had a glimpse of my new backup plan.
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By air, getting to the Dry Tortugas is half the fun
May 21, 2011
You can't get there from here.
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Museum month spotlights Miami's cultural side
May 14, 2011
In case you hadn't noticed, it's getting hot in the Sunshine State — and it's not even summer.
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Supercon is a dream come true for fantasy lovers
May 7, 2011
Best. Convention. Ever.
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You can conga coast-to-coast in Key West
April 30, 2011
A coast-to-coast conga line sounds like something out of the imaginations of the Guinness folks, but it's just another weekend diversion in the Florida Keys.
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Hot cakes, cool waters shine at DeLeon Springs
April 23, 2011
As a Sunshine State native, "only in Florida" is a phrase that has started to make me cringe.
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Shrimp will be the star at this Amelia Island fest
April 16, 2011
The notion of jumbo shrimp might not make much sense, as comedian George Carlin once pointed out, but the idea of a big shrimp festival still sounds pretty good.
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Sunsets and more await on Anna Maria Island
April 9, 2011
The joy of visiting Anna Maria Island is that a milestone is celebrated every day: the sunsets that are gorgeous enough to inspire spontaneous applause.
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A glimpse at quieter charms of Daytona Beach
April 2, 2011
If one were to identify Daytona Beach by sound, the crash of the Atlantic surf wouldn't be the first thing that comes to mind.
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Folk fest celebrates Gamble Rogers legacy
March 26, 2011
There aren't many places that manage to remain unchanged for decades, but the Mill Top Tavern in St. Augustine still evokes the days when Florida troubadour Gamble Rogers roamed St. George Street almost 30 years ago.
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A Florida treat: Take a short walk on a long pier
March 19, 2011
When Jimmy Buffett was singing about a cheeseburger in paradise, his vision likely didn't revolve around the cold and rainy afternoon that was the backdrop for my road trip to the Venice pier, 26 miles south of Sarasota on Florida's Gulf Coast.
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Check out budget options to explore Jacksonville
March 12, 2011
Money is tight, so the time is always right for budget-conscious travel tips.
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The ritual returns: It's time for baseball in Florida
March 5, 2011
My old baseball buddy Leonard used to tell me that the best thing about going to the ballpark is that you never know what you might see.
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Spring prime-time for butterflies at UF museum
February 26, 2011
When I first began visiting the Florida Museum of Natural History with my kids in the mid-1990s, the buzz was all about dinosaurs and bones, topics of interest for little boys in the era of post-"Jurassic Park" dino fever.
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There's more to like than speed in Daytona Beach
February 19, 2011
Daytona Beach, of course, is all about speed.
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Sun, fun, festivals in Pensacola for spring break
February 12, 2011
Is it too early to plan for spring break?
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See the animals, ride the rail at the Brevard Zoo
February 5, 2011
"You won't look ridiculous."
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Museum of pirate lore a nice fit in St. Augustine
January 29, 2011
In my younger days, I worked as a boat pilot at Walt Disney World, so it's impossible for me to look at any depiction of the high seas and not think of stormy nights navigating a launch on the open waters of some man-made lake.
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In Florida, love can be a 4-letter word for travel
January 22, 2011
Of all the excuses for a getaway, Valentine's Day is perhaps the easiest to justify.
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Sunshine State music fests mix sound, scenery
January 15, 2011
The weather has been occasionally inhospitable in the past month, at least by our wimpy Sunshine State standards, but soon it will be spring and there's no better time to be outdoors in Florida.
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Food, wine share spotlight with historic Florida setting
January 10, 2011
In the list of favorite things here in Postcards land, food and wine rank close to the top, along with the ever-popular "road trip that requires a day out of the office."
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When Florida gets cold, here's some warm travel options
January 3, 2011
For inquiring minds that want a window into how the Postcards from Florida column comes together, here's the reason your traveling correspondent selected this week's photo:
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Holidays? Time to try ice-skating in Florida
December 25, 2010
It's the holidays, the time of the year I search fruitlessly for someone — anyone — willing to accompany me on an ice-skating expedition.
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2 ways to go for family time at the holidays
December 18, 2010
How can it be that Christmas is less than a week away?
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Gainesville offers fun for students of all ages
December 11, 2010
Usually, a fall road trip to Gainesville involves a visit to the Swamp for a football game involving the mighty Florida Gators.
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Plenty of holiday events in the Keys
December 4, 2010
Who needs a white Christmas when there are so many things to do in your shorts and flip-flops in the Florida Keys?
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Bok Tower Gardens ready to ring in the holidays
November 20, 2010
Bok Tower Gardens, an iconic old-school Florida tourist destination any time of the year, is always especially lovely during the holidays.
