Floridians live in the place where the rest of the world vacations. We have our favorite beaches, restaurants and local treasures. But there’s always more. (Like a mermaid show at an old hotel in Ft. Lauderdale.) Join author Kristen Hare’s quest for adventures, and don’t let the tourists have all the fun.
Greetings from…
just a few of the places featured in Kristen’s Florida books
Tookes Hotel
In 1948, Dorothy Nash Tookes modified her home in Tallahassee’s Frenchtown neighborhood and officially opened Tookes Rooming House. (Image courtesy State Library and Archives of Florida)
The Citrus Place
This family-owned store in Terra Ceia, just off the Sunshine Skyway, has sold fresh OJ for more than 50 years. Miss Vera’s key lime pies, which also come in a perfectly portioned personal size, are always worth the trek. (Photo by Kristen Hare)
Arcadia antiques
The shops in downtown Arcadia are filled with treasures – boutiques, vintage, antiques – from fine furniture to fun finds. The streets fill with even more the fourth Saturday of the month at the Arcadia Antique Fair. (Photo by Kristen Hare)
Defuniak springs library
Florida’s oldest library is probably also the state’s smallest. Sitting on a hill looking over the spring-fed Lake DeFuniak, this library is home to both artifacts and the latest good reads. (Photo by Kristen Hare)
Cabbage Key
Since the ‘60s, this restaurant on Cabbage Key has dripped with dollar bills. The tradition started with fishermen who left themselves just enough for a drink at the end of the day. (Photo by Kristen Hare)
The Lodge at Wakulla Springs
The springs at this 1937 lodge have been the settings for Tarzan in the 1940s and Creature From The Black Lagoon in the 1950s. It’s also home to Old Joe, an 11-foot preserved alligator. (Image courtesy State Library and Archives of Florida)
Pictured at top: The Wreck Bar mermaid show at the B Ocean Resort in Ft. Lauderdale. (Photo by Kristen Hare)
Explore the old postcards
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Miami Beach (Image courtesy Digital Commonwealth)
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Hotel Jacaranda, Avon Park (Image courtesy State Library and Archives of Florida)
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Key West light house (Image courtesy Digital Commonwealth)
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The Sands of Treasure Island (Image courtesy State Library and Archives of Florida)
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Coral Flamingo (Image courtesy Digital Commonwealth)
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The Vinoy, St. Petersburg (Image courtesy State Library and Archives of Florida)
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Shuffleboard in St. Pete (Image courtesy Digital Commonwealth)
Meet the author
Kristen Hare is a journalist, author, native Missourian and Florida transplant. Kristen and her family moved from St. Louis to the Tampa Bay area in 2012 for what was supposed to be one year. Her family decided to live like tourists and soon discovered for themselves that there’s so much more to Florida than beaches and Disney.
Those discoveries can be found in all three editions of the book 100 Things To Do In Tampa Bay Before You Die, Hotels, Motels and Inns of Florida, and in Kristen’s latest book, 100 Things to do in Florida Before You Die.