Spirit Magazine - October 2013 - (Page 103)

TRAVEL PROMOTIONAL SERIES at many restaurants and lounges like Boatyard, at Grand Lagoon or the Spinnaker Beach Club. At Firefly, you can feast on lobster and fine wine under the restaurant’s twinkling, grand, old oak tree. O F F B E AT This is where you take an off ramp to the unfamiliar. Where you venture outside your comfort zone. Perhaps even take a dare. Forty minutes from Miami is Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in America. One way to see it is by airboat. Experienced captains skim across the glassy water on both day and nighttime, continuing a mode of transportation that dates to the early 20th century in the swamps and marshes of Florida and Louisiana. Now a popular ecotourism attraction, airboats make for a wild ride, says Anya Elis, 45, a native of Germany who now lives in Florida. “Starting Fly through the Everglades via airboat. out slow and moving through a river of grass and natural wetlands, I was amazed at all the wildlife,” she says. “Alligators hang out along the banks. You see iguanas. Egrets perch above in the trees that are covered in Spanish moss.” “Then it really gets exciting,” she adds. “The boat picks up speed, and the captain gives it a 360-degree spin. It gets your heart pounding like being on a roller coaster. You automatically want to hold on, but you don’t have to. It’s a flat boat, and you don’t tilt.” Further north, near Cape Canaveral, is Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Here, the ride is calmer but thrilling for a different reason. Bioluminescence—the production and emission of light by a living organism—lights up the water of the Florida refuge from June through October, giving birth to a bevy of guide companies offering night kayak trips. Board yours in Titusville, where you’ll paddle past manatees and mosquitos en route to the shallow flats where the bioluminescent creatures are best seen. Outfitters such as A Day Away Kayaking Tours explain the natural phenomenon and the area’s history while guiding you through the glowing sea; check for available dates before you go, as conditions can vary. Ready to let the Sunshine State surprise you? Start planning your trip now at VISITFLORIDA.com. And share your favorite Florida experiences in social media with #LoveFL. E N T E R FO R A C H A N C E TO W I N A Florida Resort Vacation for Two in St. Pete Beach B R OU G HT TO YO U B Y : TO E N T E R , G O TO PACKAGE IN CLUDES: Two (2) round-trip tickets on Southwest Airlines,® three (3) nights’ accommodations for two (2) in a Tropical Suite at TradeWinds Island Resorts on St. Pete Beach including resort amenity fee which includes daily cabana rental, tennis, beach volleyball, paddleboats and use of the High Tide Slide, plus a JetLev flying jet pack experience for two and stand-up paddleboard rental for two. S O U T H W E S T. C O M / S P I R I T M AG NO PURCHASE OR OBLIGATION NECESSARY to enter or win this sweepstakes. Void in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Alaska, Rhode Island, and where prohibited. Sweepstakes begins on October 1, 2013 and ends October 31, 2013. For Official Rules and to enter go to http://www.southwest.com/spiritmag. Must be legal U.S. resident and 21 years or older. http://www.VISITFLORIDA.com http://www.JustLetGo.com http://www.visitflorida.com http://www.SOUTHWEST.COM/SPIRITMAG http://www.southwest.com/spiritmag

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - October 2013

Spirit Magazine - October 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Business
Be Here Now
Don’t Just Stand There
Your Adventure In San Jua
Promotional Series: Florida: Full of Surprises
Your Adventure In San Juan
Promotional Series: Focus on Women’s Health
Promotional Series: Focus on Franchises
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - October 2013