Year 2008
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Media Kit: Recreation
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Geographically closer to Atlanta than Miami, Tallahassee bears little resemblance to the rest of Florida. With rolling hills, ancient forests and hundreds of shimmering lakes and springs, Tallahassee's natural beauty offers unexpected delights to visitors seeking unique adventures in the Sunshine State.From canoeing down dark, cypress-lined rivers and biking up steep area hills to exploring underground caverns and hunting for bobwhite quail, Tallahassee offers an array of unparalleled recreational activities in a Florida few expect to find.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Geographically closer to Atlanta than Miami, Tallahassee bears little resemblance to the rest of Florida. With rolling hills, ancient forests and hundreds of shimmering lakes and springs, Tallahassee's natural beauty offers unexpected delights to visitors seeking unique adventures in the Sunshine State.
From canoeing down dark, cypress-lined rivers and biking up steep area hills to exploring underground caverns and hunting for bobwhite quail, Tallahassee offers an array of unparalleled recreational activities in a Florida few expect to find.
Whether angling for fresh- or saltwater catches, visitors to the Tallahassee area find hours of fishing excitement along spring-fed lakes, marsh-lined rivers and salty bay inlets. Local lakes are famous for record-breaking and trophy-size catches. The site of many bass tournaments, Lake Talquin is a local favorite, offering outstanding bass, shellcracker and bluegill fishing. In 1992, the state record black crappie was pulled from its waters, just west of Tallahassee. Anglers can also test the waters of Lake Seminole, where a 100-foot fishing pier gives even landlubbers the chance to reel in the big one!
Nearby, the Apalachicola River regularly produces record-size hybrid striped bass and flathead catfish. Deep-sea fishing excursions in the nearby Gulf of Mexico yield grouper, red snapper, king mackerel and cobia. Marinas at Shell Point, Panacea and Alligator Point, among others, provide easy access to the open sea.
Perhaps a little less vigorous, but just as rewarding, are scalloping, shrimping and surf casting along miles of bay and Gulf waters. One popular and picturesque crabbing spot is the small beach near the St. Marks lighthouse.
Nearby Gulf beaches provide quiet seclusion and pristine sands perfect for shelling, strolling and swimming. For more active beachgoers, Shell Point is the perfect place to launch off on a sailing or windsurfing adventure.
Winding through cypress-studded rivers and lily-lined lakes, canoeists are treated to an intimate view of Tallahassee's natural beauty. Divided into two sections by Natural Bridge, a spot where the river flows underground for about 150 feet, the lower St. Marks River is a popular fishing and pleasure boating area. But paddled watercraft have the river's shallow upper region all to themselves. Giant bald cypress, magnolias and live oaks form an intermittent canopy over the river, and numerous springs await discovery along the way.
On the spring-fed Wacissa River, canoeists can glide through crystal-clear waters full of fish and wading birds, spotting snowy egrets along the banks and scissor-tailed kites overhead. Combining history and natural beauty, the mysterious Slave Canal is a man-made extension of the Wacissa River, built during the 1830s and '40s. Named for the fact that slaves were used in its construction, today the canal is a canopied waterway far from the bustle of modern-day living. Nearby, the Aucilla River flows through upland hardwood forests interspersed by swampy lowlands. Stretches of rapids, including some sets of whitewater, offer paddlers an unexpected thrill. Canoe rentals are available at many area parks.
Nothing beats the heat like taking a dip in the cool 70-degree waters at Wakulla Springs State Park, home of one of the world's largest and deepest freshwater springs. And snorkeling near the head of the spring offers a rare glimpse of lush underwater vegetation.
For an adventure of a different sort, visitors enjoy glass-bottom boat tours of the Wakulla River. Along the pristine river, visitors glide past sunning alligators, grazing deer and drying anhingas.
The tour ends at the head of the largest spring, offering visitors a long look down into more than 100 feet of crystal-clear water, where a few fossilized mastodon bones can still be spotted. The underwater labyrinth of springs has intrigued adventurers for more than 150 years. Although world-renowned dive teams have explored the spring cavern to a depth exceeding 300 feet and a distance of 11,000 feet, the source of the spring still remains a mystery.
Pleasure boaters, water skiers and wave runners also enjoy plying the waters of numerous lakes and rivers. Leon County offers 28 separate boat landing park facilities.
Whether riding along the city's magnificent canopy roads or pumping up steep "foothills," cycling enthusiasts find plenty of challenging and scenic bike trails in the Tallahassee area.
