Hidden in Polk County, Florida, a collection of historic buildings preserves the stories of pioneer families, a nineteenth-century church, and a little schoolhouse that almost disappeared. There are places in Florida where history has been carefully restored, polished, and presented behind museum doors. And then there are places where you pull through an open gate, … Read more
There are certain things you can count on when traveling with us. I will find history. Murph will find an opportunity to complicate something. And apparently, we will visit at least one cemetery. At this point, I don’t think that’s even accidental anymore. After spending some time exploring nearby Falling Creek Falls, we headed just … Read more
There are trips where I carefully research every destination, map out exactly what I want to see, and arrive knowing enough history to understand what I’m looking at. And then there are stops like White Springs Historic District. My itinerary notes for this one were remarkably thorough: “Figure we’ll just drive through and see the … Read more
Sometimes the wrong turn is the one worth remembering. There are places we carefully plan to visit. We research them. Add them to an itinerary. Figure out where to park and what we want to see when we arrive. And then there are places we find completely by accident. Micanopy Historic Cemetery was one of … Read more
Sometimes the best discoveries aren’t on the itinerary—they’re the ones you almost drive past. I almost missed this stop. Just after crossing the St. Johns River, a small green historical marker caught the corner of my eye. By the time I realized what I’d seen, I was already past it. If you’ve followed Travel Made … Read more
There are two kinds of road trips. The ones where you stick to the itinerary… …and the ones where a random historical marker sends you down a rabbit hole you never expected. This was definitely the second kind. I was on my way to visit Bulow Plantation Ruins when I spotted a historical marker along … Read more
Some road trips begin with a carefully crafted itinerary. Others begin with free orange juice and a complete collapse of self-control. Our first dedicated trip to Milledgeville, Georgia, was supposed to be simple: leave Florida, make minimal stops, and get straight to the historic town that had been quietly calling us back ever since our … Read more
Where steel meets stillness in Chattahoochee, FloridaMay 26, 2025 by Ki Some places hold their stories close, like secrets whispered to the river. River Landing Park in Chattahoochee is one of those places—a quiet, green edge of Florida where time folds in on itself and history lingers in the ripples of the Apalachicola. We didn’t … Read more
Where Memory Drifts Like Spanish Moss There is a ghost town hiding inside one of Florida’s most beautiful state parks. Not ruins tucked behind a trail. Not an abandoned main street slowly disappearing beneath the vines. An entire community whose name has almost completely vanished from the landscape. Welcome to Juliette, Florida. She once stood … Read more