Road Tripping Through Florida By Betsi Hill
W
hen you think of Florida, your mind goes to Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and of course, theme parks. Florida has so much more, and we’re unveiling three of our favorite Florida small-town destinations.
Fort Pierce The Treasure Coast is home to Fort Pierce. The Treasure Coast takes its name from the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, which sunk off the coast after being caught by a vicious hurricane. Mel Fisher and the Real Eight Company struck gold in May 1964 when Fisher discovered a “carpet of gold” in approximately 20 feet of water. Only a few ships of the fleet have been located, which beckons treasure hunters to the area each summer.
What to Do in Fort Pierce Fort Pierce is one of Florida’s top surfing spots. We love taking an afternoon stroll down to Fort Pierce Inlet State Park to watch the surfers. Across the inlet, at South Jetty Park, you’ll see kite boarders performing acrobatics over the wave tops as they catch the wind currents. After watching the kiteboarder’s acrobatic show at South Jetty Park, a favorite stop is Taco Dive, where fresh and local reign. Taco Dive is not your typical little dive restaurant. It’s dog-friendly, so our Maltese Zach loves to visit. The staff always indulge him with a glass, not a dog bowl of water. Speaking of the team, they always greet you with a smile, even when wearing a mask. Local favorites include their Smothered Tots, bite-sized tater tots smothered in queso sauce and topped with fresh jalapeños. The queso Sauce with beef is flavorful with a bit of spice and is always a hit and our favorite. Taco Dive has put a twist on the lowly taco. My husband loves the Under Dog, a grilled beef hotdog smothered with cabbage, tomato, cucumber, jalapeño, onion, queso fresco crumbles, spicy mustard, and cheese. The Irish is an unusual taco with slow-roasted beer-soaked corned beef topped with sautéed cabbage, tater tots, and spicy mustard. My tastes lean a bit more traditional. I love the Cilantro Chicken taco, which is tasty with a bit of spice added. It makes my mouth feel as if it were having a fiesta.
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Photos (Top to bottom): Beautiful beaches are plentiful in Fort Pierce; Kiteboarding at in Fort Pierce; Steak taco at Taco Dive; The Underdog taco at Taco Dive; A view across the inlet in Fort Pierce All photos ©Jim Hill
