Page 88 - 2024-2025 Travel Guide to Florida

NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
ARTS AND CULTURE
At the Harn Museum of Art at the University of Florida in Gainesville, see one of the world’s iconic Hammering Man statues by Jonathan Borofsky plus more than 10,000 pieces of African, Asian, modern and contemporary art.
Theatergoers can find live professional productions as well as films, gallery exhibits, classes and special events at Gainesville’s architecturally impressive Hippodrome. It’s housed in the historic Federal Building, richly-designed with Corinthian columns and elaborate trim.
Anchored by an early (1867) Gainesville homestead, Matheson History Museum showcases local history. Sweetwater Park is directly behind the museum, displaying native plants in its botanical garden. The Florida Museum on the University of Florida campus is best known for its Butterfly Rainforest. Don’t miss its extensive collec- tions in fields of bio-diversity, archaeology, paleontology and ethnography. Outdoors,
INTERNATIONAL
GATEWAYS
stroll along nature paths.
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State
Park in White Springs has campsites, cabins, ranger-led events and hiking trails. Programs feature folk art, concerts, retreats and expert crafters.
Heading west to Tallahassee via I-10, stop briefly in Greenville. See the restored childhood home of jazz legend Ray Charles and take a photo of the impressive bronze statue of the iconic musician. Continuing west to Monticello, see the historic Monticello Opera House. In the vaudeville era, touring troupes played the area’s many opera houses. This one still hosts live performances.
The Tallahassee Museum, on 52 acres along Lake Bradford, is a collection of buildings representing 19th-century com- mercial, farm and social life in North Florida. One of the most intriguing is Bellevue, a modest but caringly restored plantation home of a real princess. Catherine Daingerfield Willis, great grand- niece of George Washington, became a royal
when she married Prince Achille Murat, a nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. When Napoleon was exiled, the couple fled from France to the U.S. The prince served as Tallahassee postmaster and Catherine bought a 520-acre cotton plantation. Their burial plot is in the St. John’s Episcopal Church Cemetery in downtown Tallahassee. Outside, view 21 of the late sculptor Jim Gary’s dinosaur sculptures made from discarded automobile parts. Some span 43 feet in length and weigh up to 4,000 pounds. Tree-to-Tree Adventures with climbing, zip lines and aerial obstacles, rounds out the attractions offered here.
Tallahassee’s performance arts include fully staged Florida State Opera productions at Florida State University. A large outdoor venue for seasonal festivals, concerts and events is the Capital City Amphitheater at downtown Cascades Park.
ATTRACTIONS
Depot Park, a family playground and cultural center on the site of Gainesville’s historic railroad station, is fully accessible to adults and children with physical challenges. On hot days, get wet in the splash pad. Enjoy live concerts and events like food truck rallies and art festivals. Enjoy indoor fun at Depot Park in the Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention. Bring the family to engage with displays highlighting innovation.
STAGE ACT AT FLORIDA FOLK FESTIVAL, STEPHEN FOSTER CULTURAL CENTER STATE PARK, SUWANEE COUNTY • VISIT FLORIDA/RUSSELL MICK
Gainesville Regional Airport: flygainesville.com
Jacksonville International Airport: flyjacksonville.com
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport: iflybeaches.com Tallahassee International Airport: talgov.com/airport/airporthome.aspx
86 2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA
In Tallahassee, Goodwood Museum &