Canadian March Break Ideas - Warm, lizards..... Ideas?

Thank you so much for providing the follow-up report! All too often it seems like one's tossing suggestions in a vacuum here, and it's certainly good to know what were good suggestions and what were just meh.

I'm glad you had a great time. It may have been cool in Florida, but it was much colder back here up in the North! I had rather forgotten (or perhaps repressed the memory), but Kennedy Space Center is indeed rather spendy to visit.

Just a follow up and a thanks to those who shared..

Trip went well and we are home now...

Mantee's was a hit with the kids. It was cooler then we had hoped but was still fun. we swam in a couple spots in Crystal River and saw about a dozen Manatee and got close and personal with a couple. Over all a great experience. Oh and we hit a restaurant called "The Freezer". I think it would be considered Crystal River.. Man oh man it was Amazing.. I would go back just for this!

Jetty park was dynamite. Kennedy Space center was amazing (but **** expensive). We got to see the SpaceX Launch while we were there. Also a hit.

The National Beach was great. So much wild life... Pigs, Gators, Turkeys, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Manatee's and much more.. It was another colllld day so we did not spend to much time on the beach.. Still a great day out there.. We did hit Dixie Crossroad on the way out and it was great as well...

We are tired with about 2900 miles logged.. Had a minor incident heading down. I missed a small cement block as I was trying to swing a tight corner in a parking lots. Ended up with a small dent and scratch on my bumper and blew out a front tire with a sidewall puncture. Bought a used one for $50 and got us back and running again. There is alignment issue to be addressed now as well.. But she made it home.. I planned on 4 new tires soon anyways and now I have a full size spare instead the 18" the f150 came with (Stock 20" on the truck).

Cheers all and thanks!

Mike - to clarify my National Seashore directions a little -

- Please download the PDF map on their website and look at it while reading what I've written below.

- After taking the I-95 exit, you will be on Hwy 406 going east. Go thru Titusville, and then over a drawbridge, then past a Coast Guard station on your left. Keep going and EVENTUALLY you will want to push right onto Hwy 402 (Not really a highway). This will take you to the Ranger station where you pay the fee. If in doubt, you want to go to Canaveral National Seashore and 'Playalinda Beach'. There are several parking lots. There should be signs.

This is all much simpler then it appears.

GoPackGo wrote:
You will also go by Dixie Crossroads restaurant - a Florida institution. If you go, get reservations or plan on a long wait.

Ok you already answered my question.. Sheesh your good....

I will add it to the list!

Thanks again!

Mike

Many many thanks for the detailed post! Its folks like you that make these public forums a great resource that we should all be very thankful for. Again thanks..

The only sites left at Jetty Part were the Water only service lots. No hydro/sewer. We don't have a generator but we are use to living days without it. So we should be fine. That said it might be the excuse I need to buy a new inverter gen. The site is right on the inlet to the port though. I am looking forward to sunrise sitting by the water and watching the boats.

I just spent some time exploring the visitportcanaveral site. Lots of ideas there. I will sit down with the family over the next few days for ideas.

The Canaveral National Seashore looks awesome. The kids will love it.

Cold water is ok. We are Canadian ;-) The kids do not feel the cold and I am just to dumb to get out of the water.. Thanks for the advise on the Rip Tides. I just read a couple pages and will review with the kids. They generally don't go to far in the water with out me so should be good.

Still digesting all the ideas. Again many thanks

Any thoughts on a good seafood place for one night dinner for me and the wife? Kiddies will likely have McDonalds ;-)

Cheers,

Mike

GoPackGo wrote:
Jetty Park is a great park.

There are some fun restaurants/bars real close in Port Canaveral. Fun to watch the big ships head out - especially the Disney ships, as they are really close.

Try going to visitportcanaveral.com/

Cocoa Beach is close and is a good one - don't forget to visit Ron-Jons (open 24 hours). And keep an eye out for Jeannie !

You are close to Canaveral National Seashore - an absolutely terrific place. The beaches are totally 'natural'. Not built up at all. There are parking lots and toilet facilities only - no water, no showers, no restaurants. Very popular with swimmers and fishermen. There can be sea turtle nests above the high water mark on the beaches, marked with poles and covered with wire mesh (raccoons). Big fines for disturbing them !


- There is an admission fee. Watch for gators as you drive down the long road to the beaches. I always drive slower then lots others as there is a lot to see if you slow down. If you see several stopped cars and everyone is out and looking at a particular spot - it's probably a gator.

www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm

The Atlantic will be pretty cool (COLD !) at that time of year, but your kids won't care. Water temp and tides info will be posted at the entrance Ranger shack.

