Miami, located in the United States south, has become a premium destination for travelers all over the world who want to experience the city's exhilarating nightlife and cultural diversity. Travelers who want to stay in some of the area's hippest hotels should try to book reservations at the following establishments.
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
Fontainebleau Miami Beach has been one of the hottest hotels in Miami since it opened in 1954. To keep up with contemporary aesthetics, the owners spent $1 billion renovating the hotel in 2008. Since then, it has won several awards from design and architectural organizations.
Renewing itself in this way helps Fontainebleau stay at the top of Miami's list of trendy hotels. The hotel offers excellent services and accommodations, too, such as a kid's camp that keeps the children entertained while the adults relax on the beach.
Travelers can learn more about the Fontainebleau and other Miami hotels by doing some brief Internet research. It's an easy way to compare Miami's top hotels to get a great room at an affordable price.
SLS Hotel South Beach
SLS Hotel South Beach has the perfect location for travelers who want a taste of Miami's nightlife. The hotel gets guests into the South Beach spirit by introducing them to some of the area's trendiest restaurants and bars. Foodies will want to make reservations at The Bazaar by Jose Andrews. Those who prefer drinks and dancing can venture to Hyde Beach, a club with indoor and outdoor spaces, a pool, and direct access to the beach.
Travelers who don't stay at SLS Hotel South Beach should at least consider visiting one of the restaurants or bars.
Epic Hotel
Anyone researching trendy hotels in Miami will eventually learn about Epic Hotel. The hotel often gets attention because it is epically huge. At 54 stories, the building dominates a small part of the Miami skyline.
Epic Hotel also gets a lot of attention because of Zuma, a Japanese restaurant located at the hotel. This is truly one of the best restaurants in Miami, a city that's full of wonderful eateries. Guests who want to burn a few calories after dinner can visit the hotel's well-appointed workout center. Those who'd rather relax can visit the 12,000-square foot
W South Beach
Travelers could enjoy their entire vacations at W South Beach. The hotel offers such a diverse menu of services and attractions that practically anyone will find it impressive. Art lovers will want to visit the hotel's extensive collection of works by contemporary artists. Guests who love gourmet food will want to book reservations at one of the hotel's two flagship restaurants. Mr. Chow serves haute Chinese cuisine while The Dutch serves New American cuisine.
One of the hotels most unique, and therefore trendy, features is an outdoor labyrinth of lilies and sea grape trees. Guests will also find extraordinary features in their rooms, such as showers made of Cippolini marble and a fully stocked kitchen.
Miami is a trendy city with a lot of popular hotels. Have you ever stayed in one of these trendy locations? What did you like most, or least, about your experience?
Fontainebleau Miami Beach
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| Image via Flickr by Enessee Bhe |
Renewing itself in this way helps Fontainebleau stay at the top of Miami's list of trendy hotels. The hotel offers excellent services and accommodations, too, such as a kid's camp that keeps the children entertained while the adults relax on the beach.
Travelers can learn more about the Fontainebleau and other Miami hotels by doing some brief Internet research. It's an easy way to compare Miami's top hotels to get a great room at an affordable price.
SLS Hotel South Beach
SLS Hotel South Beach has the perfect location for travelers who want a taste of Miami's nightlife. The hotel gets guests into the South Beach spirit by introducing them to some of the area's trendiest restaurants and bars. Foodies will want to make reservations at The Bazaar by Jose Andrews. Those who prefer drinks and dancing can venture to Hyde Beach, a club with indoor and outdoor spaces, a pool, and direct access to the beach.
Travelers who don't stay at SLS Hotel South Beach should at least consider visiting one of the restaurants or bars.
Epic Hotel
Anyone researching trendy hotels in Miami will eventually learn about Epic Hotel. The hotel often gets attention because it is epically huge. At 54 stories, the building dominates a small part of the Miami skyline.
Epic Hotel also gets a lot of attention because of Zuma, a Japanese restaurant located at the hotel. This is truly one of the best restaurants in Miami, a city that's full of wonderful eateries. Guests who want to burn a few calories after dinner can visit the hotel's well-appointed workout center. Those who'd rather relax can visit the 12,000-square foot
W South Beach
Travelers could enjoy their entire vacations at W South Beach. The hotel offers such a diverse menu of services and attractions that practically anyone will find it impressive. Art lovers will want to visit the hotel's extensive collection of works by contemporary artists. Guests who love gourmet food will want to book reservations at one of the hotel's two flagship restaurants. Mr. Chow serves haute Chinese cuisine while The Dutch serves New American cuisine.
