Destination: Florence

FLORENCE - For some people, antiquing is all about the hunt. For others, it’s just a lazy tour, peering at this and fondling that.

Florence, which is probably best known for the nearby federal supermax prison, is a pretty good place for either.

With more than a dozen shops in two blocks of its turn-of-the-century downtown drag, there are lots of possibilities and reasonable prices, whatever you’re looking for. And it’s never truer than during Pioneer Days, Sept. 17-18. The 80-year-old festival shuts down Main Street, hosts a street dance and most importantly, packs it with antiques vendors. They call the open market “Junktique.”

And it’s all only about 40 miles away.

What follows is a short guide of highlights for your next trip.

SLEEP

• The Florence Rose, 1305 W. Third St., 1-719-784-4734, florencerose.com. If you fall in love with Florence, take advantage of this five-room Victorian B&B built in 1886. Your stay includes free Wi-Fi, an outdoor hot tub and a welcome tea. They also serve a six-course breakfast.

ANTIQUES

There is no shortage of shops to browse in Florence, population of about 3,500. So, park on one end and take a leisurely walk down a street flanked by buildings with faded advertisements — a layer of one sign giving way to a completely different sign.

• Touch of Grace, 115 W. Main St., 1-704-604-8580. This large, eclectic store swings from vintage clothes and hats to exquisite oak furniture to the work of local artists.

• Oil City Merchants Antique Mall, 126 W. Main St., 1-719-784-6582. I like antiques malls because you get the benefit of a lot of collectors-cum-sellers’ obsessions. This one, which has more than 20 vendors, is a lot of fun.

• Blue Spruce Art and Antiques, 205 W. Main St., 1-719-784-1339. Trees almost hide the lovely Victorian that houses this shop. The stock, from 25 artists, includes pottery, glass, wood and sculp- ture. Oh, and there are antiques, too.

FOOD/DRINK

Don’t worry, you don’t have to take your own sack lunch to Florence. It has a surprising number of good places to eat besides the downtown bowling alley.

• Pour House, 202 W. Main St., 1-719-784-4071. You wouldn’t think there’d be much cool in this little town, but there is. This retro coffee house offers great joe (beans roasted in-house), bad art, free Wi-Fi and a great chicken salad sandwich.

• Aspen Leaf Bakery, 113 W. Main St., 1-719-784-3834. More cool. This time Dean & Deluca chic with in-crowd cookware and cookbooks, and, of course, baked goods and sandwiches.

• Two Sisters, 104 E. Main St., 1-719-784-4090. This is a real diner, the kind with a refrigerated pie case, well-worn booths and an oscillating fan. Try the Smasher with cheese, a half-pound of beef on a 6-inch bun. Tasty.

• Mainstreet Grille, 132 W. Main St., 1-719-784-3224. Recommended by locals, this eatery offers a little upscale dining with a beautiful oak bar, hardwood floors and dishes like smoked salmon carbonara.

• Also, swing by Oct. 15-16 for Eureka Days, which features, among other things, the Kick-the-Butt Championship BBQ, a cook-off with food vendors and entertainment.