Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:35:56 -0600
Reply-To: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Larry Chase <roadguy@ROADHAUS.COM>
Subject: Roadhaus - Summary of Florida Trip Suggestions
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Volks,
Recently I asked for travel suggestions on Florida.
A few people asked if I'd post a copy of the input I received.
Here yah go.
If you plan on traveling to Florida in the next few weeks, give me a
shout.
I'll buy first round at the Sunset Celebration in Key West.
Now to find some "MudBugs".
- - -
Favorite campground in Florida is Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida
keys by the 7 mile bridge.
http://www.bahiahondapark.com/
On the other side of the 7 mile bridge, there used to be a good pizza
shop.
Key West is almost like another country within Florida, affectionally
called "Conch Republic". There was once a movement to secede from the
union. Every evening at
sunset time, there is a big free outdoor party at Mallory Square in Key
West, and everyone is invited. It's the most spectacular sunset in the
U.S., and when the
big glowing ball descends behind the horizon, everyone applauds at the
celestial performance.
If you have some time and money to spend, rent a small shoal-draft day
cruiser, and take a sail out to Snipe Point. It's a beautiful remote
beach in the keys, off the beaten
path.
Another must-visit is Sloppy Joe's, the bar Ernest Hemmingway used to
frequent in Key West.
- - -
Genie Springs around Gainesville was great in the early 80s. We used to
camp there and go snorkeling, spring diving. Neat place to do scuba.
Great (aesthetically
pleasing, quiet, etc) camping spots then.
Stay out of the underwater caves unless your equipped and trained.
- - -
Not to be missed Pay Campground ... sebastian inlet state park south of
melbourne.
- - -
And don't miss Dauphine Island in Alabama while you are in the
neighborhood. Great beaches, bird sanctuary
with Tupolo Swamp, and an Estuarium that shouldn't be missed. All about
an hour SW of Pensacola.
- - -
Try Singleton's restaurant in Mayport along A1A just north of
Jacksonville.
- - -
Free camping (or nearly free--I think they charge a few bucks now but
not sure):
Between Naples and Miami in Tamiami Trail (US 41) in the Big Cypress
National Preserve.
Several campgrounds, some with, some without facilities.
Photo opps and MUST SEE's:
Anywhere in the Everglades or Big Cypress that you can get to.
It is the only ecosystem of its kind in the whole world and not to be
missed.
You can do the "drive by" and "see" the alligators along the road, etc.
Or really get down and dirty and hike in the swamp.
The Florida Trail is the best bet, accessible from the Oasis Visitor's
Center in the Big Cypress.
Scenic Routes:
US 1 through the FL Keys.
US 17 through the Ocala National Forest.
- - -
Campground:
Just off I-75 south of Gainesville, check out the Sertoma Youth Ranch
outside Dade City. Lots of trees and a
small lake. Definitely "small".
Sometimes hosts bluegrass and other music events. Pleasant and
unpretentious.
See: http://www.dadecity.com/sertoma/about/about.html
And if you go down the center of the state just south of the
intersection of US27 and US60 (Lake Wales) there is a small family owned
restaurant called "Mama's Table".
Breakfast and lunch to 2pm (as I recall) only. Very modest prices, menu
changes daily. Vegetable plate available. Authentic "Florida Southern"
cooking. Bright, clean,
friendly. Very good desserts.
- - -
Good camp sites in the north end of Florida
Ft. Pickens! Right next to Pensacola beach in the panhandle. It's a
National Park placed on a thin, sandy island near remnants of an 1800's
Army fort.
Water on both sides and best of all NO DEVELOPMENT for miles, just
pristine clean, unspoiled and uncrowded beaches.
Oh, and they have SHOWERS!
- - -
-Go all the way down to the Keys (Key West). At one point you are only
90 miles away from Cuba. Also there is a place
near down town that people gather at every night to see the sunset.
Kind of a party atmosphere there.
-When I was there I ate gator. Does taste like chicken!
-More north, I thought that Epcot was pretty cool. They have a world
pavilion where you can experience a slice of different cultures and each
section has a restaurant
.
-The intercoastal waterway is very cool to see in general.
- - -
Pensacola's Naval Aviation Museum,
East along the coast to Panama City Beach's Red Neck Rivera
Cape Sand Blast
Wakulla Spring south of Tallahassee.
- - -
Along the east coast is St Augustine.
It's a really neat place to visit and walk.
- - -
Tampa itself is more industrial than St.Pete.
