Florida Fun
Big Summer Adventures In Florida’s Citrus County
The Sunshine State is a well-known summer vacation destination, with many family-friendly places and activities to experience. This is especially true in Citrus County, which includes the communities of Crystal River and Homosassa.
These towns are located on the Gulf of Mexico along Florida’s Nature Coast. Within tens of thousands of acres of protected state parks, forests, and wildlife refuges, visitors can explore miles of trails to unlock a wild and wonderful world of natural, recreational, and archaeological treasures.
Hooked On Fishing And Scalloping
Citrus County also is home to some of the world’s most sought-after fishing destinations, including the Chassahowitzka, Halls, Crystal, and Homosassa rivers. Here, they lead the hunt for both freshwater and saltwater species.
Scalloping season (July 1 through September 24) brings visitors from far and wide for their share of fresh-caught bay scallops. Scalloping is a family-friendly underwater adventure that requires only a mask, snorkel, flippers, and scoop net. A saltwater fishing license is necessary unless scalloping with a charter captain, which is one reason hiring a local guide is highly recommended.
After a full day of fishing or scalloping, hungry visitors can enjoy their spoils courtesy of local chefs who are experts in creating flavorful dishes. Simply call ahead to a participating restaurant before bringing in your cleaned catch. They will do the rest, transforming your trophy into a memorable meal, complete with plenty of Southern-style fixin’s.
Hike, Bike, Or Paddle
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge offers exceptional hiking via the Chassahowitzka Salt Marsh Trails. In addition, Crystal River Preserve State Park features the Churchhouse Hammock Boardwalk, the Dixie Shores Trails, and the Lake Loop.
At 46 miles long, the Withlacoochee State Forest Trail runs through six distinct natural communities; the historic commu-nities of Inverness and Floral City; and other small towns and ranches.
For those who prefer a path on water, the Chassahowitzka River and the mangrove islands of the St. Martin’s Marsh Aquatic Preserve are a paddler’s paradise. It is a labyrinthine world of seven rivers, crystal-clear springs, open bays, and freshwater lakes that seem to go on forever.
Manatees, Mermaids, And More
Visit The Fish Bowl in Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to see these gentle herbivores and other marine life.
Consider visiting Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park — the main highlight is “The Fish Bowl,” an underwater observatory offering an amazing view of manatees and swirling schools of fish. Also unique to Citrus County is the newly opened Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquarium Encounter, where guests can interact with a variety of sea creatures in touch tanks and catch a daily mermaid show staged in the 15,000-gallon Caribbean Saltwater Aquarium.
On the county’s eastern side, visitors enjoy exploring the Market at The Depot in Inverness every first and third Saturday, bringing together more than 75 handpicked vendors with fresh and artisanal products.
For more information, visit discovercrystalriverfl.com or call (352) 794-5506.
Campground Spotlight
Silver Springs State Park, Silver Springs, Florida
Whether you’re visiting Ocala for its natural wonders or man-made attractions, Silver Springs State Park is a good spot to park your RV.
Silver Springs State Park, formerly known as Silver River State Park, is located near Ocala, Florida. Silver Springs is a historic attraction, famous for the natural springs that feed the Silver River and for glass-bottom boat tours, which have been providing visitors unique views of underwater life for more than 100 years. Visitors have many options for experiencing the beauty of this park. It sits on over 5,000 acres of land, so there is plenty of space to have fun. Just scratching the surface, visitors can embark on one of the iconic glass-bottom boat tours, view wildlife during kayak and canoe trips, hike on the 14 miles of mixed-use trails, and much more.
Silver Springs State Park also welcomes RVers. Its campground contains 59 sites within two loops and can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet long. Each site offers water and 50-amp electric. A dump station is located nearby for convenience, but some sites include sewer hookups. In addition, sites have a fire ring, a barbecue grill, and a picnic table. Well-behaved pets are welcome in the campground, picnic area, and on the hiking trails, but they must be on a leash at all times.
Looking for something to do close by? The Cracker Village is a showcase of 19th-century historic and replica structures that can be toured. You also can visit the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center to learn more about the natural history of north-central Florida.
Details
Silver Springs State Park
1425 N.E. 58th Ave.
Ocala, FL 34470
silversprings.com
(800) 326-3521
Travel Tip
Space Saver
I thought I’d share a tip that helped us gain extra space. Our kids enjoy bringing movies along on our long trips, and we had two bins of DVDs taking up an entire cabinet in the RV. We decided to put the DVDs into a CD binder so we could leave the cases at home. This allows us to bring a lot of movies while taking up very little space.
— Crystal Hammes, F508127
Libertyville, Iowa
Send us your travel tips!
If you have a suggestion for improving life on the road, we’d love to hear about it. Email it to editor@fmca.com or send to Family RVing, 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244. Please include photos or drawings. If your tip is chosen for publication, you’ll receive $35.
App File
On The Road
Planning your next trip? Here are a few apps that may help you pinpoint stops along the way, or even encourage you to go somewhere specific.
AroundMe: Looking for a gas station, ATM, or even a movie theater? AroundMe is a great way to search for nearby places and businesses by using your GPS location. Once you figure out where your next destination is, you can either use the app to direct you or transfer the result to Apple Maps, Google Maps, Navigon, TomTom, and others. Free for iOS and Android. www.aroundmeapp.com
iOverlander: Within its database of places for overlanders and travelers, iOverlander includes camping locations, restaurants, mechanics, water and propane filling stations, as well as other categories. In addition to finding places, you can add new ones, record your trip, and share places with friends. All features (excluding the map) are available offline. Free for iOS and Android. www.ioverlander.com
Just Ahead: Audio Travel Guides: By turning your phone into a GPS audio tour, Just Ahead narrates certain national park trips and explains various points of interest where you are. The app is hands free and doesn’t require phone service or Wi-Fi to use. Free for iOS. Each guide can be purchased individually, but you can also purchase a one-year pass to access all the guides. www.justahead.com