Our Top Adventures in South Florida
We spent over a month near Fort Myers, FL to give ourselves some stability and to spend time with Anthony's family. While a welcome reprieve from long drive days, we did do some moving around, bouncing between Koreshan State Park, a full hookup RV park, an Army Corps of Engineers Campground, and a site on privately-owned land. This was due to availability in the area as well as maximum stay limits in some of the campgrounds among other reasons, which we will talk about in a future post, where we'll discuss the planning side of our Florida stay and the different types of campgrounds we chose.
We were looking forward to the beautiful Florida weather that usually graces the area this time of year, but instead, we got a massive heat wave, averaging temperatures in the 90s and humidity levels through the roof. We tried not to complain, though, because we saw what was happening north of us; major storms ushered through the Florida panhandle and nearby states, bringing supercells, tornadoes, and lots of damage. South Florida may not have been the oasis we were hoping for, but it was our safe haven from the tumultuous weather.
Though we spent most of our days in a constant state of perspiration, we did have some outings and adventures. Spending time with Anthony's parents, aunt, and uncle was our main reason for our visit to Florida. This was our first time being able to visit with the Vicaris without being in the middle of a whirlwind trip, and it was refreshing to be able to make a phone call and say "What are you up to in the next couple of days?" Being on the road can feel lonely at times, but these visits with friends and family are glimmers of light in our travels. An added bonus was being around for Anthony's dad's birthday as well as Easter.
Florida's state parks are really fun to visit, even just for a day. We got to know Koreshan very well, but we wanted to expand our horizons. So on one humid afternoon, we ventured over to Lovers Key for a picnic and nature walk. Lovers Key is comprised of 3 barrier islands, and the most popular nature trail is on Black Island. We walked the loop hoping to spot our first glimpse of an alligator on this trip, to no avail. We began to wonder, the other times we visited Florida, was it normal to see alligators constantly, or did we just hit it right? Our trip to the Everglades in January 2020 granted us so many gator sightings, we felt like we were on a gator safari. But, weeks into our Florida stay and still nada. But we got some steps in, saw some birds and lizards, and watched the kayakers paddle the waters beside the nature trail.
If there was any way to see alligators, it would be to head down to the Everglades. Though we had been just a couple of years ago, we had only visited the National Park side on the east coast, and we had never done the quintessential Everglades activity: an airboat tour! We're not really spending a lot of money on activities during our RV journey, but some experiences are worth it. We booked with Wooten's Airboat Rides in Ochopee near Everglades City, about an hour from Koreshan State Park. With airboat tour admission comes an alligator show and the opportunity to hold a baby alligator. We didn't count seeing the sanctuary alligator as a "gator sighting," but we did see a few in the waters during our airboat tour. Finally, we could check gator sightings off our list!
When on Florida's west coast, two particular islands are often raved about and recommended. One is Sanibel, a mecca for seashells due to its curved shoreline. One weekend during our South Florida stay, we had a break in the heat and took full advantage. Off to Sanibel we went with our little fluffball who could actually stand to be outside for more than just a few minutes. We weren't there long, but we went to the lighthouse for a walk. The whole beach around that area is dog-friendly!
We also attempted to walk in the J.N. "Ding" Darling Nature preserve in the middle of the island. It's a great spot for bird watching and we thought it would be a pleasant contrast to the beach. What we weren't expecting was the horrendous odor emanating off the swamp land. With a sulfurous stench worse than Iceland's geysers, we walked a half-mile and turned around. Anthony later read that the area is a mosquito impound lot, where they drained the swamp to decrease the mosquito activity - which used to be some of the densest anywhere! One time they cast a net and captured 360,000 mosquitoes! I suppose we'd take the smell over that many mosquitoes, but we'll opt for neither, thank you very much. We did get a cute picture of Tanny on the boardwalk, though!
Our plans for lunch on Sanibel were dashed when we became nauseated by our final walk, but we were glad we got a little taste of the island.
A couple days later, we traveled south to Marco Island. Another gorgeous day ushered in the crowds. The island was hopping! Sunday brunchers were serenaded by live musicians at all the marina restaurants. We're not really ones for crowds and parties, but the atmosphere looked very inviting. However, we were there for a different reason.
The boat is called a Craig Cat, and if you're wondering how we've ever even heard of one, we hadn't! When I was researching Everglades airboat tours, I saw Backwater Adventures on the map and was intrigued. The moment I saw these unique power boats, I knew we needed to give them a try.
These speedboats are mini catamarans, fitting just two people. They're easy to maneuver and give you the feeling that you're skimming the water's surface. I likened it to a water go-cart. We joined a group of 10 including our tour guide and set off to explore the islands and mangroves.
I have a feeling another trip to Marco Island will be in our future. We haven't even put a dent in all that there is to do in the area, and when the weather is nice, it truly is (as one of the restaurants stated) "Paradise Found."
Towards the end of our time in Florida, the thunderstorms became a daily occurrence, so we mostly stayed near our campgrounds, taking in the local sights. Not the most noteworthy adventures, but we were glad to have experienced some unique attractions as we made ourselves at home on the Gulf Coast. By the time we left our final campground, we felt like locals. There is something nice about going to the store without needing GPS, and then, inside the store, knowing which aisles house our favorite items. These are things we take for granted living in sticks and bricks. But, soon we were ready for more adventures, away from Florida. We needed to get to the terrain that we truly call home - and that terrain happens to be at elevations a few thousand feet higher than Florida can grant us. So, we bid farewell to the Sunshine State and all the memories we made, and we pointed our compass north.