Weighing Travel Destinations - FL State Parks

Saturday, August 15, 2015
Saint James City, FL

I spent last night thinking about possible travel destinations. (see L'Aventure Commence: http://www.countdowntofreedom.net/2015/08/laventure-commence.html) I currently live and work in SWFL, so I am thinking that my first excursions will be over long weekends. This seems like a good way to get used to RV travel and living. I'd really like to visit St Augustine, which is around a 6 hour drive from me, from what I have been told. I have done the Disney thing, although I could visit Universal Studios and Busch Gardens. Frankly, though, I am considering starting with a list of State Parks around here. I ran across this list, and I am evaluating these:  https://www.floridastateparks.org/activity-list/Camping




So, after studying the website, I have decided that Anastasia State Park in St Augustine will be my first destination. It is beautiful, allows pets (I have my sweet pitbull, Brutus), is relatively close to my home, and is reasonably priced (only $28 per night). As I am writing this, I have decided that I will begin working through this list. So far, I have only visited Bahia Honda. Apparently, I need to get started! :)

Alafia River State Park
14326 S CR 39 Lithia, Florida 33547
Southwest Region (813) 672-5320

Anastasia State Park
300 Anastasia Park Road St. Augustine, Florida 32080
Central Region (904) 461-2033


Bahia Honda State Park
36850 Overseas HighwayBig Pine Key, Florida 33043
Southeast Region(305) 872-2353

Big Lagoon State Park
12301 Gulf Beach Highway Pensacola , Florida 32507
Northwest Region (850) 492-1595

Blackwater River State Park
7720 Deaton Bridge Rd Holt, Florida 32564
Northwest Region (850) 983-5363

Blue Spring State Park
2100 W. French Avenue Orange City, Florida 32763
Central Region (386) 775-3663

Collier-Seminole State Park
20200 Tamiami Trail E. Naples, Florida 34114
Southwest Region (239) 394-3397

Cross Florida Greenway - CR 484 to 49th Ave.
12788 SW 69th Court Ocala, Florida 34476
Central Region (352) 236-7143


Curry Hammock State Park
56200 Overseas Hwy. Marathon, Florida 33050
Southeast Region (305) 289-2690

Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park
1900 E. Gulf Beach Drive St. George Island, Florida 32328
Northwest Region (850) 927-2111

Falling Waters State Park
1130 State Park Road Chipley, Florida 32428
Northwest Region (850) 638-6130


Faver-Dykes State Park
1000 Faver-Dykes Road St. Augustine, Florida 32086
Central Region (904) 794-0997


Florida Caverns State Park
3345 Caverns Road Marianna, Florida 32446
Northwest Region (850) 482-1228

Fort Clinch State Park
2601 Atlantic Ave Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034
Northeast Region (904) 277-7274

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park
4281 S.R.20 Niceville, FL, Florida 32578
Northwest Region (850) 833-9144

Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach
3100 S. Oceanshore Blvd Flagler Beach, Florida 32136
Central Region (386) 517-2086


Grayton Beach State Park
357 Main Park Road Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
Northwest Region (850) 267-8300


Henderson Beach State Park
17000 Emerald Coast Parkway Destin, Florida 32541
Northwest Region (850) 837-7550

Highlands Hammock State Park
5931 Hammock Road Sebring , Florida 33872
Southwest Region (863) 386-6094

Hillsborough River State Park
15402 US 301 N. Thonotosassa, Florida 33592
Southwest Region (813) 987-6771

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Mile Marker 102.5 Overseas Highway Key Largo, Florida 33037
Southeast Region (305) 451-1202

Jonathan Dickinson State Park
16450 S.E. Federal Highway Hobe Sound, Florida 33455
Southeast Region (772) 546-2771

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
33104 NW 192nd Ave. Okeechobee, Florida 34972
Central Region (863) 462-5360

Koreshan State Historic Site
3800 Corkscrew Road Estero, Florida 33928
Southwest Region (239) 992-0311

Lake Griffin State Park
3089 U.S. Highway 441-27 Fruitland Park, Florida 34731
Central Region(352) 360-6760

Lake Kissimmee State Park
14248 Camp Mack Rd.Lake Wales , Florida 33898
Central Region (863) 696-1112

Lake Louisa State Park
7305 U.S. Highway 27 Clermont, Florida 34714
Central Region (352) 394-3969

Lake Manatee State Park
20007 State Road 64 East Bradenton, Florida 34212
Southwest Region (941) 741-3028


Little Manatee River State Park
215 Lightfoot Rd.Wimauma, Florida 33598
Southwest Region (813) 671-5005

