First time camping in Florida and we went to Salt Springs in Ocala.
My son and I took delivery of our new travel trailer the beginning of June. A few days later I had Covid. And a week later he had Covid.
We’d just begun filling the camper with necessities (there are a lot) when we were taken out of commission by the illness.
Picking up the camper
As you know, if you’ve already dealt with Covid, everything stops as you deal with the dreaded disease. I was so glad that I didn’t have a job to get to because I could not have gone. Most of the time I slept, or stayed on the couch. We ordered food to be delivered and never went out. We didn’t want to spread it, and we didn’t have the energy anyway.
After picking up the camper we had originally planned to camp nearby. We needed to see if there were things that needed to be fixed for the first check up visit.
Finally we went to Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forest and stayed one night.
The Campsite
This was our first time camping so we have nothing to compare it to. We were very happy with the site. It was easy to back in and there was an dump station next to each pad.
The fire pit ring was back behind the trailer under some oaks. As you can see in the photos, the next row of campers was not close.
We had campers on either side of us, but they were not super close either. One side had kids and the other side had a dog. But it was very quiet.
The CampsiteOur fire pit areaEvening fireCampsite #62Night lights on
The Springs
The springs area is the highlight of this campground. Because it’s a spring and the water is continuously bubbling up from the ground, the water temperature is 72-74 degrees.
Salt SpringsThis river leads out to Lake GeorgeSandy areaRocks at the springs
We camped for less than 24 hours, but our overall experience was quite good. The employees were friendly, the campground was quiet and well cared for, the Spring area was awesome, and we had fun!
Often I will write about Smyrna Dunes Park and Ponce Inlet because it’s such a wonderful place to beach-comb, swim, fish, and walk. The park had built a new stairway, to replace the old one, which emptied onto the beach near the jetty. The stairway was replaced when the rest of the boardwalk was replaced, only a short time ago. I’m talking like less than two years. Now this stairway is gone. The boardwalk now ends up high on the dunes as a “lookout” only with no beach access.
Here is a link to an article, written in May, 2019, about New Smyrna Beach on the “Travel Pulse” website where you can see this stairway from the side. It was a beautiful, and probably expensive, set of stairs. Suddenly, they were taken out and I’m wondering why.
The New Stairway Which is Now Missing
Here is my photo of that staircase which was built over the dunes. The old boards were replaced with something like Trex boards to hold up to the elements better. The whole boardwalk was re-done like this. Now, these stairs no longer exist. There is no way to get onto the beach at the end of this part of the boardwalk.
The only sensible explanation for the missing stairs is that they didn’t want anyone gaining access from the beach up to the park. But because there are about 4 or 5 other access points on the ocean side, and about three on the river side of this peninsula, that really doesn’t make sense. This does not keep people from doing that, it just makes it more difficult. Maybe that was the point?
Below is my first time trying the “compare images” block with a center slider. It shows the top of the stairway compared to the nothing that is left.
(A reader left a comment that the sand was washed away and the stairs no longer touched the beach so the stairs were removed. If this is the reason, it’s pretty stupid that the builders did not realize that this happens. I’ve taken lots of “after a storm” photos that show the eroding of the beach. Maybe there have been too many hurricanes and they decided not to deal with this problem. But they left the other access points over on the ocean side which certainly must also be affected by hurricanes.)
Erosion of Beach at Ponce Inlet Jetty
Beach Erosion at Ponce Inlet 2016
Jetty at Ponce Inlet 2016
Jetty 2017
Stairway, and Stairway Removed
Stairs… and no stairs
I’d love to know the reasoning behind this move. My favorite thing to do at the park was to walk 1/2 of the oval and then go down at this point to the beach. The jetty is to the right and I would begin my beach walk there and travel around the inlet over to the river and return to the boardwalk by using the dog access trails.
It’s a longer walk, through the soft beach sand, to get onto the beach and do the same thing.
Before: End of boardwalk at stairs leading to Inlet and Jetty
After: Walkway ends as an overlook to the beach below
Since you can’t get down to the beach, I suppose standing there in the shade and reading a sign about local wildlife will have to do.
Something to read while you stand and look out over the inlet and beach
The Smyrna Dunes Park boardwalk is an oval shaped boardwalk with beach access ramps along the ocean side. Because the stairway at the end of this path (photo below) is no longer an access to the jetty, a new sign points walkers on down the oval where access leads to the ocean side.
See a map of the park at the Volusia County site. The info in this brochure is old because a one day pass is now $10.00. That doesn’t keep visitors away, in fact often it’s usually difficult to find parking. I used to buy a year long resident’s pass for $20, but with the crowds and now this new change, I won’t be doing that.
At this point I’d rather drive onto the beach and park near the jetty. My son and I did this the other day and he fished while I did some beachcombing.
New sign points further on to gain beach access
The old wooden boardwalk – before the “fake wood” replacement
The Very Old Boardwalk
The photo below was taken when the old boardwalk was still showing. Hurricanes and extremely high tides easily destroy anything that is built near the ocean, so it’s understandable that the boardwalk would need replacing. This bit of the wooden walk is no longer there and I don’t recall when this photo was taken.
There are many, many more people coming to this area and using the boardwalks. Florida no longer has that “Old Florida” feel. Everything caters to the newer, wealthier crowds. The boardwalks cannot be rustic, they must be pristine. And now I suspect the city of New Smyrna has the tax money to upgrade.
