Adventures in Paradise By Nanette Wiser
DADE CITY
Take a 1.5-hour daytrip to Old Florida, where you can browse antique shops, boutiques, explore the 16-acre Pioneer Florida Museum, Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum, take a historic walking tour of stately homes and even saddle up at Choyce Horseback Trail Rides. Make a reservation at Lunch on Limoges and indulge your biblio-soul at Lighthouse Books. The annual Kumquat Festival is March 27, 9am-5pm featuring 200 vendors, pie, music and a quilt show. www.Kumquatfestival.org.
If you’re an animal lover, go on safari at nearby Giraffe Ranch Farm Tours. Each customized 4-WD safari tour vehicle is fitted with shade canopies and stadium seating. You will learn about native and exotic animals and their habitats from your safari guide and see firsthand the ongoing conservation efforts with endangered species and some that are extinct in the wild. On safari you can feed giraffe, zebra and other animals from Asia, Africa, and the Americas and see a working herd of Austrian Haflinger horses and tiny Irish Dexter cattle.
RV ADVENTURES
I dream of an Airstream and a leisurely tour of the Florida Panhandle, especially Navarre Beach and Santa Rosa Sound. March-May is a perfect time to go. You can fish off the largest pier on the Gulf, kayak, paddleboard, shell, golf, bike, dolphin watch and happy hour at sunset. Emerald Beach RV Park is rated #3 in the state, with Wi-Fi, pool, watersports rentals, laundry, bathrooms and propane refilled for you. You can visit the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the Indian Temple Mound Museum, Gulf Breeze Zoo and explore the Blackwater River State Park. www.Emeraldbeachrvpark.com For more RV parks and campgrounds, go to www.campflorida.com or www.RVonthego.com.
KEY TO HAPPINESS
Escape to Kimpton Key West’s five boutique hotels where no two rooms are alike. The newest, Ridley House (601 Caroline St.) joins the Winslow’s Bungalows, Lighthouse Hotel, Ella’s Cottages and Fitch Lodge. Ridley House features 23 elegantly appointed and expansive guestrooms spread across three historic homes – two Victorian and one Bahamian on the lush grounds of the estate.
With a prime corner location in Old Town near Duval Street, Ridley House is easy access to the island’s water activities (pool towels, snorkel kit and mask free to use) and Key West’s famous nightlife. Classic bohemian touches such as private porches, picket fences, low-hanging trees, a sparkling pool, and chic hammocks immerse guests into Key West manana style. Complimentary offerings and amenities include an adult welcome beverage, high-speed WiFi, access to 7,000+ newspapers and magazines on your smart device via the Press Reader app, and an in-room yoga mat and Turkish robes.
Guests of Kimpton Key West can start the day with complimentary coffee, tea and breakfast. Hop custom-designed loaner beach bikes and explore Key West’s art galleries, quirky shops, historic sites, and restaurants, then sip a cocktail at one of Kimpton Key West’s two poolside bars. Kimpton Key West is offering savings of up to 25 percent for guests who book three nights or more with the “Stay Longer and Save” promotion currently available when booked online www.KimptonKeyWest.com; 1-877-219-4500.