This could be you, happy in Florida.

You want to be warm, too. You know you do. Cold weather is lovely, especially when it comes with snow and crackling fires. But at present, much of the country is without snow. If you’re there, and not here, you know that chilly temperatures without snow get on a person’s nerves. The solution? Find a Florida Bed and Breakfast to your liking, grab your sweetie, and come on down.

Florida has so much to offer. You can wiggle your toes in sun-kissed sand. You can paddle along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and stroll through the historic town of St. Augustine. You can charter a boat and fish off of Key West, or search for shells on Sanibel Island. Float side by side on the surf. Swim laps in an outdoor pool. Have breakfast, lunch, and dinner out-of-doors. Wear summer dresses and shorts. Leave your sweaters at home.

Sounds delicious, doesn’t it? Don’t hesitate. Come to Florida now.

Imagine yourself on a paddling adventures in Central East Florida.

Kayak tours are a fantastic way to explore both coastal waters and inland waters. Try a romantic sunset paddle, or a moonlight cook-out and paddle. Consider an afternoon of kayak sailing; it’s a great way to cover more distance and pick up a little speed. Kayak the Jack Island Preserve area of the Indian River Lagoon or the quiet Sebastian river. Explore Blue Cypress Lake, home to many wonderful birds, or paddle around the Barrier Islands, home to dolphins and manatee. Any time in a kayak will be fun. See Tropical Kayak Tours for more possibilities.

Stand up Paddle boarding is a fantastic way to feel fit and have fun. It doesn’t matter if you’re experienced or a novice–if you fall in, the water is warm. See what it’s like to walk on water in the company of dolphins and manatee. It could be one of those life-changing experiences. Please see Super Eco Adventures for specifics.

Honest John’s Fish Camp is a local treasure. The legacy of an honest man who loved to fish lives on here, run by his grandchildren. This is a good place to rent a fishing boat and learn about the local waters and fish. You’ll also see wonderful wildlife.

Come explore the quiet side of Florida. Get out in nature. Keep it real by lodging in a Melbourne Beach, Florida Bed and Breakfast.

The wild Florida Everglades surround much of Alligator Alley.

Alligator Alley is, in fact, I-75. It runs from Fort Lauderdale, in Southeast Florida, to Naples, in Southwest Florida. In between, there isn’t much in the way of “civilization.” The bulk of the road traverses an enormous expanse of Florida Everglades, home to birds and alligators, not shops and eateries.

Alligator Alley isn’t a dirt road, but it feels like one. Your cell phone won’t work on most of Alligator Alley. There aren’t numerous gleaming pit stops. Fill your tank at the Miccosukee Indian Reservation when you get the chance. Take a moment to stop your car, wait for a lull in the traffic, and listen. Imagine what lurks on the other side of the fence.

Sunset in Naples.

A whole different world awaits at the end of the road in Naples–a world of tranquility and luxury. Naples is the kind of place to visit with the person you love. It has restaurants for intimate dinners and beaches for strolling hand in hand. There is affluence here, but little attitude; the atmosphere of Naples is relaxed and welcoming.

Take some time to drive a stretch of Alligator Alley and explore Naples when you next stay in a Southwest Florida Bed and Breakfast. It’s a wonderful study in contrast.

Palm Beach, a magnificent venue for a film festival.

The Palm Beach International Film Festival will be here sooner than you think. Now is a great time to make plans to be here, and to secure lodging in a Palm Beach Florida Bed and Breakfast.

2012 is the 17th annual Palm Beach Film Festival. Each year, the 9-day event brings a wide selection of American and international independent films to the screen, along with seminars and parties. The setting couldn’t be more spectacular: tropical Southeast Florida beaches.

Film buffs know that film festivals are the best place to see unique films; indeed, sometimes they present the only opportunity to see small, independent, and foreign films on the big screen.

The Palm Beach International Film Festival is still finalizing the 2012 schedule. There is no doubt it will be fantastic. Don’t miss it.

Please see West Palm Beach Florida Bed and Breakfasts to find festival lodging.

Please see Palm Beach Film Festival for up to date information.

Climb to the top of the St. George Light.

Escape to a Forgotten Coast Bed and Breakfast this winter. Enjoy one of the most preserved parts of the state, an area rich in wildlife and opportunities for outdoor recreation. Fill your days with paddling, hiking, fishing, swimming, and lounging on the beach.

The Apalachicola Paddling Trail System is one of the best in the country, encompassing saltwater trails, lakes, creeks, and rivers. Paddlers can float along spring-fed rivers, negotiate winding trails through a bayou, or explore the vast Forgotten Coast itself. You can paddle for a day or paddle for a month and never be bored.

Tate’s Hell State Forest has more than 200,00 acres open to hiking, biking, fishing, and wildlife viewing. The High Bluff Coastal Hiking Trail leads to relict dunes; the Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System extends more than 150 miles; there are several canoe launch sites in the park, and one can float for hours; anglers should arrive with a valid license.

You’ll think you’ve found paradise on the barrier island of St. George, which sits across Apalachicola Bay from the town of Apalachicola. Gentle waves lap against the pristine beaches. Spend the day jumping waves on the beach, or explore the island by bike. If you miss the stair climber at your gym at home, climb the 100 steps to the top of St. George Light. This reconstructed historic lighthouse offers dramatic views of the area from the lantern room.

You may want to do nothing other than relax at your Forgotten Coast Bed and Breakfast after a full day. If you still have some energy to spare, take in a show at the Dixie Theatre in Apalachicola. The 2012 Season runs January through March. Acts include:

• ELVIS and Friends do the DIXIE (January 27-29)
• Bob Milne Ragtime Piano (February 1-5)
• Gabriel Russo (February 17-9)
• And an eclectic mix of song and dance in March.

