Wekiva Springs, Site #27 April 2011

This has to be my favorite non-full hookup State Parks.

You can reserve these spots at www.reserveamerica.com. It was very hard to get into, as they were doing construction, but one that we will be visiting again as soon as we can, as it was only an hour from home!! Can't be beat, as well as they have the springs for the beautiful Florida summers. We had to have had one of the best sites, close to the restrooms, and next to a super large field, that we had a family baseball game in. They also have a book share closet with kids and parent books and games to borrow and check out. The kids are excited to bring back some of our older already read books to share with other campers...

This park had it all, camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, walking, so plenty to do over the next few days!
We started out Saturday with a trip to the Springs, which also had a Springs Festival going on! Some of the participants were the Sanford Zoo who had a live gator and snake to pet. The Orange County Water Conservation group where the kids learned first hand how water conservation worked. They got a shower water timer to save water, rulers and pencils for school, as well as maps of all the springs in Florida to visit and camp at, and lots of other neat groups to learn from. Then they got to swim! Which kid doesn't want to do that, oh yeah, that would be my 5 year old, who is scared of the natural springs. I enjoyed a little snuggling time, but he got to be heavy in the water, so we got to hang out on the shore catching some sun, while the others snorkeled and explored the amazing spring. (Which by the way is really cold ~ year round!) It was so beautiful, and clean, and not mossy bottom like some of them that we frequent, so mom was very happy!!!

We got to go on a bike ride around the park, a great long 3 mile hike the same day!

We even went to get a special treat ~ Sundaes at McDonalds (which my cell phone showed close) but sent us 20 miles away :)) The next morning, the boys went fishing and gator sighting while Janie and Owen joined me on a bike ride, which we caught a ride back with the boys, as the bike ride was too "hilly" for those two to make it all the way back!

 

This visit ended too quickly, as there was alot to do in such a beautiful park. We thoroughly enjoyed this trip and was in a great location in the Orlando area, and allowed each of the kids lots of the favorite things to do. The only problem we had was on the way out, everyone was leaving at the same time. We had drove separately so I took 1/2 of the crew home while he had to wait with the camper at the one and only dump station, which was almost a 30 minute delay. We will definitely go back and recommend to other family campers!

Elite Resort at Salt Springs, 2/27/2011

So it has been a while since we have blogged and I have three park reviews to catch up with before our next trip in a few days!  This adventure was a while ago, back in February. A park that we typically wouldn't have gone to as it was private. But trying to get into a State Park during Snow Bird Season wasn't likely, so very few choices... So we picked one across the street from one of our favorite ones... Elite Resort at Salt Springs
http://www.eliteresorts.com/saltsprings/index.html.  It was a full hook up park, with about 400 sites...
The first adventure for the journey was that we had to U-turn on the main road, with a travel travel attached to the vehicle, as the signage was not very visible and we missed it. Then we go to check in at the office, and it was closet... at 5:15pm. So we went to the front gate and paid the entry fee to get our assigned site, which we quickly found. Once we get settled in, we head for a bike ride around the massive campground. So big, that it took a little bit of time to actually find it on the return trip :) But the kids found the pool, which they were ready to head to first thing in the morning. We get to roast a few marshmallows before bed, which was a nice evening treat... (yes that is a boat that close to our site) as there is no extra rooms like state parks give you...

Mom heads out in the morning for a nice walk/jog to start the weekend, while the boys try their hand on the lake for some fishing from shore.
Once we get back together, we walk to the shopping center at the front of the park Yes they have a shopping center with a realty company, laundromat, travel agency and a restaurant... They also were hosting they were having a farmers market / garage sale /craft fair of some sort... And my kids if they have any money in their pockets, have to spend it before it burns that hole.. Well all but one, who hoards every penny that she earns :) We got some boiled peanuts to snack on at the pool, a book for one of them and little cars for one of the boys, who shared with the other 2 :)

Next stop is the heated pool, they have two, but only one opened right now. There were a few families there, not many, as the park is full of snow birds and permanent residents, which we quickly figured out.

The lady in site #328 didn't like the fact that children were there and yelled at the children to move out of the family pool area. As our kids are so rude and obnoxious (especially when their parents are there to watch them).
We figured it was about time to head back for lunch, and on our walk back, we ran into one of the ladies that I work with and her hubby who live there on the weekends, and then commute back to Deland for the week. It was a treat to bump into them and visit for a bit.

