Florida Sports & Outdoors Tips by grandmaR

Baseball

In general Florida is Sports MAD. While I have put this under Sports Watching, because the spring training camps of a lot of teams are in Florida for the sports fans to watch, and there are also MLB teams in Florida, quite a lot of baseball is played in Florida on all levels.

The picture 2 is of my grandson in Player Pitch Little League. Photo 3 is taken two years later

Youth Baseball

* Babe Ruth Baseball
* Little League Baseball
* American Athletic Union (AAU Baseball)
* American Legion Baseball

Florida High School Baseball (photo 4 - 2009 at age 14)

* Florida High School Activities Association
* Sunshine Network - Prep News

Florida College Baseball

NCAA Division I

Florida State University - Tallahassee
University of Florida - Gainesville
Florida A&M University - Tallahassee
Florida Atlantic University - Boca Raton
Florida International University - Miami
University of South Florida - Tampa
University of Miami - Coral Gables
Stetson University - Deland
Jacksonville University - Jacksonville
University of Central Florida - Orlando
Bethune Cookman - Daytona Beach

NCAA Division II

Barry College - Miami Shores**
Eckerd College - St. Petersburg **
Florida Institute of Technology - Melbourne**
Florida Southern College - Lakeland**
Lynn University - Boca Raton**
Rollins College - Winter Park**
Saint Leo College - Saint Leo**
University of North Florida - Jacksonville
University of Tampa - Tampa**
University of West Florida - Pensacola

**Sunshine State Conference Colleges

Equipment: NAIA Colleges

Flagler College - St. Augustine
Edward Waters College - Jacksonville
Webber College - Babson Park
Warner-Southern College - Lake Wales
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach
Florida Memorial College - Miami
Northwood University - West Palm Beach
Nova Southeastern University - Ft. Lauderdale
Palm Beach Atlantic College - West Palm Beach
Saint Thomas University - Miami

Florida Junior Colleges baseball
National Junior College Athletic Association - Division I

Brevard Community College
Broward Community College
Central Florida Community College
Chipola Junior College
Daytona Beach Community College
Florida College
Florida Community College/Jacksonville
Gulf Coast Community College
Hillsborough Community College
Indian River Community College
Lake City Community College
Lake-Sumter Community College
Manatee Community College
Miami-Dade Community College/Wolfson
North Florida Junior College
Okaloosa-Walton Community College
Palm Beach Community College
Pasco-Hernando Community College
Pensacola Junior College
Polk Community College
Santa Fe Community College
Seminole Community College
South Florida Community College
St. Johns River Community College
St. Petersburg Junior College
Tallahassee Community College
Valencia Community College

Theme: Sports Watching

Website: http://sponwd.home.mindspring.com/bbindex.htm

Top Beach in Florida Number 7

Bahia Honda Sandspur Beach was picked by the Travel Channel as the 7th best beach in Florida. I personally think it should be ranked higher than that.

Others have rated Bahia Honda State Park as one of the best beaches in the country. Bahia Honda is made of Largo limestone a prehistoric coral reef similar to the present day living reefs of the Keys.

The park was originally part of Flagler's railroad and the old road bed forms part of the park.. The old railroad bridge can be seen both from the new road and from the beach.

Equipment: Bahia Honda is unique among other islands in the Keys because it has extensive sandy beaches and deep waters close enough offshore to provide exceptional swimming and snorkeling. There are fresh water showers, a concession stand and beautiful nature trails through the mangroves.

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

The Daily Entrance Fee $5.00 per carload

Pedestrians, Bicyclists, Extra Passengers, Entrance Fee is $1.00 per person.

Address: 36850 Overseas Hwy., Big Pine Key, Florida 33043

Directions: Bahia Honda is located 12 mile south of Marathon on US1.

Phone: 305-872-2353

Theme: Beach Activities

Website: http://www.bahiahondapark.com/

Palm Beach - Florida's #3 Beach

Palm Beach is notable not only for the beach but for the rich people that live there. Originally West Palm Beach was a place for the servants of the people in Palm Beach to live. It was apparently nominated by the Travel Channel as a good beach and a posh place to shop.

When you go to the Palm Beach County Convention Bureau website, you get "This Virtual Directory does not allow contents to be listed".

The cached entry says "With over 47 miles of white sandy beaches and over 200 hotels and resorts from Jupiter to Boca Raton, our destination offers every conceivable amenity."

Equipment: I haven't really been to Palm beach in a long time. The photo has the the ICW in that area inset in the top and a sunset over that area of the Florida coast from offshore.

Theme: Beach Activities

Website: http://www.palmbeachfl.com/

Smather's Beach - Florida's #6 Top Beach

Because there are no natural beaches in Key West, the sand for Smather's beach was brought in from the Bahamas. It is Key West's largest public beach at 1 mile long. Bring aqua shoes if you plan on swimming. Smather's Beach is FREE

Higgs Beach is at one end of Smather's Beach and most people probably can't tell where it starts and Smather's Beach ends. It is also free.

Equipment: Smathers Beach has food and beverage vendors, volleyball courts, showers and bathrooms. You can rent beach chairs, windsurfers, jet skis, kayaks and umbrellas at several locations along the beach.