Visit Kingsley Plantation when in Jacksonville.

Jacksonville is one of the largest cities in Florida. It is home to the impressive Saint Vincent Medical Center, a world class art museum, excellent shopping, and a few wonderful Florida Bed and Breakfasts. It is also home to the amazing Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve. Folks who visit Jacksonville should bring good walking shoes. There is much to see and do outside.

Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve is a large area on the Atlantic Coast,  encompassing nearly 50,000-acres near Jacksonville. It straddles the St. Johns River just east of the city, and is home to several individual park sites and memorials: Fort Caroline National Memorial, Theodore Roosevelt Area, Kingsley Plantation, and the Ribault Monument.

The landscape is one of salt marshes, coastal dunes, and hardwood hammocks. It preserves evidence from thousands of years of human history. A stop by the Timucuan Preserve Visitor Center is a must, for it provides an overview of the history of the area that helps inform time spent there.

Activities include hiking, boating, and delving into the rich history of the region. You’ll want to return to Timucuan Preserve many times, in order to fully explore all it has to offer. Luckily for the budget-minded, Timucuan Preserve is free.

To the east of the preserve is Little Talbot Island State Park, an undeveloped barrier island with more than five miles of untouched, sandy beaches. Walk barefoot on the beach, enjoying the soft feel of the sand between your toes. Lounge here when you tire of being on the go. It is a treasure.

Jacksonville is too interesting a city to see in one visit. Return again and again, staying in Florida Bed and Breakfasts when in town.

One of many quirky shops in Gulfport.

Quirky Gulfport is just ten minutes from the heart of St. Petersburg, Florida. It’s a small, eclectic community with a big personality. If you like discovering small towns as well as big cities, consider spending some time in a Gulfport, Florida Bed and Breakfast.

Gulfport is a suburb of St. Petersburg, and as such, it is close to such attractions as the Salvador Dali Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. Yet it is possible to see fantastic art without leaving Gulfport. Art Walks, showcasing the works of local and regional artists, take place the first Friday and third Saturday of each month, from 6 to 10 p.m. During these events, the Art District of Beach and Shore Boulevards is transformed into a vast outdoor market with stalls, art demonstrations, and live music.

Each Tuesday, farmers bring their fresh produce to the open-air market held in Gulfport’s Waterfront District on Beach Boulevard. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at this time a year (closing at 2 p.m. once the heat of summer is in full force). If you like to picnic from time to time, picnic on a Tuesday and fill your basket at the Gulfport Farmer’s Market.

Dozens of restaurants, shops, and galleries make their home in Gulfport. Outdoor recreation abounds, as it does elsewhere along the coast of Central West Florida. Use a Gulfport, Florida Bed and Breakfast as a base while exploring nearby St. Petersburg and Sarasota, or simply make yourself at home and enjoy all this delightful town as to offer.

Thank you for staying at Florida Bed and Breakfasts when you traveled here, whether you came for business or to get away from it all.

We appreciate your business, and we look forward to seeing you all again in 2012.

Happy New Year, from Florida Bed and Breakfasts.

Happy New Year! 

Give someone you love a slice of heaven; give a Florida Bed and Breakfast vacation.

It’s that gift-giving time of year, when folks do their best to come up with original gifts for the people they love. This is not as easy a task as it may sound. Big box stores and Amazon are convenient, but they offer the same old, same old. What can folks who are seeking something different do?

Why not give a gift of a Florida Bed and Breakfast Getaway?

Now is about the time people start planning their winter travel. When the weather in northern climes starts to chill the bones, people think about warmth, sunshine, and Florida vacations. Many folks banish these thoughts until after the holiday dust settles. You can bring it to the forefront of their minds.

Many Florida Bed and Breakfasts offer specials at the time of year. Some, like Addison on Amelia, on Amelia Island, offer a free night for folks who stay at least three nights (now through February 7, 2012). Others, like Apalachicola’s Coombs House Inn, will make guests Queen for a Day through February 7, 2012 (thanks to deep discounts on queen rooms). Still others like the Quilters Inn in Wauchula offer two special days of Fossil Hunting in the new year: one on February 4, and one on March10, 2012.

It isn’t necessary to build Florida Bed and Breakfast travel around specials, but it’s always worth looking at our Specials page before making any plans. You may find that one of our inns is offering just what you want, at reduced rates.

Consider giving someone you love a special Florida Bed and Breakfast vacation. Make the arrangements, or simply gather a bunch of information and present it with a bow. We all want to run away to Florida during the winter; some of us just need help remembering that we can.

Lake Maitland

Many of our member Central East Florida Bed and Breakfasts are located inland, either on tranquil, spacious estates or in quaint, historic towns. They offer peace, romance, and room to breathe. Their porches provide shelter on rainy days and shade on sunny days.

Thurston House, a Maitland, Florida Bed and Breakfast, has the best of two worlds: it is located on 8 lush acres overlooking Lake Eulalia, and it is just 10 minutes from the heart of Orlando.

The Cinnamon Inn, a Mount Dora, Florida Bed and Breakfast, is tucked away on 4.5 acres; guests awaken to bird calls and the scent of tantalizingly fresh cinnamon rolls. Also in Mount Dora, the elegant Magnolia Inn Bed and Breakfast is close to antique shops, restaurants, and boutiques.

Chalet Suzanne, in historic Lake Wales, is nestled on a 100-acre estate and is filled with dozens of fun nooks and crannies for children to explore.

The Shamrock Thistle & Crown, near Ocala and Lake Weir, is known as irresistibly romantic.

Central East Florida is a land of many lakes, woods, and small towns. It is worth exploring. Look for your Central East Florida Bed and Breakfasts here.