It’s summer and I need to get away. I need to come up with a travel plan that will accommodate both my limited budget and my fuss budget taste. What should I do? Think Miss Pat, think. I know, I will go to Micanopy! Historic Micanopy in North Central Florida, seat of my two-year long retirement. Quaint towns are frequently compared with Mayberry from the 1960’s Andy Griffith Show. Micanopy is Mayberry.
You’ve never heard of Micanopy? Let me introduce you. Listed as one of America’s top ten small quaint towns by the Huffington Post, Historic Micanopy is one charming block of small shops and a few eateries. In 1991the movie Doc Hollywood was filmed there. The businesses are mostly antique shops with treasures that range from beautiful furniture to “What is this dusty thing?” Micanopy has a gazebo, a museum, a one room library, and a mansion that may be haunted.
Micanopy remains unspoiled because of the plumbing. All of this loveliness is on well and septic. Restaurants and bars can’t accommodate the necessary toilet flushing and dish washing. Sad, I guess things will just have to remain small and cozy. Please don’t think that visitors go hungry; there is food in Micanopy but on a small scale with limited seating. There are three places to eat and enjoy whatever your slow Southern heart desires, four if you include Pearl’s at the gas station.
Pearl’s has a counter and inside tables. To enter Pearl’s you must walk past men who sit on benches outside the front door. They are retired. It is easy to wonder if they ever worked but it is clear that they came early, will leave late and sitting in front of Pearl’s is a way of life.
What’s on the menu at Pearls? Pulled pork of course, this is the South. Fried chicken, and very yummy cheese grits. Come for dinner; but eat fast because the kitchen closes at seven. If gas station dining is not your cup of tea, Micanopy offers more than dining at Pearls.
On the ground floor of Shady Oak there is an ice cream parlor which serves sandwiches and home baked treats. What is Shady Oak? After living at Shady Oak for two years, I am still unsure. Frank is the owner and he built Shady Oak in 1990. He was also the lead carpenter and is now proprietor extraordinaire. Shady Oak is a three -story plantation style building with a wrap around porch. It was once a B & B, it has a beautiful gift shop, a stained-glass art studio and an ice cream parlor. Shady Oak is where local musicians play bluegrass music on the porch while the residents and tourists sit and relax. Warning: Don’t let Frank see you sitting on the porch swings marked For Sale.
Next to Shady Oak is an eatery that is eclectic with a capitol E. Is this a cafe or a flea market? Five or six outside tables are tucked among a collection of … interesting stuff. There are one or two tables inside and it is worth going inside to discover treasures that range from an old radio to pretty pieces of antique china.
My favorite place for coffee and a snack is the Mosswood Farm Store and Bakehouse, which I refer to as The Bakery. A rustic cottage serving delicious coffee and baked goods, you can eat inside - there are two small tables or out back. I recommend the almond bear claw.
Micanopy is a popular destination for bike clubs, car clubs, retirees, and non-thrill seekers. On the weekend, tourists happily stroll carrying ice cream cones but not packages. Rarely have I seen people leaving the shops laden down with boxes and bags. How do the small shops survive? Oh my gosh, - they need my help! The decision is made. Micanopy will be my summer vacation get away destination.
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