Road Trips NORTH RE GION Heritage Highway For a glimpse of Old Florida, spend some time along this route that’s far from the theme parks and glitzy metropolises. Make the 48-mile ride just south of Gainesville along U.S. 441 in autumn or winter, when you can participate in annual events like the Micanopy Fall Festival in October, First Day Hike in January, or Stargazing at Paynes Prairie in February. Start your journey against the backdrop of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, which 18th-century naturalist William Bartram nicknamed the “great Alachua Savannah.” The preserve’s vast wetlands and seemingly endless skies are a haven for wild horses, bison and more than 270 species of birds. Explore the area on horseback, bicycle or foot via the paved Gainesville-Hawthorne State Trail. Also enjoy yoga, geocaching and occasional special events. From Paynes Prairie, head southeast to tiny Micanopy. Little more than one mile square, this enclave is big on Southern charm with antique shops along tree-lined Cholokka Boulevard, a historic post o ce that’s ideal for photo ops and cracker-style seafood dinners at The Yearling Restaurant. Speaking of The Yearling , no tour of the area would be complete without a visit to Cross Creek. Best known as the birthplace of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the town honors its native daughter with tours of her 1930s home at Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park. ð ➌ Old Florida Downtown Micanopy 18 4 VISITFLORIDA.com PHOTO: BRAD McCLENNY
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