Sometimes the best day trips are the ones where you don’t have much of an agenda. That’s pretty much how our day in Arcadia, Florida, turned out. We headed over with two goals in mind: find a good place for lunch and spend some time wandering through the town’s antique shops. We managed to accomplish both, along with picking up a few stories that made the trip considerably more entertaining than we expected.
We’ve driven through Arcadia many times on our way north as it’s only 45 minutes from Punta Gorda, but w never stopped. Arcadia is one of those small Florida towns that seems to have collected its fair share of interesting characters . There is something about a town with old buildings, antique stores, and a little bit of Southern personality that attracts people who don’t necessarily fit the usual mold. And we certainly encountered a few.
Our first major stop was lunch at a Mexican seafood restaurant. It turned out to be a wonderful choice. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was relaxed, and the people-watching was almost as good as the meal. And we were able to catch some of the ND football game against Navy.
There was a little entertainment right in front of us while waiting to pay. A young man ahead of me struck up a conversation with his waitress and, in the sweetest way, asked about her marital status. More specifically, he wanted to know if she was single. Unfortunately for him, she wasn’t. He took the news graciously, but you had to appreciate the effort. It was a pretty charming little exchange, and certainly not something you see every day while waiting to settle your lunch bill.
After lunch, we headed out to explore Arcadia’s collection of antique shops. If you enjoy poking around places filled with things that have outlived their original owners, Arcadia is worth a visit. There are plenty of old treasures, questionable treasures, and things that make you wonder who in the world would have bought them in the first place.
The shopkeepers and employees were just as interesting as the merchandise. In one shop, we were treated to some rather enthusiastic attention from a couple of cute older women who worked there. Let’s just say their purchasing suggestions crossed the line into some very mild sexual harassment. We left wondering whether this was part of the town’s regular customer service experience!
We also heard about Arcadia’s upcoming Fall Festival, which apparently has undergone a bit of an identity crisis. It was to be based on a lovely television program set in the Northeast, one that had been off the air for quite some time. Apparently, the festival is no longer allowed to use that theme, thanks to the ever-present corporate lawyers (darn lawyers) and their determination to protect every last trademark and licensing dollar.
It’s a shame, really. We feel like they could used this as an opportunity to charge a nominal fee and turn it into a PR win. Oh well, the show will go on without them.
All in all, Arcadia delivered exactly what we were looking for: a good lunch, some interesting antique shopping, and plenty of characters along the way. We may not have come home with any priceless antiques, but we did come home with a few good stories.