Summers in Florida

Catching up on Summer 2020 because it's been a crazy year!  But, this trip to Florida meant exploring new parks and beautiful beaches; kayaking clear water, watching manatees, eating good food, and finding the best coffee houses.  I always value my time there as I have grown to love the Sunshine State! It has definitely become another home for me and I am always eager to return.  

The trip started out with lunch at Lilly's on the Lake, a fun place with good food and lake views.  I am always up for fish tacos!  The next day my Mom and I explored Deland, the cutest dang town!  We started with coffee at Trilogy Coffee, where the barista used her skills to make a Pirate on top of my latte! We walked around downtown before heading the Kelly Park to take in the beautiful, crystal clear springs. 

Rock Springs/Kelly Park was breathtaking!  Because swimming in the Springs was not allowed due to Covid, we had the entire park to ourselves.  We explored the springs, took in the Florida sounds, and hiked the paved trails around the park.  It was worth the trade off of not swimming to be able to experience this without all of the normal crowds.  Tomorrow, Kayaking! 

Let's talk about kayaking at Lake Chaz.  The Chassahowitzka River is about 5 miles long and is completely spring fed; and it is gorgeous! It is home to hundreds of species of birds and the infamous West Indian Manatee.  The very first spring on our list was Seven Sisters Spring, and it's must see.  Of course, swimming is allowed at this magical place.  Up next was Baird Creek, a tributary that ends with a spring known as The Crack.  Tip* you must walk the last section to reach the Crack, but it's easy to do ... be sure to watch for gators :) Worth it in my opinion!  We ended the day with lunch at Crumps, a fun waterfront Tiki bar! 

I couldn't go to Florida without taking a dip in the ocean! Today we checked out two incredible white sand, crystal-clear water beaches; Honeymoon Island State Park and Caladesi Island (only accessible by private boat or ferry).  We spent some time on Honeymoon Island collecting seashells before heading to the ever secluded Caladesi Island where we took in the sun and incredible views.  Our day ended with lunch at Pearlys Beach Eats in Dunedin!

More info here: Honeymoon Island State Park

Last but not least, we visited the Second Largest Oak Tree in the state of Florida; it's estimated to be between 300-500 years old and was first discovered in 1811. It is located at Lake Griffith State Park! 

Until next time Florida! 🌴

Shona

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Kings Bluff and Pedestal Rocks

If you are looking for trail that will give you views for miles, this is it.  King Bluff and Pedestal Rock trails are both loop trails that connect so you can do both of them if you are up for 4.6 mile hike.  We only hiked Kings Bluff (about 2 miles) because we were on a waterfall search for this adventure.  Once we reached the bluff, you could hear the waterfall and even though it wasn't flowing much because of lack of rainfall, it was still a win-win for us.  The views here were gorgeous.  I'd rate this as a mild to moderate hike as there is some incline to the trails and rocky points to cross over.  Hiking tip: keep your dogs or children on a leash ... the bluffs and overlooks are very high and there isn't anything to keep you from falling over if you get to close.  I do like this as it keeps nature in it's natural state but it's a good reminder to always be careful when hiking in this type of environment.

As we continued the trail, we did come across many different pedestal rocks even though we didn't hike the actual Pedestal Rock Trail.  The formations of the rocks were incredible.  You could spot numerous caves along the way too ... which would be a good place to explore if you are into getting off-the-beaten-path.  One bonus for us on this trail: we were the only ones hiking at that time and it's dog friendly.

The trail-head of located right off Highway AR 16 just 6 miles East of Sand Gap.

Thanks for the view Arkansas!
Shona

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Oh Hi Arkansas, We are Back!

It's our favorite time of year .... camping season, and this time we headed back to Arkansas but had a weekend full of new adventures planned.  Since we booked last minute, the campgrounds were almost all full but we did find a tent spot at Steel Creek Campground.  Steel Creek is located on the Buffalo River under the towering Roark Bluff. Located just 3 miles west of Ponca along Highway 74, it's location gives you access to a number of easy day trips!

We arrived at dusk so we quickly set up camp and opted for a quick dinner before sitting around the fire enjoying the star-filled sky and listening to the sounds of nature.  [bonus; we shared the firewood we had grabbed along the roadside with a family next to us and the next thing you know, their kids were bringing us s'mores] ... how did they know we needed that?

We were up early Saturday morning for breakfast over the fire. Eggs with mushrooms, bacon, and toast with honey.  We loaded up White Lightening and set out for our full day of exploring.  After doing a bit of research before leaving, the first stop of the day would be Alum Cove Natural Bridge.  A short 1.2 mile loop hike along the river with one of the oldest natural bridges in this part of the country.  At 130 feet long, the view from beneath the bridge was beautiful ... not to mention the small little waterfall falling from above.  Perks; dogs are allowed and they have a nice little picnic area with fire rings if you want to park it there for a while.  Overall, I definitely recommend this hike!

Stay tuned for the next hike! 🥾

Shona

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