With all the hype surrounding Star Wars in advance of the latest installment in the iconic film series, people are looking for ways to experience their favorite saga set a long time ago in a galaxy far away.

You don't have to visit the State Capitol in Tallahassee to be reminded of all the reasons you love Florida. But it helps. Great weather? Check. The hottest tourist destinations? Roger that. More than 500 years of continuous civilization? Florida's got it, too.

Lake Jesup is one of Central Florida's largest lakes and part of the St. John's River system. Seminole County, just north of flashy Orange county, bills itself as Florida's "natural" choice. We have to agree. We live here.

As I prepare for a move from my Pensacola home, located on the Gulf Coast in the Florida Panhandle, over to St. Augustine on the East Coast this weekend, I am reminded why I've grown to love Florida and have decided to stick around.

After that brand-new LEGOLAND Florida Hotel opens in 2015, what piece of old Cypress Gardens will Adrian and the Merlin Entertainments team next try to revive / restore?

Before gleefully gliding south to the Florida Keys, I want to mention a few places of interest (to me!), scattered around the state, which you may miss if not informed (by me!) of their existence.