Lake Toho on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes at the headwaters of the Florida Everglades is one Florida’s most pristine spots. And an airboat ride may just be the best way to see it. It’s like an amusement park ride, except that the gators, eagles and wild pigs you’ll see are all real. One bit of advice – bring your camera because without some pictures, you might not believe what you’ve seen. Browse the list of airboat operators »
Archive for the ‘Travel Tips’ Category
July’s Hidden Gem
Thursday, July 15th, 2010May’s Hidden Gem
Wednesday, May 5th, 2010Plant City, Florida
If you’d like to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the big name amusement parks, and visit a place reminiscent of what Florida was like before Disney, then Plant City is the perfect escape.
Named for railroad tycoon Henry Bradley Plant, the man who brought the railroad to central Florida in order to bring the region’s crops to market, Plant City is less than an hour west of Orlando. Ironically, Henry Plant never set foot in the town that bears his name.
Bonnie and I start our trip at the Whistle Stop, a lunchtime eatery that once housed a drug store on its first floor and hospital on its second. Famous around town for their coffee, the family business serves sandwiches, soups, and salads, with Marti dressed in an old conductor’s uniform, her husband Jerry and their son Jerry doing the serving. A true family affair, it’s Marti’s sister who handles the cooking back in the kitchen. The history of the town is depicted on a wonderful mural on the side of the building.
After lunch, Bonnie decided to check out one of the town’s 14 Antiques and Collectibles shops while I took a walk through its old neighborhoods. My tour took me past a number of historical homes and the Railroad Depot Museum.
After an afternoon of walking and shopping, we headed over to the Parkesdale Farm, the largest family-owned strawberry and citrus farm in the state. They claim to be world-famous for their strawberry shortcake and they certainly deserve to be. They serve it nine different ways while you sit at a table amid a tropical garden of lush flowers and foliage. If you like, you can even have your picture taken as the strawberry king and queen, seated upon your strawberry throne.
There’s always something going on in Plant City that lends to its small town charm: a Bike Festival the first Saturday of every month; an Antique Street Fair the second Saturday of every month from October through March; and on the third Saturday of each month, the Strawberry Classic Car Show. It’s all topped off with the annual Florida Strawberry Festival (flstrawberryfestival.com) held in late February and early March. One of Florida’s most popular festivals, it has rides, food – particularly foods with strawberries – and top name entertainers every night.
To learn more about Plant City and all that’s going on there, check out these sites:
www.plantcity.org
www.parkesdale.com
www.flstrawberryfestival.com
Just Can’t Wait To Get On the Road Again
Monday, May 3rd, 2010Whether you’re on your way to Tropical Palms to start your vacation or on your way home, everybody seems to have their own program for how they make the trip. Some of you just can’t wait to get here and start enjoying life at Tropical so the only stops you make along the road are to eat and get a little rest. Others make the trip part of their vacation and take in sights along the way. To us, both methods of travel have their merits.
For Bonnie and Joe Rossi, being on the road is a chance to explore the country between their home in Niles, Ohio and Tropical. They own a Sandcastle home here and take their time on drive down. They’ve made some interesting discoveries along the way. One is Jekyll Island, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. It has a campground for those traveling by RV, but it also has one of the south’s best resorts, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s lots of golf there, but even if you don’t play or stay, it’s worth a visit.
Another Rossi discovery is a barbeque joint in Charlotte, NC. called Bubba’s Barbeque. Bubba’s uses hickory wood to slow cook the choicest grade of pork for over 10 hours. You can check them out online and get a look at the menu, get a lesson in how they go about preparing their very special barbeque and even order ahead, so you don’t lose anytime getting to Tropical.
Peter Janes and his wife Susan also have a barbeque place that they claim has the best pulled pork sandwiches you can find anywhere. It’s at the Tamarack rest stop in off I-77 in West Virginia, which also has a number of gift shops filled with indigenous crafts that the Janes say make Tamarack worth a visit. For them, it a stop along the road less traveled they take to get to Tropical, preferring to take in a bit of nature’s beauty on their trip. They take I-77 from their Cleveland home and cut across I-26E to Columbia, SC. and drive through the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.
