Evening star., 1950-12-03

to suggest an itinerary through
varied and worthwhile, points O,
interest. These are by no mean!
the only such places in the State
but they comprise route of scenic
and varied attractions.
In starting from Jacksonville
the motorist becomes Target "a
of hundreds of tourist enterprise!
reptile farms. jungle gardens
fish ponds On a grand scale anc
natural springs. Many of these
are topnotch, educational anc
thrilling, we'll worth the price oil
admission. But others are little
more than gyp joints or gambling
blinds.
One of the best ways to avoic
disappointment and wastins
money is to refer to the travel at.
fractions listed in the AAA's Toul
Book. all of which have beer
checked as a safeguard for trav.
elers.
The first major city Of interest
on the southwark route is st
Augustine. the oldest city in the
United States. where ancient
streets and walls and four.
centuries-old buildings tell the
story of Ponce de Leon. Sir Franci:
Drake and the freebooting pirates
2 Million Visitors Pass
Through City, and Many Stop.
st. Augustine, a modest city o.
10000 population, is on displa,
to some 2 million visitors who pas!
through annually. For those whit
stay while, 1t offers accommoda
tions from modest hotels ane
motor courts to the Ponce ds
Leon Hotel ($25 a day minimum)
A few miles below st. Augustine
is one of Florida's most publicizee
and worth publicizing-attrac.
tions, the Marine Studios at Ma.
rineland. 1t is a "oceanarium,
which means that sharks, barra
cuda. porpoises and other tropica
fish live together in two huge
tanks. to be viewed from the sur
face or from portfolios below.
Daytona Beach, a year-rounc
resort that attracts 5000 Wis.
itors in summer and a like mum
Der in winter. offers some of the
finest tarpon and dolphin fishing
|on the Atlantic Coast. Daytona'.
famed beach. 500 feet wide al
low tide, is so wide that lane.
of automobile traffic can be per-
mitted without disturbing the
bathing area.
The winter program at Daytona
will include dozen tournaments
in Switchboard between December
and March (shuffleboard, popular
everywhere in Florida, was adapted
at Daytona Beach from shipboard
to a land sport). tennis tourna-
ments, weekly lawn bowling COM
petition and skeet shooting meets.
From Daytona the motorist does
well to turn westward across the
State, toward the Gulf of Mexico
but stopping first for a look al
Leesburg, where. as they say To-
cally. "the big bass bite" Aside
from being the site of the Ma
tional Freshwater Bass tourna-
ment each year from December
Is to March Is. and within driv.
ing range of 1,400 lakes. Leesburs
is a friendly spot that offers non.
fishing vacationers boating. swim
ming leisurely pace and a full,
quota of sunshine.
Silver Springs, outside Ocala, il
the first and most spectacular Of
a series of natural springs thai
crop up on the travellers route
about as frequently as do thu
caves and caverns in Virginia
Silver Springs is one of Florida
top attractions. and justifiably so
A glass-bottom boat trip across it.
waters shows the phenomenon O.
subterranean spouts, and varieties
of fish, turtles and plants jus
about as close as the soap in tn,
bathtub at home.
Rainbow Springs, near Dunno
Ion, is quiet beauty spot where
in submarine boat ride, tropi
cal fish can be seen playin,
around the underwater geysers
and plant life seems to stretcl
out as vast expanses of weir'
forestlands.
And at Weekiwachee Springs
near the Gulf Coast, the fish an,
turtles cavort with mermaids-;
group of talented swimming las
| sizes who achieve an incredibl,