Stopped by while in the area at a state park. Interesting history. Parking is right off of Old…read moreDixie Highway. Not really good for handicapped people. Ruins are inside a fence. We were glad we stopped. Interesting for us. Some birds in the area. You are able to walk around the fence to view the ruins.

This is what I would call a roadside attraction as it literally is right there!…read more So first I must say that the address will take you to an intersection so from here your gonna wanna continue down Old Dixie highway as it's about a mile away from here but it comes up quickly so keep your eyes peeled so you don't miss it! This is more or less a ruin of what it once was but the history is totally here as you can see just how much work it was having this facility in the swamp as it's literally in the heart of it! The area is fenced off but for good reason as I'm sure if you were to get closer to the structure it might not be that safe. We spent a little bit here as it was quite fascinating to just enjoy the structure and the atmosphere. Overall a super cool part of Florida's history that you should totally check out if your in the area as who doesn't love sugar and rum!

If you are in Ormond Beach, this is a fantastic way to kill time and learn some mazing history...if…read moreyou can catch a tour. We walked in and amazingly caught a tour just starting. It was totally free, too, and the tour guides are fun and knowledgeable. There is a lot of signage, so you can still enjoy it without a tour, but the tour will be so much more enjoyable.

A visit to Ormond Beach just would not be right without a visit to the Casements. Our group of four…read morewere in the area and we convinced them it is a must see. My wife and I had been there about ten years earlier and really enjoyed it. So on a beautiful early November day we made a visit. Still very impressive with the times opulence, it was a refreshing view of history in the areas. Rooms, offices, kitchen, library, etc. One remodeled large room had pictures from the early days of racing on the beach. Paintings, sculptures, desks, an elegant coffee server. It was all very fascinating to see. Also pictures of a disastrous fire that occurred there, and has been fully restored. The tour takes about 30-35 minutes, depending on how many questions you might have. The docent was very well versed on all the aspects of the home and the history. Hard to imagine being the richest man in America and being able to live in this fine house in the Winter. After the tour, I made a donation to the Historical Society thar do the excellent tours. And my wife made a separate donation by purchasing a necklace from the gift shop.

Found this location listed but not sure why. It is an ancient Indian burial mound but with nothing…read moremuch else but a sign and a bench. It is on Mound street and South Beach street but that is about it. It is along the main walking path along the Halifax intercostal waterway. Park at Ames park across the street. I have walked by this many times and never even noticed since it is between two homes and looks like an empty lot with a hill.

Castle Ottis Coastal Hwy,…read moreSt. Augustine, FL 32084 Did you know we have a hidden castle in St Augustine? Castle Otttis is a unique, privately-owned landscape sculpture in Vilano Beach, Florida, built by Rusty Ickes and Ottis Sadler. They wanted to build something unique and different that would go well with the landscape of St Augustine. Since both were religious, they also wanted to built something that would show their appreciation to Jesus. The Castle features rustic stone walls and an interior with elaborate cypress woodwork, serving as a venue for religious weddings and events. Its not open to the Public. It offers tours available only by appointment. So you would have to go to their website and request an tour appointment via email. The story behind it is interesting. Just 2 men who wanted to be in peace with nature.

Just about 10 minutes north outside of historic St. Augustine is a unique castle that sits back…read morefrom the main road among trees and hedges. Sadly, the owner and creator of Castle Otttis, Kendle Icke, passed away in July 2023. However, his son, who lives on the property does conduct tours for small groups of people who have reservations. His tours are very interesting with information on how the castle came to be. Apparently, Mr. Icke had a couple of dreams about a castle in great detail, which he shared with a builder friend of his. The friend encouraged him to build it and agreed to help him. They were able to get donated building materials to work with. Mr. Icke built the castle in the image of old castles in Ireland and dedicated it to his wife. Castle Ottis was built between 1984-1988. The Ickes also had a home on the property to the left of the castle. We took the tour with a small group of people, which worked out very well. There are 3 levels if you count the rooftop, where you will see gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean. This is a castle based on 1000 year old Irish castles. The tour is free but donations will be greatly appreciated. A must see if you are in St. Augustine. It is a magical experience. There are special events held at the castle, like weddings or anniversaries. It is also great for photography opportunities. This is a one of a kind opportunity. Please note that Castle Otttis does not have handicapped accessibility. Parking is available on the property for the guests. You are allowed to take pictures inside the castle.

