DETAILS Old Florida

We rented a car and drove a loop from Tampa south to Sarasota, northeast to the Winter Haven-Lake Wales area, northwest to Tarpon Springs and Weeki Wachee and back to Tampa. All attractions were within about 60 miles of our starting point.

GETTING THERE: Numerous airlines offer service from the Washington area to Tampa. Round-trip flights are about $150, with restrictions.

LODGING: There are myriad options in the region. In Lake Wales, we stayed in one of the four rooms at Noah's Ark Bed and Breakfast (312 Ridge Manor Dr., 800-346-1613; from $85 a night double). The 1920s Mediterranean mansion is filled with antiques and large portraits of the owners' daughters. Sandhill cranes yodeled in the back yard, and a variety of water birds visited the backyard lake as we ate breakfast.

In Tarpon Springs, the Bavarian Inn (427 E. Tarpon Ave., 727-939-0850, http://www.bavarianinnflorida.com; from $90 double) is about a mile from the historic sponge docks and a few blocks from the Antique District. The inn, featuring nine bedrooms, 10-foot ceilings and a wraparound porch, is in a 1904 English Tudor mansion.

ATTRACTIONS: During our three days on the road, we checked out four attractions.

· Sarasota Jungle Gardens (3701 Bayshore Rd., Sarasota, 941-355-5305, http://www.sarasotajunglegardens.com) is open every day except Dec. 25. Admission is $12.

· Cypress Gardens Adventure Park (6000 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven, 863-324-2111, http://www.cypressgardens.com) is open every day except Dec. 25. Admission ($39.95) includes most rides, water park (in season), concerts and shows.

· Spongeorama (510 Dodecanese Blvd., Tarpon Springs, 727-943-2164) is open daily depending on the crowd. Free admission.

· Weeki Wachee Springs (6131 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, 352-596-2062, http://www.weekiwachee.com) is open Thursdays-Sundays in the off-season, which runs roughly September-March, and daily the rest of the year. Admission is $13.95.

INFORMATION: For general guidance on travel to Florida, contact Visit Florida (888-735-2872, http://www.visitflorida.com). RoadsideAmerica.com ( http://www.roadsideamerica.com) is a lively, constantly updated look at unusual attractions across the country. There are plenty of books on Florida's attractions as well, including Tim Hollis's "Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails" (2006, Stackpole Books), an engaging tour of the state's tourist springs. -- Susan Harb