Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
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    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

November 18, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

How To Experience Florida Like a Local

For many of us seasoned travelers, experiencing a destination as much like a local as possible is the ultimate aim. While visitors can never truly feel what it’s like to live somewhere, they can make an effort to see any destination through the eyes of the local people. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the US is Florida. While it’s strongly associated with theme parks, there’s a lot more to explore outside of the large parks too. If you want to experience Florida like a local, there are many places to see and things to do.

Pick One City

View of downtown Tampa across the Bay

Florida is 160 miles wide and 500 miles long, which means there are plenty of different places to visit around the state. It can be tempting to try and squeeze in as many destinations as possible, especially when you’re on a long-haul trip. However, this will mean you don’t really have time to take everything in. It can often be better to pick one place to stay and spend your time really getting to know it. If you want to see anything else, there’s still the option of taking day trips. Pick a town or city that looks right for you, whether it’s Miami, St. Augustine, or Tampa. If you’re having a hard time picking just one city, consider a region like the Nature coast where you can swim with manatees in crystal clear waters.

Choose the Right Accommodation

Two photos: One shows an Arctic Fox 5th wheel with its awning out, parked on grass. Blue sky and deep blue water in the background. The second photo shows a beautiful orange sunset over the water with palm trees in the foreground.

The first thing you can do if you want to experience Florida like a local is to choose the right accommodation. One option is to travel by recreational vehicle (RV) as we’ve often done. This gives you a wide range of affordable state parks, as well as high-end RV resorts. Here’s a list of our favorite campgrounds in Florida.

Other options for extended stays are rental homes. You can find great deals at Ocean Florida for villas, which provide more amenities like kitchens. You won’t feel like you’re isolated from the real world and you can even cook for yourself too.

Ask for Local Recommendations

Who can help you to experience Florida like a local better than the locals? Asking local people for recommendations can help you to find the best places to eat, drink, or have fun. There are several ways to do this and discover the best places to go. One option is to ask the concierge at your hotel if you decide to stay in one. They can offer advice on where to go and what to do. Alternatively, consider looking online (we like TripAdvisor) for the best tips. You can ask on online forums or look for websites recommending local attractions, events, and businesses.

Try Local Food

Enjoying local food and drink is often the best way to experience somewhere new like a local. Florida has some great food scenes in various places, from delicious Cuban food to beautiful seafood. Whether you’re trying a Cuban sandwich or tucking into a slice of key lime pie, you can explore the state through your taste buds. You can discover some great breweries in places like Tampa too, and you can also discover some wineries that produce great wines. Get recommendations for the best places to go from local people if you want to make sure you eat and drink the right things.

Attend Local Events

Local events can be one of the best ways to get to know somewhere new. It gives you a chance to see a destination at its best, often with the local community coming together. If you’re looking for fun events in Florida, you can find amazing options all year. There are events celebrating all kinds of things, from food and drink to music and history. We love the annual pirate invasion of Gasparilla in Tampa each January! Anywhere you visit in Florida is likely to have something happening, but what exactly is available will depend on the time of year.

Go to the Islands

Florida has some great cities and towns, but sometimes you want to get away from it all. Florida’s islands are a great place to get some peace and enjoy the slower pace of life that many local people experience. Some of the top-rated Florida islands include Anna Maria Island, Honeymoon Island State Park, and Sanibel Island. The islands can offer opportunities to spend hours on the beach, go kayaking, fish, and much more.

Get to Know the History

Your average Floridian might not know a huge amount of local history, but they may know more than you. Getting to know the history of the state is a way to get closer to the culture of Florida and how it has become what it is today. Visiting museums is a good way to explore the state’s rich history, and there are some great ones to choose from. You might like to visit the Museum of the Everglades, the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, or the Kennedy Space Center.

The options to experience Florida like a local really are unlimited. Choose what works best for your interests and you are bound to have a wonderful time!

Filed Under: Destinations, Florida, USA Tagged With: Florida, florida like a local, florida travel, how to travel to florida

March 22, 2018 by Julie 4 Comments

Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast

Experience these five fabulous Florida freshwater springs! Each is located within a state park and combine the charm of historic Florida attractions with the most beautiful crystal clear springs in the state. These spectacular springs offer an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Where Does The Water Come From?

A spring is a natural opening in the ground where water flows directly from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. The source of this fresh water is from seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground, which is referred to as groundwater. Springs form when groundwater is under pressure and flows up through an opening called a spring vent, supplying flow to a river or other water body. A spring can occur individually or as a group of many springs. Click here to learn more about the springs and how to protect them.

Activities at the Springs

The crystal clear water of these fabulous freshwater springs provides the perfect backdrop for swimming, paddling, and boating. But there’s more! All five are located in Florida State Parks so there are also plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, geocaching, and even camping. Click each location below to learn more.

Located along the meandering Suwannee River, Fanning Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling. A popular place to see West Indian manatees every day of the year, Homosassa Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling. Florida's fourth largest spring, Rainbow Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.Silver Springs State Park combines the charm of a historic Florida attraction with the crystal clear beauty of one of the last uninhabited spring runs in the state. Silver Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Weeki Wachee is an enchanted spring where you can see live mermaids, take a trip on a river boat cruise, learn about Florida wildlife, and swim in the pristine waters at Buccaneer Bay. You can also embark on a paddling adventure down the pristine waterway of the Weeki Wachee River. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is one of Florida’s most legendary and unique family destinations, entertaining audiences since 1947.

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Experience these five fabulous Florida freshwater springs! Each is located within a state park and combine the charm of historic Florida attractions with the most beautiful crystal clear springs in the state. These spectacular springs offer an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Filed Under: Florida Tagged With: best springs in florida, explore florida, fanning spring, fanning springs state park, Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast, florida nature, Florida Springs, Florida State Parks, florida travel, florida vacation, freshwater, freshwater springs in Florida, gems of the nature coast, natural springs, nature coast (location), rainbow springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, silver springs state park, state park, Weeki Wachee, Weeki Wachee springs

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