Even though we’ve been living in Florida for a few months already, we hadn’t had much of a chance to explore the state by campervan until Becky managed to snag us a couple of campsites in the Florida Keys. These highly coveted state run campsites sell out within seconds of their release date 11 months in advance, as budget accommodation in the Keys is unheard of. At only $36 a night with full facilities (plus a 50% discount for seniors over 65), this is one of the best bargains in the region and competition for the few available campsites is fierce with lots of strategy used to secure a reservation. Even during coronavirus lockdowns, the sites remained fully booked and we were happy to get reservations for both John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo and Curry Hammock State Park in Marathon. But before reaching the keys, we planned out a circular whirlwind tour to take in a bit of Tampa, Bradenton, Sarasota, Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, Sanibel Island, and Everglades National Park. Key West surprised us by living up to its considerable hype as we fell in love with the charm and attractiveness of this touristy destination. On our way back home, we stopped at Jonathan Dickinson State Park to camp for a few nights while we checked out Jupiter drift diving and Blue Heron Bridge which is considered one of the best shore dive destinations in the US. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was our last stop of the trip and we got to see baby green herons, Florida softshell turtles, alligators and herons. Not bad considering the best time to visit is between September to January and we were visiting during the off season! Camping in late April and early May was shockingly hot and humid and we wouldn’t attempt a repeat road trip without having full camping facilities as AC was definitely necessary at night. We are both keen to hit the road in Florida again during the fall/winter season as there should be more boondocking opportunities and there is still much of this lovely state that we want to explore.
Historic courthouse in DeLand
Wooden ”casitas” that Spanish entrepreneur Vicente Ybor had built to lure workers with interest free home ownership; Ybor
Entertainment complex in the heart of historic Ybor
Your voice, your choice sign in Ybor
Cigar bar in Ybor, Tampa's historic Latin quarter
Street mural; Ybor
The 1923 Ferlita Bakery houses the Ybor City state museum
Heritage streetcar linking downtown Tampa to historic Ybor
View of Tampa from the convention center
Gold star memorial; Tampa Riverwalk
The Tampa Bay Hotel was a 511 room resort that opened in 1891. Today it houses a museum and the University of Tampa
John F Kennedy statue on the campus of the University of Tampa
Mural painted at a bus station in Palmetto
Cute painted cottage at the Village of the Arts; Bradenton
Restored 1920s cottage; Village of the Arts
Mural spotted in Bradenton’s Village of the Arts
Painted cow; Bradenton
Colorful historic cottage; Bradenton
Painted fence; Village of the Arts
Painted mural on the side of a house; Village of the Arts
2 of over a hundred houses at the Village of the Arts; Bradenton
Lion mural at a cafe; Village of the Arts
Mural of two teenagers anxious to explore the world; downtown Bradenton
Statue at the Ringling Bayfront Garden
Robby hanging on a banyan tree; Ringling Garden
Pretty flower at the Mable Ringling Garden
The Ca' d'Zan was modeled on the Venetian palazzos of Venice; Sarasota
Ca' d'Zan was the winter home of circus owner John Ringling
Courtyard of the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art
Fish art; Sarasota
Becky next to giant flamingos at the Marietta Museum of Art & Whimsy; Sarasota
A mural by the artist MTO on the Sarasota Architectural Salvage building
Larger than life mural of Timucua Indians, Florida's earliest inhabitants
Street art; Sarasota
“Nobody’s Listening” - a sculpture by Jack Cartlidge; Sarasota City Hall
A mural dedicated to Sarasota's healthcare workers; Sarasota
Love mural; Sarasota
Sarasota street art
Robby in a giant clamshell; Sarasota
Bike decorated with a Cuban theme; Sarasota
Statues of St Armands Circle; Sarasota
“Be Kind” painted rock; Sarasota
26 foot tall “Unconditional Surrender” statue commemorating the end of WWII; Bayfront Park; Sarasota
Robby at the Olympic Wannabes Statue; Sarasota
Having dinner at Snook Haven, a riverside joint in Venice
Dirt road leading to Snook Haven; Venice