One of the hotels most unique, and therefore trendy, features is an outdoor labyrinth of lilies and sea grape trees. Guests will also find extraordinary features in their rooms, such as showers made of Cippolini marble and a fully stocked kitchen.
Miami is a trendy city with a lot of popular hotels. Have you ever stayed in one of these trendy locations? What did you like most, or least, about your experience?
Tired of booking your holidays and the family automatically assuming a big chunk of their time will be spent at a theme park? Maybe you’re all Disneyed out this year but still want a great holiday in Florida?
If you’re scratching around for Florida holiday ideas, maybe you need to consider a fly/drive option for something different?
Booking yourself in for a fly-drive holiday can open up a whole new range of activities that aren’t really available when you don’t have your own transport. When you have a car you can be more flexible in your planning, easily changing your mind if something better pops up. You can travel further than you might be able to via public transport. And generally if there are more than 3 of you, traveling by car is often cheaper than public transport anyway.
What’s not to like about this option?
Having a car means you can take the family to visit places like the Everglades and squeeze some education into your vacation too. Sneaky huh?
Beautiful beaches become easily accessible when you have a car at your disposal. You can make a day trip to Tampa Bay and be back in time for dinner! And if mum or dad like golf, one of them could even escape in the car for a quick round when the kids are having a pool day.
Things to confirm before you book your fly/drive Florida holiday:
And if you cave in and decide the kids can indeed have their theme park fix you can get them to any one that you like by car. Universal Studios, Sea World and LEGOLAND can all be on your list making yours a memorable Florida holiday that didn’t involve the Disney franchise. At least for one year!
Do you hire cars on your holidays or do you rely solely on public transport?
If you’re scratching around for Florida holiday ideas, maybe you need to consider a fly/drive option for something different?
Booking yourself in for a fly-drive holiday can open up a whole new range of activities that aren’t really available when you don’t have your own transport. When you have a car you can be more flexible in your planning, easily changing your mind if something better pops up. You can travel further than you might be able to via public transport. And generally if there are more than 3 of you, traveling by car is often cheaper than public transport anyway.
What’s not to like about this option?
Having a car means you can take the family to visit places like the Everglades and squeeze some education into your vacation too. Sneaky huh?
Beautiful beaches become easily accessible when you have a car at your disposal. You can make a day trip to Tampa Bay and be back in time for dinner! And if mum or dad like golf, one of them could even escape in the car for a quick round when the kids are having a pool day.
Things to confirm before you book your fly/drive Florida holiday:
- Make sure your package includes unlimited mileage. This way you can drive wherever you want and know that the only extra charge you’ll have will be for gas.
- Check what insurance is included in your package.
- Be sure about the car size you are getting – you don’t want a tiny 4 seater if you are 5 people!
- Airport pickup is the most convenient option – make sure you know where you’ll be picking up your vehicle and where you need to drop it off at the end of your holiday. Perhaps find out if there is an express drop off point too to make drop off super easy and fast.
- Find out if you can book nightly accommodation. That way you could stay in more than one location and get even more value from having a hire car.
And if you cave in and decide the kids can indeed have their theme park fix you can get them to any one that you like by car. Universal Studios, Sea World and LEGOLAND can all be on your list making yours a memorable Florida holiday that didn’t involve the Disney franchise. At least for one year!
Do you hire cars on your holidays or do you rely solely on public transport?
Planning holidays is a time consuming activity. Which is why us parents should embrace the perfect opportunity to hand this task over to the kids when we decide to head to Walt Disney World!
Of course you can’t hand over every single detail of the planning (who wants to spend 5 days in the Magic Kingdom?) But including your kids in the decision-making process does give you a chance to make sure they have a great time and it can relieve some of the pressure from you.
First you should decide where you want to stay. There are plenty of villas near Disney Florida so this should be a no-brainer!
Then let the kids know your budget and approximately how many days you think you can handle in the Disney theme park environment. After that you can give options to your kids and let them choose.
