St. Andrews State Park – lagoon view

FLORIDA!!! So much to see and do in the Sunshine State! Most people think of Orlando and the theme parks. Yes, there is that…Yet some of the best Florida has to offer doesn’t require you scrimping and saving and cutting coupons for a year to enjoy. :)

Sea World in Orlando... yep... I could live there! ;)

Although, I must confess… I’d live at one if they offered a RV site inside a theme park! ;)

If you find yourself in the Panhandle, there are some of the most beautiful beaches in the state to enjoy. Most areas have Public Access beaches and some of the state parks have modest vehicle entry fees. St. Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach (photo above) is one of the most popular ones. St. Andrews borders the Gulf of Mexico and the Grand Lagoon. You can even take boat trips to Shell Island during the summer from there.

St. Marks Lighthouse at the St. Marks NWR.

There are lighthouses along the Gulf and Atlantic coast to visit. Many are free or have minimal fees to climb the lighthouses. If you do find yourself visiting one, make sure to wear the appropriate shoes! And if you have someone staying “down below” (hmm… would that be the correct nautical term? ;) ) have them hang on to your extra baggage (but not your camera!) as most lighthouse climbs (esp. in the summer Florida heat) will leave you huffing a little before you make it to the top. And if you plan on visiting several lighthouses, you may consider buying a lighthouse passport and having it stamped. Great souvenir and if you do get enough stamped… well… there is a surprise in store for you.

The photo above was taken at St. Marks NWR. This is a great one to visit and the surrounding area has you snapping away more photos than you thought possible. But watch out for the gators! ;)

And there is also…… oh boy, there is just too much to see and do… I don’t want to spoil it for you! So you’ll just have to visit Florida yourself! ;)

UPDATED: February 26, 2012

PLEASE NOTE: Additional photos of Florida can be found on the left sidebar of TMN’s  Home Page under the “Photos” link.