 We had a nice quiet evening and a bike ride. I came back to start dinner with a few of them, while the boys headed out for a longer bike ride with Dad, and were chased down on the river bank by the security guard, who apparently doesn't like children to come to the park. Enough at that point, and they came back to the camper to vent about the mean security guard. My poor co-worked also stopped by around this time, just to say hello, and got to hear all about the very non-child friendly staff members at the park that she resides in :)  What is funny about this whole thing is that I specifically asked when I called to book if children were welcome and if it was family friendly and was assured many times that it was!!

Our last morning we got up to spend some time on the beach, while the kids built aqua ducts and just played in the water. Oh well, you live and learn, we got to spend a fun weekend together as a family that was pretty close to home. The gas prices keep going up, so we are going to be finding close parks in the near futures....

The most expensive bushel of apples ever (Atlanta trip in one day) Oct 30-31, 2010

So Friday morning hubby called me with my wake up call and since we didn't have plans that weekend (it was supposed to be our first quiet weekend for months) we should take a little drive as we had said we wanted to let the kids see the leaves change... We seriously can't stay at the house and do nothing (ever!). We had 2 extra kids spending the night Friday night after the fall festival at Glencoe Baptist, and we had already promised the parent of one, as she had made plans, so we were still on. But they had to pick up their children at 7am Saturday morning :) They loved that one. We packed up the little car and headed North for a road trip to Atlanta in a Nissan Versa with a broken AC. How fun!!!

Since my parents were visiting my sister anyway, we would stay at the same hotel in Kennessaw to get some family time with my sister, brother in law and my precious niece. We got up there at 3pm, checked in and immediately headed to the mountains (an hour away) to go to a U-Pick apple orchard my sister had heard about. They closed at 5:30, so we had to book it! It was a blast.

They had all sorts of activities for the kids at the orchard/park. Pig racing, non electric go carts, a Hay ride, slides, tractors to climb on, lots of fun for kids that had been in a car for 9 hours that day!! We ended up with a half a bushel of apples for a discount price of $12.00 (plus gas, hotel, meals on the road $250) for a total of $262 for a 1/2 bushel of the freshest apples ever!!! After breakfast, and a quick visit with my sister, we hit the road, so we could be home by 7pm to start the week ahead of us activities..... Plus get in a little trick or treating...

Anastasia State Park, St Augustine, FL 11/5-11/7/10, site 53

Absolutely beautiful state park on the Ocean. We got here after dark, so that was challenge #1, but hubby did a great job backing into the pitch black, heavily wooded, branch lined site

 :) It was about 50 degrees outside, while I tried helping steer him in the right direction, with the flashlight on my EVO phone, but was pretty much not so helpful... 

Got up in the morning to check in, as the office was closed Friday night, and too a drive around the 120 site park. It is set up very nicely and is very quiet, wooded, and nature trail filled. We got on the bikes and ventured through one of the trails. This took us to the back entrance of the St. Augustine Amphitheatre, while the kids got a lesson on how it was designed and how no microphones were needed. They put this to the test :) As did my 5th child :)

We strolled through the farmers marked, which was at the amphitheatre.

In the afternoon, we took a drive to downtown St. Augustine, to look at the fort and walked around the shops to end up with Kilwin's icecream!!! Highlight of the day :)

Another highlight was the kids enjoying rolling down the hill :)

There was some sort of pirate event in town, as there were costumed actors coming up and down the bridge while we waited for the drawbridge.  It was movie night Saturday night as again it was downright cold for Florida. We had hot cocoa by the fire, while they watched Huck Finn, and then called a night as we had a busy day ahead. After a ride to the beach (how awesome is camping on the ocean), we strolled to collect sea shells.

The commute on the way home, was challenge number #2 as the wind was over 40 miles an hour, while hubby navigated to not go off the road with a 34 foot trailer tailing behind the Armada. Another great camping adventure :) Worth the wait of the campsite for nearly 3 months!!! I would book it again. http://www.reserveamerica.com/

Turkey Lake Park, Orlando, FL October 1-3, Site 11

Must do park for families. This is Hubby's now all time favorite park due to the amazing fishing lake and super cheap boat rentals. He had a nice Morning out on Saturday from 7-11am for a $20 boat rental charge. Mom caught up on a book my sister lent me (Steven Curtis Chapman's wife's) while the kids played all morning at the awesome playground!

 This was a must go to park if you have an adventurous bone. Great full hook up sites and a cozy little park, where the kids rode their bikes for hours!

And they have a pool, to combat the Florida heat... This park had it all. It was in the center of Orlando, but it was a little piece of solitude hiding away. Did I mention that they also had a petting zoo!

This park had it all, and will definitely be a go back to park once we finish our goal to see all the Florida state parks.

Rock Springs, Kelly Park Apopka FL 9/24-9/25/10 Site 11

Black Bear in our campsite. Really, I am not kidding.

The boys were back at the springs tubing, and Janie and I rode our bikes back to the site to get a few things, and low and behold there was a black bear that everyone was filming playing with the yard toys in our fenced in area. How cool is that! This site was amazing and we will definitely come back.

Only mention is that the water for the hookup was on the wrong side, so we woke up Saturday morning to a puddle in our room. But my awesome Mr Fixit, had it dry and working before breakfast!!!!!To find a link to the site: Kelly Park Reservations - You have to call!

Lake in the Forest, Oklawaha (Ocala), FL Site 39 ~ 9/03/10-9/06/10

This was our first 3 Night ~ Holiday Camping Trip. We got there Friday night after they closed at 5:30, but the owner stayed late for our arrival, around 7:30pm. Great family owned and managed campground. We settled in fairly quickly, for a really unleveled site. It was a challenge to assist with directing Neil on pulling through and backing up and so forth and so on, onto itty bitty wood planks to "level" the site. The wood pieces were a bit too thin for my liking, or for the trailer's desire as they would not stay put on these pieces, but he prevailed, as always... and did the best he could to level out the camper for the next few nights. It is always a bit tense, while the kids have got to sit tight until we get set up, but then they were off. They went out in teams to explore, but in site of parents while we I got dinner ready. After a quick dinner and setting up the chairs and mat outside, we got to relax for a bit before we started the bedtime camping routine :) But before that, we went on a family bike ride. It was tough, as Owen had on his training wheels which don't mix well with the soft sand. We brought all the bikes for the first time (carting them in the camper) and took full advantage of our new mobility. We found a few trails, especially the one that leads to the dock.

Morning started early, as the boys were anxious to get a chance on the dirt trails on their bikes. . While I was working on the inside cooking, Neil was out cooking on the outside griddle, all while helping my youngest get his training wheels off(as I was unaware). When I came out to call them all to breakfast ~ he was officially was a true bike rider (amazing quick learner, all of 20 minutes) We had been trying this for about 6 months, so this was a HUGE accomplishment. Once he learned ~ he was off all weekend, trying to jump trails with his older brothers!!

Our daughter got to head to the rec room for the first of the scheduled crafts ~ a glass picture frame ~ that she got to create and design! This campground was cool for this, as they had fun crafts lined up all weekend for the kids, which there were alot of at the campground. After she was done, we headed to the pool for a few hours of relaxation and a little sun before the sprinkles started. Saturday night, our little singer loved the fact that they had a band there and 8000 songs to choose from for Karaoke. If anyone knows her, knows she loves the spotlight. She was one of the first to sign up, and did so 6 times. She sang Miley Cyrus, Hannah, Carrie Underwood, and was disapointed that they didn't have any Zradio artists (Christian Contemporary) She did an awesome job, and loved getting to watch the videos that we got of her singing. The youngest got to go up on stage on the last song :)  

The next day, more swiming, bike riding, exploring, fishing, gator watching but most of all llama and goat walking. Yes they had a small petting zoo to feed, walk, and pet the animals :)

I told you they were kid friendly...

REVIEW: Nice family friends campground, with 40 sites and 8 or so cabins. Lake front access with canoe/kayak rentals, heated pool, full hook ups, kids activities, rec hall, and lots of room to play. The kids loved the group campfire along with karaoke and dancing Saturday night and the chance to meet lots of other kids!!! The site that we had was the only pull through that they had (or could tell) but it was very unlevel. Great and complete shade and pretty much on it's own. Some of the other sites were fairly close to one another, but all sites looked pretty nice. Will come back to same site with the leveling blocks next time!