A local favorite, the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail follows the abandoned railbed of Florida's longest operating railroad line. The first designated bike trail in the state, it stretches 16 miles through dense pine forests and quiet rural communities before ending in the small coastal town of St. Marks. Many cyclists find a trip to rustic Posey's Restaurant for oysters and a "cold one" perfectly rounds out the afternoon. Horseback riding and skating are also welcome on the trail, and bike rentals and in-line skates are available daily.
Branching off the St. Marks Trail, the 11-mile Munson Hills Off-Road Bicycle Trail's sugar-sand surface will give any cyclist a real workout!
"Hard-core" cyclists can test their skills on the rolling terrain of Tom Brown Park, where the British Olympic team trained before the 1996 Atlanta games, or take the Red Bug Trail challenge, where roots, rocks and fallen trees present plenty of tricky natural obstacles. Visitors can also join local cyclists for regularly held evening bike rides through the Apalachicola National Forest.
For a splendid showcase of Tallahassee's unique Southern beauty, visitors stroll through a floral wonderland of azaleas, camellias and dogwoods at Maclay State Gardens, discovering secret gardens and intimate waterscapes. The park also features the Lake Overstreet hiking trails through forest habitat of deer, grey fox and bobcat.
Winter home to hundreds of migrating bird species and nesting ground for many waterfowl, the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is a paradise for bird watchers, nature walkers, and wildlife photographers. The refuge's 75 miles of marked trails wind through diverse wetland and woodland habitats offering glimpses of eagles, great blue heron, otters, bobcats, alligators and deer. Each fall, visitors observe the extraordinary migration of Monarch butterflies. Also known for its diversity of wetland wildflowers and native plant species, observant visitors spot grass-pink orchids, lantana shrubs, purple and yellow bladderworts, royal ferns and cabbage palms throughout the refuge. Bring binoculars and stop by the visitor center for trail maps and wildlife sighting information.
In the Tallahassee area, the Florida National Scenic Trail meanders for 110 miles through the Apalachicola National Forest and St. Marks Wildlife Refuge past sink holes, thickets of titi trees in the Bradwell Bay Wilderness Area and remnants of Confederate salt evaporation ponds. When completed, the long-distance hiking trail will span 1,300 miles across the entire state. Locally, visitors enjoy exploring the wet sinkholes, natural bridge and disappearing stream at Leon Sinks Geological Area, part of the 565,543-acre Apalachicola National Forest.
Underground adventures await cave lovers at Florida Caverns State Park, just west of Tallahassee. Here, visitors are dazzled by stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, columns, rimstones and flowstones formations in an intriguing series of connecting caves. The unusual environment is also home to bats, cave salamanders, crickets and crawfish.
If days in Tallahassee's natural beauty are not enough, try spending the night under moss-draped oaks near shimmering lakes or quiet creeks. Tallahassee boasts 15 campgrounds, from fully equipped facilities to primitive campsites. One favorite place for "roughing it" is Torreya State Park, where campers backpack to sites along high bluffs overlooking the Apalachicola River.
Carrying on a tradition that pre-dates the Civil War, "gentlemen" plantations in the Tallahassee area remain places where special guests and friends gather for hunting in grand style. Between Tallahassee and Thomasville, Ga., there are more than 75 private quail hunting preserves. One world-famous spot is Myrtlewood Plantation, where plentiful pheasant, quail, ducks and whitetail deer lure hunters from as far away as Africa and Europe. Other closely located hunting sites include Covey, Georgia Pine, Rosin Pine and Wildridge Plantations.
Seasonal hunting is also allowed in the Apalachicola National Forest, where white-tailed deer, turkey and squirrel are among the favorite game species. St. Marks Wildlife Refuge observes a general gun and archery season on limited weekends and by quota permit.
For a bird's-eye view of Tallahassee and its surrounding area, visitors can take the ride of their lives in hot air balloons. Floating over blue-green sinkholes, vast pine forests and marshy bays, adventurers discover the unparalleled beauty of this north Florida region. Various ballooning companies offer everything from champagne toasts to a "splash-and-dash" in an area lake.
On more civilized playing grounds, Florida's popular pastime - golf - is above par in Tallahassee. With rolling terrain and water-influence characteristic of the great Carolina links, Tallahassee sports 117 holes of golf on seven public and private courses. Tennis has collected its own "lovers," with more than 115 courts in Tallahassee, including Forest Meadows that beckon visitors to try its 15 courts on clay and hard surfaces.