It has Ybor City will its historical links to cuban cigar making and of
course Cuban sandwiches. Accross the bay on the coast is Tarpon Springs
with a still intact sponge
diving industry. The Anclote River runs thru town and is a nice
paddling trip.
Again the local ethnic quisene is excellant.
The waterfront area of St. Pete is very nice with a large marina and
inverted pyramid structure at the end of a long pier.
You can overnite at several parking lots there.
Fort Desoto county park at southern end of Pinellas county offers
outstanding campsites with an adjacent large boat launching area with
overnitet free parking if so inclined.
The beaches are miles long and nice.
Accross the Sunshine Skyway bridge is my home turf in Manatee county.
The Rod and Reel resturante in Anna Maria. Very casual, bring a fishing
pole as it is perched at the end of a fishing pier. Excellant food for
$10 dinner with a full bay view
from the upper deck.
Sarasota has a few worthwhile sites like the Ringling Art Museum with
huge paintings from the masters of the Old World.
South is Venice and Engelwood with lovely beaches where sharks teeth are
still regularly found.
Cayo Costa State Park is a barrier island that can be reached by
paddling or ferry service from Pineland where there is a very small room
for 5 cars park (Russell Park I
think) that you can overnight at free.
Matlacha on the way to Pineland is very laid back and old Florida.
Cayo Costa offers overnight primative and cabin camping. Great place.
On the way out to Cayo Costa check out Cabbage Key with resturante on
top of a very large Indian mound. Excellant views from the water tower.
Bring binoculars if you
enjoy viewing wading birds everywhere in Florida.
Sanibel Island has a great water trail to paddle in Tarpon Bay and the
Ding Darling wildlife refuge is worth a visit.
Sanibel is very pricy but there is a small rv park there that is a good
place to stay. Forget the name.
South of Naples is Corkscrew Swamp Wildlife Refuge run by Audubon
Society. Extensive raised boardwalk thru a pristine cypress swamp.
- - -
Mostly central Fl.
There is a nice little homey place just south of the intersection of US
60 and US 27 called Mama's Table which serves authentic
southern food at low prices with good atmosphere. Open breakfast and
lunch, no dinner.
US 27 runs mostly down the center of the state.
I4 runs E/W from Orlando to Tampa.
US 60 runs from Tampa to Vero Beach through Lake Wales.
- - -
Check out the camping right on COCOA Beach! I think the camp ground is
call De Camp Gilbert 321-783-5560 and your right next to Cape Canaveral
from here.
The beach is not busy at all this time of year!
- - -
Fort Pickens Campground -- http://www.pbrla.com/ent_campftp.html
--- near Pensacola Beach ... loved it so much that we're going back
this year.
The appeal is absolutely fabulous beaches ---- miles of them (literally)
----- on both sides of a narrow spit.
The Gulf is on one side and Pensacola Bay is on the other. They are
damn near deserted in the spring as well.
We'd park our Westy on the beach each day and take it very easy --- then
a drive 2 minutes back to the campsite at night. The campground itself
is OK ---- though not free.
We had a pet armadillo that would come by quite often.
In the area is the Naval Aviation museum
- - -
Not to be missed if you are in the Jacksonville/St. Augustine area:
http://www.gbronline.com/schneider/outback/
Out in the middle of nowhere. Shoes/shirt not required. 1500 ft. dock
so you can pull your boat up to the restaurant. You can see plenty of
alligators--they come right up
to the dock!
- - -
South Beach. The 30's era art-deco hotels and the great restaurants are
only outdone by the beautiful women who walk by.
- - -
There is a real neat beach on the east coast halfway between West
Palm--and Stuart Fla
--- No clothes required
- - -
Destin Holiday Travel Park - On the Gulf!
Destin, FL CAMPING ON THE GULF, HOLIDAY TRAVEL PARK Reservations
1-877-226-7485 or online at www.campgulf.com
10005 W. Emerald Coast Parkway Destin, FL 32550 ...9 miles East of
Destin, FL ...5 miles East of the Mid-Bay Bridge ...1/4 mile
East of Silver Sands Outlets ...9 miles
West of HWY 331 ...3/4 mile West of Sandestin ... Look for the
70'American Flag Come and enjoy the following; ...we park everyone
...100+ modem & phone hookups ...heated pool w/dome in winter ...Rally
bookings at club rates ...planned activities ...beach front sites
...new 3,500 sq.ft. activities
center ...gift shop & store ...beach pavilion ...private access Also has
Sandcastle Cabins:
...sleeps up to 8 ...cedar paneling ...oak laminate floors ...full bath,
cable tv, phone ...microwave, stove, oven ...air conditioned, heated
Atlantic Ocean Resort - St. Augustine
#2 Choice RV Park - on the water
Bryn Mawr Ocean Resort
4850 A1A South St. Augustine, FL 32080
904-471-3353
www.brynmawroceanresort.com
several hundred camping sights - same as Holiday Travel Park size just
as nice!
