One of the good things about having a competitive athlete in the family is that we end up traveling quite a bit. My oldest is a synchronized swimmer, and the competition season for this sport goes from January to June. Meets are usually held once a month, however, more experienced swimmers are likely to have more competitions within the season than a beginner swimmer.
Competition is normally a two-day event and lasts mostly all day. Needless to say that by the end of the weekend these athletes are worn out and more than ready for a well-deserved rest.
Since we homeschool, we have the privilege of being able to stay a little longer in some of these cities, whenever possible. And that is just what we did in Tallahassee.
After two long days of competition, we decided to stay one more night and explore the city the next day.
For me, a Brazilian who’s been living in South Florida since 1999, it was particularly pleasant to see and experience some landform variation, which we do not have in most parts of Florida.
The biggest plus in this adventure is that not only we could enjoy an extra day at a different city, which happens to be the capital of our home state, but we turned it into another field trip, and an opportunity to learn history.
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park
This was our first stop. Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park is located just north of Tallahassee and it preserves the remains of six of the seven known earthen temple mounds!
There is a sweet smell of nature and history in this place!
The area around the park was inhabited by Native Americans more than eight centuries ago.
Along the interpretive trail, we were able to see remnants of American History. There are signs of Florida’s Territorial Period and early statehood (1825-1860) when the land was part of a large plantation owned by Colonel Robert Butler.
While we rested from our hike experience, we enjoyed a delicious picnic with a view of the two largest mounds.
Tallahassee Capitol Complex
Of course, we needed to have our own tour of the Capitol Complex!
There are four very distinct buildings in the Capitol Complex. The oldest one, the Old Capital, was built in the nineteenth-century and it remains in place to this date. The other ones were the House of Representatives, Senate Chambers, and the New Capitol or Executive Office Building.
The Old Capitol is an architecturally and historically significant building, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The restored space is now a museum, the Florida Historic Capitol Museum, and includes the Governor’s Suite, Supreme Court, House of Representatives, Senate Chambers.
Politics and politicians were everyone around the Capitol Complex! There were educational presentations for kids about bills, the importance of voting, various exhibits, a number of memorials, you name it!
I found Tallahassee to be a very charming city, filled with political education and awareness, and a great deal of culture and art.
I could notice culture and art as I simply walked on the streets of downtown. It was refreshing to see local and international artists showcasing their art, and making them available for anyone to see, not only in art galleries but on the sidewalks as well.
The contrast between the beautiful and modern architectural buildings and the historic preserved building gave a very unique touch and personality to the city.
I will definitely come back with my daughters to spend more time and explore our State Capitol further.
