Everglades City -- So close, yet so far away: In Everglades City lies the storied island of Chokoloskee, whose history is chronicled at the Smallwood Store and Museum.(City overview)

Byline: Jay Clarke

Apr. 22--EVERGLADES CITY -- Orlo Hilton grew up in Miami-Dade County, but he and his family couldn't be happier living on the other side of Florida. "We're 80 miles from Miami and in a different world," says Hilton, who owns Triad Seafood, a stone crab supplier. Hilton lives in an apartment above his riverside business -- "just like in the Old World," he jokes -- and he sends his kids to the K-12 Everglades City School right across the street. "We don't even have a stop light in town," he says. That kind of laid-back living attracts not only those who feel as Hilton does, but also visitors looking for a change of pace. This is a good place from which to explore the Everglades. You can go for an airboat ride, wend through the many…