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THE SKINNY

• The Not So Endless Summer

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45 Days of Summer

Five Florida Getaways That Feel Like Another Country

I know Summer doesn't officially end until sometime in September. But if you've got kids, or live anywhere near them, Summer ends when school starts. So, you're running out of time to squeeze in one last adventure.

Now, I'm no stranger to work. I know it isn't always easy to carve out a week for vacation. That's why we put together five Florida getaways that feel like you've crossed an international border, without needing a passport or spending a fortune.

Cape San Blas (Florida’s Forgotten Coast)

About six hours from Southshore, Cape San Blas feels like Florida before Florida happened. No towering condos. No bumper-to-bumper traffic. Just sugar-white sand, emerald water, incredible sunsets, and enough peace and quiet to remind you why vacations exist in the first place. Rent a beach house, bring a fishing pole, and don't be surprised if dolphins become your morning entertainment.

Dry Tortugas National Park

This one takes a little planning, but it's worth every minute because it's really two vacations in one. The first leg is the seven-hour drive to Key West. I know... stick with me. You'd be surprised how many lifelong Floridians have never made the trip. Spend a day wandering Duval Street, enjoying fresh seafood, key lime pie, and maybe a frozen margarita or two before hopping aboard the 2.5-hour ferry to Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park. Crystal-clear water, coral reefs, sea turtles, and one of America's most unique historic forts make this feel more like the Caribbean than Florida.

Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge

Just over two hours away near Vero Beach sits the country's very first National Wildlife Refuge. If your idea of vacation involves slowing down instead of speeding up, this one's for you. Kayak through mangrove tunnels, spot dozens of bird species, watch dolphins cruise by, or simply enjoy one of Florida's quieter stretches of coastline. It's Old Florida at its finest.

Blowing Rocks Preserve

About three hours from Southshore on Jupiter Island is one of Florida's most unique natural attractions. At high tide, waves crash against the limestone shoreline and shoot towering plumes of water into the air, sometimes reaching 50 feet high. It's one of the few places on Florida's east coast where you'll find dramatic rocky coastline instead of endless sandy beaches. Time it right with the tides and you'll swear you're somewhere along the Pacific.

Venice

About 90 minutes south of Southshore, Venice is proof you don't always have to travel far to feel like you've escaped. Known as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World, it's the perfect place to spend the morning hunting prehistoric fossils before strolling a charming downtown filled with boutiques, cafés, and Mediterranean-style architecture. Cap off the day with dinner overlooking the Gulf, and you'll wonder why you don't make the drive more often.

Ask a Personal Injury Attorney

Common personal injury questions with McBreeen & Nowak

Today’s question: “If I’m injured in a car accident but don’t go to the hospital right away, do I still have a case?”

Answer: Yes.  Often, the acuteness of your injury doesn’t require a hospital visit and the expense that goes along with it.  In fact, most don’t.  However, under Florida Law, you have to seek medical attention within 14 days of the collision, or you can lose valuable benefits under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits.  No matter when you treat, you still “have a case,” though the longer you wait, the more difficult the case becomes.  All personal injury attorneys work on contingency fees, which means you don’t pay unless they recover something for you.  They all (should) offer you a free consultation.  Feel free to call to ask how your specific case may differ from the above. 

The foregoing does not constitute legal advice, and this Q and A does not create an attorney-client relationship.  We recommend that you speak to an attorney ASAP if you think you may have been injured in an automobile collision. 

Hot Water Woes

With Kuma Plumbing & Drain

There are few things more upsetting than an unplanned cold shower. Dare I say it should be considered a form of torture. Water heaters have a knack for knowing the precise moment you need that shower the most, and that's exactly when they decide to give up on their only job.

But don't fret. We know a guy, which means you know a guy, too. Kuma Plumbing & Drain is one of Southshore's premier plumbing providers, and while plenty of companies can get you back up and running after something breaks, Kuma focuses on making sure you never go down in the first place.

