Florida State Parks

Driving the back roads of Florida can certainly open ones eyes to how beautifully diverse and large our state truly is. Participating in a family rv vacation is a great way to see it all firsthand. This past summer our family spent ten days on the road with four state parks as our destinations; all of which we loved better than the first.

Getting ready to roll out of the driveway and head to Gainesville for Sachel’s Pizza to celebrate mom’s 33rd birthday!

Falling Waters was our first destination.  Surrounded by sprawling estate homes, this park offered up Florida’s highest elevation and hills!  The weather was cooler than in our hometown of Vero Beach and finding all the hidden bird cutouts in the trees made our drive to our site extra fun. The waterfall itself was a destination that brought tremendous satisfaction after the long, winding stroll on new wooden walkways. Our family stood in awe at the bottom platform admiring the tallest point in Florida, taking in its history and prestige. Though it wasn’t a campsite we’d stay at for more than a day or two; it was worth the visit.

The waterfall was beautiful!

From Falling Waters, we headed west into the Panhandle to explore Big Lagoon State Park. Since it sits on the Alabama border, we ventured into Fairhope; a charming town in lower Alabama, for a quick lunch at Panini Pete’s which did not disappoint, and then checked into Big Lagoon right on time at 3pm.

If Guy Fieri says to try it; we listen.

Big Lagoon offered two large lagoons to admire and fish in. The park was full of trails, impressive marshes and up close wild life.  Dense with trees and grasses, this park also offered views of the Gulf of Mexico and a bike rental kiosk; biking here was so much fun!  With an aspiring pilot in the family,  going to the Naval Aviation Museum was a must. It was really cool to see the love Pensacola has for their Blue Angels and the museum was full of great memorabilia, simulators and movies. If playing the License Plate game, walking through this parking lot was like hitting the jackpot! Folks had driven from all over including Washington State, California, and Connecticut all to pay tribute and learn a little something more about the amazing military and history our nation has.

The Big Lagoon, on the outskirts of Pensacola, was a natural tribute to Florida’s marsh land.

The Blue Angels are so iconic and we got to see these beauties up close!

Taking in the waters of the Emerald Coast was next. St. Andrew’s State Park was huge!  Located south of Panama City, right on the Gulf, this two loop piece of waterfront paradise offers golf kart rentals and even a ferry trip to Shell Island. Though it rained, the water remained warm and inviting with petite deer roaming throughout the journey to the fishing pier and beach. The beach, blanketed with soft white; perfect for frolicking and playing Frisbee in.  Best part, it simply shook off after we broke down our beach site; amazing!

What a view!

Without intention, we truly did save the best for last. St. Joseph’s Peninsula State Park was a park we are already talking about coming back to.  Equipped with cabins and access to the water of the St. Joseph Bay and the Gulf of Mexico; it was absolutely incredible to watch the sunset from our site. Even with tremendous rain storms, this park showed beauty; making every moment of sunshine something to soak up! Just a quick bike ride away, the beach offered up great shore fishing spots and swimming area. Bring your boogies boards folks; it’s a great way to play in the water for hours on end.

Then ride over to the bay, snorkel and walk along the sand bar for up close views of marine life and more.  Without a doubt, this is a park perfect for families to spend several days at because it offered so many unique experiences and conveniences, like the little General Store and rental shacks, all in one.

Sand dunes and a short bridge, is all that separated our site from the Gulf.

Stunning views of the sunset!

All good things must come to an end. Ten days on the back roads of Florida’s Panhandle and northern areas was full of fun, sun and pit stops. As a self-proclaimed ambassador for our great state, this road trip adventure caused me to fall in love with Florida even more knowing there is still lots to explore.