Meet mermaids and see manatees on Florida’s Adventure Coast

Florida's Adventure Coast's newest craft brewery is a tribute to everything that makes beer great. Tidal Brewing Company boasts a facility where staff craft some delicious and highly drinkable beers; it also has a tasting room where they pour wares for thirsty patrons to sample. They claim to brew beers for sunny weather and beach bums, and their easy-to-drink offerings are sure to please even the pickiest palate. From trendy brut IPAs to tangy goses, along with traditional lagers, flavorful pale ales, light blondes, and more, there's plenty to love here. There are frequent events, an always-rotating tap list, and it's dog-friendly, all of which are great reasons to come back again and again.

Highlighting the best of the Adventure Coast, the Good Neighbor Trail connects quaint and historic downtown Brooksville with the scenic, 46-mile-long Withlacoochee State Trail. The Good Neighbor portion is about 10 miles long with a good amount of shade trees along the path, making it perfect for walking, hiking, or biking. It's a rail trail that follows what was once the route of the Florida Southern Railroad Line. The trailhead in Brooksville is located near the 1885-era Brooksville Train Depot Museum, a former switching yard. The Train Depot Museum is open between noon and 3 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and has an awesome old railcar outside.

One of the gems of historic downtown Brooksville is Main Street Eatery. This local joint has been serving up homestyle Cuban food and lunch specials since 1989. The soups, salads, and sandwiches are all huge, and crafted with love and an attention to flavor and detail. Definitely make sure to order a side of Cajun bean soup (or the notoriously hot chili, if you're feeling brave... if you can survive one helping of the spicy stuff, the second order is on the restaurant!) But most importantly, you must save room for dessert; the eatery chef makes a killer peanut butter pie, and a special piña colada icebox pie as well.

Another delicious eatery in Brooksville is Little Lady Cafe. This restaurant is an example of Southern home cooking at its finest. Think big portions, great prices, and friendly service. Club sandwiches, patty melts, fried clams, and fries are among the offerings on the lunch menu, but the breakfast options are completely irresistible. Country fried steak, biscuits and gravy, omelets, corned beef hash... the menu has something for everyone, and it all pairs well with a cup of coffee. Plus, there's something to be said for a place that knows the difference between home fries and hash browns, and offers both.

Florida oranges are always in season at Boyett's Grove and Citrus Attraction. What started as a simple fruit stand selling oranges in the 1960s has grown into a full-blown tourist stop. Between November and May, it offers grove-fresh oranges, grapefruits, tangerines, kumquats, and more for sale, but when it's not citrus season, you can still buy Florida-style souvenirs (think seashell crafts, shark teeth, and the like) and hand-dipped ice cream cones. Onsite you'll also find a wildlife park complete with an aviary and aquariums where you can meet and even feed creatures like monkeys, zedonks (a zebra-donkey hybrid), an alligator named Elvis, goats, and more. There's even mini-golf, gold panning, and a dinosaur cave.

Lake Townsen Regional Park is made up of 37 developed acres and 338 acres of untouched natural beauty. It's in a great location, with the State Forest to the north and the Withlacoochee River to the east. Lake Townsen provides boat access and connects to the Withlacoochee State Trail, and other amenities include a fishing pier, horseback riding trails, sports courts, and a lovely playground. You can immerse yourself in the stunning wild cypress swamp ecosystem here, which offers excellent bird and fish spotting.