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07/26/2005 12:40:14 PM · #1 |
As I'm heading to Florida (Lakeland) soon can you please post images and tips of where to go? I have the usual guides and the web, but a few first-hand tips can't hurt.
Ta muchly.
J
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07/26/2005 12:41:33 PM · #2 |
Originally posted by Imagineer:
As I'm heading to Florida (Lakeland) soon can you please post images and tips of where to go? I have the usual guides and the web, but a few first-hand tips can't hurt.
Ta muchly.
J |
Weeeee, used to go to lakeland all the time, back on 2002!
Go to bush gardens, lol! pretty close........ |
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07/26/2005 12:47:22 PM · #3 |
They got a lot of lakes there. Check out a lake, eh?
R.
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07/26/2005 12:55:06 PM · #4 |
You'll be in the middle of phosphate mines and may get some shots of those mega drag lines they use there...they name them and christen them like ships. There are also some really cyprss swamps in the area if you feel daring. You'll feel the impact of the mines since a lot of the roads are built on old slime ponds and have a nice "wave" to them as you drive along.
Also Frank Lloyd Wright did most of the buildings on the Florida Southern Campus there in Lakeland. |
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07/26/2005 12:55:21 PM · #5 |
Hit the beaches near sunset to catch the kite surfers!
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 12:55:33.
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07/26/2005 12:55:36 PM · #6 |
I've never been that far south in Florida, usually stay up north. But if you're able to make it up that way, St. Augustine and Amelia Island are very nice. Here is my Florida gallery from our trip to Ameila island a month or so ago. Have a great trip!! :-)
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07/26/2005 12:59:23 PM · #7 |
edit: Have fun! ;-P
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 13:00:00.
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07/26/2005 01:01:25 PM · #8 |
Thanks thus far guys & gals - and kpriest and bear music particularly for that invaluable insight to your great land!
: )
Edit: love FGW and I do like lakes, so that's handy.
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 13:04:59. |
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07/26/2005 01:06:54 PM · #9 |
| If you're planning to head to the beach, you might consider Siesta Key near Sarasota. I've enjoyed that beach several times... nice sunsets over the Gulf Coast, too! |
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07/26/2005 01:06:55 PM · #10 |
I'm up in the panhandle and have only been down to Tampa and that was in 99 to take the kids to Busch Gardens. That is a blast. I found a site: //www.sunsational.org/do/itineraries.php (this has some itinerary ideas) and of the regular site is www.sunsational.org specifically for the Lakeland area. It showed a map pointing toward Tampa. Jenesis mentioned St. Augustine's, which is supposed to be absolutely awesome with tons of historical stuff and suppose to be a great place to take pictures of birds. Gentleman I met at a state park here in Panama was heading there just for photographing birds. I'm still kind of 'geographically challenged' since I moved here, wish I was of more help. I'll ask around and find out some info from the people I work with. When are you planning on heading to Florida? Is the whole family coming? I believe Lakeland isn't that far from Disney World either.....this time of year though, it is hotter than the hubs of hell! Busch Gardens is a great place to take the kids/family. They had just had a new thing put in...I think the Serengeti Plains....you could ride a train through it, walk, all kinds of stuff! Here is the website for it: //www.buschgardens.com/buschgardens/fla/default.aspx
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07/26/2005 01:10:07 PM · #11 |
//www.visitflorida.com/moreinfo.php/ID=5077
I'll post more tonite - i live in Orlando - i'm at work now
when are you traveling?
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07/26/2005 01:55:10 PM · #12 |
Here are some pictures from a trip to Florida this last december... mostly around Fort Lauderdale, the pictures of the fort are from Key West.
