Tallahassee, Florida
Guide to Tallahassee: how to get there and where to stay, what to see and where to go in the evening. The most interesting in Tallahassee: fresh reviews and photos, places to see, branded entertainment and shopping.
According to Toppharmacyschools, Tallahassee became Florida ‘s state capital in 1824. It’s not that big of a city, although it’s quite busy and quite different from most traditional Florida cities. No palm trees, no glamour, no beaches. Peace and quiet, many museums, parks and historic houses, pleasant smiling people – that’s what Tallahassee is all about.
Today, the old, classic and low-rise Capitol stands in stark contrast to the 22-story rectangular building of the new one right behind. Together with the second building, the Capitol became the third largest in the country.
How to get to Tallahassee
Tallahassee Regional Airport receives flights from Atlanta, Memphis, Miami, Orlando. In addition, the city is located right on Interstate 0, so getting here is not difficult.
Attractions and attractions in Tallahassee
The Florida State Capitol, sometimes referred to as the “old Capitol,” is a building of great historical and architectural significance. It stands at the intersection of Monroe Street and Appalachian Parkway. This building was built in 1845, and in the 1970s, after the new Capitol was built, it was going to be demolished. However, they changed their minds, instead restoring it to the 1902 version. Today, the old, classic, low-rise Capitol stands in stark contrast to the 22-story rectangular building of the new one standing right behind. Inside is the Historical Museum. Together with the second building, the Capitol became the third largest in the country (after Washington and Texas).
The Museum of Florida History itself is housed in the R.A. Gray building and was opened in 1977. Here you can see a large collection of objects related to the development of the state and its role in the history of the country. The museum also includes the Not House mansion, built in 1843. It temporarily housed the headquarters of the Union troops during the Civil War. It was from its steps in 1865 that the proclamation on the emancipation of the black slaves of A. Lincoln was read.
3 things to do in Tallahassee:
- Ride a glass bottom boat in Wakula Springs, see turtles and alligators.
- Go to the historic lighthouse in St. Marks.
- Visit Railroad Square to soak up the spirituality and creativity.
The Tallahassee Museum was opened in its current location, between Lake Bradford and Hiawatha, in 1962. This is not a typical closed space for a museum, but rather something like an interesting outdoor park. One of its main attractions can be considered Big Bend Farm – a complex of restored wooden houses from 1880. Livestock lives here, there are vegetable gardens and a mill – everything is real. The other part of the museum is dedicated to Florida’s wildlife: a lush wildlife park with brown bears, white-tailed deer, red wolves, and Florida panthers. Also included in the museum is the 19th century Bellevue Plantation, the 1937 Baptist Church, and the 1890 Schoolhouse.
The Tallahassee Automotive Museum has a collection of 150 cars, toy cars, pedal cars, vintage boats, motors, watches, bicycles, motorcycles, and more. The gems of the collection are three Batmobiles, a 1911 Ford T and an 1894 Duria.
The Art Park of Zheleznodorozhnaya Square is a charming place. This is a small block that is located on Railroad Avenue. It is filled with a variety of metal sculptures and shops selling art and collectibles. The art park is well known in the city as a center of alternative culture and a nesting ground for independent artists. On the first Friday of every month, a free exhibition opens here, where thousands of citizens gather to get acquainted with modern art and hang out among fashionable people.
Mission San Luis de Appalachia was built in 1633 by Franciscans from Spain and stands a little over three kilometers from the Capitol. In 1704, the mission was evacuated, and the building itself was destroyed to prevent its use by the Indians. Beginning in 1996, many of the mission’s buildings began to be restored, including the church, council building, fort, and a typical Spanish house, as well as many of the smaller buildings on the site.
The world’s largest magnetic laboratory belongs to the University of Florida. Here they are exclusively engaged in research on strong magnetic fields and the possibilities of their application in physics, biology, bioengineering, chemistry, and so on.
The Mary Brogan Interactive Museum of Art and Science is especially popular with children: it is a new type of museum where everything can be touched and tasted. The museum has exhibits of giant beetles, bees and various mechanisms that can be controlled. A curious addition to the exhibitions were several paintings in the Italian Baroque style.
Built in 1956, the governor’s mansion is still inhabited by the governor and his family, but the lower floors can be viewed on a 40-minute guided tour. Brokaw McDougall Mansion was built in the 1840s. and served as a private residence until 1973. This is a two-story wooden building in the Italian Renaissance style, which can be viewed from the inside for free. The Dorothy Owen Garden Park is also open to the public free of charge – it’s a very nice and well-groomed garden with flowers, a pond and landscaped slides.
Rest at nature
The city itself and its environs are full of places for outdoor recreation. So, Lake Ella, which is slightly north of the city center, adjoins Fred Drake Park, where there are picnic areas and you can wonderfully walk around the lake. On the west side there are many nice shops and cafes. In the center of Maclay Gardens stands an old mansion, the winter residence of Alfred Maclay, open to the public – inside there is a museum exhibition.
The gardens surrounding the house-museum are famous for their camellias and magnolias, and in the park around you can go biking, kayaking, canoeing and fishing.
The medium-sized Goodwood Cotton Plantation (also known as the Old Croom Mansion) is now home to a historical museum displaying original furniture, china, fabrics and other household utensils. The interior decoration dates back roughly to the period of the First World War, and the park was designed in the early 20th century. Eleanor Clapp-Phillips Park, located on what was once Seminole farmland, later became a cotton plantation and hunting ground. Since then, old fields and pine groves have remained here with an abundance of living creatures and kilometers of pedestrian and bicycle paths.
The Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological Park was built on the site of the ancient ceremonial center of the ancient Indian culture Fort Walton, which inhabited it from the 11th to the 16th centuries. Not big fans of archeology will not be too interested here: apart from the mounds, there is nothing to see in the archaeological park. But the nearby lake is a good place for walking.
Tallahassee Events
Since 1967, the city has hosted the Springtime Festival, originally intended to make Tallahassee stand out as the state capital. Several teams take part in the festival parade, carrying their stands through the streets of the city: Spanish, Indian, Civil War and Reconstruction. About 200 thousand people are going to watch the parade. In addition, the festival features breakfast in the park, an arts and crafts exhibit, and a race through Myers Park.
The Downtown Getdown Festival usually takes place in the autumn in the Central Business District, in the City. The program includes concerts, outdoor dining, street performers, clowns, and more. In mid-October, the Greek Orthodox Church hosts a Greek Food Festival in Tallahassee. Of course, not only spanakopita, dolmades and tzatziki are served on it, but they also sing and dance. And in November, the city hosts a two-day annual wine and food festival on a charitable basis, which includes a wine auction, tasting and golf tournament.