- - -
Free camping (or nearly free--I think they charge a few bucks now but
not sure): Between Naples and Miami in Tamiami Trail
(US 41) in the Big Cypress National Preserve. Several campgrounds, some
with, some without facilities.
Photo opps and MUST SEE's:
Anywhere in the Everglades or Big Cypress that you can get to. It is
the only ecosystem of its kind in the whole world and
not to be missed. You can do the "drive by" and "see" the alligators
along the road, etc. Or really get down and dirty and hike in the
swamp, as I do regularly. The Florida Trail is the best bet, accessible
from the Oasis Visitor's Center in the Big Cypress.
Scenic Routes: Obvious US 1 through the FL Keys. Personally I also like
US 17 through the Ocala National Forest.
- - -
the best of Florida are the Everglades Parcs and the Keys. If you have
a Kayac, the Everglades is a must: but bring some Deet... A place call
Flamingo have a camping
ground not too expensive.
The Keys are also a must. Lot of places for boondocking if you are
discrett.
A very nice camping is The Baya Honda Parc but at this time of year, it
can be full. But you can go, put you on the waiting list, go around or
the other side of the bridge,
come back the day after for the "calling" and you can have a place....
Key West is great for nightlife and walking around. You can find some
free place to pack for the night in town if you don't popup your top for
the night.
Also, you can park on some Marina's parking and use the facilities if
you ask politely and maybe, give a little donation to the harbor master.
Anyway, we always manage great in the Keys (there are a lot of hidden
place in thoses Island to find a place to park for the night...
- - -
website www.saintpetersburgtimes.com had a very good online article
about US41 the Tamiami Trail and some of the history along it. Just do
a little looking its still there on
the website somewhere.
- - -
If you into tropical weather scuba diving on the only coral reef left in
the US and driving a long bridge its great. I stayed at the KOA
on big pine its a resort with on site bar with cheap beer like $2, cheap
buffet style food $3 and free entertainment, boat rentals private
beach ect best of all pooch friendly. Not cheap though but none of them
are in the keys are. Lots of cool wild life and water is so blue. Also
if you can cross aligator alley
(runs east to west in south florida, and stop at all the boat launches
you will see some gators and lots of different birds if there are no
boat motors going.
- - -
HOW TO EAT A MUDBUG
http://www.pccomix.com/cheapthrillscuisine/CTCtips/CTCmudbug/mudbug.html
- - -
the Ocala National Forest. It's HUGE!
You'll find miles of sand roads, springs, lakes, primitive and
"civilized" camping, ferry boat crossings and a real "get lost" feeling.
- - -
I did not do any Stealth camping, but looks feasible in the upper keys,
may be tough in Key West. In KW, I saw a number of Westys and
motorhomes that may be
stealthing in a public beach/park called Higgs Beach.
Otherwise, a "campground" named Jobert's is located in the heart of the
action, 2 blocks from Duvall St, 1 block from the docks in Old Town.
Pricey, tho, at $70
per night.
Not being the high season, you may be able to stealth on the streets - I
saw one EVC parked near the "southernmost point" that seemed to be there
for several days.
Also, at the Fort [???] beach, just before you enter the State Park,
there is a parking area that may be for day use only, but seemed to be a
good steath site. I think it is
part of the old Navy base because it is inside the gates, past a
gatehouse, but the gatehouse is unmanned and there are no signs
indicating that you cannot park there.
One additional idea - I just recalled meeting a Rialta owner in KW who
had stayed in the Publix Supermarket parking lot with several other
motorhomes. The
location is on Highway 1 soon after arriving on KW
The real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new landscapes,
But in having new eyes.
~ Marcel Proust
Larry Chase
Email: RoadGuy@RoadHaus.com
Web:
<file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/RoadHaus/Application%20Data/Micro
soft/Signatures/WWW.RoadHaus.com> WWW.RoadHaus.com
Cell: 408.202.1217
What: North American Road Trip
How: RoadHaus - 1990 White VW Westfalia Syncro
Today: On the road to Florida
