Florida: Land of 'Gators and Birds

It seems the older I get, the more I understand the wisdom of my elders spending their winters in Florida! Tired of winter? Cabin fever? Too much snow to shovel? Why not head south to Florida, where the sun shines, the birds sing and the alligators seem to be lurking around every corner. There's the Everglades, where all you need is a kayak, a compass and a chart to escape into a wilderness populated by wild creatures. Sandy beaches over-run by shorebirds of every sort. Cypress swamps dripping in hanging moss and....more alligators. Then there's the sunny Keys--who could ask for more?

White pelicans on a sandy key, Everglades National Park, 10,000 Islands