Banner Image Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium

Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota is more than just an Aquarium. Its tagline, “Science is The Attraction” says it well… It is one of the world’s few remaining independent marine research laboratories, with field stations in eastern Sarasota County and the Florida Keys. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium – Where “Science is The …

Sarasota Banner Image

The word is out about Sarasota, Florida, and other communities within Sarasota County! Its 40 miles of gorgeous Gulf of Mexico coastline and  barrier islands or “keys” — Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Lido Key, Bird Key, Casey Key and Manasota Key — have been recognized again and again. Recent Honors and Accolades: Sarasota was chosen …

Bradenton Anna Maria Island Banner Image

Every part of the Florida Gulf Coast has its own personality, its own vibe. After recently visiting the Bradenton area with a small group of travel writers, I can wholeheartedly embrace the tourism bureau’s tagline. “Real. Authentic. Florida.”  Very few resorts have more than three stories; many are small and family owned. Rental homes and …

A look back at 2016 travels banner

For those of us who love to travel, looking back at the memories we’ve made in places outside our home territory is a way to extend the pleasure of the experiences we’ve had. It also helps to reinvigorate the sense of wanderlust we feel for seeking out new destinations to explore in the year to come. I hope you’ll enjoy this retrospective of my travels in the past year.

Scuba diving to a soundtrack of tunes like Jimmy Buffet’s “Fins” and the Beatles’ “Octopus’s Garden” was a first for me. Typically, the only sounds I hear underwater are the sounds of my own breathing, in and out through the regulator, as I fin along the reef.

Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge

While Sanibel Island, Florida, is perhaps best known for its world-class shelling, it is also the location of the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge Complex — the largest undeveloped mangrove ecosystem in the U.S.  Covering over 6,400 acres, it attracts over 245 bird species and is famous worldwide for its spectacular migratory bird populations. …

It’s not every day that you get to walk the beach with a “shellebrity.” Pam Rambo, shelling expert extraordinaire, based on Sanibel Island, Florida, graciously agreed to meet up with me, along with my husband, Stephen, when we were on vacation in Sanibel in early January.