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Rain or shine, browsing is fine in Cocoa Village
November 13, 2010
If the wisdom on those ball caps with the fish hooks is to be believed, a bad day fishing is better than a good day at the office.
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Here's a capital idea for shopping road trip
November 6, 2010
Can shopping be a motivation for a road trip?
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Some expert tips for stress-free holiday travel
October 30, 2010
Now that we're scratching Halloween off the calendar, it's time to consider the notion of holiday travel.
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New way to relax at Disney's Vero Beach Resort
October 23, 2010
When part of your job involves taking pleasant road trips, it's hard enough to persuade people that you're working even on a tough week.
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New Bahamas trip departs from Melbourne
October 17, 2010
I don't know much about Melbourne International Airport.
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Biketoberfest roars into Daytona Beach this week
October 9, 2010
It's heavenly weather for being on a motorcycle in Florida, which is perfect timing because Biketoberfest is ready to motor into the Daytona Beach area again starting on Thursday.
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A look at a year of postcards from around Florida
October 3, 2010
In September, Postcards from Florida celebrated its first anniversary.
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Go back in time at Plant Museum in Tampa
September 25, 2010
"No gentleman whose clothing or breath is tainted with the fumes of strong drink or tobacco should ever enter the presence of ladies."
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Outdoor fun in Port Charlotte
September 18, 2010
Looking forward to fall? So am I. There's an abundance of outdoor activities in the Sunshine State, but it takes too much endurance to indulge in them in these brutal summer temperatures. If you're looking for ideas for when fall finally arrives (maybe by December?), the folks at Port Charlotte and the Gulf Islands have options:
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Ocean still the star at Daytona Beach
September 11, 2010
Earlier this year, I reported in this space about a happy collision between my music and travel assignments, a Paul McCartney concert at Sun Life Stadium in Miami that offered the opportunity to hang at too-trendy-for-me South Beach.
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Literary destinations -- Take a book on these road trips
September 4, 2010
It seems that my summer reading project will be stretching into the fall.
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New museum in Brevard celebrates space
August 28, 2010
"Who's the best pilot you ever saw?"
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Seeking dinos, drinkable dessert in Plant City
August 21, 2010
About as far as I typically venture into Plant City is the few blocks it takes to go from Interstate 4 to Buddy Freddy's buffet on Thonotosassa Road.
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See the orchids? Don't delay -- head to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
August 14, 2010
As I learned on a road trip in June, you have to cope with the elements to take an eco-tour of the Florida Everglades.
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St. Pete beckons for summer fun
July 31, 2010
The potential of oil washing ashore on Gulf Coast beaches has made this a difficult summer for the tourism folks on Florida's Gulf Coast.
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Check out Amelia Island fun
July 24, 2010
There's still time to make a summer swing to Amelia Island, the historic spot on Florida's northeast Atlantic Coast known for its pirate lore, ghosts and quiet beaches.
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10 tips for traveling together
July 17, 2010
There's a lot of advice out there for traveling with youngsters, but the folks at hotels.com are wise enough to realize that couples also might benefit from tips on how to vacation together.
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Bad set of teeth ends negotiations for sex in Fla.
July 8, 2010
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A man in Gainesville went to the police after getting robbed by a woman he intended to pay for sex, but refused when she flashed a smile full of bad teeth.
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Tips for smooth travel with kids
July 8, 2010
Long ago cross-country car trips with my two young sons are now vague, semicomical memories, sweet recollections mixed with sitcom-worthy potty searches on desolate stretches of highway in the Midwest.
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On the road to Jacksonville
July 2, 2010
To paraphrase an old Lyle Lovett lyric: Instead of going to heaven, he went to Jacksonville.
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Road trip preparation -- Check out techie travel check list
June 27, 2010
I have a hand-held device, but on a road trip I'm still a road-atlas fan.
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Wekiwa Springs State Park to upgrade campsites
June 20, 2010
A buddy of mine went camping with his son this past weekend at Fort DeSoto Park in Pinellas County and was unsuccessful in persuading me to go along — it's just too ridiculously hot for that type of thing right now.
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Charm on tap at the South Beach Ritz-Carlton
June 13, 2010
Often, these postcards are snapshots of unassuming gems.
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Sarasota aquarium makes a fun side trip
June 6, 2010
You can only stare at the water for so long.
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Check out tips for summer travel
May 30, 2010
With Memorial Day behind us, we're now officially into the summer travel season.
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A walking tour of Ponce Inlet
May 16, 2010
For today's postcard, we'll be walking.
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Beating the summer heat at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa
May 9, 2010
It's hot out there, huh?
