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
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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!
- - -