Download a Disney Parks map from the web and let the kids get to work planning their days. Which rides will you go on first? How should you mix up the activities to suit younger and older children so no one is bored? Do the kids think you should concentrate on one section of the park at a time or do they think they should walk all over every section and get tired out quicker? How will they make sure they see all the parades and characters as well as fit in all of the rides?
You’ll be surprised how logical kids can be if you just give them the opportunity to give you their opinion!
Depending on your budget you can even let your kids choose where you eat lunch and what type of souvenirs they might like to purchase. Most kids (except for the very young) are capable of choosing a little something to take home that stays within the budget you have given them. Many love the challenge of finding just the right trinket and will be thrilled to show you how well they did at choosing.
If your budget is very strict be sure to let your kids decide on some activities that don’t cost too much. Perhaps an extra day swimming in the pool and cutting down a day spent at Disney is something the kids might like. Everyone loves a rest day in the pool – kids even love the pool when it’s raining!
Searching for hidden Mickeys can be a fun activity at Disney World. It costs nothing and can keep the kids amused for ages. You can get hints before you go from the Internet and if you’re really into searching for Mickey there are books you can purchase which give plenty of locations to look out for. Even adults will be fascinated at just where Mickey turns up!
A trip to Walt Disney World in Florida doesn’t have to take hours of your planning time. Get the kids involved and see how much more fun they have knowing that they chose exactly what they wanted to do on the day. Who knows, they might even discover something you had no idea existed!
How much of your Disney holiday would you be prepared to let your kids plan?
Of course you can’t hand over every single detail of the planning (who wants to spend 5 days in the Magic Kingdom?) But including your kids in the decision-making process does give you a chance to make sure they have a great time and it can relieve some of the pressure from you.
First you should decide where you want to stay. There are plenty of villas near Disney Florida so this should be a no-brainer!
Then let the kids know your budget and approximately how many days you think you can handle in the Disney theme park environment. After that you can give options to your kids and let them choose.
Download a Disney Parks map from the web and let the kids get to work planning their days. Which rides will you go on first? How should you mix up the activities to suit younger and older children so no one is bored? Do the kids think you should concentrate on one section of the park at a time or do they think they should walk all over every section and get tired out quicker? How will they make sure they see all the parades and characters as well as fit in all of the rides?
You’ll be surprised how logical kids can be if you just give them the opportunity to give you their opinion!
Depending on your budget you can even let your kids choose where you eat lunch and what type of souvenirs they might like to purchase. Most kids (except for the very young) are capable of choosing a little something to take home that stays within the budget you have given them. Many love the challenge of finding just the right trinket and will be thrilled to show you how well they did at choosing.
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| This can be fun too! |
Searching for hidden Mickeys can be a fun activity at Disney World. It costs nothing and can keep the kids amused for ages. You can get hints before you go from the Internet and if you’re really into searching for Mickey there are books you can purchase which give plenty of locations to look out for. Even adults will be fascinated at just where Mickey turns up!
A trip to Walt Disney World in Florida doesn’t have to take hours of your planning time. Get the kids involved and see how much more fun they have knowing that they chose exactly what they wanted to do on the day. Who knows, they might even discover something you had no idea existed!
How much of your Disney holiday would you be prepared to let your kids plan?
Orlando, Florida, offers possibly some of the most varied activities for families of any popular holiday destination. No matter what age group you’re taking along for some fun, there’s sure to be something to keep them busy and entertained.
Family holidays in Orlando often centre around a theme park adventure. There are so many on offer that you could be forgiven for thinking that’s the only thing to do there. When you can purchase an unlimited 14-day pass that gets you in to 5 different theme parks, it’s hard to imagine finding the time to do any further exploring!
But Orlando really is so much more than theme park rides and all-you-can-eat buffets!
I’ve just done a quick Internet search of things to do in Orlando and of course every single article has theme parks in at least the top 5 positions. So I’ve dug a little further to give you some real options if theme parks will only keep you occupied for part of your time in Florida.
How about taking the family jet skiing on the beach? Or perhaps your crew is even brave enough to go paragliding? When you get tired of the beach a round of golf could be on the cards for the mad keen golfers in your family. Just because you are on holiday doesn’t mean you can’t hire a set of clubs and get some exercise in by walking the course.