Little Talbot Island State Park
12157 Heckscher Drive Jacksonville, FL, Florida 32226
Northeast Region (904) 251-2320

Long Key State Park
67400 Overseas Hwy Long Key, Florida 33001
Southeast Region (305) 664-4815

Manatee Springs State Park
11650 NW 115 Street Chiefland, Florida 32626
Northeast Region (352) 493-6072


Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
6239 State Road 21 Keystone Heights, Florida 32656
Northeast Region (352) 473-4701

Myakka River State Park
13208 State Road 72 Sarasota, Florida 34241
Southwest Region (941) 361-6511


O'Leno State Park
410 SE O'Leno Park Road High Springs, Florida 32643
Northeast Region (386) 454-1853

Ochlockonee River State Park
429 State Park Road Sopchoppy, Florida 32358
Northwest Region (850) 962-2771

Oscar Scherer State Park
1843 South Tamiami TrailOsprey, Florida 34229
Southwest Region (941) 483-5956

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
100 Savannah BlvdMicanopy, Florida 32667
Northeast Region (352) 466-3397


Rainbow Springs State Park
19158 South West 81st Place Road Dunnellon, Florida 34432
Northeast Region (352) 465-8555

Sebastian Inlet State Park
9700 South Highway A.1.A. Melbourne Beach, Florida 32951
Central Region (321) 984-4852

Silver Springs State Park
1425 NE 58th Avenue Ocala, Florida 34470
Central Region (352) 236-7148

St. Andrews State Park
4607 State Park Lane Panama City Beach, Florida 32408
Northwest Region (850) 233-5140 x5141

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
11016 Lillian Saunders Drive/ US HWY 41 NorthWhite Springs, Florida 32096
Northeast Region (386) 397-4331

Suwannee River State Park
3631 201st Path Live Oak, Florida 32060
Northeast Region (386) 362-2746

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
8899 Cape San Blas Road Port St. Joe, Florida 32456
Northwest Region (850) 227-1327


Three Rivers State Park
7908 Three Rivers Park Road Sneads, Florida 32460
Northwest Region (850) 482-9006

Tomoka State Park
2099 North Beach Street Ormond Beach, Florida 32174
Central Region (386) 676-4050

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
7525 W. Scenic Highway 30A Santa Rosa Beach, Florida 32459
Northwest Region (850) 267-8330

Torreya State Park
2576 NW Torreya Park Rd. Bristol, Florida 32321
Northwest Region (850) 643-2674

Wekiwa Springs State Park
1800 Wekiwa Circle Apopka, Florida 32712
Central Region (407) 884-2009

Location: Saint James City, FL, USA

Popular posts from this blog

Massage Therapy for Lower Back Pain

Image
"Oh, my back still hurts," Jim groaned as he sat on the bed and bent over to pick up his shoe.

"Why don't you try a massage?" His wife asked. "My friend Carol swears massage is the only thing that can help her back pain."

Jim sighed as he tied his shoe. "I suppose I have tried everything else. The chiropractor says my back is fine, just the muscles are tight. My doctor gave me muscle relaxants, which I don't like to take, and our insurance only covered four physical therapy visits. Massage can't hurt my back any more than it already does, I guess."

Read more

Happy 46th Birthday to Me

Image
I am 46 years old today. I'm celebrating my birthday from my home now in Xai-Xai, Mozambique.

When I look back at my old birthday posts, it is always fascinating to see how things have changed year over year. For example, last year, I was celebrating my birthday during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana. The year before, I celebrated with my darling Olaf in Charleston, South Carolina. For my 43rd birthday, I was living in Key Largo, Florida.

Read more

Confusion and Clarity

Image
And just like that, my Peace Corps service is over. It is certainly not the way that I saw it ending, but here we are.

Covid 19 has forced us all to take a look at our lives and lifestyles. I will be forever grateful to the people of Mozambique for opening their lives to me and allowing me to be a part of it for this past year. There are so many things that I wanted to do, and now the time is over.

The last week has been a blur with travel. I had to take a chapa (something like a van that is used for public transportation in Mozambique) from my site in Xai-Xai to the capital city of Maputo. The next day, I flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. Next was Johannesburg to Dubai, then Dubai to New York. The final flight was to my home in Charleston, SC. With all of the time zones, I have no real idea of how many hours I was actually in transit.

Since being home, I have been in self-quarantine. I only leave the house to go on a daily walk/run for 5 miles (10km). I figure if I must be on lock…
Read more