“In the fall the trees have turned all different colors and on our way home in the spring everything’s in bloom, Peter tells us. “We avoid the big cities and all the traffic hassles and get to spend some time enjoying the beautiful scenery.”
It’s also a road the Janes’ dog Parker enjoys. “If anyone’s dog needs some advice for the trip,” Says Peter, “Parker can recommend all the best trees along the way.”
Shirley and Ed Gervais of New Haven, Vermont want to get out of the cold and down to Florida. “We leave Vermont at about 3:00 AM,” Ed says, “and stop at a diner just off 88 in Oneonta, NY for breakfast. Good bacon and eggs.”
Then it’s back on the road until they reach the Candy Hill campground in Winchester, VA, where the Gervais’ stay overnight before pushing on to Florida. The next day they’re off, stopping to spend time with friends in Jacksonville and Ormond Beach before finally coming to Tropical Palms for the winter season.
Yvonne and Don Gagnon share the Gervais’ philosophy of get on the road, get out of the cold and get to Tropical as quickly as possible. They do the 1600-mile, 2500-kilometer, trip from their home on North Bay in Northern Ontario in just three days. “We’re in a 40-foot motor home and pulling a car, so we like the convenience of campgrounds with lots of space that make in and out easy,” Don explains.
The Gagnons, who own the Voyager Inn in North Bay, stop at campgrounds near Niagara, NY, Summerville, VA and finally at the Flamingo Campground in Jacksonville, FL, which is conveniently located near big box stores where they can stock up on supplies before heading to Tropical, where the couple spends nearly six months, with Don periodically returning, by air, to Canada to look after their business interests.
Wherever they go, wherever they wander, all four couples agree on one thing. There’s no place like Tropical Palms.
Whether you’re on your way to Tropical Palms to start your vacation, or on your way home, everybody seems to have their own program for how they make the trip. Some of you just can’t wait to get here and start enjoying life at Tropical so the only stops you make along the road are to eat and get a little rest. Others make the trip part of their vacation and take in sights along the way. To us, both methods of travel have their merits.
For Bonnie and Joe Rossi, being on the road is a chance to explore the country between their home in Niles, Ohio, and Tropical. They own a Sandcastle home here and take their time on the drive down. They’ve made some interesting discoveries along the way. One is Jekyll Island, a barrier island off the coast of Georgia. It has a campground for those traveling by RV, but it also has one of the south’s best resorts, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There’s lots of golf there, but even if you don’t play or stay, it’s worth a visit.
Another Rossi discovery is a barbeque joint in Charlotte, NC, called Bubba’s Barbeque. Bubba’s uses hickory wood to slow cook the choicest grade of pork for over 10 hours. You can check them out online and get a look at the menu, get a lesson in how they go about preparing their very special barbeque and even order ahead, so you don’t lose anytime getting to Tropical.
Peter Janes and his wife Susan also have a barbeque place that they claim has the best pulled pork sandwiches you can find anywhere. It’s at the Tamarack rest stop in off I-77 (exit 45) in West Virginia, which also has a number of gift shops filled with indigenous crafts that the Janes say make Tamarack worth a visit. For them, it is a stop along the road less traveled they take to get to Tropical Palms, preferring to take in a bit of nature’s beauty on their trip. They take I-77 from their Cleveland home and cut across I-26E to Columbia, SC. and drive through the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.
“In the fall the trees have turned all different colors and on our way home in the spring everything’s in bloom,” Peter tells us. “We avoid the big cities and all the traffic hassles and get to spend some time enjoying the beautiful scenery.”
It’s also a road the Janes’ dog Parker enjoys. “If anyone’s dog needs some advice for the trip,” Says Peter, “Parker can recommend all the best trees along the way.”
Shirley and Ed Gervais of New Haven, Vermont, want to get out of the cold and down to Florida. “We leave Vermont at about 3:00 AM,” Ed says, “and stop at a diner just off 88 in Oneonta, NY, for breakfast. Good bacon and eggs.”
