A Floridian’s Day Trip Travel Guide to Tallahassee

I know, I’m from Florida, and chances are you’ve probably made me and all of my fellow citizens the punchline of a joke at some point.

Yes, we’re aware of it, and quite frankly, we totally get it. We see news stories that make us cringe on a weekly basis.

To be honest, neither Michael nor I have felt a particularly strong connection to our home state. We don’t tend to wear clothing with our state’s name with pride or identify with any of the stereotypes associated with our state, so for a long time, making the trek to our state’s capital city was never high on our list.

I bet if I asked you to list cities in Florida, you’d likely say “Miami,” “Orlando,” “Tampa,” or maybe even “Jacksonville” (thanks to The Good Place) before you would say “Tallahassee.”

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But with a New Year’s Resolution to visit more places in our home state, we decided it was finally time for us to visit one Sunday in March. It didn’t take long for us to assemble a diverse itinerary, one filled with nature, history, and since it’s the capital of Florida, politics. And you know what? It was an incredible experience – and I think it’s time for you to make the visit, too:

MORNING

A Pit Stop at the Busy Bee

It seemed as though whenever I mentioned to someone that Michael and I were heading to Tallahassee, the question following, “Why?” would be, “Are you going to the Bee on the way?”

It turns out the Busy Bee Truck Stop (yes, that says truck stop, and true to its name it was incredibly busy) is a destination all on its own. You’ll find all of the typical gas station wares here, as well as a Burger King, a Dunkin’ Donuts, a sweet shop, shelves stocked with Florida vacation essentials (like sunscreen and towels), a large selection of local goods (including an impressive amount of natural beauty products!), and any type of jerky you dare to eat.

In true pitstop fashion, The Busy Bee is known for its clean restrooms and they encourage you to take photos and use the hashtag #busybeepottypics. Pick up a couple of snacks, confirm the restrooms are indeed very clean, and continue your journey to Tallahassee.

→Busy Bee // 6458 US-129, Live Oak, FL 32060

—

Get outside at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park

This part of Florida is renowned for its natural features; had we more time and better weather, we would have opted for a dip in Wakulla Springs. Instead, we stuck close to the heart of the city for a visit to Maclay Gardens State Park to enjoy a little time outdoors before the afternoon rains set in.

The gardens were developed by the Maclays on the site of their vacation residence beginning in the 1920s, and the home is open for viewing during park hours. Though the gardens are man-made, they include many plant species naturally found in the area, and you’ll be grateful to visit during the blooming season. Have more time? The rest of the park provides ample space for hiking, horseback riding, and kayaking.

→Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park // 3540 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32309

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Local brunch at Table 23

Much of Tallahassee feels like a transient city; with several colleges and universities as well as the houses of state government, it doesn’t necessarily feel like people come here to stay. During our day in the capital, we never quite got a grasp of the city’s heart – though we tried our best to reach it via the city’s stomach. We had trouble locating any restaurants that felt truly “Tallahassee” (except for Bird’s, though we didn’t visit…) and ended up at Table 23, which served a new Southern Sunday brunch.

To try a little of everything, we shared The Southern Slate – a Southern version of a cheese and charcuterie plate, containing candied bacon, air-cured ham, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, candied pecans, cheese, fig preserves, and several types of crackers. It was exactly the light portion we needed for a busy travel day of snacking and imbibing, but if you’re looking for a true meal, you’ll want to add a few other dishes.

→Table 23 // 1215 Thomasville Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32303

—

Fuel up for more at Lucky Goat Coffee

Ready for a quick caffeine fix, we stopped at local roaster Lucky Goat Coffee. Though my pour-over could have been a little stronger, Michael enjoyed his cappuccino immensely. By the way – a bag of whole-bean coffee makes for a great souvenir!

→Lucky Goat Coffee // Multiple Locations

AFTERNOON

Learn a little at the Museum of Florida History

[note: the Museum of Florida History is temporarily closed. Find out if there are mobile museum opportunities during your visit here]

The Museum of Florida History reminded me of the museums of my childhood – lots of dioramas and even more accompanying text to read with very few interactive exhibits. This free museum is quite large, so plan for several hours if you truly want to see everything.

Michael and I felt content to just wander, stopping to learn more about the exhibits that most caught our eyes. My favorite of the bunch was titled “Living the Dream” which highlighted the idealized images of Florida advertised in the twentieth century.

→Museum of Florida History // 500 S Bronough St, Tallahassee, FL 32399

—

Rule the state at the Florida Historic Capitol Museum

Florida’s, um, oddly-shaped modern Capitol building is closed on the weekends, so we were unable to take advantage of the panoramic viewing level on the twenty-second floor. But the much more aesthetically pleasing Historic Capitol Museum is open on the weekends and is free to the public, though donations are accepted. The building has been restored to its 1902 appearance, and visitors can walk through exhibits located in the wings and into the House and Senate chambers.

→Florida Historic Capitol Museum // 400 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32399

—

Veer off the tracks at Railroad Square Art District

We had initially planned to walk from the Capitol building to the Railroad Square Art Park, but we got caught in the rain leaving the Capitol building and instead dashed to our car (which was parked at the museum – free on the weekends or during the week with proof of museum visit). If you’re luckier than we were, weather-wise, the twenty-ish-minute walk looks like a pleasant one.

