Many Florida fifth-graders and FSU/FAMU college students have a leg up on other Floridians — they’ve been to Tallahassee.
Visiting the capital city is an exercise in history, but there is much more to explore, especially for families.
History is, of course, a large draw. The Florida Capitol building is gorgeous and located in the center of an historic downtown that is postcard pretty. I got lost on my way in and so approached the Capitol from the bottom of a long hill that gives visitors a sense of the importance of the landmark building.
Brick-paved and tree-lined streets mark the downtown, which includes nightclub hotspots as well as restored buildings and modern luxury hotels. You can double your history lesson with a stay at The Governor’s Inn. The hotel names every room for a Florida governor and lists their accomplishments with a plaque, so a walk down the hallway is a walk through the past. The inn was also built inside a stable, so the open and airy interior is filled with gorgeous wooden beams and maze-like walkways.
Florida State University is within walking distance of the Capitol, as are the space-themed Challenger Learning Center’s IMAX theater and Cascades Park, which has waterfalls, play structures and a weekend light show at the park’s interactive Imagination Fountain.
HIT THE TRAILS
The many trails around Tallahassee are just as cool as the downtown.
Bike it: The Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail is a 20-mile, paved rail-trail that travels from the city south to St. Marks. The smooth, shaded trail is great for bike-loving families, and the Wakulla Station Trailhead, near mile marker 9, provides water, shelter and restrooms. A mountain bike trail attaches to the railroad trail for more adventurous riders.
Paddle it: Take to the water with a guided kayak tour down Wakulla River. Keep an eye out for alligators, birds and other wildlife while exploring the peaceful river, which is fed by the spring that emerges at Wakulla Springs State Park. Companies such as TNT Hide-a-Way in Crawfordville, about 20 miles south of Tallahassee, rent out canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddleboards, and families can take a tour or set out of their own to explore the river.
Another way to see the river and the abundant wildlife surrounding it without the exertion of paddling is the Jungle Cruise at Wakulla Springs State Park. The Jungle Cruise is an excellent choice for families with younger children, providing a platform to see alligators, manatees and wading birds with an experienced tour guide in a comfortable, covered environment. The park also has a beach and swimming area with a dive tower, a gorgeous lodge with 27 newly renovated guest rooms, the Ball Room Restaurant for fine dining, and “the world’s longest marble soda fountain,” which offers quick eats and an array of ice cream creations.
Zip it: The Tree to Tree Adventure at Tallahassee Museum isn’t for the faint-hearted, but it is a good place to learn zip-lining. Crafted for adventurers of many levels, the museum offers a free kids course, the TREEmendous Adventure, as well as higher, more challenging courses for taller participants. The Adventure isn’t only zip lines; it includes tightrope walks, ladders and other high-flying obstacles that add to the thrill. Guides suit up participants, show them the skills needed and then test them on the basics before sending them up the first ladder. A second stage on the more challenging course allows zip-liners to soar above native swamp land and ends in a race to the finish that will have you eager to leap off the final platform.
Sing it: At the end of a dirt road in the woods north of Tallahassee, the Bradfordville Blues Club is an experience far from South Florida’s normal music venues. A Mississippi Blues Trail marker sits outside the Bradfordville Blues Club, noting the importance of the club’s role in the “Gulf Coast ‘chitlin circuit’ for touring African American jazz, blues and R&B musicians … including B.B. King, Bo Diddley” and more. The small club, open Friday and Saturday nights, seats patrons around small tables or in rows inside, with room for a tiny dance floor, but there is plenty of room outside around the bonfire during breaks. (If going to the show isn’t possible, you can enjoy music from the Bradfordville Blues Club every Saturday night with a live broadcast at 1061thesound.com.)
Eat it: Designed to introduce residents and visitors to local eateries, the Tallahassee Burger Trail is a meat-lover’s dream. The website, tallahasseeburgertrail.com, lets hungry viewers hunt for burgers by location, or they can browse the website’s summaries, which give mouth-watering details about each top burger. I was told about the Burger Trail during my visit to the Wells Brothers’ Midtown Caboose, a place that takes burger-making seriously. The menu is amazing, and it had me wishing I were staying in town longer, just so I could try more sandwiches. In addition to vegan and vegetarian options (and a delicious appetizer of fried pizza-dough balls called Pizza Chips), the Midtown Caboose offers sandwiches and burgers from the classics, such as the Cuban Cigar, to the exotic, such as the PB&J Burger and the Sushi Chef Burger (a beef patty topped with rare ahi tuna, wasabi aioli, eel sauce, sprouts and grilled asparagus).
If you’re feeling more like Italian fare, Joe Mama’s Wood Fired Pizza serves up delicious specialty pies, as well as flights of local beers and Italian wines, in an upscale environment in Midtown Tallahassee. Joe Mama’s dough-making process and imported ingredients, including a sauce made without added sugar, add to its flavorful fare.
Drive it: There are few things more relaxing for me than driving under a canopy of trees, enjoying the green leaves and filtered sunlight. Tallahassee has nine official canopy roads for your driving pleasure, including several that lead to Interstate 10, making them a good way both to drive into the city and to close your adventure on your way out of town. Visitors can download a map at visittallahassee.com/explore/self-guided-tours/canopy-roads/.
IF YOU GO
Governor’s Inn
209 S. Adams St., 850-681-6855, thegovinn.org
Challenger Learning Center’s IMAX
200 S. Duval St., Tallahassee, 850-645-7827, challengertlh.com
Cascades Park
1001 S. Gadsden St., Tallahassee, discovercascades.com
TNT Hide-a-Way
6527 Coastal Highway, Crawfordville, 850-925-6412, tnthideaway.com
Wakulla Springs
465 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, 850-561-7276, floridastateparks.org/park/Wakulla-Springs
Tree to Tree Adventure at Tallahassee Museum
3945 Museum Road, Tallahassee, 850-575-8684, TallahasseeMuseum.org
Bradfordville Blues Club
7152 Moses Lane, Tallahassee, 850-906-0766, bradfordvilleblues.com
Midtown Caboose
1406 N. Meridian Road, Tallahassee, 850-521-1933, midtowncaboose.com
Joe Mama’s Wood Fired Pizza
1307 N. Monroe St., 850-577-1231, joemamaspizza.com