If anyone will be getting in the water, please study up on Rip Tides and how to handle them. I'm sure there's lots of info if you do a Google search. Also be aware there can be jellyfish there - might take some vinegar with you.

Hope you have a great time.

Take I-95 exit 220 (Hwy 406) east and just stay on that road going straight. Eventually you will come to the Ranger shack/entrance. You will also go by Dixie Crossroads restaurant - a Florida institution. If you go, get reservations or plan on a long wait.

Jetty Park is a great park.

There are some fun restaurants/bars real close in Port Canaveral. Fun to watch the big ships head out - especially the Disney ships, as they are really close.

Try going to visitportcanaveral.com/

Cocoa Beach is close and is a good one - don't forget to visit Ron-Jons (open 24 hours). And keep an eye out for Jeannie !

You are close to Canaveral National Seashore - an absolutely terrific place. The beaches are totally 'natural'. Not built up at all. There are parking lots and toilet facilities only - no water, no showers, no restaurants. Very popular with swimmers and fishermen. There can be sea turtle nests above the high water mark on the beaches, marked with poles and covered with wire mesh (raccoons). Big fines for disturbing them !


- There is an admission fee. Watch for gators as you drive down the long road to the beaches. I always drive slower then lots others as there is a lot to see if you slow down. If you see several stopped cars and everyone is out and looking at a particular spot - it's probably a gator.

www.nps.gov/cana/index.htm

The Atlantic will be pretty cool (COLD !) at that time of year, but your kids won't care. Water temp and tides info will be posted at the entrance Ranger shack.

If anyone will be getting in the water, please study up on Rip Tides and how to handle them. I'm sure there's lots of info if you do a Google search. Also be aware there can be jellyfish there - might take some vinegar with you.

Hope you have a great time.

Take I-95 exit 220 (Hwy 406) east and just stay on that road going straight. Eventually you will come to the Ranger shack/entrance. You will also go by Dixie Crossroads restaurant - a Florida institution. If you go, get reservations or plan on a long wait.

Not sure who is reading but here goes...

Got a couple nights booked Crystal river area. No great camp grounds that I could find so I think we are in a bit of a redneck park. 2 nights should be fine. Park is called Nature Resort RV Park. While we are there we do an early morning Manatee swim and I think we will hop a nature cruise/swamp boat out in the gulf. Will leave some time open for swimming an playing.

From there we go to Jetty park over near Cape Canaveral. We spend 3 nights there. Nothing booked yet but planning on Space Center, ocean fishing and beach. If time allows we will head a couple hours south to the Loggerhead Turtle Center.

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Many thanks folks!

GoPackGo.. John Pennekamp looks awesome. Just found snorkeling with Manatee's and the kids love the idea though. I think this year we are going visit the Manatee's and maybe next year try and get the kids certified for diving and head to Pennekamp.



So tentatively Crystal river for a couple of days, then over to Kennedy for a couple of days then north again. Need to sort out the finer details but I think thats the general idea now..

Kennedy Space Center is WAY different (and better, imho) then the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.

Please keep in mind that Florida is a really looong state.

It's about 400 miles from the Georgia border on I-95 to the top of the Keys. I-75 is almost 500 miles long, partly because it also goes E/W over to Miami. And you're still short of the Keys.

The Keys highway is 100 miles long itself and traffic can move really slow, especially during Spring/Easter break. If you go there, try not to hit it on a Saturday or travel back north on a Sunday.

My suggestion would be to find a CG/RV Park somewhere up around Homestead/Florida City and use that as a base for Keys exploration. Florida City is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the upper Keys. Then go to my favorite Florida state park - John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and take one of their snorkel trips. The park is at the northern end of the Keys so would be quickly accesible. You can rent all needed snorkel gear, including wet suits, at the park. Just reserve EARLY and be on time (1 hour prior to departure) or you don't get to go ! Also, best to head into the park early in the day because they close it when they reach capacity. I have snorkeled there during the latter part of Feb and water temps were fine, although I was in a shorty wet suit. And . . I have seen Iguanas walking around that park. The little Geico lizards (brown or green) are all over Florida - more so during hotter weather.

If in the Florida City area, you are actually closer to John Pennekamp then if you were staying in the middle Keys for example, especially if you consider driving times.

You would also be right next door to Everglades National Park, which has more gators then you can count.

Don't forget rule #1 - You must pop in the Jimmy Buffett CD when you start down into the Keys.

*** Turtles - Visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. Google it.