When most of us think Florida we think Disney and palm trees and snowbirds and sun tans. Recently many of us have even thought Oil Spill. But, do you ever think nature preserves and animal sanctuaries? Or, of late, pristine beaches? Me neither. So when I got chatting with a friend at Visit Florida about the media’s misrepresentation of the threat from the recent BP oil spill disaster to the state of Florida’s coastline (in fact, the oil spill only threatened a very small percentage of Florida’s beaches) I was shocked to learn that there is a whole side to Florida I never considered.
When I was a child we went to Clearwater Beach every year on vacation for March Break. Vast, white sand beaches as far as the eye could see and an annual trip to Disney World (pic circa 1979). When I got married and first became a mom my in-laws lived just outside of Miami in Coral Gables so we visited often and I got to see the beautiful, lush, tropical side of the sunshine state as well as the exquisite Florida Keys. Then, this past year, I got to share the wonder of Disney World with my two children experiencing the fun and fantastical side of Florida.
If I have ever thought about traveling to be closer to nature or experience calm, quiet beaches or share in the wonder of animal sanctuaries I would never, in my wildest dreams, have thought Florida. However, I may have been wrong because as of tomorrow morning we will be flying to Jacksonville, Florida and spending one week touring the unexpected. We will be staying at three different locations in the north eastern part of the state. I will be checking in regularly to let you know what I find of the unexpected!
Our flight leaves at 6am which means a VERY early morning (or middle of the night) for all of us and a lot of packing this evening. Wish me luck because, well, this:
