Category Archives: Hiking

Florida State Park Free Admission Giveaway

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, Camping, Family, Give Aways, Hiking, Historical, State, Statewide .
Florifa start park free admission

12 Weeks of Summer Giveaways

12_Weeks_FL_State_Parks_Logo

It’s no big secret that we LOVE Florida State Parks! Many of our trips have taken us off the beaten path and straight into some awesome family memories. Our friends at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection Agency are helping us celebrate our 12 Weeks of Summer campaign by helping 12 families experience the awesomeness that is the Florida Park Service!

Every Tuesday from June 7th to August 23rd, we’ll be doing drawings for a FREE day pass to any Florida State park! Generally speaking, these passes are good for a single vehicle, up to 8 people at most parks. There are few exceptions such as Weeki Wachee  Springs and Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs, where the passes will grant admission for two people. Admission to the Skyway Fishing Pier isn’t included in the promotion.

So what is there to do at Florida State Parks? All sorts of stuff! Camping, fishing, hiking, picnics and much more! Throughout the 12 weeks of summer we’ll be making a few recommendations. For starters, if you haven’t already downloaded it, you’ll want to checkout the official Florida State Parks Pocket Ranger App. This free app will give you all the information you need right at your fingertips! If you aren’t near your smart phone, you can checkout their site: http://www.floridastateparks.org/

Ready to win entry to a Florida State Park?

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Devils Millhopper Geological State Park

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Alachua, Browse By City, Browse By County, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, Family, Gainesville, Hiking, Historical, State .
Devils Millhopper

Devils MillhopperOK so let me start off with an explanation about the location of our latest adventure. The Devils Millhopper  Geological State Park sounds much more ominous and creepy than it really is. It has nothing to do with horror movies, the occult, or anything else that may send your imagination into over drive. So what is Devils Millhopper? It’s a small state park that celebrates a geological phenomenon from the 1800’s!

In a nutshell, the Devils Millhopper is an ancient sinkhole that has attracted visitors for years! When the family and I were in the Gainesville area, we decided to check out this rather interesting state park. I’m not big into geology or anything, but I’m from the North where we have mountains and elevation changes. Here in Florida we don’t have that, so the other option is to go down!

After paying a small fee to enter the Devils Millhopper Geological State Park, the Mrs. strapped in our littlest and I grabbed my back pack ready for quite an adventure. I had read that there were 236 steps down to the bottom of this sinkhole and was prepared for some really strenuous activity. I packed a few bottles of water as well as my radio so my oldest and I could keep in touch with the Mrs. while we were on our vertical hike. She didn’t dare take our newest addition up and down all those stairs!

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Farm and Forest Festival

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Alachua, Annual Events, Browse By City, Browse By County, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, City, Family, Gainesville, Hiking, Historical .
farm and forest festival

farm and forest festivalIn late April, the family and I had the opportunity to head on over to Gainesville for the Farm and Forest Festival! Hosted by the Morningside Nature Center, we can honestly say this was a very unique experience. We were a bit concerned at first, as when we went to park the car, we could only see one small portion of the event, but it turns out there was quite a bit to do and see.

So before I go into what was available at the Farm and Forest Festival, let me tell you a little bit about where it was hosted. The Morningside Nature Center is operated and primarily funded by the City of Gainesville. We have been to a handful of nature centers, but must admit that this one is one of the largest, and most diverse we have been to. In addition to a great outdoor meeting place, the Morningside Nature center also features a living history farm, section on Native American culture, as well as over 6 miles of walking trails. Various programs are offered throughout the week and once a month history comes alive at the Living History Days where actors portray turn of the century farm residents and workers.

On a very gloomy April morning we trekked over to the Farm and Forest Festival. The weather was sprinkling all morning, but the event still went on. When we arrived, we eagerly paid the admission of $5 per adult, as our little guy was still free. There was ample parking when we pulled in, but we were expecting something different from what we experienced. Not that it’s a bad thing by any means, but just different. Most of the festivals we go to have lots of vendors, food trucks, and other visitors. This was a much more serene environment. Continue reading →

Enjoying The Florida Outdoors As A Family

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Browse By Price, Family, FREE, Hiking, Statewide .
The Real Florida Passport

We are very fortunate to live in the State of Florida simply because it has so much to offer. Florida is an endless adventure of learning and exploring. I love raising our kids here due to the numerous activities and events that take place not only in our immediate area but all across the state.

Nature Walks. Our family enjoys being outdoors and going to local parks. This is a low cost activity to do as a family. Kids love to discover new things while hiking on nature trails and as a parent it is fun to educate them on the different types of trees, insects, animals, etc. that we encounter while on these hikes. Pack a picnic lunch and give your kids time to talk about what they saw while on their new adventures. It’s fun and sometimes comical to hear about your experiences from a child’s perspective.

Things to Know Before You Go

  • Apply sunscreen 15 minutes prior to sun exposure. Also, reapply often. Even on a cloudy day you can get sunburned.
  • Bug spray. The heat and humidity of Florida is a breeding ground for Mosquitos and No-see-ums. Remember to use DEET FREE bug spray for kids.
  • Wear comfy walking shoes.
  • Bring along a bottle of water to stay hydrated during your hike.

The Real Florida PassportThe Real Florida Passport. For a small fee you can order this book which is actually a passport for Florida State Parks. When visiting the parks in this book, you can get your “passport” stamped.  The kids will enjoy collecting these stamps.  You can find passport books at most ranger stations, park entrances or by mail.  Please note that not all of the parks give out stamps. If you have a smart phone you can download the Florida State Parks Guide App.

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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on by Posted in $ Inexpensive, Brevard, Browse By County, Browse By Park Type, Browse By Price, Family, FREE, Hiking, National .
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Merritt Island National Wildlife RefugeLast weekend the family and I packed up for a true wilderness adventure! We had a nice day and a great ride down to the Merritt Island National Wildlife refuge! The last time the little guy and I headed out to the Brevard area, I was scoping out a scoping out some local hiking trails and stumbled upon this natural wonder right in our own backyard. Growing up in Florida, I always knew that the Kennedy Space Center was right in the middle of Canaveral National Seashore, but I wasn’t aware that a huge portion of the natural land around the space center is actually considered Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, under the jurisdiction of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has lots to offer a frugal Florida family! While we were in the area, there were two main attractions within the refuge that I really wanted to check out. I had read on the US Fish and WIldlife Service website that there was a wildlife drive that was available for visitors to actually drive through. It sounded a bit like a drive through safari so it was the main destination of the day. Known as the Black Point Wildlife Drive, this twisting, winding, one way dirt road was a perfect start to our adventure. This is a well maintained dirt path, with multiple places to pull over and observe the local wildlife. The best times to go are early morning around sunrise or a few hours before sunset. We saw tons of birds, but little else on the wildlife drive. Granted we were there in the middle of the day, but it was still cool to check out. The admission is $5 per car and it’s handled on the honor system with a pay-station at the entrance. You can also pay your entry fee at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Welcome Center as well.

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