Hot air ballooning is another activity that definitely adds something special to any holiday. There’s something about the excitement of getting up before dawn and watching the sun rise as you sail quietly through the air. (Not sure we could ever really get up early enough to experience this particular activity!)
How about hand feeding giraffes at Busch Gardens and enjoying a drive in an open-air safari truck to see antelopes and zebras in their own surroundings? This experience might be as close as you’ll ever get to an African safari. Imagine the photographs you’ll bring home to all your friends!
If your family enjoys shows, Orlando is a great place to see the world famous Blue Man Group. Without uttering a single word the blue painted ones will keep you entertained for several hours.
Should you really be content to spend the majority of your holiday time at theme parks, be sure to include GatorLand on your itinerary. Who doesn’t want to see giant Alligators just a hop, skip and a jump from Walt Disney World? And the kids can learn something while you’re here too.
Planning your Florida holiday will be particularly interesting if you include some activities outside the normal tourist spots. If you are there for an extended period of time make sure you include some relaxation days to recover from theme parks, shopping, swimming and all the other adventures you’ll have.
Keeping the kids refreshed is one of the best things you can do to ensure you have a great time whenever you venture outside the hotel. And if you stay in a cool Disney hotel the kids will have built in entertainment without you having to lift a finger!
Do you have any other suggestions for interesting things to do in Orlando, Florida?
Family holidays in Orlando often centre around a theme park adventure. There are so many on offer that you could be forgiven for thinking that’s the only thing to do there. When you can purchase an unlimited 14-day pass that gets you in to 5 different theme parks, it’s hard to imagine finding the time to do any further exploring!
But Orlando really is so much more than theme park rides and all-you-can-eat buffets!
I’ve just done a quick Internet search of things to do in Orlando and of course every single article has theme parks in at least the top 5 positions. So I’ve dug a little further to give you some real options if theme parks will only keep you occupied for part of your time in Florida.
How about taking the family jet skiing on the beach? Or perhaps your crew is even brave enough to go paragliding? When you get tired of the beach a round of golf could be on the cards for the mad keen golfers in your family. Just because you are on holiday doesn’t mean you can’t hire a set of clubs and get some exercise in by walking the course.
Hot air ballooning is another activity that definitely adds something special to any holiday. There’s something about the excitement of getting up before dawn and watching the sun rise as you sail quietly through the air. (Not sure we could ever really get up early enough to experience this particular activity!)
How about hand feeding giraffes at Busch Gardens and enjoying a drive in an open-air safari truck to see antelopes and zebras in their own surroundings? This experience might be as close as you’ll ever get to an African safari. Imagine the photographs you’ll bring home to all your friends!
If your family enjoys shows, Orlando is a great place to see the world famous Blue Man Group. Without uttering a single word the blue painted ones will keep you entertained for several hours.
Should you really be content to spend the majority of your holiday time at theme parks, be sure to include GatorLand on your itinerary. Who doesn’t want to see giant Alligators just a hop, skip and a jump from Walt Disney World? And the kids can learn something while you’re here too.
Planning your Florida holiday will be particularly interesting if you include some activities outside the normal tourist spots. If you are there for an extended period of time make sure you include some relaxation days to recover from theme parks, shopping, swimming and all the other adventures you’ll have.
Keeping the kids refreshed is one of the best things you can do to ensure you have a great time whenever you venture outside the hotel. And if you stay in a cool Disney hotel the kids will have built in entertainment without you having to lift a finger!
Do you have any other suggestions for interesting things to do in Orlando, Florida?
Florida’s one of the best destinations for a winter holiday, with gorgeous weather, rolling beaches and plenty of attractions to keep the whole family occupied.
The flag-ship attractions of Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World which lie just outside of Orlando draw in families year after year. However if you’ve grown tired of the thrills and spills of theme park rides, you’ll be glad to learn that Florida has so much more to offer families looking for a memorable holiday
Most airlines fly direct to Orlando and the easy highways and cheap car rentals mean that you can explore some of Florida’s other family-friendly attractions in just a few hours’ drive.
Tampa (2 hours from Orlando)
This bustling city offers up moderate winter temperatures, plenty of family attractions and streetcar-lined roads just waiting to be explored.
If you don’t want to spend your whole holiday off the beaten track, the theme parks of Busch Gardens and Lego Land are situated nearby, and if you’re passing through Orlando for a day you can often find tickets that will combine admission to Busch Gardens with Sea World and Universal Studios.