Then it’s back on the road until they reach the Candy Hill campground in Winchester, VA, where the Gervais’ stay overnight before pushing on to Florida. The next day they’re off, stopping to spend time with friends in Jacksonville and Ormond Beach before finally coming to Tropical Palms for the winter season.
Yvonne and Don Gagnon share the Gervais’ philosophy of get on the road, get out of the cold and get to Tropical as quickly as possible. They do the 1600-mile, 2500-kilometer, trip from their home on North Bay in Northern Ontario in just three days. “We’re in a 40-foot motor home and pulling a car, so we like the convenience of campgrounds with lots of space that make in and out easy,” Don explains.
The Gagnons, who own the Voyager Inn in North Bay, stop at campgrounds near Niagara, NY, Summerville, VA, and finally at the Flamingo Campground in Jacksonville, FL, which is conveniently located near big box stores where they can stock up on supplies before heading to Tropical Palms, where the couple spends nearly six months, with Don periodically returning, by air, to Canada to look after their business interests.
Wherever they go, wherever they wander, all four couples agree on one thing: There’s no place like Tropical Palms.
A Great Place for Pet Care
Thursday, February 4th, 2010Did you know that nearly 60% of RVers travel with a pet, usually a dog? But what do you do if something happens to your best friend and he or she needs medical attention? Our recommendation:
Celebration Veterinary Hospital
49 Blake Blvd.
Celebration, FL 34747
407-566-8292
www.celebrationvet.com
We know from experience that the vets at Celebration Veterinary are going to provide loving, state-of-the-art care. We hope you never need them, but if you do they’re there for you and your pet.
February’s Hidden Gem
Thursday, February 4th, 2010The next time you’re at Disney World’s Epcot Center and drink from a water fountain, you might just get an earful as well as a mouthful. That’s because there are 3 water fountains that talk back. We won’t tell you where they are – the fun is in finding them. Oh yeah, be sure to look and listen for the talking trashcan.
We’ll let you know next month where these Hidden Gems at Epcot can be found.
Get details about a Disney World visit at disneyworld.disney.go.com
January’s Hidden Gem
Thursday, January 7th, 2010Vacation Highlights off the Beaten Path
Every so often, everyone likes to get off by themselves or with a few friends to enjoy some quiet time. Here’s a suggestion that’s definitely off the beaten path – Wekiwa National Park. Located at the headwaters of the Wekiwa River, it’s a glimpse into what Central Florida looked like when the Timucuan Indians lived on these lands hundreds of years ago. Spectacular scenery, so if you’re looking for great spot to go kayaking and canoeing, check it out.
Learn more on the Florida State Parks website »
Protecting Yourself in the Sun
Wednesday, June 10th, 2009Sunblock vs. Sunscreen
Just about everyone knows the dangers of spending too much time in the sun and the importance of using either Sunblock or Sunscreen for protection.
But because most people use the terms interchangeably, they don’t know that there’s a big difference between the two products and that they offer very different levels of protection. Knowing the differences can be critical to your wellbeing, especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun.
These days, Sunscreens are more popular because they absorb the UV rays that allow you to tan. Available in inconspicuous creams, lotions and gels, they have a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) rating; the higher the SPF rating, the better the protection the product provides.
It’s important to know that Sunscreen, because it interacts chemically with the skin, needs be applied about 20 minutes before you go outside so it has time to work. And because it won’t keep you from burning, you need to reapply it frequently if you’re outdoors for an extended period of time.
Sunblocks, as their name suggests, reflect harmful UV rays instead of absorbing them like sunscreen. And, unlike sunscreens, sun blocks don’t have SPF ratings because they protect the body from ALL UV rays. At one time Sunblocks could be spotted by their opaque white film, the funny looking white gunk you sometimes see people put on their noses, but new technology has created Sunblocks with particles so tiny, that the opaque film is no longer noticeable.
Okay, here’s where it gets tricky. Some sunscreens with SPF numbers of 15 or higher are erroneously refereed to as Sunblocks. If you want a Sunblock, don’t buy a package with a SPF number because a true Sunblock won’t need it.
