Must see places Pensacola to Tampa, FL

Thanks everyone. Great suggestions. We will be looking at all of these places and things to do.

Stuart

Below Tallahassee , Wakula Springs State Park , big spring , some Tarzan scenes filmed there , real nice lunch served in the old Lodge . Big enough to take a RV into the parking lot . Manatees , turtles , olde Florida , large oaks , Spanish moss . Was the private home/ estate of the DuPonts and Balls .

In Pensacola go to Joe Patties. It is a very large seafood market and is an interesting place to see. Pensacola Naval Air Musuem is a must. I highly recommend Homosassa State Park also. It is where the state takes all the wounded animals to rehabilitate and if endangered they keep them you will see alligators, Florida Panthers, bears, owls eagles and much more. The best thing is in the spring they have several manatees as permanent residents. You walk out on a barge in the springs and go down stairs inside the barge and there are huge windows to veiw the manatees and the hundreds of fish.

The Naval Air museum is a "must see". But, while you're in Pensacola, go to McGuire's Irish Pub (family atmosphere). Cool place & notice the ceiling. Splurge and get a cup of Senate Bean soup for 18 cents.

The Naval Armament Museum at Eglin is worth the time.

Stay at Topsail State Park if possible and visit the town of Seaside.

Cedar Key.

Crystal River. Drive out to Ozello to the end of the road for the best fried seafood ever.

Homosassa Springs.

The naval air museum is great. You may want to follow the coast down to Manatee Springs. Pretty park with bridges to walk. Manatee have been known to swim up the canals.

There are a lot of Florida State Parks along that path. In the panhandle they mainly feature beaches: Grayton Beach, St Josephs, St Andrew.

FSP Map

Just below Tallahassee you start finding parks with majors springs starting with Wakulla SP. There is also Florida Caverns but it is out of the direct path to the north. Not much of a cavern either if you've seen the major Federal NP caverns.

Once you turn south down the peninsula you find more springs Manatee SP, Rainbow Springs SP, Homosassa Springs SP (Used to be an attraction and has a captive herd of Manatees and other critters left over from the private owners), and for kitschy you will find Weeki Watchi with the mermaids (another private park taken over by the state).

Someone has already mentioned Tarpon Springs. Once you are in Tampa you might want to visit Ybor City which was a cigar producing town.

+1 on Naval Air Museum..... One of the best air museums in the country

Tarpon Springs, FL
Sponge Diving, Greek Food, Kitsch...
I love that place...

St. George Island
Oysters, Ocean, and views...
I hate oysters but the ones you can get here are amazing. And the state park has some of the most amazing beaches (and a campground). It is off the beaten path so it is quiet and uncrowded during the off season. My favorite spot on the Gulf Coast...

Naval Air Museum in Pensacola. Cedar Key is interesting.