There are also loads of other smaller attractions for the kids to enjoy including the Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry which has an IMAX cinema.
Fort Myers (3 hours from Orlando)
Just a little further south from Tampa is the pretty seaside town of Fort Myers. The most striking thing about visiting here is the intricate network of canals - you’d almost feel like you’re in Venice or Amsterdam if it wasn’t for the weather!
A favorite winter haven for many Americans, Henry Ford of motorcar fame and inventor Thomas Edison retreated to neighboring houses here during the colder months. You can now visit where they once resided at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates: your budding inventors will love seeing all the contraptions Edison thought up, before frolicking in the extensive gardens.
And for a spot of beach relaxation, Sanibel Island is approximately half an hour’s drive away and offers shallow waters, perfect if you’re traveling with small children. The beach is lined with hundreds of shells too - so make sure you bring a bucket to go shell collecting!
Sarasota (2.5 hours from Orlando)
If your kind of family holiday is letting the kids loose on the beach, then Sarasota is perfect. It’s renowned for its pristine gulf-coast beaches, plus it’s considered Florida’s cultural hub, so there’s always one artsy activity or another going on in town.
Spend your days on Siesta Key Beach, which is considered the cleanest and whitest beach in the world.
You can also learn all about Florida’s natural environment in Sarasota at the Historic Spanish Point, which charters over 5,000 years’ worth of natural history.
Take a day trip to the Myakka River State Park, situated just outside of the city, where you can traverse winding rivers on a boat and see some of the park’s unique wildlife including the Roseate Spoonbill - an eye-catching pink bird.
As you can see Florida is so much more than just Disney and the rest of the Orlando theme parks. They are fun but if you are in Florida try to shave some time off Disney to explore a bit more of this great state.
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Tampa (2 hours from Orlando)
This bustling city offers up moderate winter temperatures, plenty of family attractions and streetcar-lined roads just waiting to be explored.
If you don’t want to spend your whole holiday off the beaten track, the theme parks of Busch Gardens and Lego Land are situated nearby, and if you’re passing through Orlando for a day you can often find tickets that will combine admission to Busch Gardens with Sea World and Universal Studios.
There are also loads of other smaller attractions for the kids to enjoy including the Florida Aquarium, Lowry Park Zoo and the Museum of Science and Industry which has an IMAX cinema.
Fort Myers (3 hours from Orlando)
Just a little further south from Tampa is the pretty seaside town of Fort Myers. The most striking thing about visiting here is the intricate network of canals - you’d almost feel like you’re in Venice or Amsterdam if it wasn’t for the weather!
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And for a spot of beach relaxation, Sanibel Island is approximately half an hour’s drive away and offers shallow waters, perfect if you’re traveling with small children. The beach is lined with hundreds of shells too - so make sure you bring a bucket to go shell collecting!
Sarasota (2.5 hours from Orlando)
If your kind of family holiday is letting the kids loose on the beach, then Sarasota is perfect. It’s renowned for its pristine gulf-coast beaches, plus it’s considered Florida’s cultural hub, so there’s always one artsy activity or another going on in town.
Spend your days on Siesta Key Beach, which is considered the cleanest and whitest beach in the world.
You can also learn all about Florida’s natural environment in Sarasota at the Historic Spanish Point, which charters over 5,000 years’ worth of natural history.
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As you can see Florida is so much more than just Disney and the rest of the Orlando theme parks. They are fun but if you are in Florida try to shave some time off Disney to explore a bit more of this great state.
Set in northern Florida, between the laid back “horse country” of Ocala and world-class resort of Ormond Beach, Juniper Springs Recreation Area is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. The hundreds of springs for which the park is named sparkle under a subtropical sky amidst lush green palms and oaks. Rising out of the arid landscape of the Big Scrub (part of the largest sand pine scrub in the country) like a green jewel, Juniper Springs is a truly unique environment in the US and one of the oldest and most well-loved outdoor spots on the East Coast.
Juniper Springs is just a 77 mile drive away, taking around one and a half hours. Of course you may want to visit the vibrant resort of Orlando too, with its world-famous theme parks and water parks, and the beauty of hiring a car is that you can travel around easily and plan your own schedule. Juniper Springs is easily visited in a day from Orlando or any of the other nearby resorts.
