West Coast of Florida

Arcadia, further east, is known as an antiques hot spot.

LOL that's news to me. I graduated from HS there and antique sales were just about unknown at the time. I've been back occasionally and the place is unrecognizable just about. One excellent activity there is canoeing on the Peace River from the Canoe Outpost. You can find lots of fossil sharks teeth when the water is low. I found a fossil gator tooth which aren't so common. The Myakka SP in between Sarasota and Arcadia is one of the best in the Florida Park system with a skyway (I think the call it) which is a bridge in the tree tops. They have more gators there than you'll see almost anywhere else.

We snowbird in Crystal River, FL. Taking US19 south of I-10 you will drive on an accessible 4 lane through a lot of forest and a few small towns. US98 heading east to US19/Perry would follow the gulf on the south side of the panhandle.

There are some interesting stops off US19 as you head south. You may want to take SR24 west to Cedar Key. It's a small town on the water. I bought a t-shirt there a few years ago that said: Cedar Key - Old Florida. It has been said Cedar Key is what Key West was like many years ago. There are a few RV parks along SR24.

The Crystal River/Homosassa area is a great place to stay. There are several RV parks in the area. We spend 4 months at Rock Crusher Canyon RV Park. It's a nice park that gives you a state park feel with plenty of trees & shrubs between most sites. There's also a nice pool area. The area is known for lots of manatees and you can find places where you can rent kayaks and get close to them or even swim with them.

The two main rivers are the Crystal River that flows west from US19 at Kings Bayin downtown CR. The Homosassa River has a different personality and one we prefer. Take Halls River Road from US19 west and take the first main split to the left. It goes past the Ellie Shiller visitor center and worth a stop. The road goes west to an area called Old Homosassa. You go right to the river there where you'll find some interesting local eateries; The Freezer (great shrimp & clam chowder) and McCray's - The Shed. McCrays is right on the river where you can rent a pontoon, have a beer or two, and get something to eat. There are some RV parks out this way, but during certain times you run into no-seeums when closer to the water.

You can continue south and rather than take US19 down to Weeki Wachee and further south toward Tampa you can head east at US98. You can take that all the way to I-75 or you can take the toll road 598 south toward Tampa. If you got south toward Tampa on the toll road you can catch I-275 just south of the airport and head west to the ocean. It's not exactly RV friendly in the area near the ocean, but you can take the I-275 Skyway Bridge back to I-75 south of Tampa.

We originally travelled south along I-75 to Naples and then over toward Miami on US41. There are several RV parks and/or state parks where you can access the Gulf and several well known beaches along the way south. Venice is nice and not so crowded like Bradenton & Sarasota areas. Myakka State Park is nice with plenty of wildlife & birds. Riverside RV Resort east of I-75 about 4-5 miles is nice for a stay and where you can explore the area. Arcadia, further east, is known as an antiques hot spot.

For more to see, from Perry I'd take US-27 to HIgh Springs, then head south on US-27 to Williston, then reconnect with US-41 and go all the way south to Land O'Lakes and pick a direction from there. To go to the Keys, get over to US-27 SR-50 Brooksville to Clermont, then south on US-27.

You don't have to reconnect with 41. 27 and 41 run together from High Springs to Williston. But as I pointed out there are innumerable different routes, Florida is not short on North-South highways.

You can go US-98 to Perry; it's somewhat scenic between Port St. Joe and the Crawfordville turnoff. Then from Perry take US-19 south to US-98 past Homosassa and head to Brooksville, where you'll connect with US-41.

Once you get east of Crawfordville the actual coast is 20-25 miles away from the highway with county roads leading out to small communities. You'll be seeing 20 bazillion pine trees.

For more to see, from Perry I'd take US-27 to HIgh Springs, then head south on US-27 to Williston, then reconnect with US-41 and go all the way south to Land O'Lakes and pick a direction from there. To go to the Keys, get over to US-27 SR-50 Brooksville to Clermont, then south on US-27.

DO NOT go through the Tampa Bay area or, of course, the Orlando area.

We always try to follow routes that used to be the main route prior to Interstates. US 41 would be a good choice.

deejay41 wrote:
Great!
I will take a look at 41, since it goes all the way to Miami.

Is it a good safe road for a large class A motorhome?
Also, I want to go all the way into the keys, but would like to make some stops down the West coast , on the way down.
Any recommendations for rv parks.

All highways in Florida are pretty good, even the 3 numbered state roads for the most part are good two lane roadways. The state spends it's federal road taxes where it is supposed to, on the roads with no apparent corruption. US41 in particular is fine, a 2 or 4 lane roadway.
I'll suggest visiting White Springs near Jasper and the State Park there, Oleno SP near High Springs and maybe Ichnetucknee SP in the same area, Rainbow Springs SP near Dunellan, Myakka SP near Sarasota, Collier Seminole SP where 41 turns east across the Everglades and Shark River Unit of the Everglades NP in the center of that section.

As for RV parks for the most part we try to stay in State Parks which once again have won the best in country award. Most of their campgrounds have been converted to FHU over the last five or ten years and are generally big rig friendly. Some have twisty interior roads with lots of trees so look at campgroundreviews for a particular park. Ft Clinch near Jacksonville and Tomoka near Daytona fall in that group. And the only commercial cg we have stayed in, and they are few, are in the panhandle.

You most certainly want to avoid US19 anywhere close to the Tarpon Springs-New Ritchie area the traffic is awful.

I'd suggest honking your horn as you go thru Newberry since we live near there but we'll be off on our own trip hopefully. I have a personal story about the Tamiami Trail, when I was very young-a toddler, my Father was off in the Army in Korea and my mother and Aunt decided to drive down to Miami and rent a house down there (from NJ). My aunt was driving that dangerous, no railing section of the Tamiami Trail and fell asleep and just about ended up in the 30 foot deep canal. Apparently my mother woke up just in time to jerk the steering wheel away from the water.
They've made that section much safer now, OH yeah it runs thru the Seminole reservation and they do hand out tickets whenever possible.

I would go on 19 to Port Richie, then hop on 53 to get to 301. ( you avoid the huge traffic mess in the Clearwater area by doing that) Follow that until it merges with 41 near Ellenton. Then 41 takes you the rest of the way down the west coast and then heads east at Naples thru the everglades to Miami

I would go on 19 to Port Richie, then hop on 53 to get to 301. ( you avoid the huge traffic mess in the Clearwater area by doing that) Follow that until it merges with 41 near Ellenton. Then 41 takes you the rest of the way down the west coast and then heads east at Naples thru the everglades to Miami

For us we like those tiny towns with long stretches of natural scenery. Not sure what you prefer as being scenic.

Great!
I will take a look at 41, since it goes all the way to Miami.

Is it a good safe road for a large class A motorhome?
Also, I want to go all the way into the keys, but would like to make some stops down the West coast , on the way down.
Any recommendations for rv parks.