This massive 6,000 lb wooden sculpture named "Calostimucu" was carved from a monkey pod tree by artist Peter Wolf Toth; Punta Gorda
Lighthouse gas station; Punta Gorda
Zebra longwing - Florida's official state butterfly
Brown anole with a red throat fan
Fish mural in the funky, quaint little fishing village of Matlacha
Doggie mailbox; Matlacha
Talavera owl pots for sale; Matlacha
Colorful souvenir shack; Matlacha
Sample of art seen at Leoma Lovegrove's gallery and garden; Matlacha
Cute section of Lovegrove's garden; Matlacha
Colorful trailer; Matlacha
Robby in an oversized chair in Times Square; Fort Myers Beach
Colorful Fort Myers mural
Tikis at Shipwreck Motel; Fort Myers
Grinning tiki head holding two beer bottles at Yucatan Restaurant; Fort Myers
Fort Myers beach
Fort Myers beach pier - a popular place to watch sun set
Robby milking a cow; Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island's most popular beach for seashells - Bowman's Beach
Gopher tortoise; Bowman's Beach
Yield to Gopher Tortoises sign; J.N. “Ding” Darling Wildlife Refuge
Robby at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge; Sanibel Island
Dolphin mailbox; Sanibel Island
A female red eclectus parrot; Periwinkle Park
Green iguana; Sanibel Island
Black-crowned night-heron
Great egret and an alligator; Big Cyprus Park
Dragonfly on our van's antenna
Red-winged blackbird; Everglades National Park
Juvenile piping plover; Everglades
Florida softshell turtle; Florida Everglades
Shark Valley observation tower; Everglades
Great blue heron; Everglades
Wood stork; Everglades
The first of 3 state parks as you enter the keys. It only costs $36 a night to camp here and reservations must be made 11 months in advance
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park; Key Largo
Hogfish snapper; Grecian Rocks
Rainbow parrotfish; Grecian Rocks
Spiny tail iguana; Key Largo
Black racer; Key Largo
Crocodile warning sign; John Pennekamp State Park
30 foot tall Betsy the lobster at Rain Barrel
US dollars line the bar at Robbie's Marina; Islamorada
Pelicans trying to steal the fish meant for tarpons; Robbie's Marina
Bahia Honda State Park
The view as we drove down the keys
Mural at Leo's Campground; Key West
Becky biking to Key West from our campsite
Orchids; West Martello Tower
Manatee mailbox; Key West
Typical conch house in Key West (attributed to immigrants from the Bahamas)
The Southernmost House Hotel; Key West
Striking a pose at the Southernmost Point Buoy
Wyland's Whaling Wall; Key West
Pelican totem poles outside The Marker; Key West Bight Marina
Old truck covered in stickers at B.O.'s Fish Wagon; Key West
Robby at a Key West mural at Cuban Coffee Queen
Curly-tailed lizard; Key West
Tarpon; Key West Bight Marina
Key West Shipwreck Museum
Hammerhead shark on display outside the Key West Aquarium; Mallory Square
Robby at mile marker 0 of US Highway 1; Key West
Key West Lighthouse
A watering hole since 1890, the Green Parrot Bar is a popular stop in Key West
The Strand Theater on Duval Street; Key West
Enjoying beer and live music at Hog's Breath Saloon; Key West
Hog's breath saloon - no social distancing here!
This seafood restaurant is in an 1884 house with wraparound balconies; Key West
Key West license plate souvenir
The key deer is an endangered deer that lives only in the Florida Keys
Key deer sticking its tongue out at us; Big Pine Key
Dead tree at Spanish Harbor Key
Old Bahia Honda Bridge
View of US Highway 1 from the sea
Robby with a painted eel; Tilden's Scuba Center in Marathon
Becky poses next to a massive fish and coral; Marathon
Wyland's whaling wall in Marathon
Beach at Curry Hammock State Park
Robby strikes a pose on our hike around Curry Hammock State Park
Gopher tortoise; Curry Hammock State Park
Storm clouds move in; Curry Hammock State Park
Meeting the Jupiter Scuba Diving boat at Square Grouper Tiki Bar
Mermaid figurehead at Square Grouper Tiki Bar; Jupiter
Lobster; The Bluffs dive site
Nurse shark at the Bluffs
Lionfish
School of pompano
Smooth trunkfish
Spanish grunt
Squirrelfish
Green moray eel
Starfish; Blue Heron Bridge
Spotted moray; Blue Heron Bridge
Helping a baby freshwater turtle cross the road; Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Florida softshell turtle; Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Snowy egret; Merritt Island
Alligator; Merritt Island
Anhinga sunning its wings; Merritt Island
Baby green heron
Boat-tailed grackle
Little blue heron
A pair of common gallinule marsh birds; Merritt Island