This art park was previously a lumber yard and industrial complex, but today hosts a variety of shops and galleries. It was relatively quiet around 4 p.m. on a Sunday, but we enjoyed walking around the loop of studios and shops. The rain disappeared as quickly as it arrived, but the air stayed hot and damp, so a cold beer at Proof Brewing Company was such a relief.

Michael enjoyed perusing old video games at Super Secret Bonus Level (now closed), and I got a kick out of some of the items in the woman-owned Curio. The Other Side Vintage holds a treasure trove of goods – if you have the time to comb through its massive selection. I noticed an amazing vintage wool Valentino dress in my size, but I just couldn’t bring myself to try it on in the heat.

I found my one non-consumable purchase for the day at Wonsaponatime Vintage, a silver half-circle ring. The shop contained lots of great vintage and apothecary items. I’d like to return sometime, perhaps on a Saturday, to check out some of the other vendors that were closed on Sunday.

→Railroad Square Art Park // 661 Railroad Sq, Tallahassee, FL 32310
→Proof Brewing Company // now at 1320 S Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32301
→Wonsaponatime Vintage // 636 McDonnell Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32310
→Curio // 1046 Commercial Dr, Tallahassee, FL 32310
→Super Secret Bonus Level // (now closed)
→The Other Side Vintage // 607 Railroad Sq, Tallahassee, FL 32310

—

Bop around Gaines Street

We weren’t actually aiming to visit GrassLands Brewing Company (now closed); we intended to grab an iced coffee from Catalina Cafe before checking out a couple of independent clothing stores on Gaines Street.

As it turns out, FSU and FAMU both were holding their Spring Breaks during our visit, and the shop closed early (this being a college town, the city abides by the college calendar!). Hot and thirsty, we popped in next door for a beer at GrassLands. Smaller and more intimate than Proof, GrassLands also served up a great pint.

We then walked over to Olde Fields Clothing Company (now online only) and Avant-Garb, which both carried vintage clothing, though Olde Fields also carried a lot of FSU clothing items as well. Nothing went home with me – which means there’s still plenty of old-school goodness for you to find.

→GrassLands Brewing Company // now closed
→Olde Fields Clothing Company // now online only
→Avant-Garb // now at 1699 N Monroe St, Tallahassee, FL 32303

EVENING

Isabella’s Pizzeria Napoletana

End your Tallahassee day at Isabella’s – a Naples-style pizza joint located in College Town. Michael and I shared a salad and the Prosciutto e Arugula pizza – both delicious (I love a good thin pizza with charred crust!) and perfectly portioned for two.

The restaurant wasn’t busy during our visit (which can sometimes be a bad sign), but I have every confidence that Spring Break was to blame for that.

→Isabella's Pizzeria Napoletana // 799 W Gaines St #101, Tallahassee, FL 32304

FINAL THOUGHTS ON VISITING TALLAHASSEE FOR THE DAY

Outfit Details: Sunglasses | Boxy Crop Tee* | Skinny Jeans | Crossbody Pouch* | Loafers* [save 20% with code WAYWARD20] | Necklace | Loop Earrings*

Though the city’s spirit remains elusive, Tallahassee offers visitors a wonderful range of sights and attractions for a great day away. From iconic landmarks to lush nature to a vibrant arts scene, there are more than enough things to do in the Florida capital city. Just because it takes more than a day to get to know Tallahassee, doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying our very best.

As for what I wore in Tallahassee, I felt cool and comfortable in this outfit all day; these loafers have really become one of my favorite pairs of shoes for exploring cities. The only challenging part of wearing this top is the rain; water spots can remain on silk long after the fabric dries, and getting caught in the rain ended up being more stressful than it should have been. Next time I won’t trust the weather forecast and will carry an umbrella well before the rain is predicted to arrive.

*some items are no longer available, and a similar item is linked

Looking for more? You may enjoy these other Florida guides:

Do you live in a state whose capital city is not the largest/most popular city? Have you ever taken the opportunity to visit?

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5 Comments on “A Floridian’s Day Trip Travel Guide to Tallahassee”

The Happiest Hill-Victoria says:

March 31, 2018 at 9:37 pm

Stephen and I need to do this! Austin is our favorite city which is hard having it as a Capital! It is always so busy because it is wayyy more popular than Dallas!

1. Alyssa says:
  
  April 2, 2018 at 9:33 pm
  
  Austin is amazing. Have you visited the capitol building? It’s one of the largest in the country. We planned to visit last time we were there, but got derailed – that just means we have to go back, right?
  
Linda F. says:

December 29, 2019 at 11:54 am

Great share, love that you really sought out the heart of Tallahassee. I would recommend visiting Birds for a great burger and oysters and Wakulla Springs for a wonderful natural Florida boat ride. We have only lived here for about 3 years, but really like the area, who knows we may actually stay after retirement? There are loads of very good restaurants and small local theaters as well as a good handful of small music venues. Come on back!

Angela Taylor says:

April 27, 2020 at 6:55 am

Tallahassee is an awesome city. I was there for my post-graduation. There is lots of spaces to visit and lots of amazing food to eat. Tallahassee is good for education. If you are planning for higher studies then you should go for Tallahassee.

Jeffory says:

September 2, 2020 at 12:03 pm

I’ve lived here forever. Thank you for reminding me how great Tallahassee really is