So Florida is basically closed and the usual things us Floridians do this time of year are out of commission. But fear not! There is still a lot of Florida exploring to do!
1. Read A Florida Book
We are big fans of FL reading at The Florida Explorer and there is a ridiculous amount of books to read from the Florida cannon.
I would suggest starting with one of the Florida classics. Here’s my short list, which would be a fantastic place to start: The Yearling, Their Eyes Were Watching God, A Land Remembered, Everglades: River of Grass.
Then I suggest reading from some of my favorite Florida authors, with a few suggestions:
fJohn D. MacDonald: The Deep Blue Good-by (first Travis McGee book), Condominium, Slam The Big Door, Cape Fear.
Carl Hiaasen: Double Whammy, Paradise Screwed, Tourist Season
Dave Barry: Best. State. Ever. – A Florida Man Defends His Home State.
Craig Pittman – Oh Florida! – How America’s Weirdest State Influences The Rest Of The Country
Miscellaneous – Last Train To Paradise, South Moon Under, Cross Creek
2. Stream A Show
There are some good Florida based shows available to stream. My favorite is probably the quirky, Burn Notice, which is currently available on Netflix and Amazon Prime. If you like serial killers you can check out Dexter. The Netflix original Bloodline isn’t bad, which takes place in the Florida Keys.
I have not watched, but am looking forward to someday watching Miami Vice. Then of course there is always CSI: Miami. For a full list of FL-based shows you should click here.
3. Listen To Florida Tunes
FThere are a bunch of good FL tunes to listen to and stream! You can’t go wrong listening to some Jimmy Buffet. If fact, maybe you should listen to his entire catalogue which currently sits at 27 studio albums, 9 compilation albums, 14 live albums, and 8 specialty albums! Personally, I stream from Amazon Music (free if you have Prime).
Maybe you could even dust off your six-string and learn a new tune or two!
4. Birding
While I wouldn’t impress a true birder, I have a great Florida book about birds and I love to search for new birds to check off the list in the back of the book. I still have a long way to go before I complete the list, but I’ve been steadily working on it over the last 5 years or so. Why not start now?
5. Make A Florida Dessert
How about trying to master the art of making a key lime pie, Florida’s signature dessert? Or how about learning how to make a tasty Cuban Sandwich? There are about a thousand recipes online for each of these items. Why not give it a try?
6. Go For A Run
FL is home to a ton of great running competitions; personally, it is my dream to complete the Clearwater Marathon. Training for a marathon or any other running competition has the added bonus of being outside in the great FL outdoors. And as of now, there are no rules against going for a run in your neighborhood!
7. Investigate Backyard Nature
Nature abounds in Florida and you don’t even have to go to a state park to see it. It is all around us, even in our own backyards. How about go to your backyard to see what you can see? I found a weird green spider when I took a look around my house. No idea what it is, but it looks cool.
