December was a great end to our 2021 camping year. We camped with Southeastern Tabs, Tags, and Friends (SETTF) at two great campgrounds, Stephen C. Foster State Park in Fargo, Georgia and Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida. We were also joined for a couple of days by two of our dance friends who formerly lived near us. It was so wonderful seeing everyone!
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
Stephen C Foster State Park is located within the wildlife refuge. It is a small, but well- maintained Georgia State Park. Though we now have a much bigger camper, there was plenty of room on our site.
Site # 30
We were only there for two nights. Our friends spent their days paddling the rivers, but we didn’t think our shoulder issues would allow it. However, we were able to experience the water on an interpretive tour led by a park ranger.
View from Ranger boat tour
Our boat ride was mostly on Billy Lake, near Billy Island, the largest in the area. It was a beautiful day to be on the water and we saw lots of wildlife, including birds, turtles, and alligators. One alligator was quite large and we were fairly close, but when the gator started moving, our ranger moved us away.
Very large alligator napping in the sun
There were also several egrets on the water while we were on our ride.
Egret resting on debris on Billy Lake
Silver Springs State Park
We were at Silver Springs State Park for four nights and it has become one of our favorites. The park offers an nice campground, excellent paddling opportunities, and good bike trails. We were there with SETTF and were joined by our dance friends for two nights.
The Campground
Our site was nice, but pretty much all the sites in the campground were good—large and level. All had electricity and water, but a few, like ours, had sewer. Unfortunately, the sewer was located at the far back corner of our site and was not useful to us because our hose was not very long.
Site # 31 was great
My husband was delighted to see a big gopher turtle in the road. He moved it to an open area near our campsite and it disappeared quickly.
Rescued turtle from the road
December Camping with Friends
We spent a couple of nights at campfires with members of SETTF and accompanied them as they were putting their kayaks in the water at the Silver River. It looked like so much fun! We learned that the padding was relatively easy there, so we decided to come back later prepared to try it ourselves. So, we came back the next day and did the loop. It was an awesome time! There was lots of wildlife: a manatee, and many turtles, alligators, and birds. However, we didn’t see any monkeys.
Kayak Launch at Silver Springs
We had a few meals with our dance friends and took a ride on the glass bottom boat in the park. It was great to spend time with them.
Enjoying the Park with Friends
Views from the Glass Bottom Boat
The glass bottom boat was a very pleasant time on the Silver River. We learned that a glass bottom boat has been operating there since the 1870s. The river, which is estimated to have over 600 springs, has a daily flow of 500 million gallons per day. It was clear with silver hues. It was the setting for multiple Tarzan movies and Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Through the glass bottom of the boat, we saw an ancient canoe and several of the major springs.
An ancient canoe
The view of the river from the boat and later in our tandem kayak was amazing. It is such a beautiful place!
The Silver River
We saw a manatee underwater and many fish and turtles.
A manatee under water
There were several ahingas on the river and it was easy to get a photo because they can’t fly well until their feathers dry. I have never seen them before this trip.
Ahinga Drying in the Sun
Rawlings Historic State Park
A SETTF friend suggested a stop on our way home at Marjorie Rawlings Historic State Park . Though the house wasn’t open, we are very glad we made the stop. Rawlings is the Pulitzer award-winning writer of the “Yearling” and “Cross Creek”.
Rawlings’ Cracker House
Her home and the land is much like it was when she lived there. The photo below was taken from outside. She sat on the porch at that typewriter when she wrote her famous novels.
A really nice park ranger told us a lot about the place and Rawlings’ life. He also gave us some grapefruits from the citrus trees.
Rawlings’ Writing Spot
December Camping Conclusion
We loved this last trip of the year. The parks were extraordinary and spending time with our friends was wonderful. More of our adventures can be accessed on our webpage, Retirement and camping!
Wishing everyone a merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
This winter trip camping along the Florida coast was more than a year in planning because we tried to reserve in the more popular Florida state parks. We also camped at three campgrounds last year, Florida Campgrounds, Three Highly-Rated Parks.
