Huge sign alerting every tourist where they are. At the north west corner of I-95 and LPGA BLVD…read moreacross the street from the iconic Buc-ee's in Daytona Beach. The traffic is horrible at this intersection even when pro golf events are not in progress.

Although I am not a fan of beavers in general the Buc-ee's Beaver Mascot statue is fairly cute! We…read morehave had a Buc-ee's near our house for several years now and the Buc-ee beaver mascot statue gets a lot of attention every time we visit Buc-ee's! People absolutely love having their photograph taken with him! There's no shortage of Buc-ee's items that feature the grinning beaver (hats, t-shirts, plush/stuffed animals, Beaver Nuggets, and countless additional items!) Turns out, the reason Buc-ee's mascot is a beaver is the Buc-ee's CEO, Arch Aplin's childhood nickname, as bestowed on him by his Mom, was "Beaver." This nickname was inspired by a toothpaste commercial featuring a space-age version of a beaver named Bucky Beaver. Aplin also named his Labrador retriever, Buck, and honored his beloved pup with the Buc-ee's name! If you haven't been to a Buc-ee's, you really should visit one! It's quite the experience and if you're lucky ,you may see a Buc-ee's Beaver Mascot inside ready to give you a hug or pose for a photograph with you!

The Buc-ee's beaver mascot is a five foot tall structure made of bronze by the Heart Art Foundry…read moreand welcomes every visitor into the store. It is an intensive process to fabricate each beaver and takes up to three months by first making a 4" model. Then enlarging it by making a rubber mold and filling the mold with metal. The statue is constructed in twelve different pieces, before being welded together to form the animated iconic buck tooth beaver. If you get a chance to visit Buc-ee's, make sure you rub his head and snap a selfie with him to build his confidence.

This larger historical marker stands not far from the Palatka Amtrak Station and is next to the…read morePalatka Police Department on a small grass strip on SR 100 aka Reid St. The marker gives the history of the city and has the same text on both sides. It reads, "Established as a trading post in 1821, the settlement was burned in the Seminole War (1836). In 1838, the U.S. Government constructed Fort Shannon which served as a garrison, supply depot and hospital for the forts in the southern area of Florida. Winfield Scott, Zachary Taylor, and William T. Sherman were stationed here. During the Civil War the city was occupied by Federal troops. In the postwar period, Palatka became one of the leading tourist centers of Florida." There is parking nearby at the car shop. [Review 1633 of 2025 - 2210 in Florida - 25181 overall]

Sitting on the west side of I-95 at mile marker 289 is the iconic Palm Coast water tower painted in…read moredeep blue with the name Palm Coast in white bold letters. In 2023, the tower got a well needed facelift. The massive landmark holds 500,000 gallons of water and stands 150 feet tall. The storage tank supplies water to homes and businesses throughout the City of Palm Coast.

Home to the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, which I imagine is something that draws many to this city…read more Transparently, we came solely for that and ate in Mount Dora. The wildlife though is worth seeing the city, and maybe exploring to see what else they have to offer!

Palatka is one of those places where you'll still find a few brick lined streets along with a…read morehistoric downtown district that exhibits remnants of the many renovation efforts attempted over the years mostly with limited success. The city continues to promise to reinvent itself but it's identity is so deeply rooted in its past that most of the residents here who are so accustomed to the local politician's minutia to rejuvenate the economy they simply ignore it and cling to the culture that has sustained this riverside community for generations. It's kinda laid back but that's what the locals like about living here, by the number of jacked up trucks and trailered flat bottom boats with 9.8 Mercury outboard motors hanging off the back it seems they have it figured out here. It's okay if you feel a little envy as you drive through this rural Florida town while listening to Luke Bryan sing about a similar life style... Huntin', fishin', and lovin' every day That's the prayer this country boy prays Thank God He made me this way Huntin', fishin' and lovin' every day Black coffee in the mornin, dark whiskey in the evenin' I'm gettin' red dirt rich and Flint River paid Huntin', fishin' and lovin' every day

I love this Island! I got there by way of boat. We drive to the Marina and then my brother came and…read morepicked us up in his boat. We spent Thanksgiving and the day after there. I walked trails, ride bikes, took boat rides & took a lot of pictures. This land is pristine. The air is so clean. This is the life! I am happy for my brother and sister n law for their new home.

Maybe we stopped in at a bad day, However this woman was very rude and not very helpful in helping…read moreour family find a nice hotel in Ormand by the Sea, IMO NOT a good ambassador for the city or county for whom she works for.

This green historical marker is located on the west side of Memorial Bridge where it crosses the…read moreSt. Johns River into Palatka. It points out some of the earliest history of the area. The marker reads, "Established in May, 1838, this fort was one of the major quartermaster depots in Florida during the Second Seminole War. It operated under Gen. William J. Worth until he assumed command of the armies in Florida. Military facilities included a hospital, barracks, blockhouses, and stables for more than 400 horses. During the fort's existence, Palatka was military in appearance and under military control." Online, there is more information. The Indian Removal Act provoked many Seminole Indians and their allies to revolt against being forcibly relocated from their lands and homes in the Florida Territory to Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. After the Dade Massacre on December 28, 1835 the Second Seminole War was escalated with armed skirmishes and guerilla warfare. Early in the Second Seminole War, the strategically located town of Palatka, Florida Territory was attacked and burned by a group of Seminole Indians and their allies. Most surviving white settlers and black slaves fled to St. Augustine for safety, and the area was mostly abandoned except for free roaming groups of Seminole Indians and their allies. Realizing the importance of a militarily protected and efficient supply line along the St. Johns River General Walker Keith Armistead ordered the main depot moved from Garey's Ferry on Black Creek to Palatka where the U.S. Army built Fort Shannon. Fort Shannon was established in May of 1838 under the command of General William J. Worth. General Worth remained in command of Fort Shannon until 1842 when he was promoted and assumed command of all the armies of Florida. This fortification was part of a network of forts that protected the strategically important transportation routes along the St. Johns River. Fort Shannon grew in size to include eight blockhouses, a hospital, several large wood framed buildings, officer's barracks and a stables large enough to accommodate 400 horses. Fort Shannon was briefly utilized during the American Civil War by Union troops as they occupied Palatka and patrolled the St. Johns River with gunboats. The building materials of Fort Shannon were pilferaged and eroded away in the 1880s, except for its Officer's Quarters building. [Review 15769 overall - 1351 in Florida - 1273 of 2021.]