[Floridabound09]

Thinking positive thoughts I often wonder what others would consider their absolute favorite memory of Florida, whether you live their or not.

[Granny Sue]

My grandparents lived on a canal in Hudson, Fl....when we would come to visit we would throw bread up in the air and have the seagulls divebomb us. My grandma would fuss about how long after our visits it would take her to get rid of them, but she always had loaves of bread waiting for us.

And sneaking horseshoe crabs in the back of the car and not having mom and dad find them until we got home in Illinois.

[tallrick]

The Serpentarium, Fairchild tropical garden, Parrot Jungle, Crandon park, and numerous tacky tourist traps. Cheap fun and no Mc mansions. Going out on Sunset Drive to visit friends and ride dirt bikes. Bowling at Sunset, Don Carter's, Trail and Hialeah. Having friends within walking distance. Being able to understand most people....etc.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Floridabound09

Thinking positive thoughts I often wonder what others would consider their absolute favorite memory of Florida, whether you live their or not.

Just getting on my bike and me and my friends being gone all day. Fishing, eating fruit from trees and no one worried about us. Life seemed safe and simple.
Also fishing with my dad out on the boat. I caught this Wahoo it was 55 lb.s

[Sueilp]

My favourite memory was lying on a beach in Sarasota with my husband, on our honeymoon (gosh nearly 15 years ago!!) and listening to the waves....if I have trouble sleeping anytime (I work nights so my sleep pattern is all over the place!) I recreate that memory and it usually works

[oceandreams94]

WOW there are so many memories..... but I guess my favorite ones are of when I was 5 years old. My mom and I would come down to Astor to visit my aunt who lived there at the time.
They had a little house right on the canal and my uncle had a little boat and he would fish all day long.
I remember running around playing at their house and never wanting to go back home to Illinois.
Then they would take me to Daytona Beach and I remember how much I loved standing at the water's edge and feeling like you were moving when you werent really.
I used to think it was magic. I still get that feeling when we go to the beach.

[Agnes]

I've lived in Florida for 9 years, and my favorite memories (so far) are from Tallahassee, the first place I landed. Tallahassee is beautiful, friendly, and slow. It has real Southern charm and funky little spots to explore, if you like to explore. I love the sinkholes, the swamps, the little towns, the hilly roads, the Spanish moss.

My favorite: Out at night to see live blues bands at Dave's CC Club, a little run-down house in the sticks (now known as Bradfordville Blues Club). You had to drive a long, two-lane road, few if any streetlights, turn right where you saw a tiki torch, and bump along a long, dirt road full of potholes and tree roots. You thought you were lost. Then you'd come to a clearing, and there was Dave's, a little shack in the middle of a green field, with giant old oak trees nearby. Cars parked all around in the dirt, and a roaring bonfire under the oak tree. We'd go in, pay our cover, and enter this dark little place, where all the walls were painted red and blue, with small round black tables with handpainted faces of blues singers - looked like black velvet paintings. Nothing fancy. In one corner was the tiny little stage. There was a smoking "section" - i.e., signs hanging from the ceiling saying "smoking section" - in the same room as the nonsmoking section, lol! The place would be BOOMING with music, folks would be dancing, drinking beer, eating BBQ. Dave himself would be wandering around greeting everyone. It was the love of his life, he was always broke, and I doubt he made much money. It was like a family. You'd see the same people come every week. For air or a break you'd duck outside to sit on stumps around the bonfire.

We saw terrific independent singers and bands there, talked to them, bought their records, learned their stories, danced, met other people who enjoyed the blues and wanted to support music and places like this. On Sundays Dave hosted a "blues brunch" with eggs, sausage, grits, etc. and a band. Dave also threw a three-day blues fest every year to celebrate MLKing's birthday - picnic blankets all around in that field, day and night, multiple bands, barbeque smokers. Just wonderful.

That's where my husband and I used to go when we were friends - that's where we first kissed - those are the kinds of spots we enjoy.

Every place has a little spot like this, I think - maybe not music, or a club - but something unique, the passion of a creative person who is willing to take a risk. Even in FLORIDA and the concrete jungle, for all you pessimists. Those are my favorite memories of all the places I've been to, and this is what I will always remember about Tallahassee, and Florida.

[kelly3120]

my Dad and I use to take the catamaran out during the storms and hit the wind just right so we would scream across the water on on pontoon. It was so much fun!


my favorite thing to do in Florida is to visit my parents vineyard on weekends and let our dog run.
After a week in the city, nothing beats a country escape!!!!

[BlueWillowPlate]

Last weekend, my brother in law took us out on his boat.
The boat is nothing huge or fancy. But it was so cool and relaxing to be out on the water. We saw a pod of dolphins.
Earlier that morning, I had taken my dog to the beach for a sunrise walk along the shore.
I don't know that this is my *favorite* memory, but it was a nice way to spend the weekend.
BTW
We are not retired. The husband has been working all the 19 months we've been here, and I start my new job on Monday.

[PeteU]

Just about every summer vacation my family took before I moved here for good.

If you're asking for one specific instance, I would say floating down the Ichetucknee River. Beautiful.