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Topsail is one of the nicest state parks we have visited. It is on Santa Rosa Island in a beautiful resort area. We paid $46 a night for an immaculate pull-through shaded site with a concrete slab and full hookups. However, you must book extremely early to snare a spot at this popular park.
Site 89 at Topsail Hill
A gorgeous, isolated beach is a 3/4 mile walk or a free tram ride away. The tram runs every hour from 9 to 5.
The boardwalk to the beachEnjoying the beautiful Topsail Beach
The park and the beach were wonderful, but our weather was not the best. It rained the first full day we were there and it was very cloudy and humid with drizzle the next. But, we enjoyed it because we went to see the movie, 1917, on the first day and some friends drove in from Port St. Joe to visit us on the second day. Overall, our stay at Topsail was very nice.
Manatee Springs State Park
Manatee Springs is a very special park. For a very economical nightly rate of $25 a night, we had a large, level site with full hookups.
Site 12 Manatee Springs
Within the park, we had many sightings of deer and we saw manatees on two separate occasions.
Deer at Manatee SpringsManatees in the Springs
The Springs are beautiful and you can experience them up close in one of the canoes that are offered for rent. Bikes are also available. If you are hungry, barbeque is sold on site daily. There is very little cell reception in the park, but there is WiFi in the rental area.
Manatee Springs
Hillsborough River State Park
We had three nights in site #26 at Hillsborough River, which is near Tampa. Our new awning was up for the second time and we liked the bit of privacy it provided. The park has nice hiking trails and a large pool. However, we did not utilize either on this trip.
Site #26
Our first full day was cold and rainy. So, our camping friends went with us to Tampa where we visited the Tampa Bay History Center and had lunch at Columbia Restaurant. At Columbia, the White Chocolate Bread Pudding was amazing and so was its 1905 Salad.
Lunch at Columbia Restaurant at Riverwalk
Our next day, we really enjoyed a visit to a small museum in Zephyrhills, the Museum of Military History. It has many artifacts from several wars. The museum is free, but is only currently open on Saturdays. Strawberries were in season in Plant City, so we ended our day with strawberry shortcake from one of the local farms. Timing was with us for these two special treats.
Museum of Military History
Florida Coast at Collier-Seminole State Park
Collier-Seminole is about twenty miles southeast of Naples and it has vegetation and wildlife typical of the Everglades. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. There are multiple bathhouses which were very nice for a state park.
Site # 30
The park began in 1924 to build the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) which crosses the Everglades, linking Tampa and Miami. The Walking Dredge was used to build the road and is now a National Historic Landmark.
National Historic Landmark, the Walking Dredge
Access to the Blackwater River is within the park. It is a beautiful place to canoe and the park offers them for rental. Tours are also offered on certain days.
Blackwater River
Because we only had one full day at this park, we just stayed onsite. In addition, the park had bikes for rent at $10 for two hours. It was a beautiful, breezy day—perfect for biking. So we really enjoyed it!
Rental bikes are available
The Florida Coast, Camping in the Lower Keys
Sadly, we could not get a spot at a state park for the Keys. We actually booked at an RV park almost a year in advance because there were not many options. Lazy Lakes RV resort in the lower keys proved to be a nice place to stay, but it was expensive. We had full hookups and a heated pool, but it was $100 a night. Not your typical camping rates.
Site # 34 at Lazy Lakes RV Resort
We had a partial day of beautiful, sunny, and warm weather. This part of the Florida coast was astounding to see—so much gorgeous water everywhere. We drove around and just took in the atmosphere.
View from a boat launchOld Railroad Bridge
An huge (to me) iguana was a frequent visitor at our site. My husband gave him some sweet potato. I stayed away.
Our Visiting Iguana
Dinner was at our campsite with our friends who were camping with us, followed by a game of Mexican Train. It was a rainy evening, so we did not leave the campground.
