Marianna
Panhandle of Florida

The Marianna region is situated in Florida’s North West in an area known as the Panhandle. It is not too far from the capital, Tallahassee, but it offers a unique, unspoilt rural experience. Here, you can explore the little back roads off the beaten track and discover the many small towns and hamlets with intriguing names such as Two Egg, Round Lake or Orange Hill, which dot the area.

HISTORIC BATTLEGROUND…
Marianna itself is the county seat of Jackson County and it is full of historical interest, several of its homes being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was here, in 1864, that the Battle of Marianna took place when a Federal raiding party fought a Confederate defense force. The battle only lasted 30 minutes but those wounded, captured or killed accounted for 25% of the city‘s population. Confederate Park in the center of the city occupies a small section of the historic battleground and here you will find the State memorial to the city’s defenders.

WALK THROUGH THE CAVES…
With its wild and unspoiled terrain, this has to be one of the best locations for the traveler who is keen to embrace the great outdoors. From Marianna - with its roadways bordered by magnificent specimens of magnolia and pine trees - you are close to Florida Caverns State Park, which is the only place in Florida where you can walk through the caves. The State Park is a magical alternative to Florida’s beach life. Here, 50 feet below the surface, you see amazing stalactite and stalagmite formations - one of the formations is shaped like a wedding cake and is in fact a popular venue for weddings with a difference! At around a third of a mile long and at a constant temperature of 65 degrees, the cave walk offers a pleasant alternative to air conditioning - during the summer you can even go on a night time lantern tour. If you would rather be above ground there is plenty to keep you occupied - swim in a sinkhole pond or go cycling, hiking, fishing or golfing. For the water lover the Chipola River offers one of the most picturesque paddling trails in Florida.

SLEEP IN A YURT TENT…
Going east, near the town of Bristol, Torreya State Park is filled with unusual vegetation and has the Apalachicola River running through it. There is a 15 mile hill trail here and the camping facilities are excellent - there is even a five person Yurt tent available for hire!

FLORIDA’S LARGEST DAM…
The small town of Sneads is where you will find Three Rivers State Park - so called because this is where the rivers Chattahoochee, Flint and Apalachicola join together. Here you will find the stunning Lake Seminole and Florida’s largest dam. This is a great ‘get away from it all’ spot which attracts the outdoor lover. You can fish for speckled perch or bass from the 100 foot pier, go bird watching or hiking along the nature trail or camp by the lakeside with its views of Georgia.

THE HIGHEST WATERFALL IN FLORIDA…
Yet another State Park is Chipley and Falling Waters. Here you will find a 67 foot waterfall - the highest in Florida - dropping from the edge of a 100 foot deep and 20 foot wide stovepipe sinkhole - truly a magnificent sight. If you want to cool off after all this exploring you can swim in the lake which even has a sandy beach. With its surroundings of magnolia and various hardwood trees, this is a great spot for a picnic and the wooded camping ground is ideal if you want to stay the night. For the hunter and fisherman there is quail, deer and trophy bass.

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