But back to the Springs. Here you could be a million miles from the crowds on the coast. A day here is a day spent out in nature, doing whatever you love best, whether that is hiking, kayaking, swimming, picnicking, wildlife-spotting or learning about the area’s rich history.
If you want to hike, there are several trails that you can follow. The Florida Trail is a National Scenic Trail, one of 11 such trails in the country. It spans 1400 miles across the state, passing through rolling hills, rugged scrubland and pine forest. The trail is divided into segments. From Juniper Springs you can join the 8.5 mile section south through tall pines to Farles Prairie, taking in beautiful views across Farles Lake as you go. Or you could head north through the rougher landscape of the Juniper Prairie Wilderness. As the name suggests, this is an area of wilderness, with no roads or easy access. Stretching for 15,000 acres, it contains a number of diverse habitats, including arid scrubland with pines and saw palmetto, open prairies, lakes and hardwood swamps.
If you’d rather spend your day in the water, canoes and kayaks can be rented in the morning from 8 a.m. Juniper Run has been recognised as one of the top 25 runs in the country and is a highlight of many people’s holiday. A seven mile stretch, it runs through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness and ends in a beauty spot by SR 19. You and your canoe are then picked up by a shuttle and transported back to the Springs. The run, which winds through dense trees, has a quiet and surreal feel. The first section is narrow, passing through lush swamplands, but it gradually widens out and enters the Big Scrub. Paddling through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness, you might see otters playing in the water or even alligators. Plants to watch out for include the Coonti fern, a primitive seed-bearing plant, and the needle palm, a cold-hardy palm.
You can learn about the history of the area and flora of Juniper Run on a self-guided interpretative nature trail that runs from the historic mill house. The trail also offers beautiful views of the river. The mill house itself, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, is an interesting place to explore. Developed hundreds of miles from an electricity source, the Juniper Springs Recreation Area needed alternative power, and the mill house was the perfect solution. Water from the springs passed through a sluice and out again, in the process turning a waterwheel that powered a generator. A green energy source that actually enhanced the scenic beauty of the site – now there’s something impressive.
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But back to the Springs. Here you could be a million miles from the crowds on the coast. A day here is a day spent out in nature, doing whatever you love best, whether that is hiking, kayaking, swimming, picnicking, wildlife-spotting or learning about the area’s rich history.
If you want to hike, there are several trails that you can follow. The Florida Trail is a National Scenic Trail, one of 11 such trails in the country. It spans 1400 miles across the state, passing through rolling hills, rugged scrubland and pine forest. The trail is divided into segments. From Juniper Springs you can join the 8.5 mile section south through tall pines to Farles Prairie, taking in beautiful views across Farles Lake as you go. Or you could head north through the rougher landscape of the Juniper Prairie Wilderness. As the name suggests, this is an area of wilderness, with no roads or easy access. Stretching for 15,000 acres, it contains a number of diverse habitats, including arid scrubland with pines and saw palmetto, open prairies, lakes and hardwood swamps.
If you’d rather spend your day in the water, canoes and kayaks can be rented in the morning from 8 a.m. Juniper Run has been recognised as one of the top 25 runs in the country and is a highlight of many people’s holiday. A seven mile stretch, it runs through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness and ends in a beauty spot by SR 19. You and your canoe are then picked up by a shuttle and transported back to the Springs. The run, which winds through dense trees, has a quiet and surreal feel. The first section is narrow, passing through lush swamplands, but it gradually widens out and enters the Big Scrub. Paddling through the Juniper Prairie Wilderness, you might see otters playing in the water or even alligators. Plants to watch out for include the Coonti fern, a primitive seed-bearing plant, and the needle palm, a cold-hardy palm.
You can learn about the history of the area and flora of Juniper Run on a self-guided interpretative nature trail that runs from the historic mill house. The trail also offers beautiful views of the river. The mill house itself, built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, is an interesting place to explore. Developed hundreds of miles from an electricity source, the Juniper Springs Recreation Area needed alternative power, and the mill house was the perfect solution. Water from the springs passed through a sluice and out again, in the process turning a waterwheel that powered a generator. A green energy source that actually enhanced the scenic beauty of the site – now there’s something impressive.