//sparkle.smugmug.com/gallery/333840
Let me know if you want any specifics :) |
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07/26/2005 02:12:45 PM · #13 |
yeah definantly go to the lakes
ive gotten lots of sunset pictures when i lived there
here is a really old one
1
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07/26/2005 03:17:08 PM · #14 |
Used to live in Lakeland for about 3 years... Only thing about the lakes, they're full of alligators, so watch yourself. If you've got time to cruise around the middle part of the state, might want to check out Parksdale's strawberry farm and Bok Tower Gardens, in addition to all the well known attractions. There's also the lesser known attractions, like Sunken Gardens and Sulphur Springs. If you're into snorkeling, there's a state recreation area called Salt Springs near Ocala that has great snorkeling and camping. If I remember right, you can snorkel your way downstream from the springs, climb out at the dock, snag an ice cream cone, and warm up for a bit before going again.
ed to add: The lakes in Lakeland have all kinds of bunnies around them as well as the alligators.
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 15:17:54. |
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07/26/2005 03:34:06 PM · #15 |
 Look for the green flash at sunset. |
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07/26/2005 04:55:13 PM · #16 |
Thanks again for so much help here.
Family is coming (as well as some friends) so it's going to be a mix of white knuckle rides (can never get too much adrenalin pumping), beaches, shopping and nature trails.
Sunsational link was very handy link too.
I have some more questions:
> How easy will it be to find alligators off the beaten track (relatively safely)?
> How changeable is weather at this time of year - any chance of some decent storms?
> Anyone know what kind of weather one gets over the lakes early in morning?
> Which is the best, most devastatingly g-force packed rollercoaster in the area?
> What green flash (vtruan)?
I reckon this thread is all I'll need for a good time itinerary.
: )
Edit: great pics too by the way
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 16:55:43. |
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07/26/2005 05:17:49 PM · #17 |
To the south of Lakeland is Loxihatchee National Wildlife Refuge, there are numerous birds, alligators, otters, snakes, turtles, dragonflies, etc. great hiking and boardwalk into the swamps.
Green flash. Especially at sunset, is a phenonona (sp?) that when the sun just goes down, the tip of the red sun turns a bright green. I saw it in the Dry Tortugas several years ago (sober). It's what everyone does in Key West while drinking margarettas with Jimmy Buffett looking west. You don't have to be drunk to see it though.
As long as you base out of Lakeland, you should be able to survive a Hurricane. I survived Jeanne in Kissimmee last year, while helping with disaster aide for Frances.
Have fun, locals, I hope will answer other questions.
Van |
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07/26/2005 05:29:24 PM · #18 |
heyah, jon!
alligators best handled with a long lens. their favorite trick is to lay really still, so that unsuspecting photogs/tourists think they can sneak right up to them...it's rather amazing how fast these guys can cover 15-20 feet. once you get there, get a county map, and head out for a ride; no doubt, you'll get what you're after.
storms nearly every day, anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours. florida has recently come under fire for calling itself 'the sunshine state' because it doesn't really rank that highly on the list of days with sunshine.
sunrise weather whatever goes with hot and muggy. you might get some brilliant sunrises, you might get nothing but haze. not very reliable or predictable.
g-force can't help you with a specific, but if the busch gardens there is anything like the one up here in williamsburg, you'll find something over the top.
when ya going, and how long ya around for? |
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07/26/2005 05:44:33 PM · #19 |
All Florida, all the time.
My Portfolio
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07/26/2005 06:19:17 PM · #20 |
Funny Story: While out in the marshes fo Amelia island taking photos with the husband and son, my husband told me that if we saw an alligator/crocodile to pick up Mason and run, but NOT in a strait line, in a crooked wavy way as they move faster in a strait direction. And he would stay behind and distract him. What a knight! :-P
Don't know if it's true but it made sense to me at the time. Good thing is we didn't see any, just alot of birds and crabs. :-D
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07/26/2005 06:29:24 PM · #21 |
When I lived in FL (about 10 years ago), we used to go to Hillsborough River state park fairly often. It's a pretty nice park and you'd often see gators laying within 10 feet of the trail. You can also rent a canoe there and go down the river yourselves.
//www.floridastateparks.org/hillsboroughriver/default.cfm
It's not hard to find gators in FL. Just about any body of water you'll come across has a gator in it - including golf course ponds.
Message edited by author 2005-07-26 18:31:20. |
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