With lots of condos nearby and the fact that everyone has a dog these days, this is a popular park. Dogs can be seen all around the beach from the jetty to the river side. Although they are supposed to be on a leash, many people ignore that, and let their dogs run.
Ponce Inlet dunes and old boardwalk
I don’t understand, or much like, the way things are being done these days in this area. Daytona Beach to the north used to be very popular and the place to visit. Now it is known locally as a place to avoid. That brings everyone south to New Smyrna, which has been written about endlessly as the place to visit on Florida’s east coast.
The high rises are going up and the restaurants are doing valet parking. Florida caters to the visitors who like the idea of living the laid-back life in paradise and live in big expensive condos which are ruining the landscape.
The laid back Florida feel has been gone a long time for me.
Whenever vacationers come to stay at your rental home, one of the first things they look for is information. Even local visitors will need information about the house or condo or apartment and everything should be in one easy to find place. Most renters use a binder or notebook where rules and regulations are easily found. The rental binder should be in plain sight when the guests arrive. The kitchen countertop is an excellent place to leave your welcome binder!
Avery Mini 1″ Binder
8 in. square blank notebook
Blank, lined notebook, add your text
What to Include in a Guest Welcome Binder
If you have customized a binder or notebook, like the ones I sell in my Seashells by Millhill store, the name and address of the dwelling may be printed right on the front. It is important for visitors to know the address in case of an emergency and they shouldn’t have to hunt for it. The same goes for emergencies that could happen while they stay at your place. Even the nicest spots can have a water leak or malfunction. Leaving as much information as possible to make it easy for guests to address these problems will be appreciated.
Leave contact numbers for the local property manager, if you, the owner, are not local. If there is no manager, then you as the owner should be the one to take care of the issue, day or night. These days everyone has a cell phone so contacting a property owner or manager should be very simple.
Definitely make your name and contact information the top priority, and / or that of your property manager.
A welcome letter is nice to include which wishes guests a pleasant stay. Rules can be part of this letter without it sounding too bossy, or list rules on a separate sheet of paper. The welcome letter is better off used to tell guests about some of the best aspects of the house and / or the location. Some favorite local spots and restaurants could be listed, or the best times of day to head to the community pool.
This may seem old school, but a map of the area showing grocery stores, restaurants, and beach rental equipment would be nice. Remember that every guest may not use Google Maps! At the very least, a list of local places the guests will probably need to visit is necessary.
Where I live, drive on beaches exist and information about cost, times of access, or alternative parking and walk on information would be good to include for anyone visiting. Any condo rental that is not situated right on the beach will mean that guests have to either walk or drive to the beach. Don’t make guests figure this type of thing out for themselves. They will appreciate knowing what the locals know.
Walk on beach access ramp
Vacationers May Like to Support Local Businesses
Assume that your guests know nothing about the area. List local events, that you yourself may like, where visitors will feel like they are part of the community, or are supporting locals. Touristy shops won’t be so hard to find, but information about local happenings, such as a Farmer’s Market might be appreciated.
Vacationers may like to visit a local Farmers Market
Think Like a Visitor
You may never hit all the marks, but trying to think like a clueless visitor might help. The basics should be covered, like closest grocery store, hospital or medical emergency center, gas stations, and liquor stores (haha). You will probably add onto your list as time goes on and visitors give helpful feedback.
Your renters may come in all ages, so don’t assume that everyone will be tech savvy. When I am faced with three controllers to work the TV I begin to stress out! Leaving concise directions to anything that may pose a problem will be greatly appreciated. Try to think outside the box to the extent that nothing will be questioned.
How do I work the dang TV?
Typical Needs and Sights to See
Where will I find food? Either groceries or take out options need to be addressed. A list of local favorite eateries, coffee shops, bakeries, and fresh seafood, etc., would be helpful.
I’m staying near the ocean so how do I get the most out of that? List access points, whether by car or foot and give times when lifeguards are on duty, if they are. A tide chart or app suggestion might help too.
What is there to see that I should not miss? Every guest will have different interests, so cover all the local basics. For instance, near my location is the Daytona Speedway, so obviously I would list it as a place to visit. But by listing less obvious, but just as interesting, places to visit give guests a good idea of what is available. For instance, there is a lighthouse nearby to climb, and a park with a walking trail. They will appreciate your effort even if they plan to stay at the rental all throughout the vacation!
What can I do on the water? This post is written with oceanside rentals in mind, so wouldn’t your guests like to know about water excursions? Be sure to mention boat rentals, tours, fishing charters, or walking trails that wind around the water. If your rental allows dogs, list any dog parks nearby.
Dogs having fun on a dog beach
The Logify site has a page with lots of information about creating a “Perfect Vacation Rental Binder” and they offer a checklist to download. Your knowledge of your rental and area will be different from others, so write up your welcome book according to what you know.
Flagler Ave., New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Would You Want to Provide a Guest Review Notebook?
Once, I stayed at a rental on a lake in New Hampshire where a guest review book was left out. I could flip back and read what previous guests had to say about their experience at the property. It was fun to read and mostly positive as I recall. I did write a small blurb and mentioned that the outdoor grill could be updated, which I hope the owners took to heart. The place was very expensive to rent and they really did need to buy a new grill for those of us who enjoy cooking outdoors.
Guests can offer new insights to the area which may help future visitors.
So a guest review book could be a good thing to leave in your rental. It needs to be checked after each stay just in case a visitor rants on about something that you don’t want other guests to read. Personally, I liked the confidence shown by the owners to let anyone have a say about their visit.