They're like motivational coaches for water heaters, personal trainers for pipes, and therapists for toilets. (Okay, maybe not therapists...but they're really good at fixing them.)

So when you turn the shower handle to "hot" and are met with disappointment and regret, don't call your water heater names. Call Kuma instead.

Things to do

What’s Washing Up on The Shore This Week

Your Weekly What in the World

The Meteor Shower That Refuses to Follow the Rules

Most meteor showers are pretty predictable. Astronomers know when they'll arrive, roughly how many shooting stars they'll produce, and whether they're worth staying up past your bedtime to watch. The June Bootids didn't get that memo.

The annual meteor shower is expected to peak around June 27, but unlike most celestial events, nobody really knows what it's going to do. Some years, skywatchers see only a handful of meteors per hour. Other years, the shower has unexpectedly exploded into a full-blown light show, producing dozens, and even more than 100, meteors per hour. Scientists still can't accurately predict which version will show up. That's why astronomers often call the June Bootids one of the most unpredictable meteor showers of the year.

The meteors come from debris left behind by Comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke, which crosses Earth's orbit every few years. As our planet passes through the comet's dusty trail, tiny particles slam into Earth's atmosphere and burn up, creating the streaks of light we call shooting stars. What makes the Bootids especially unique is how slow they appear to move. Most meteors flash across the sky in the blink of an eye. Bootids tend to drift more slowly, creating long, graceful streaks that can be easier to spot.

So what about Florida? Good news. We actually have a chance to see them. The June Bootids favor observers in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Florida. The shower's radiant point is located in the constellation Boötes, and while you don't need to find the constellation to enjoy the show, you'll want to look toward a dark sky away from city lights. The best viewing will be after sunset and before dawn as the shower approaches its peak.

Now for the bad news. The June Bootids are famous for underdelivering. In most years, you'll only see a few meteors per hour. But that's also what makes them fun. Nobody knows whether this year will be a dud or whether it might surprise everyone with an unexpected burst of activity.

So if you happen to be outside late this week, maybe take a few minutes to look up. At worst, you'll see a couple shooting stars. At best, you'll witness one of the sky's most unpredictable shows. And honestly, after surviving another week of Florida summer heat, standing outside at midnight might not be such a bad idea anyway.

Get the scoop on the Bootids

Southshore Spotlight

Lighthouse Gospel Mission

For more than 70 years, Lighthouse Gospel Mission has been serving some of Tampa Bay's most vulnerable residents through addiction recovery, food assistance, and faith-based community outreach. Based in Riverview, the organization operates an 18-month residential discipleship program for men and women seeking freedom from addiction while also providing food assistance to families throughout the region.

Through its Operation Hope ministry, Lighthouse Gospel Mission helps distribute hundreds of thousands of pounds of food each year to families in need and partners with other local organizations to expand its reach across Tampa Bay. The nonprofit also operates a thrift store and food truck that help support its mission of serving the hurting, hungry, and addicted in our communities.

Whether it's helping someone overcome addiction, putting food on a family's table, or offering hope during a difficult season of life, Lighthouse Gospel Mission continues to make a meaningful impact right here in our community.

Nominate your local hero by emailing us at [email protected]

We Know a Guy…or Girl

Southshore Services

Need a painter? A plumber? Someone brave enough to tackle that lightbulb orbiting 30 feet above your living room? We’ve got you. And the best part, they’re all right here in our community.

Interested in joining the list? Shoot us an email to [email protected]

“Keep it Local!”

Foodies Only

Your Restaurant

New menu items, promos, specials, events- feature them here. This is the place to tell 30,000 readers in Southshore what you've got. Only 20 spots for the year. Claim yours today.

If you’ve got a restaurant, food truck, or even a lemonade stand, it could be featured here. Email us at [email protected]

Local Sports

Got news, events, or press releases that the Southshore needs to know about? Submit them here. (We’ll do our best to add press releases in our regular rotation.) If you’re looking to run an actual ad, go here instead.

Until next time,

Keep It Local.