Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the orange groves, farmhouse and barn on your own - pick up a self-guided walking bro-
chure from the car park.
Cross Creek's cedar-shingled
Yearling Restaurant
( 352-466-3999;
www.yearlingrestaurant.net
; 14531 Hwy 325, Hawthorne; mains $6-15; noon-8pm Thu-Sun)
serves
'Cracker cuisine' like gator tail, hush puppies and catfish in an atmospheric wood-paneled
dining room decorated with historical photos and paintings. It's worth a stop just to try its
famous sour orange pie, one of our very most favorite treats in the entire state of Florida.
High Springs
Quaint High Springs, the 'friendliest town in Florida,' is a hub for antiquers, bikers and
locals seeking a getaway. Main St, dotted with shops, galleries and restaurants, is the ma-
jor north-south divider. Intersecting it, Hwy 441 (here called 1st Ave) is the east-west
throughway.
The town is the gateway to superb natural springs. Follow CR-340 west for 2 miles to
28800 NW 182nd Ave; 9am-sunset)
, perfect for small children. It's one of the least crowded
springs in the area - depending on the time of year, you could find yourself in blissful isol-
Springs Rd; adult/child $12/3; 8am-7pm summer, to 4pm winter)
is more developed, with
kayaks and tubes for rent (kayaks/tubes $25/6 per day), a handful of campsites ($20) and
even scuba diving in its clear waters.
Grady House Bed & Breakfast
( 386-454-2206;
www.gradyhouse.com
; 420 NW 1st Ave; r
$115-155; )
has five rooms themed according to color: the Red Room has over 350
classic nudes gracing the walls; the Navy Room is styled nautically. The
Great Outdoors
Restaurant
( 386-454-1288;
www.greatoutdoorsdining.com
;
65 N Main St; mains $14-26;
11am-9pm Tue-Sun)
is a woodsy, lantern-lit steakhouse and saloon in the former downtown
Opera House, with an inviting patio area for alfresco dining.