I've been crossing over the river here for quite sometime and it never gets old, the view from the…read moretop is truly magnificent. This bridge is usually pretty busy so the speeds allow you time to enjoy the view and no mater which way you're traveling you have access to lots of businesses or a place to pull over and relax or as others have stated there's great access to the river and beautiful green spaces. It seems to be a great place to get your steps in, I rarely cross this bridge when there aren't a number of people using the pedestrian walkways.

A nice new fixed high bridge connecting ormond to the beach. 4 lanes with separate bike and…read morewalking lanes both sides. A popular exercise is to walk over-under-back over and under again. Beautiful views from the top.

Just outside Deland, Florida lies the St. Johns River a true Eco-system that provides a cross…read moresection of Florida's incredible wildlife, on any given day you will see everything from alligators, manatees, herons, egrets, osprey, otters, turtles and even the occasional bear, deer or American Bald Eagle. It's been almost 100 years since people first started driving across this river at this location, the original Crows Bluff Bridge was a swing span bridge; constructed in 1917, in 1954, a plan for construction of a replacement bridge was established; the new bridge, dedicated to DeLand resident Francis P. Whitehair, opened on September 22, 1955 and was built to carry traffic across the river for a century. Unfortunately that was an estimated life span and the bridge is showing signs that it may not survive much longer, especially since the maintenance cost for these mechanical marvels are more than 100 times that of the new modern concrete bridges built today. When terms like "functionally obsolete" and "not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places" are slung around you know your days are numbered.

Attentive what ever your needs may be me they'll help find the answer. The building itself is clean…read moreand has open windows

The east coast does have one thing on us in Tampa Bay, the open view sunrises!! Yes, we are lucky…read morethat we have the bay that gives us beautiful sunrises as well but they are not wide open without something in the distance like ahhh Tampa. I love coming over to the east coast to explore our wonderful state but honestly it's the sunrises that pull me in. Depending on where you are along the coast line can dramatically change the view. The sounds of the crashing waves are so peaceful and relaxing. Though a little chilly this morning, it wasn't so bad to watch with the ocean breeze on my face. Good thing about our "winters" here... no tourists on the beach getting in the way of photos and only a few locals walking the beach. Beautiful sunrises are the best way to start the day.

This historical tour was fantastic! We did the last tour of the day with Kayla, the owner. She was…read moreextremely knowledgeable and shared so much information on the home and what's happened over the years. I'm going to have to take this tour again just to try to remember it all! Lovely maintained home with so much history. Who visited, who contributed to the building and maintenance of the home, the restoration efforts. It was fascinating. We happened to be there on a day when they received a gift of an original Edison grammaphone with the beeswax songs in paper wrappers! And it actually worked! Amazing. Also loved the Louis Comfort Tiffany windows - just gorgeous!

If you're planning a visit to nearby Blue Springs State Park, the Stetson Mansion is an absolutely…read moremust-visit stop. Yes - Stetson - as in the hats. I was just as surprised to learn that the famed hat-maker once called the small town of DeLand, FL home. I happened to be visiting during peak manatee season and so had the privilege of being able to still enjoy the mansion during its special holiday tour season. During the holiday tour, each room of the mansion has a unique theme to it that you get to learn all about from your helpful docent. Not only do you get to the enjoy the wonderful story of that room's decorations theme but the history of the home and family is wonderfully blended in. I'm told that obviously during the regular historical tour you dive deeper but I left learning waaaaay more about the Stetson family than I ever expected (or knew). The home is privately owned and you the love and passion the new owners have for the historic property is evident in every room. We even had the pleasure of meeting one of the owners (the super sweet and DeLand native, Kayla) I was surprised to learn she had even created many of the decorations herself that adorned the opulent rooms in the mansion. The Stetson Mansion is a great example of one of the many historical gems tucked away in Florida small towns that you can stumble upon when exploring the state. Whether you're doing the regular history tour or holiday tour, you're sure to have a fabulous visit to the Stetson Mansion.

This museum was just steps away from the chocolate factory snd was recommended to visit this rainy…read moreday. It costs $10 for adult admission and was well worth the price. Find the director, she's a wealth of knowledge and is doing an exceptional job here. She's in search of full women mannequins to display the many articles of clothing ready to display. I'm a Florida native and learned so much visiting today. So interesting to learn about Daytona's history with artifacts thousands of years old on display.

Me and my wife was visiting for our honeymoon and was trying to figure out something to do and us…read morebeing the history fanatics that we are stumbled upon this place and absolutely loved it. We loved this place and would definitely come back to look at all the stuff again