Spacious Rooms Overlooking St. Johns River

The St. Johns River-which neatly slices Jacksonville, Florida, down the middle-is one of the only rivers in America that flows north. Along its banks, the Jacksonville Landing has been attracting residents and visitors for more than 20 years with swanky shops, creative eateries, live-music clubs, and more than 300 special outdoor events held every year. The Wyndham Jacksonville Riverwalk occupies a prime spot directly across the river from the Landing and in the heart of the city's trendy San Marco entertainment district.

Each standard room in the hotel features contemporary and warm decor, with marigold-yellow walls and golden-hued linens. In the morning, you can head downstairs for a complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast in the Wyndham's St. John's Cafe, then snooze peacefully in the sun while suspended in a hammock next to the outdoor pool.

Jacksonville, Florida: Sprawling City with Public Parks and Open Squares

Located in northern Florida 25 miles from the Georgia state line, Jacksonville has the distinction of being the largest city, area-wise, in the United States. This doesn't translate to vast expanses of pavement and canyons of skyscrapers, however. More than 80,000 acres of parkland lie within the city limits, surrounding visitors with lush landscaping and squirrel networking opportunities. A particularly nice park is Tree Hill Nature Center. Located five minutes from downtown, this green space is crisscrossed with 50 acres of trails leading through shady forests.

The neighborhood where the Wyndham is located, San Marco, is one of Jacksonville's oldest. Noted for its 1920s-era Mediterranean Revival homes-featuring balconies, terra-cotta tile roofs, and elaborate carvings-the area rewards sightseers with interesting architecture around every turn. As the sun goes down, head over to the San Marco Square, an open piazza surrounded by upscale restaurants and an old-fashioned movie theater.

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Bayside B & B with Jacuzzi at End of Private Dock

Along Florida's panhandle is a shoreline that is often called the Forgotten Coast. The beaches here have escaped any heavy development; instead, you'll get a glimpse of what old Florida was like, with soaring pines, saw palmettos, and snow-white dunes.

At the heart of the Forgotten Coast, the St. Joseph Peninsula stretches into the Gulf of Mexico. Cape San Blas Inn is situated on this narrow finger of land, which separates St. Joseph Bay from the open gulf. The inn stands just 200 yards from the beach on the opposite coast.

In the back of the inn, you can peer out to the water from bay windows and screened-in porches. A wooden boardwalk leads toward the water, where you'll find a dock extending into the bay. You can borrow one of the inn's complimentary canoes here, or paddle to the end of the pier, where there's a hot tub situated right on the waterfront.

Inside, no two guest rooms are exactly alike, but all include Sleep Number beds and prints of tropical beaches hanging on the walls. The Turtle Shell suite is the largest room, with a tile-framed fireplace beside french doors that lead onto a private patio.

In the morning, the inn lays out a spread of Starbucks-brand coffee with dishes such as quiche or french toast. Feel free to eat in the large, airy dining room, or carry your plate out to the veranda to watch starfish try to form constellations.

Port St. Joe, Florida: Beachfront Parks and Coastal Towns

St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is one of the prettiest local beaches. It overlooks both the bay and the shores of the gulf around the secluded eastern tip of the peninsula. All over the beachfront dunes you'll see sand pine scrub, and migrating falcons visit the 1,900-acre wilderness reserve every fall. The Cape San Blas connects the peninsula with the mainland. It features a lighthouse that has been rebuilt no fewer than four times.

Head inland to the town of Port St. Joe, which has seafood restaurants and charter cruises, or travel farther east to Apalachicola, a city named for a Native American tribe and often translated as "land of the friendly people." The city is lined with 19th-century architecture, including the Orman House and Raney House. Both of these Greek Revivalist-style mansions were built by cotton magnates. If it's getting hot outside, head to the John Gorrie Museum-the former home of the man who pioneered air conditioning.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.

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