North Central Florida

Trade ocean waves for gently rolling hills and swaying palm trees for sturdy great oaks, and you may find yourself in the North Central region of Florida. 

These aren’t the first things that come to mind when you think about Florida, and the ninth largest city might not be either, but Tallahassee holds the title of state capital for a reason. 

In the early 1800s, when travel was time-consuming and dangerous, Florida’s key cities, Pensacola and St. Augustine, chose to meet each other halfway for government meetings instead of requiring either party to make the longer, more daunting trek. That midpoint was Tallahassee.

While still the center for government activity in Florida, today, Tallahassee is well-known for charming oak canopy streets and the Florida State University (FSU) Seminoles. 

The low-grazing limbs of great oaks aren’t the only notorious tree in the region. It's not uncommon to see a backyard kumquat tree where you can pick the fresh fruit- the size and shape of a grape with the qualities of an orange -and pop them in your mouth- peel and all. 

Last to be mentioned, and arguably the most valuable tree in North Central Florida, vast acres of pines support both lumber and paper good production, making them key industries for the region. Lumber accounts for $75 million in economic output in the area, and paper contributes a whopping $350 million. 

Unsurprisingly, Klausner Lumber One, LLC, recognized as the world’s largest sawmill, resides here as do other large producers like Pilgrim’s Pride poultry. 

Alongside FSU, Florida Gateway College and Santa Fe College belong to North Central Florida, and the popular sports drink Gatorade was invented right inside a Gators’ lab at the region’s University of Florida.

If you haven’t heard too much about gators yet, brave a boat tour on the Suwannee or Wakulla River to see some in person, or for an adventure with less teeth, hike and camp at Osceola national forest, a sure reminder of the region’s bountiful trees.