Key West
We drove to Key West for our next full day. The weather had turned cold and wet. We stood in line for about 15 minutes to get a photo of the marker for the Southernmost Point in the continental U.S. Cuba is only 90 miles away and we were told that on a clear night you can see its lights. A couple in our campground planned to take a flight there that included meals and a tour for $900 each. That’s a little too rich for my blood.
The Southernmost Point
The Truman Little White House
My favorite part of the day was a visit to the Truman Little White House, but getting there was quite challenging. Parking was nonexistent except for a few lots and traffic was very heavy. Then, there was quite a walk through a neighborhood to get to the house, which has a very interesting history. However, I really loved what we learned about Truman on the tour. We have not yet visited the Truman Library, so it was good to learn about him personally and his accomplishments. The guide was excellent! Also, it was inside and away from the cold and rain.
Truman’s Little White House
We had a delicious lunch at Blue Heaven. Though it was late in the afternoon on a cold, rainy day, there was still a wait of about 20 minutes. The food was good though.
Lunch at Blue Heaven
We tried to visit the Hemingway House, but they only accepted cash, which we did not have with us. So, we walked around a bit and bought some macaroons at a nearby bakery. We were back at our campsite before dark. Old folks!
The next morning, we said goodbye to our camping friends and were on our own for the remainder of the trip.
The Everglades
Our Everglades home for three nights was Long Pine Key Campground in Everglades National Park. Though it was dry camping, the campground was excellent. The roads were paved and the sites were roomy with pretty vegetation. The bathhouse and separate restrooms were nice and well-maintained. There is also a dump station and fresh water available. It was inexpensive at $24 a night. So, on our first afternoon, we cooked hot dogs and enjoyed all the birds that came to visit, including a pair of cardinals. It was so peaceful!
Site #99
The Miami Connection
Last year, we visited Miami on a non-camping trip and I got a short haircut that I loved. Wanting to obtain another magical cut, I contacted the same hairdresser and arranged for her to cut my hair again. So, we drove approximately an hour to Miami Beach and I had the same lady cut my hair. It was not the worst haircut I have ever had, but still, it was pretty bad. So disappointing!
Afterwards, we had a nice Italian meal outside at Mercado Della Pescheria on lively Española Way. The meal was good and the people watching was pretty interesting as well.
Late lunch at Mercado Della Pescheria
Exploring the Glades
Our second full day was all about exploring the National Park. We took a short walk on a nearby trail. It would be great for bikes, but was a little boring to walk. There were bikes available for rent in the campground.
Long Pine Key Trail
However, we decided our time could best be spent driving the 35 miles south to Flamingo, which is at the bottom of Florida and the Everglades. There is a campground there and we checked it out. It has full hookups, but is not nearly as nice as Long Pine.
Along the way, stopped at Mrazek Pond, one of many in the area. It was teaming with wildlife.
Mrazek Pond
Flamingo
Flamingo was rather lively. There was a a marina and you could take boat rides. We got hamburgers at a food truck. When I got up to throw away the containers, a large crow grabbed the strap on my camera and attempted to fly away with it. He didn’t get far and my husband was chasing him, but my camera dropped on the concrete. It seems to be working though.
The excitement continued when we had the opportunity to see a crocodile pretty close. He was just sunning himself on the shore. I personally think my husband was a little too close.
Florida Crocodile in the Wild
Lastly, we visited the beach. The water was very shallow and calm. The color was different from what we have seen elsewhere along the Florida coast. It was kind of a mint green—rather strange, but pretty in its own way.
Everglades Beach
The weather was fabulous while we were in the Everglades, so we did not miss having an air conditioner. Mosquitos were my biggest fear, but they were not bad at all. That was probably because we were there at the end of February. In conclusion, we loved this stop on our trip.
Tomeka State Park
Our last stop along the Florida coast was Tomeka State Park at Ormond Beach. It has an amazing canopy of live oaks nestled between the Tomeka and the Halifax rivers. The campground was beautiful and there was a lot to do and see nearby.