Higgs Beach has a bar and restaurant on the beach, volleyball courts, grills for cookouts, famous sunning pier and free tennis courts. There are also beach chair and umbrella rentals available.

Directions: Smather's Beach is located on the Atlantic (or ocean) side of Key West.

Theme: Beach Activities

Website: http://www.keystravel.com/Smathers.html

Top Beach in Florida #10

Driving on Daytona beach's hard packed sands has been a tradition since the early days of the automobile.

The beach is open to vehicles from sunrise to sunset Nov. 1 through April 30 and from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., May 1 through Oct. 31. There is a $5 per day per vehicle user fee to drive on the beach February 1 through November 30. Season beach passes are $20 for Volusia County residents and $40 for non-residents. The beach is always open and free to pedestrians and bicyclists.

Equipment: Volusia's beaches are divided into three Experience Zones -- Natural, Transitional and Urban. Natural beach zones exist from the North Peninsula State Recreation Area to Granada Boulevard in Ormond by the Sea; from Emilia Avenue in Daytona Beach Shores to Beach Street in Ponce Inlet and from 27th Avenue in New Smyrna Beach to Canaveral National Seashore in Bethune Beach.

The Natural zones generally correspond to the areas where off-beach development is less intense. The dune habitats within this area largely are intact. These areas also have the highest concentration of turtle nests on Volusia beaches. Public driving and parking is not allowed in the Natural beach areas.

The Transitional zones are those areas which have a mixture of natural dunes and some beach seawalls. The concentration of people in these areas generally is less intense most of the year. Sea turtle nesting in these areas is moderate. Public driving and parking is allowed in the Transitional zone 30 feet seaward of the dunes or seawall.

The Urban zones are those areas where off-beach development includes hotels, high-rise condominiums and seawalls. The concentration of people is the most intense most of the year. Sea turtle nesting in these areas is minimal. Public driving and parking is allowed in the Urban beach areas 15 feet seaward of the dunes or seawall.

Directions: Approx. 1,000 public parking spaces include Bicentennial Park on the North Peninsula; Ora Street and Revilo Avenue parks in Daytona Beach

Theme: Beach Activities

Website: http://volusia.org/beach/beach2.htm#bd

Communities for Golf

Golf is really BIG in Florida. We were at a community called Palm Coast, and I asked a young teen what there was to do around there. He said "Nothing". I asked - well then why are all these folks here? He answered that there were 9 golf courses in that community.

My BIL came down and stayed with my daughter in Miami for a week, and played golf the whole week. [After that my SIL took them out on his boat (another big Florida sport) and they caught some sailfish (fishing - another big Florida sport)]

Equipment: Golf clubs.

I don't play golf, so I don't know much about it. Apparently it is very addicting.

Theme: Golfing

Website: http://floridagolfmagazine.com/

Florida Boats

It seems as if everyone in Florida has a boat. They range from megayachts at docks in Palm Beach, through sports fishing boats with their outriggers and towers, to sailboats, rowboats, dinghys and kayaks.

Equipment: Many people appear to get into a boat and drive off in it under the impression that boating is the same as driving a car. It is not.

The How to Boat Smart -- Florida Boating Safety online course is an authorized NASBLA/state-approved course developed by Boat Ed for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). You can complete the course for boating safety education certification or... just take the online Florida boat safety course to improve your boating knowledge

Directions: Anywhere there is water

Theme: Boating/Sailing

Website: http://marinersguide.com/regions/florida/

Fishing

The whole of Florida is mad on fishing. When we go offshore, not only do we have to avoid the gambling ships, but we have to avoid hitting and sinking fishing boats that are out there at night without any lights. And then the sports fish boats wake us (i.e. rock us with their wakes - we are already awake)

The URL below is for Florida fishing regulations.

Equipment: You can go fishing on your own boat in which case you'll know what equipment you want. You can also charter a sports fishing boat, or go out on a head boat. A head boat is a boat that takes a lot of people at once and charges by the head (i.e. by the person). Usually a head boat supplies the gear and bait etc.

Directions: Anywhere there is water with fish in it, and sometimes where there is water with no fish.

Theme: Fishing Trips

Website: http://myfwc.com/fishingareas.html

Diving and Snorkeling

My first experience with snorkeling was in 1961 when I was pregnant with my first child, in the canals that were formed when land was filled in Key West. There was a big baracuda that called that canal home, but we swam together quite happily.

Then in 1967, I had my first experience scuba diving (also in Key West), and since then I've been hooked on both diving and snorkeling.

Florida, especially the southern east coast and the Keys, is a perfect place for this. Generally the water is clear (unless there is a storm) and warm, or at least warmer than it is farther north. And there are things to see underwater.

Equipment: For snorkeling, you need a mask that fits your face - that's the most important thing. I have diopters in my mask because I need glasses to read. Near-sighted people can get prescription masks.

in the winter, the water can be cool, so if you want to stay in for any length of time, wear thermal protection like a wet suit. This picture was taken in the Dry Tortugas and the water was too cold for my husband. He doesn't like it if it is much below 80 deg F.

Most of the equipment can be rented from the snorkel or dive operators.

Theme: Scuba Diving