If you can do just one non-wedding outing during your stay in Tallahassee, it should be a visit to Wakulla Springs. Check out the historic lodge, eat at the Lodge Restaurant (or the snack/ice cream bar), and sign up for a boat ride to see a part of Florida that has been untouched for over 500 years. The ancient cypress swamps made for the perfect backdrop of movies like Tarzan’s Secret Treasure, Airport '77, and Creature from the Black Lagoon.

You will likely see manatees this time of year, since they leave the colder waters to take refuge near the spring, where the water is 72 degrees year-round. While you are there, leap off the tower and take a swim in the largest and deepest freshwater spring in the world! Plan for a 25-min drive from Tallahassee.

People come from all over the country to visit the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and hike, observe wildlife, fish or view the St. Marks Lighthouse. The refuge is a crucial stopover for over 300 bird species, and is home to rare, endangered, and protected species and a variety of amazing habitats. You will be in Tallahassee during the Monarch butterfly migration. The refuge is the last stopping point before hundreds of thousands of monarchs pass over the Gulf of Mexico on their way to South America.

Navigate your GPS to the St. Marks Lighthouse; plan for about 45-minutes of driving one way and at least an hour in the refuge (though you could easily spend all day here).

These ornamental gardens were first planted in 1923 by Alfred B. and Louise Maclay after they purchased the property for their winter home. Visit this park for an easy walk over a brick path to see the gardens, reflection pool, historic Maclay House, secret garden, walled garden, and hundreds of camellias and azaleas. This park is within Tallahassee city limits near I-10. Plan to spend about an hour there.

Beard Street is the best place in town to take the kids on Halloween. Houses along the whole block go over-the-top with decorations, and the street is closed to vehicular traffic. This is walking distance to the Midtown area, and a great excuse to drop off the kids while you hit a bar.