Vanagon EuroVan
Previous (more recent) messageNext (less recent) messagePrevious (more recent) in topicNext (less recent) in topicPrevious (more recent) by same authorNext (less recent) by same authorPrevious page (February 2004, week 3)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 16 Feb 2004 12:10:14 -0500
Reply-To:     Jean-Pierre Le Cruguel <jlecruguel@AEI.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jean-Pierre Le Cruguel <jlecruguel@AEI.CA>
Subject:      For Ben: recommanded Florida campgrounds part 1
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Hi Ben,

I knew I read an interesting post about this lately, it comes from Roadhaus on the yahoo vw-camping group.

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vw-camping/message/1899

The keys are supposed to be quite good too. A windsurfer friend of mine recently did some stealth camping in Fl. He recommanded the keys. Near the entries of each brigde, they are some rest areas people can use. Fishermen repair their nets there. Several people sleep here. I never used it myself. here is his answer in French (most of it was resumed above):

"Tu n'es plus vraiment en floride, mais sur une ile... Pu de stress, pu de problemes, le temps semble s'arreter... hehehehehe!

Les meilleures spots:

-K-Mart de Key Largo (parking en plein milieu de la jungle) -Marina de marathon. A chaque soir il y a un live band a un lounge exterieur, donc, tu enfiles quelques bieres et hop dodo! -Presque tout le long de la route a islamorada. -Au debut de chaque pont il y a des "parking area" ou tu peux dormir.

Le plus drole est qu'il y a des pecheurs qui montent leurs tentes sur l' asphalte, sur les ponts amenages pour eux entre les differentes iles..."

Roadhaus:

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!

- - -


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.