We had not planned to be in Florida so many months this year but it just kinda worked out that way.  Between escaping to the warmest place for Winter, visiting doctors and dentists for check-ups, moving into a new RV and our 34 day long cruise tour to Italy- we also needed some chill time.  So we extended our stay.

We have spent our entire adult lives in South Florrida and enjoy checking out the sights and adventures of Central Florida.  Here are some of our discoveries.

Barberville Pioneer Settlement is near Deland northest of Orlando.  It is a fine collection of buildings from bye gone days.  Presenters interpret the many crafts and activities that would have taken place.  They even teach pine needle basket weaving.  Our friends Diane and Joe met us there for a nice Winter day excursion.

Barberville school

Part of our stay was spent at Sandy Oaks RV Park in Beverly Hills.  This was an interesting park filled with seasonal residents from the North.  They have so many activities every week we could not do them all.  We did join a weekly kayaking group and paddled the Withlacoochee River to Dunnellon and a wilderness area called Hog Island.  We also biked the wonderful Withlacoochee State Trail, a nearly 60 mile Rails to Trails treasure.

14 kayaks on the Withlacoochee

11 kayaks at Hog Island

Our Thousand Trails membership has been real helpful in Florida.  We stayed at Three Flags (Wildwood), Orlando (Clermont) and Peace River (Wauchula).  We also utilized our new Trails Collection membership while staying at Bulow Plantation (Flagler Beach) and Crystal Isles (Crystal River).

Wildness at the Orlando RV Resort

Bulow Plantation State Park

Sugar Mill ruins

Vulture roost near Wauchula

Florida’s first theme park was Silver Springs.  Its now a State Park with the best campground and fantastic kayaking from the crystal clear spring down the Silver River.

Gorgeous Silver Springs

Anhinga posing

Visiting alligator

While staying at Orlando we visited Walt Disney World’s EPCOT park.  When we lived in So. Fla. and our kids were growing up we visited Disney frequently but this was our first visit in at least 15 years.  We went with our daughter and grandaughter and had a great time.  It was Epcot’s International Flower Festival.  It was also interesting that so much of the park was exactly as we remembered it.  Very little change.  We had a great day.

Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival

Our grand with Snow White

Our time in central Florida was a nice time to visit with friends and family.  We spent time with Mark and Lyn buying RVs together, Trish and Chris in Rockledge, Paul and Kaye from Maine and old friends Sam and Debi now of Beverly Hills.  Friends Rob and Terri drove up from Pine Island to meet us in Crystal River.  As well as meeting new friends Bob and Kathy who gave us many insights into our new motorhome.