Tallahassee is a smaller city, with a population of around 200,000. However, there are still plenty of things to see and do in town and in the surrounding area. Below is a list of items that migth be of interest to you as a visitor. Will Moore has also produced a "Local's Guide to Tallahassee" that covers a great deal. So, if you are looking for ways to occupy your time, or if you bring your family down with you and they don't want to attend multiple panels on research methods (stunning as that may seem), here are some ideas about what you might see and do. Also, here is a link to the local newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat. [NOTE: This page is still under construction -- check back for updates. Last updated July 8, 2005]

NOTE: While we are providing transportation to and from the airport as well as between the conference site and the hotel, we will not be running any shuttles for leisure activities. There will be lots of folks from FSU attending the conference, however. I suggest you just invite them along and ask them to drive!

Fitness

We have arranged for conference participants to use the recreational facilities at The Leach Center (Click Here for more info). There are also tennis courts and an outdoor track on campus. If you like to run, plan to do so in the morning as it will be hot and humid here in July. If you are looking for more excersise than this, drop us a line and we'll point you in the right direction.

Bars & Nightlife near the Doubletree Hotel

[NOTE: Florida has a smoking ban in effect for all restaurants, bowling alleys, and the like. Most bars do not fall into this category. So if you’re going to need to light up, better check at the door first!]

Jacob’s on the Plaza (in the Doubletree Hotel, located at Park & Adams – 101 S. Adams) 850-224-7200

Andrew’s Capital Grill & Bar (228 S. Adams St.) 850-222-3444

Clyde’s & Costello’s 210 S. Adams St. 850-224-2173

Paradigm – 115 W. College Ave. 850-224-9980 Features DJ’s in the house on Fri and live jazz on Sat.

Wilson’s Barbecue & Soul Food Cuisine Daily music: live jazz, funk, blues, and rock; 325 N. Bronough St. 850-575-3554

Fun Family Activities (* indicates kid-friendly)

· *Challenger Learning Center – a state-of-the-art Space Mission Simulator, IMAX theatre, planetarium & laser show.

· *Mary Brogan Museum of Art & Science – art + hands-on science experiences.

· *Tallahassee Museum of History & Natural Science – Take a walk on a nature trail for an outdoor adventure of seeing indigenous animals (including red wolves, Florida panther, an alligator, bobcats, a bald eagle, and 2 hilarious otters) and actual buildings relocated to this facility: a cabin, a blacksmith’s shop, a tack room, an old school for African-American children, an old church for African-Americans, and the Catherine Murat plantation home; Visiting exhibit: 2 spider monkeys

· *Mission San Luis de Apalachee – From 1656 to 1704 this settlement was the location of a Spanish Mission to the Apalachee Indians. See some incredible re-constructed buildings.

· *Museum of Florida History – This museum shows the social & cultural history & development of Florida. Special exhibit will be The Florida Home: Modern Living 1945-1965 examining domestic architecture in various Florida regions.

· Old Capitol Building – Climb the stairs in this old building and look out over this fair city! Check out what a 1902 Senate, House and Supreme court chamber looked like. See an exhibit on Election 2000, complete with a butterfly ballot from Palm Beach County. Visit the Newsmakers room where visitors can become television broadcasters.

Active Fun

· *Skate World – roller skating rink.

· *Randy Trousdell Aquatic Center – not just a swimming pool, but a water park, too!

· *Crenshaw Lanes – Bowling Alley located in the Oglesby Student Union at FSU

· *Fun Station – putt putt golf, bumper boats, laser tag, bungee/trampoline jumping, go-karts, batting cages, arcade and pizza – a recipe for fun!

· *Tallahassee Rock Gym – indoor rock wall climbing for all ages.

Usually appeals to the more adult crowd

· Maclay Gardens

· Knott House museum (The house that rhymes)

· Goodwood Museum and Gardens – a true antebellum mansion – an interesting tour

· Lemoyne Art Gallery

· John G. Riley Center/Museum

· Park Avenue historical homes

· Tallahassee Antique Car Museum & Unique Collectibles

Take a drive….

· *Bradley’s Country Store – drive along a beautiful canopied road and buy a delicious smoked sausage; shop in an old store with original floors and novelty candies. Make sure you sit on the front porch for a while and enjoy the view.

· Canopied roads – Tallahassee is famous for these. I promise you’ll fall in love with them.

Malls & Movies

· Governor’s Square Mall – (This mall has a movie theatre in a nearby parking lot)

· Tallahassee Mall – This mall has a movie theatre in it.

· Movies 8 – Locally nicknamed “The Dollar Theatre.” Prices range from 50 cents to $1.50 to catch a movie.

· Miracle 5 - Movie theatre that often shows unusual movies, foreign films, etc.

Short drives well worth the trip

· *Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park & Lodge in Wakulla Springs - (30 minutes south of Tallahassee) Swim in water that is 70 degrees year round. Take a glass-bottomed boat ride or a river boat ride full of local color and wildlife. You’re bound to see a gator! And the lodge claims to have an old-fashioned soda fountain.

· *Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, FL (1 hour west of Tallahassee) Cool off on a cave tour!

· *Gulf Specimen Aquarium & Marine Lab (1 hour south of Tallahassee) See and touch ocean life!

· *St. George Island State Park (2 hours southwest of Tallahassee) Beautiful, clean beaches; soft, sugar-white sands; handy and clean restroom and picnic facilities; a glorious day of fun in the waves. We always stop at Hobo’s BBQ for ice cream on the way home (just before the bridge as you are coming back from the beach, right before the town of Carrabelle)