Beach Getaways 2008 - (Page 34) NW NC NE 4 APALACHEE BAY REGION CRYSTAL RIVER Freshwater springs meet the Gulf CW C CE Horseback riding and bird watching The beachy area here – located about an hour’s drive south of Tallahassee and comprised of several small islands – is well-known for its scalloping and fishing. Two wildlife refuges protect most of this coastline. The area offers boating, fishing, scalloping, biking and even horseback riding along the water’s edge. Keaton Beach, a laid-back, small town, features a wild, natural public beach with a boat ramp and fishing pier. At Hagan’s Cove, shallow Gulf waters and grass flats provide wonderful bird watching. The Crystal River area, which calls itself “Florida’s Nature Coast,” is known for its shallow, grassy flats in the Gulf of Mexico, which translates to superb fishing and scalloping in the summer. But there are also some beaches here. Best bets for sandy shores are at Fort Island Gulf Beach (Crystal River’s only saltwater beach), Rogers Park, Alfred McKethen/Pine Island Park and Linda Pedersen Park, which has all sorts of amenities including an observation tower overlooking the Gulf. Jenkins Creek Park features natural, freshwater springs as well as waterways leading to the Gulf, a boat launch and fishing pier. SW SE 5 CEDAR KEY/STEINHATCHEE Scalloping along secluded coastline This coastal region may not have big stretches of sandy beach, but the undeveloped landscape here has a beauty and serenity all its own, plus a few pocket beaches. Find secluded, small beaches on the shores of Horseshoe Beach, a town north of Suwannee. Cedar Key is home to a small, sandy beach at City Park, as well as to the Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge, accessible only by boat and great for bird watching, wildlife viewing, fishing and hiking. From Steinhatchee’s pristine shoreline, set out for the shallow grass flats in the Gulf of Mexico for some of Florida’s best scalloping and fishing. 5 4 34 VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches http://VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches
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