TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – To ignite economic development in light of an early legislative session, Visit Tallahassee announces the Natural Tallahassee Campaign.

At its most beautiful time of the year, Florida’s Capital City invites residents to experience a season of flowers, food, festivals and fun March through May.  Featuring an array of festivities from tasting locally grown menus during Tallahassee’s inaugural Capital Cuisine Restaurant Week and paddling alongside manatees while kayaking down the Wakulla River to dancing in the

streets of Downtown Tallahassee during the Annual Springtime Tallahassee Parade and exploring the areas colorful gardens, Natural Tallahassee combines the best of the areas spring celebrations.  Tallahassee hotels, restaurants and attractions also provide visitors with special offers and discounts* including discounted room rates starting as low as $79 a night (www.NaturalTallahassee.com).

Spring is an ideal time for locals and visitors alike to explore the area as shades of pink – crimson, rose, and fuchsia – paint the landscape with graceful camellias, blossoming dogwoods, fragrant redbuds and royal azaleas.  Visitors saunter through Dorothy B. Oven Park, where the six-acre gardens are filled with azaleas, camellias, palms and other local flora.  For guests with a green thumb, Goodwood Museum and Gardens hosts the Goodwood Garden Symposium, March 25, where the best of southern gardening practices are shared.  Visitors stroll through Maclay Gardens State Park for the perfect backdrop where the peak of spring features more than 60 varieties of azaleas flowering along with native dogwoods on May 19, Tour of Gardens.

Birding enthusiasts will enjoy the breathtaking wildlife at the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, where more than 300 species of birds have been recorded.  The refuge boasts 98 species nesting on-site including ducks, hawks, falcons, shorebirds, bald eagle nests and the red-cockaded woodpecker.  Visitors may also see endangered loggerhead sea turtles, Florida black bears, bobcats, flatwoods salamanders and more than 60 species of reptiles.

Five rivers, 20 lakes, miles of pristine coastline and many acclaimed state-designated canoe/kayaking trails allow for the water lover to get even closer to the numerous creatures including manatees, birds and turtles that call the area home.  Nature lovers will continue to be amazed at Wakulla Springs State Park, a haven for wildlife and a favorite swimming hole for locals.  Home to one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world, the park plays host to an abundance of wildlife, including alligators, eagles, deer and an array of birds.

After a day of outdoor adventure, guests can relax with a glass of wine and check out the culinary scene during the inaugural Capital Cuisine restaurant week, April 12 – 22.  Participating restaurants will offer prix-fixed menus, many promoting locally grown and produced goods.  The 10-day dining event will showcase the region as a premier dining destination, highlighting the diversity of culinary experiences.  The area is home to farm to table options and fresh seafood caught just miles away in the Gulf of Mexico.

Wine-lovers mingle at Kleman Plaza during the Florida Wine Festival, May 11 where foodies enjoy a never-ending glass of wine, delicious wine-matched foods from the finest caterers and restaurants and fantastic entertainment.  PoBoys’ Crawfish Festival and Block Party on April 21, offers live music, endless crawfish, prizes, refreshments and much more.  Residents and visitors alike will quickly become friends at one of the best parties this side of New Orleans.

For those travelers interested in special events, experience one of the South’s leading events, Springtime Tallahassee, held in the downtown area on March 31.  The streets of downtown shut down for the springtime parade as 70,000 participants walk beneath oak trees and Spanish moss.  In addition to the parade, kids let loose at the children’s park while enjoying face painting, as parents browse Jubilee in the Park offering a combination of handmade local arts and crafts, exhibits, food and entertainment.

More outdoor fun is promised during the annual FSU Garnet and Gold game April 14, where fans gather to get a sneak peak of Florida State University’s football team for the upcoming season.  On April 13, guests begin tailgating activities at the traditional Block Party on Kleman Plaza with a free concert by country star Lee Brice, a fireworks show, food and fun.

While enjoying the magnificent live oak trees that line Park Avenue’s Chain of Parks, guests stroll through downtown Tallahassee for the LeMoyne Chain of Parks Art Festival, April 21 – 22.  As one of Florida’s premier fine arts festival, this event showcases works of watercolor, acrylic and oil painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media and more.

Celebrating traditional and contemporary jazz and blues, the Jazz and Blues Festival at the Tallahassee Museum is two days of sizzling performances, March 24 – 25.  On March 24 guests also have the chance to dine outside on the 1880s farmstead at the museum’s Pioneer Breakfast.  For another musical evening under the stars, the classical sounds of the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra can be heard on May 5, in Tallahassee’s SouthWood community during POPS in the Park.  The Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra has performed for nearly 30 years throughout North Florida and continues to wow listeners of all ages with their classically composed pieces.

A fusion of cosmopolitan flair and charming personality defines the spirit of Tallahassee, Florida’s Capital City – where it all comes together for visitors.  Situated just off Florida’s northern I-10 corridor, stretching along the state’s Panhandle, Tallahassee is a place where college town meets cultural center, politics meets performing arts and history meets nature – a place where the vibrancy of what to do is matched only by the city’s inviting hospitality.  Additional information, including special deals and offers, about Natural Tallahassee is available at www.naturaltallahassee.com or (800) 628-2866.

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