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Catch waves, whales at the pier in Flagler Beach
May 2, 2010
When someone at the next table is re-enacting a Corona TV ad — the ones where a beer bottle is the silent centerpiece in some idyllic beach scene — you know you've found a laid-back spot.
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Road-trip tips: Beating boredom on the road
April 25, 2010
There are times when I fear for the future.
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On the road to the White House -- Old Winter Garden and the Presidents Hall of Fame in Clermont
April 18, 2010
It has been a roadside attraction in Clermont for 50 years, about a decade longer than Mickey Mouse has been in the neighborhood.
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Solo all-nighter at South Beach
April 11, 2010
My two jobs collided this past weekend in a very auspicious way.
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Spring into these Gulf Coast fests at Anna Maria Island, Bradenton
April 4, 2010
Anna Maria Island, the famously quiet and beautiful beach on Florida's Gulf Coast, is made for the stress-free getaway.
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Ocala's Appleton Museum a hidden gem
March 26, 2010
Ocala is famous for the picturesque horse farms that have made it a world-class equestrian hub, but it was a less heralded gem that inspired my recent Marion County road trip.
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Check out the sculptures at the monthlong Art of Sand Festival in Cape Canaveral
March 21, 2010
Castles made of sand, fall in the sea, eventually.
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A view of old Florida at Ormond Beach's Rockefeller Mansion -- The Casements
March 14, 2010
So I set out to see how the other half lived.
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Spring Training baseball: A timeless ritual
March 7, 2010
It was windy and chilly on Tuesday, with a definite threat of rain, so it wasn't the ideal backdrop for the opening games of baseball spring training in the Sunshine State.
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Yalaha's the spot for perfect day
February 28, 2010
There's an old saying that if you don't like the weather in Florida, wait 15 minutes and it'll change.
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Come hungry to the Florida Strawberry Festival
February 21, 2010
Last week, I had the pleasure of talking to the Winter Park Women's Club about my travels for this column.
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Banjos, birds make this Titusville road trip worth it
February 14, 2010
It's blast-offs, not banjos, that come to mind when one thinks of Titusville.
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St. Johns River eco-tour starts closer to Orlando
February 7, 2010
Since 2003, the nonprofit St. Johns Riverkeeper organization has hosted roughly two dozen multi-day excursions along the unspoiled river between Jacksonville and Palatka.
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Wekiva Island is Orlando's close-by getaway
January 31, 2010
It's not exactly Margaritaville, but there's no doubt that Jimmy Buffett would approve of the laid-back vibe at Wekiva Island.
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Antiques not the only attraction at Renninger's in Mount Dora
January 24, 2010
When I told my friends that I went antiquing last weekend, there wasn't a one of them that didn't arch an eyebrow.
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Ghosts to fly at Fantasy of Flight
January 17, 2010
It's too late for Halloween, but the spirits, er, spirit of spooks is part of a new, limited-time event at Fantasy of Flight.
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A bargain to see bucking broncs at Silver Spurs Rodeo
January 10, 2010
Here in Postcards land, we're big on nostalgia, so turn off the iPod and think back to the vintage days of Florida.
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Beach trip: A dandy tradition
January 4, 2010
At first blush, it might not seem that Florida is as rich in holiday traditions as, say, New England, what with all the temperate weather and beaches here in the Sunshine State.
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Orlando International Airport: Lovely spot to connect?
December 27, 2009
Here's a new spin on the idea that getting there is half the fun:
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Disney's Epcot offers a tradition framed by candlelight
December 20, 2009
Compared with my socially active colleagues in the Orlando Sentinel's intrepid Theme Park Rangers, I don't find too many reasons to venture inside our world-class attractions.
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Quiet is the big attraction at Sunken Gardens
December 13, 2009
Before the Disney era, Sunshine State tourist attractions were built on simpler notions.
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Quirky monument has ties to Kissimmee's past
December 6, 2009
It's not inaccurate to say that Kissimmee is best known for its T-shirt shops and souvenir stops on congested U.S. Highway 192. But there's also at least one historic attraction that's kitschy in the very best way.
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Waffle House? Hum a few bars
November 22, 2009
Last week, our postcard showcased super-sized roadside art at Barberville Produce, so this week let's throw some artfully low-brow music into the mix.
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Oddities abound at Barberville Produce
November 13, 2009
It's not everyone that needs a 10-foot ceramic rooster, but it's nice to know you can find one in a pinch.
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'Florida's Greatest Rainy-Day Attraction!' -- St. Pete's Haslam's Book Store, an old-school heaven for readers
October 18, 2009
There are two ways to buy books:
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The road was made for rockers
October 11, 2009
It happens sometimes when I least expect it.