By Neilia Sherman

I did have an opportunity to try something else that sounded strange and was touted as a Southern delicacy, at a popular place for fresh seafood called Barnacle Bill's. When I was told that we had some orders of deep fried pickles coming, I thought, "how strange" but I loved them.

For elegant dining, you can't beat Chez Pierre, a charming French restaurant located in a beautifully restored house from the 1920's. Here I feasted on delicious rack of lamb. They offer superb appetizers and deserts and attentive staff who have a flair for dramatic presentation.

I stayed at the historic and sedate Governors Inn, which is right down the street from the Capitol buildings. Each of the 40 rooms is named for a governor from Florida's past. The staff was young, but very obliging. In fact when my luggage was lost, the front desk clerk found me brand new clothes with the price tags still on that had been left behind by a guest. Luckily, I didn't have to squeeze myself into these items that were nice but one size too small, as my luggage was found and delivered to my room later that evening. The rooms are charming with four-poster beds, elegant antique furnishings, terry robes and well-stocked bathrooms.

In the morning there is a nice complimentary continental breakfast with fresh fruit, tasty pastries and breads and delicious coffee. As an additional bonus, every evening there is a happy hour - also complimentary. I was surprised when I walked outside, to find that other than a restaurant across the street, there were few commercial enterprises in this historic part of the downtown area. I couldn't even find a variety store, as I was used to finding in most Florida cities.

Even though Tallahassee isn't on the ocean, there is plenty of wildlife in the vicinity. I got to see wildcats, otters, lions, red wolves, deer and bears on a tour of the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science. These animals are lovingly tended to by long-time zookeeper Michael Jones, who actually raised one of the otters in his home for six months. All of the animals here have been rescued or are unable to return their natural environments for various reasons.

We also had the chance to explore several historic buildings, such as a one-room school house that had been used to educate the children of former slaves and the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, which traces its founding to a slave preacher ordained in the 1850s. (CONTINUE...)