Site #44
We had an excellent meal at nearby Hulls Seafood. Another winner in the area is Donnie’s Donuts. Both were recommended by the park ranger. Needless to say, we both gained some weight on this trip.
The Casements
Sadly, we only had one full day in the area. The summer home of John D. Rockefeller, the Casements, was our first stop. The tour was free, donations requested. We really enjoyed it. The house has an interesting history and there was also lots to learn about Rockefeller.
The Casements, John D. Rockefeller’s Summer Home
We had Thai food for lunch and spent our afternoon at the Battle of Dunlawton Plantation. It was another free activity that offered the history of a plantation during the second Seminole War in 1836. Some of the equipment used for sugar production still stands. This eclectic site also has lovely and whimsical gardens.
Sugar Production Equipment in 1836Tree Elves
This was a wonderful stop on our trip and the community of Ormond Beach spoke to me. I would like to return someday.
Conclusion
We were so blessed to be able to take this trip along the Florida coast! But, when it was time to go, I had been sick for months with a respiratory infection. I was on my sixth round of antibiotics and my doctor said if I didn’t get better, I would need intravenous antibiotics in the hospital.
We departed with just a few days of antibiotics remaining and me with a considerable cough, not knowing if we would have to return early. I am happy to say that steadily I became better in the warm, sunny Florida climate. It was such a great trip!
Hillsborough River is a Florida State Park located about a half hour northeast of Tampa. It is a beautiful park with a “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” look with its gorgeous live oak trees and abundance of spanish moss.
Teardrop Left at Campground
We have family in Tampa and this trip was more about visiting them than camping. So, we decided to spend a couple of nights at their home. Therefore, we left Endeavor, our teardrop, all alone at Hillsborough River.
We set up our rug, awning, and chairs so it would look like we would return at any time. Teardrops are so light, it is easy for them to be stolen and we worried a little about being gone so long.
Our time with family was great and we did a lot of cool things in Tampa. I will cover those activities in a separate post.
On the afternoon before we left to return to the park, I received a disturbing message via Facebook Messenger. It went something like: “Ma’am, this is the Ranger in Charge at Hillsborough River. I need you to call me ASAP.” This freaked me out! My first though was that something had happened to our camper.
I called immediately and spoke with the ranger. He was concerned about us and said that several people had noticed that we had not been around. He wanted to be sure that we were okay. I thought it as really great that he went to the trouble of tracking us down to confirm that all was well.
Camping at Hillsborough River
We had two nights and one full day with Hillsborough River as home base. The river and a canoe launch was just across from our site, #32.
River is beyond the treesHillsborough RiverCedar Landing Shelter
We sometimes camp with friends and play games at night. The above shelter would be nice for this as it is screened and would enable us to be protected from bugs. Bugs were not bad at all during our time at the park, but we were not outside with lights on for a long period.
We did not use some of the nice amenities. There is a very large pool, a cafe, and rentals for canoes and bikes. Also, there is a playground and several hiking trails.
One thing about Florida State Parks that I really like is that they have dishwashing stations with hot water. With our limited cooking, I loaded up our dirty dishes in a plastic bucket and carried them to the station for washing. With no sewer available, this was a lot easier than it is in parks without this option.
Our New Accessory
We were given a large, heavy-duty cot by our son’s girlfriend and we tried it out one beautiful morning. It was glorious laying on the very comfortable cot looking up at the gorgeous blue sky and amazing trees! The cot actually holds both of us.
Our new equipment—thanks Laura!View from the cotPath to our site
In conclusion, we had a very relaxing stay at the campground and hope to visit it again. It is the most beautiful park I have visited in my limited camping experience. We are big fans of Florida State Parks. One tip, the bathhouse near site #77 is much newer and nicer than the one nearest site #32. However, we loved our site and think it would be a good one for bigger rigs as well.
Lastly, if you would like to follow our adventures, below is a link to our main page.
