vacations

Camping at Florida’s Beautiful State Parks

camping trailer art — Vintage RV camper art by arti1st @ Zazzle

Most people I know visit Florida by plane. They stay at an expensive resort in Disney World or in a condo at the beach (or both) and then head home. Not only is that type of vacation quite costly, it means that the best parts of Florida (in my opinion) have been missed.

Of course, if you are not an outdoorsy type of person, you may be very happy to skip a trip to a state park, or chance to kayak on a river. Campers have adventurous blood running through their veins, and they know how to find adventure while saving their cash.

As you get ready to plan your camping vacation in Florida, just remember that it is hot there. Most of the year it is very hot, with no cool down at night either. Camping with the luxury of air conditioning is the way to go, if you ask me, but to each his, or her, own.

When planning your trip, a great place to start is the Welcome to Florida State Parks site. This website is full of great information about the many parks all over the state as well as the variety of campsites available. Some places have facilities for horses and some are for boat hookups, so you can “camp” in your boat as you travel. Some are right on the ocean, with beaches just a few steps away. If you are truly adventurous and prefer seclusion, look for a location in the Primitive Camping area. (You own snakebite proof boots, right?)

Navigating the site is easy. View a state map and choose the area you plan to visit, then click on the links there. More specific information is given on each specific park page. I like the looks of Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Park the camper right on the dunes with the ocean on one side and the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) on the other.

** At the time of writing this, there are alert notices for certain parks, and one of them (Blue Springs) is familiar to me, so I looked it up. The notice is because the manatees have come into the spring area early so the spring has been closed for swimming. Of course going there to view the manatees is allowed.

Camping is one of the best ways to visit the real Florida. These are the beautiful places that Disney lovers never venture out to see. And they are really missing out.

P.S. Disney has camping too.
(The postcard image is from art1st’s store @ Zazzle)

Where is Bonita Springs, Florida?

I recently became interested in Bonita Springs in Florida when my neighbor told me it’s where she goes to spend the winter. How jealous am I? Very. However, I do plan to one day be able to do that very thing – become a “snow bird” and spend part of my time in New Hampshire and the rest somewhere in Florida.
I love the Gulf Coast area, as do so many others, so I thought I would try to discover what I can about the Bonita Springs area and share it here.

Bonita Springs is located in the southwestern area of Florida, with Ft. Meyers to the north and Naples to the south. It is not far from the famous islands of Sanibel and Captiva, which are great shelling places, so it makes sense to me that the beaches in Bonita Springs would also have great shelling.

Looking at property, I found a nice home for less than $200,000 on a canal. It appears that I could live in an old mobile home for a lot less than that. But, if I wanted to live on the ocean, I’d better become a millionaire. (I’m workin’ on it!)

For beaches, there is Bonita Beach Park and Barefoot Beach. State Parks in the area include Lovers Key and others (see them all on this map). Also, check out this map page for a bird’s eye view of the Bonita Springs and surrounding area.

Of course boating and fishing are popular all over the state and this area is especially good with it’s abundant backwater areas and calm gulf water so close. This side of the state is very built up and busy, probably more so than the Atlantic Ocean side, where I spent most of my time when I lived in Florida.

Vacation on Florida Waterways in a Private Houseboat

Have you ever considered renting a houseboat to explore the real side of Florida? Many tourists miss out on seeing Florida’s natural beauty when they spend all their time at Disney World.

It would really be worth your trouble to do something more relaxing that the kids would love just as much as Mickey Mouse.

I remember many years ago when I lived nearby, we went to see some houseboats for rent on the St. John’s River, and came close to renting one for a few days. I don’t remember why we didn’t, except that between work, finding a pet sitter, and all that fun stuff, maybe we just couldn’t find the time. Or, more likely it could have been the cost, because it’s not cheap.

If you love being out on the water and also like to travel, imagine spending each day lounging on the deck of your own big boat as it navigates the river and slowly takes you to the next destination – or nowhere in particular. Continue reading “Vacation on Florida Waterways in a Private Houseboat”