Florida: Discover the heritage

Southern Living, Feb 2001

From Blue Angels to space shuttles, Florida has a rich history in aviation and space exploration. Military installations in Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach have given rise to fascinating collections of aircraft memorabilia, while the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Titusville has opened windows into the universe.

Board a glass-bottomed boat at Silver Springs, or dip a paddle into the waters off Amelia, Captiva, or Sanibel Islands, and you'll experience the natural heritage of Florida. Sip a glass of free juice at one of the orange groves that sell fruit fresh from the tree, or savor a succulent red treat at the Strawberry Festival in Plant City, and you'll taste the agricultural heritage of the state.

Watch with your heart in your throat as a space shuttle rumbles into the sky over Kennedy Space Center. Stop for a cup of sweet coffee at a hole-in-the-wall cafe in Miami's Little Havana. Climb to the top of the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse. Or scour Caspersen Beach, just south of Venice, for fossilized sharks' teeth, and you'll experience just a few of the things that weave through the colorful tapestry of Florida's heritage.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is your key to the past and future in aerospace exploration. See films and exhibits, and budget time for one of the bus tours, either of the space center or Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Watch a space shuttle launch from the NASA causeway (tickets are available from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex). Other good viewing areas include Port Canaveral, where the cruise ships anchor; Jetty Park at Port Canaveral; off State AlA along the Atlantic Ocean in Cocoa Beach; and on the Bee Line Expressway (State 528). Launches are scheduled for February 15 and April 19. For updates and launch information, contact (321) 867-4636 or www.nasa.gov.

Highlights of the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville include numerous historic artifacts as well as personal mementos of the astronauts. Look for the 30-foot mural painted by Apollo astronaut Alan Bean, Gus Grissom's space suit, and a Mercury capsule that carried one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts into space.

The Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville displays restored aircraft, along with artifacts from WWI through Desert Storm. Visit March 9-11 and you can also see the Valiant Air Command Air Show, featuring aircraft in aerial demonstrations.

The Air Force Armament Museum on Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach has historical aircraft exhibits, including a B-52 WWII bomber.

The National Museum of Naval Aviation, at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, is one of the largest air and space museums in the world. View the A-1 Triad, the Navy's first biplane; four of the Blue Angels' A-4 Skyhawks suspended in a diamond formation; and more than 100 other historic aircraft.

Fantasy of Flight in Polk City brings aviation history to life through flight simulators and the world's largest private collection of vintage aircraft. Step aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress, or experience the incredible sensation of piloting an F4U Corsair.

Watch projects in progress yearround at The Flying Tigers Warbird Restoration Museum in Kissimmee. This working museum specializes in the restoration of WWII aircraft.

AGRICULTURAL HERITAGE

Warm sun, mild weather, and rich soil combine to make Florida a grower's paradise. Citrus and strawberries grown here are popular among consumers throughout the country.

Some citrus grows in the Indian River area, which starts just north of Daytona Beach and stretches more than 200 miles south to Palm Beach. Most, however, grows in an area known as "the Ridge," which runs down the center of the state from Haines City to Lake Okeechobee. Fruit stands and packing companies throughout these areas offer fruit for sale, and some even throw in a free glass of freshly squeezed juice.

Indian River Heritage Center and Citrus Museum in Vero Beach tells the story of the county's citrus industry and its beginnings.

Plant City bills itself as the "Winter Strawberry Capital of the World." The Florida Strawberry Festival, March 1-11, features entertainment, exhibits, and plenty of fresh fruit.

COWBOY HERITAGE

Cattle ranching in Florida can be traced back to the Spanish explorers who brought cattle with them when they landed in St. Augustine. Today ranches cover the flat scrub interior of the Florida peninsula from Kissimmee down to the Everglades. In fact, the state ranks 12th in the nation in the number of beef cows it produces.

The Silver Spurs Rodeo in Kissimmee features professional cowboys in competition in February and October.

Arcadia, an old cattle ranching town east of Sarasota, hosts the All-Florida Championship Rodeo in March, July, and October.

Share a campfire and conversation with cow hunters at the re-created 1870s cow camp in Lake Kissimmee State Park. It was the cow hunter's job to round up strays in the scrub as well as unbranded cows and drive them to boats for the journey to market.