Top Things to See & Do in Micanopy, Florida - “The Town that Time Forgot”
Between Gainesville to the north and Ocala to the south is Florida’s oldest inland town. Beneath a canopy of ancient live oak trees covered in Spanish moss is a community of just over 600 people we know today as Micanopy.
Records indicate explorer Hernando de Soto encountered a native village on this land in the late 1530s. It was still home to a group of Indians when famed American naturalist William Bartram visited in 1774.
After Spain ceded its Florida provinces to the U.S. in 1821, a surprising thing happened in this small hamlet.
A Moroccan-born Jewish man by the name of Moses Elias Levy bought up tons of land here and established Pilgrimage Plantation, what he saw as a model of communal living, an agricultural utopia. The project was to serve as a refuge for Jews fleeing religious persecution in Europe.
The settlers maintained a fruitful relationship with Chief Micanopy and the Seminoles in the early years, even naming the town in the chief’s honor.
The goodwill and utopian experiment didn’t last long, ending with the plantation’s destruction in 1835 during the Second Seminole War.
The exact location of the first Jewish Utopia in America is mostly lost to time with one of the few reminders being this Florida Heritage marker in the heart of town.
Micanopy is known for many things. From a line in John Anderson’s hit song Seminole Wind to the filming location for Michael J. Fox’s Doc Hollywood. Its rich Jewish heritage is much lesser-known.
The downtown district is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular destination for antique lovers. Micanopy’s eclectic mix of authentic rustic storefronts along with its historic homes and old cracker houses give this place a picturesque warmth.
Cholokka Boulevard
The town of Micanopy encompasses just over one square mile and must be appreciated on foot.
Taking your time with a leisurely stroll down Micanopy’s main street gives you a chance to explore the architecture and history of the buildings in town. Almost every building has a plaque telling when it was built and its significance to the community.
Many of the structures house mom-and-pop businesses, some in operation since the 1980s.
Herlong Mansion
The Herlong Mansion is a popular bed and breakfast that has 13 rooms and suites perfect for a romantic getaway, honeymoon, or the spot where you say “I do.”
The grounds are exquisite and the hospitality, second-to-none.
Micanopy Historic Cemetery
In its nearly 200 year history, the Micanopy Historic Cemetery has had over 2-thousand burials. The first recorded burial took place in 1826.
Many residents who lived in the 1700s are laid to rest here and over a hundred veterans are interred on the property.
Some of the gravesite monuments are complemented by the twisting branches of massive live oaks and Spanish moss, making for surreal photo opportunities.
The cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Cross Creek
A less than 15-minute drive from Micanopy will take you to the community of Cross Creek and the estate of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, which is a state park.
Rawlings wrote many of her famous novels while living here, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Yearling.
Her cracker-style home has been lovingly restored to look much as it did when she lived on this property.
The park is open every day and guided tours inside the farmhouse are available at select times Thursday through Sunday (11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m.).
Wood & Swink Store & Post Office
A short 5-minute drive from Micanopy is a piece of Americana you have to experience while in the area.
It can be found in the tiny community of Evinston, population: 150.
Just about every adult in the community stops by the Wood and Swink Store and Post Office at least once a week.
Since the late 1800s, this old weathered pine building has been the heart of the community, the spot for catching up on the latest news over a game of checkers or shopping for some freshly-picked produce.
Link to Wood & Swink Podcast Episode on YouTube
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
Bordering Micanopy to the north is a Florida state park that also has the distinction of being a U.S. National Natural Landmark.
Paynes Prairie is the largest landscape of its kind in North Florida and is home to all types of animals including roaming alligators and herds of wild horses and bison.
Plentiful numbers of bison could be found in this area naturally until the late 18th century. In recent decades, the park service has been working to restore Florida’s natural resources to pre-European settler conditions. Plains bison were reintroduced to the park in 1975 and have been here ever since.
The best place to spot bison, if you’re lucky, is along the Cone’s Dike Trail.
The park’s eight trails allow visitors to explore the park’s interior through hiking, horseback riding and bicycling.
At the visitor center are exhibits that explain the area’s natural and cultural history, while a 50-foot high observation tower provides panoramic views of this vast 21-thousand acre savanna.
Open 8 am - sundown every day of the year, including holidays. Admission is $6 per vehicle.
Blue Highway Pizzeria
On scenic Highway 441 at the entrance to Micanopy is the original location of Blue Highway.
Open for lunch and dinner, this funky spot is known for hand-crafted, house-made pizzas along with calzones, sandwiches, salads, pasta, and desserts.
This is one of our favorite pizzerias in Florida and we always make it a point to stop when we’re in the area.