nanigans

I’ve been here maybe five or six times. I stayed once at the Herlong bed and breakfast, which is beautiful inside and out. However, it’s much more economical to stay in neighboring Ocala.

This is a wonderful town for those who love to go antiqueing. There’s an amazing little shop filled completely with Italian carved cameos, but the lady who owns it is quite eccentric and reeks of cat piss. The town was the filming site for the movie “Doc Hollywood” in the ‘90s.

This is a nice retreat for those weary of “touristy Florida.” It’s definitely off the beaten path and has an old world appeal. Micanopy has a very relaxed southern pace and an almost disgusting amount of charm. Husbands/boyfriends beware, you will be dragged here (but you can always wander down to the nearby nudie bar truckstop).

Welcome to Micanopy.

excerpt from the official website:

Lincoln’s New Salem State Historic Site, about 2 miles South of Petersburg and about 20 miles Northwest of Springfield, is a reconstruction of the village where Abraham Lincoln spent his early adulthood… Twelve log houses, the Rutledge Tavern, ten workshops, stores, mills and a school where church services were held have been reproduced and furnished as they might have been in the 1830s.

I’ve been here a handful of times, on school fieldtrips and with my family. The candlelight walk is a great experience during the fall. Apparently they have some kind of hog slaughtering in the wintertime that I’ve yet to see (no thanks). It’s a very interactive place; you can talk to people in character as blacksmiths and storeclerks, and one cabin lets you use a spinning wheel. This was the only place I had enjoyed live dulcimer music until a few years ago when I saw a performer at Potbelly’s playing the theme song to the Exorcist on one.

Who knew?

My dad and I used to go hiking every fall here. It’s the perfect place to check out the turning leaves. There are many canyons and waterfalls, although a few of the trails were sub-par last time I went. The lodge is very nice, but hard to book during the high season.

The history is pretty gruesome. During an ongoing dispute between tribes, the Illinois tribe climbed the rock and the Potawatomi and Fox tribes surrounded the base and starved them to death. More recently, in 1960 three women were murdered in Saint Louis canyon. Just bring snacks and your dad and you’ll be fine.

The art collection is pretty extensive, and the art building (architect I.M. Pei, the guy who did the Louvre pyramid) itself rocks. Also check out the Benton mural in the auditorium.

This place took kitsch to a whole new level, one that I had hoped was impossible. I think in a smaller dose I would’ve been amused, but it was just obnoxious after a while.

Also, the day I visited House on the Rock, I had let my mom pack me some stuff to do in the car. I was twelve years old at the time, and had just bought Puff Daddy’s “No Way Out” album, knowing full well that my mother had forbidden it, and had kept it hidden in my room. Well, I hopped in the car, opened the bag she’d packed, and the only thing in it was that CD. Awkwarddd. So I was extra patient and sweet during this weird ass trip.

Growing up downstate and now living in Chicago, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing both rural and urban life. It’s generally accepted that the only place to be in IL is Chicago, and it’s just not true. Many smaller towns have vibrant art communities and interesting historical sites to see. People just need to be open to exploring.

My entire extended family has vacationed here every year in the off-season for the past 25 years at the Casa Ybel resort. The beaches are beautiful and the community is all-around charming. Lots to do, but nice to just relax.

The historical village was one of my favorites to visit as a kid, mostly to see the ancient native skeleton strangely displayed in what is otherwise a normal 1920s island household.

The JN “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge is a must-see. Lots of dolphins and alligators!

There are also a ton of awesome restaurants. The Lighthouse Cafe has been there forever and continues to kick ass. I’m still mourning Bud’s Any Fish You Wish, which closed like ten years ago, but there’s still an obscene number of great seafood joints. The Hungry Heron used to have $10 lobster nights, I don’t know if they still do.

The drawbacks are that the ocean water is murky due to the amount of sediment, and if you go in July like we do, that it’s blistering hot. But the shelling is great, especially during the off-season when it’s less crowded. If you find a Junonia you’ll make the news! Also, if you get a speeding ticket you’ll make the news (although my stepdad once accidentally ran over a large turtle and that went undetected). It’s a small town, so be good.

Coming from Sanibel, where they keep the commercialization to a bare minimum, it just seemed overdone and cheesy. Also, the beach was the dirtiest I’ve ever seen, due to the red tide that year. Lots of dead things.

Just make sure you ask for a window seat!

I was 20 at the time, so the underaged drinking initially counted for most of the appeal. The nightlife was altogether pretty good, and the casino was quite an experience (for someone not experienced with casinos).