Florida Archives - Happier Place

Localtopia 2023

We’re thrilled to return to Localtopia again this year with our Happier Place pop-up shop! Once we know our exact location, we will add that information here…
This will probably be our last market event for a long time, if not ever. So don’t miss it.

LOCALTOPIA is St. Pete’s largest “Community Celebration of All Things Local” showcasing *OVER* 300 of our city’s favorite independent businesses and community organizations.

Voted “BEST FESTIVAL” two years in a row in the Tampa Bay Times’ “Best of the Best” Awards and nominated for “BEST FESTIVAL” by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater! We’re honored that LOCALTOPIA has also been declared “The Event of the Year,” has been referred to as “the most St. Pete-esque event a resident or visitor can attend,” and many have called it *THE* best event ever in St. Pete!

This FREE family-friendly festival also commemorates KSPL’s 11-Year Anniversary. Please consider throwing something into the tip jars at the “Local Thirst Stations” to support LOCALTOPIA!

LOCALTOPIA has NOT been a pet-friendly event since 2016 due to large crowds. Please DO NOT bring your furry friends! We want to ensure that they (and our human friends) stay safe, so we request that you *PLEASE LEAVE PETS AT HOME.* Thanks for your cooperation!

2022 Winter in the ‘Wood

The 2022 Winter in the ‘Wood is the inaugural one-day winter festival in Seminole Park at the heart of the Historic Kenwood artist enclave and neighborhood.

On December 18th, join us at our inaugural “Winter In The ‘Wood” – a delightful winter festival with exhibits and performances by enclave artists, activities for children and adults, a visit by Santa (3 – 4:30 pm), delicious food, live music, acrobats, poets and so much more. Find unique and handmade gifts during this last-minute holiday shopping opportunity from 30 hyper-local arts & crafts vendors. And bringing together old and new Historic Kenwood holiday traditions, we will be announcing the Holiday Decorating Contest Winners live on stage!

Bring your lawn chairs, or blankets, and plan to spend a festive day in our Kenwood neighborhood park celebrating the season with your neighbors, family, and friends! If you can’t be there all day, Radio St. Pete will be broadcasting a portion of the performances live.

Following the festivities in Seminole Park, it’s time to enjoy all the lights and decorations adorning our neighborhood homes, including this year’s winners.

Find us in spot 14 on the map below.

For an event schedule and event map, check out the website: https://kenwoodartistenclave.org/winter-in-the-wood/

Gary King: Author, Speaker and The Happiness Experiment (St. Petersburg, Florida)

Gary King has placed over 250 Happiness street signs across St. Petersburg, Florida, in an effort to help people get happier. He calls it The Happiness Experiment.

Tampa Bay’s Natural Beach Alternative: Hillsborough River State Park (Florida)

Bridge over Hillsborough River, Florida, Tampa Bay

Escape the blazing beach sun and sweltering city: take a break in the shady forest of the Hillsborough River State Park. Enjoy the view from the river on a kayak. Yes, there are gators – and even Class II rapids (but upstream).

Best-Kept Secret: Caladesi Island State Park (Florida)

Sandpipers on the Caladesi Beach just north of Clearwater Beach

Getting to Caladesi Island is as beautiful as the destination itself. One of Tampa Bay Area’s best-kept secrets is hidden in plain sight. It takes some knowledge and effort to get there, which makes the reward even sweeter – and the island less crowded.

Natural Beach Paradise: Honeymoon Island State Park (Florida)

Natural Beach Paradise: beach morning glory, sea oats, birds, and wide white beach, Honeymoon Island State Park, Florida

Honeymoon Island State Park brings Florida nature dreams to life: miles of white beaches, clear blue water, shady wood trails, wildflowers, birds and other wildlife – and not a hotel in sight.

Shark Valley: Close Encounters with Wildlife in Everglades National Park (Florida)

Alligator and snowy egret, Shark Valley, Everglades National Park, Florida, Happier Place

Visit Shark Valley to discover the “True Everglades,” be awed by close encounters with wildlife, and take in the spaciousness of the vast River of Grass and the big subtropical sky.

Hidden Botanical Wonder: Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg (Florida)

Beautiful Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg, Florida, oldest roadside attraction sign

Get off the hot beach and cool down in the natural shade of the Sunken Gardens, one of America’s oldest roadside attractions and a tropical wonder in the middle of the historic city of St. Petersburg, Florida.

Lauren Gay: Travel Blogger, Photographer, Podcaster, and Speaker (Tampa, Florida)

Known online as the Outdoorsy Diva, the creator and advocate Lauren Gay is a powerhouse of encouragement and inspiration to seek fun and healing in nature and to promote diversity in the great outdoors.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park (Key West, Florida)

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park beach and shady trees, Key West, Florida, Happier Place

Relax and re-energize in Key West’s best kept secret! Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is just a short bike ride from party-central Duval Street – but a world apart. A natural world! And of course, there’s history, too!

Florida Keys Highlight: Bahia Honda State Park (Florida)

Bahia Honda State Park, Florida Keys, Calusa Beach, Gulf of Mexico, Bahia Honda Bridge and marina

Bahia Honda State Park is more than your average Florida Keys Nature Getaway. Besides the beaches, flowers, snorkeling and fishing, the undeniable attraction is a 100-year-old abandoned railway bridge and the unique vantage point it offers.

Capt. Frank Praznik: Fly Fishing Guide (Florida Everglades + Louisiana Marsh)

Captain Frank Praznik spends his days on a boat guiding people to their Happier Place: catching big fish (like red fish, tarpon, snook) while fly fishing the scenic Everglades and Louisiana Marsh.

Meet Mermaids and Paddle A Crystal Clear River: Weeki Wachee Springs and River (Florida)

Weeki Wachee Springs and River in Florida - Meet Mermaids, swim in a natural spring and paddle the crystal clear river.

Legendary Weeki Wachee Springs is pure Florida magic. It’s a 1940s roadside attraction featuring live mermaids, a modern water park at a natural spring and a gateway to exploring miles of lush nature by kayak or SUP.

Jessica Mills: Parent, Musician, Writer, Instructor (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

Jessica Mills is such a creative, caring and socio-political powerhouse, it’s hard to imagine she has time for the great outdoors. But maybe her nature hikes are actually the energy source for everything else?

Time for a Big Change: Moving to a Happier Place

Do more of what makes you happier can cooler on the beach with sunset - benefit of moving to a happier place.

Moving to a Happier Place doesn’t mean that you’re leaving a bad or sad place. It just means figuring out what kind of place might make (or keep) you happier and then moving there… as we just did.