Florida

You don't think inside the box. Why sleep in one? The South is full of unexpected accommodations, from a nineteenth-century castle to a Hobbit hut to the tree house of your dreams. Let us introduce you to sixteen offerings that are anything but ordinary.

Check in at one of these full-service establishments, among the most storied in the Gulf, from the Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi to the legendary Loews Don CeSar (aka: the Pink Palace).

Nestled in the wetlands of North Central Florida, Gainesville  mixes vibrant academia with Old Florida charm. The town is united by football, and on game days, Gator chants echo from 88,000-seat Ben Hill Griffin...

Governed by the maxim “we make baseball fun,” the Savannah Bananas have sold out every game since their founding in 2016. Following their own eccentric brand of play, dubbed “Banana Ball,” the team eschews anything that could make the sport feel sluggish.

Thirty miles east of Cinderella Castle, Winter Park, Florida, promises magic of a different kind.

Slicing through downtown Pensacola all the way to the bay, Palafox Street is known as the city’s core cultural artery. It’s a distinction the street has enjoyed for the past two-and-a-half centuries, during which it has been subject to—and shaped by—British, Spanish, and American rule.

As much as we love the South's quintessential clapboard churches and stately mansions, our appreciation of Southern architecture extends beyond the classics. We‘ve combed the region for noteworthy structures, from historical masterpieces like Thomas Jefferson‘s Palladian Monticello to modern marvels like the breezy, zero-energy McDonald‘s Florida flagship (yes, McDonald’s).

"Five years ago, none of this was here,” artist Derek Donnelly says as we wander through the brick-paved alleyway that runs behind the 600 block of Central Avenue in downtown St. Petersburg. He’s not referring to the buildings, some of which date to the early 1900s, but to the arresting murals splashed across their backsides.

In the last 50 years, Disney’s vacation empire grown exponentially, breaking barriers and earning the loyalty of millions. Here, we take a look back at some of Walt Disney World’s defining moments.

For decades, recreational boaters referred to west central Florida as the “lonesome leg.” Today, the area is known as Florida’s Nature Coast, and it attracts adventurers eager to explore its renowned wildlife parks and nature preserves, crystal-clear springs and blackwater rivers.