[fsuphd2b]

My husband and I relocated (from the Raleigh area) a few months ago and we're having a difficult time finding things to do. I'm finishing my PhD coursework and my husband is working from home and is watching our 8-month-old during the day.

Here's what we've done:
Tom Brown Park
Lake Ella
Wakulla Springs
Farmers Market
Library
Walks around FSU campus
Maclay Gardens
Trousdell Pool
Jack McLean Pool

(out of the area)
St Mark's
Panama City Beach
Destin
Pensacola
Ft Walton Beach
Orlando
Jacksonville


Things we enjoyed in Raleigh: Lots of walking/hiking, visits to the NC Farmers Market, Durham Bulls games, Broadway shows, going to new/used bookstores, and putt-putt golf.

Any suggestions for other things to do? I think we're going a little batty being in a smaller area where our weekly routine consists of going to the mall and Walmart.

My husband has a 2nd degree black belt and is looking for a really good Tae Kwon Do or Kung Fu school. Any advice there?

[JonSch7]

So far you've done a few of Tallahassee's little secrets.

Are you guys athletic or outdoorsy?

Some state parks that you may want to check out:
-Torreya State Park (lots of good hiking. would be nice to check out this fall when it is cooler)
-Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna,FL. (not super close, but kind of a cool place)
-Take a day trip to St. George Island (will remind you of the Outer Banks in N.C.) It is a little bit of a drive, but well worth it. Some good seafood places out there too.

I am a huge sports fan, and other than FSU your options are limited. Try an FSU football,basketball, or baseball game. Head to Tom Brown park and explore. It is a huge city park with lots of things to do. (Bike, Tennis, Frisbee Golf, Soccer, Baseball) Play a round of golf at one of the many courses around time

Entertainment wise, there is the Jefferson County Kennel Club which offers greyhound racing. It is kind of run down and old though. Same goes for the Fun Station, which has the mini-golf, video game things.

There are a ton of muesuems downtown. (Mary Brogan, FL Mus. of History, etc)

Don't forget about the Tallahassee Muesuem off of Lake Bradford Rd. It is basically a zoo with quite a few animals.

If you like music or arts, head down to St. Francis St. area off of Gaines St. Tons of live bands at "First Friday", which of course is the first Friday of every month. Each Friday night of a FSU football game there is a large block party downtown.

Also check out Southwood's website. They are always offering fun things. Went to an event called "Pops in the Park" this spring, which had the Tallahassee Orchestra perfrom out in a large field, and everyone just brought wine and snacks and enjoyed.

There is much more, you just have to find it! Lots of hidden little gems! If you need more help just ask!

[TNRyan23]

If you could stand to make a 5-6 hour drive or less you could get to New Orleans, Atlanta, Birmingham, Orlando, and Tampa.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Some concerts will be coming up, too.
I am trying to talk my husband into going to see the Avett Brothers in September.
Have you been to Apalachicola for oysters?
Or the nature tour at St Vincent's Island?
If you want more bustle and activity, I suppose the beaches you've already been to are the best. But I love the less crowded beaches near Port St Joe.

[JAS]

You and a few of the replies mentioned some activities. A few others:
- Phipps Park off of North Meridian -- this has some great walking/biking trails. It's part of a large tract of land that was donated by a family to the city/county.
- The downtown museums (especially FL History Museum) are good for children.
- Once FSU classes begin, there are more activities (sports, music, theatre, speakers). Summer in TLH can be slow.

I love taking the 2-hr drive over to St. George Island. The state park is gorgeous (with facilities), and the area outside the park has a few eating establishments. There is also a new playground near the entrance to the island.

[fsuphd2b]

We went to the Tallahassee Museum today. That was fun.

Are there any nearby plantations (even in Thomasville, GA) area that are worth a look? I really like historical places and architecture.

The humidity is preventing us from doing a lot of things outside for now, but I'm hoping I'll get to play a lot of golf and hike in a few months!

[Trusses]

Tally is one my my favorite cities in FL, but it doesnt compare to Raleigh.

[JAS]

Pebble Hill is just to the south of Thomasville and has public tours.

For a nice drive that will also take you up into that area, get on Meridian Road in TLH and head north. It goes all the way across the GA state line and eventually intersects Hwy 319 (Thomasville Road) not too far from Pebble Hill. The canopy roads on the FL side of Meridian Rd are beautiful, especially during the spring when everything is bright green.

By the way, I worked in Raleigh for a few years and lived/worked in Greensboro for about 10 years before moving to Atlanta a couple of years ago (and I'm from TLH and visit a few times per year). The metro area of the Triangle is about 1.7 million per wikipedia, compared to the TLH metro population of 350,000 (and a city population of only 150k). So you will of course have more things to do in Raleigh/Durham when you look at the size of the two areas. Given the relative geographic isolation of TLH compared to the NC population centers, the city of Tallahassee is more like Wilmington, Fayetteville, or Asheville in a geographical sense -- and I would rate TLH over those areas.

Enjoy TLH for what it is - a large town or a small city with a very laid-back and friendly atmosphere centered around government, services, and the university. It won't ever be Atanta, Charlotte, or Miami .. but it doesn't want to be that.

[JonSch7]

Fall is by far my most favorite time of year in Tallahassee. The weather is perfect, and there is nothing better than turing the air conditioning off, and opening up all the windows. Summers here are very hot, and we don't get the sea breeze like coastal areas do.

Once mid September comes around, it is the best time of year to get out and take a hike or play some golf! If you like historical, check out Mission San Luis on the west side of town. It has re-enactments on most days!

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by tnryan23

if you could stand to make a 5-6 hour drive or less you could get to new orleans, atlanta, birmingham, orlando, and tampa. :d

lol!