State #32 Florida Stop 1 of ?

Ok, since we are in the camper we are moving at a snail’s pace compared to the first leg of this journey when we were in hotels. That being the case, Florida is going to be broken up by stops. Hopefully, that will keep the post from being really long. I know you get bored and skip to the pictures. I get it. I completely understand.

The Sunshine State lived up to its name. It’s the week of Thanksgiving and it’s sunny and in the 70s. Beautiful day.

St. Augustine lays claim to being the oldest city in the United States. You can feel the Spanish architectural flair here. Well, except along the beach. That just feels like a beach.

We are staying at North Beach Camp Resort. it’s right across the road from the beach and the tree lined drive is quaint. There’s a lot of campers here but luckily they have trees and shrubs around the campsite so it feels cozier than you’d think. There’s a restaurant and a fishing pier, along with a pool.

We are in Site 87 but if we come back site 85 has a lot more room. This pelican let me get really close.

After setting up camp and having lunch, the boys were ready to hit the beach. Go figure! The boys had a blast just playing in the sand and water, which I was told was a little chilly. I would have no idea about that as I sat my happy little tail down in my camping chair on the beach and there I remained.

But what’s the old saying? It’s all fun and games until someone gets stung by a jellyfish? Well, I know that’s quite the saying but it turned out to be reality for little Tucker. Bless his heart. It got him three times on the foot. Poor thing. I felt so bad for him. Grandparents – no need to worry; no need to make an emergency trip down to check on him. He’s just fine. Nothing a little Tylenol, hydrocortisone cream, vinegar, rest, and a lot of attention couldn’t cure.

It’s Thanksgiving and this is my oven.

Just so you know what you’re looking at in the picture above. The top half is my oven empty. I keep a stone pan in there because a lot of stuff I read said that RV ovens don’t cook even and putting a stone in the bottom helps to more evenly distribute the heat. Below the stone is the mounted metal piece that the burner is connected to. I’m not sure what all that space below the gas burner is for. Maybe someone can enlighten me. To give a little more perspective, the bottom half of the picture is what my oven looks like with a regular size muffin pan in it. Yep, it’s almost touching the top. ALL that to simply say, a turkey was not in any way fashionably possible going to fit.

So off to Cracker Barrel we went. We were expecting people to be at home with their families because that’s where we usually are but to our dismay we happened upon an hour and a half wait!! Holy Smokes! I have never seen that kind of line at Cracker Barrel. I guess everyone vacationing needed some turkey and dressing too. As thankful as we were for the food, we all felt a little let down. It just wasn’t as good as our home cooked Thanksgiving.

After lunch we took in a movie and made the fastest grocery run we could make at Walmart. We were trying to get in and out before Black Friday…but on a Thursday…started. They had multiple sheriff’s deputies around the store ready for the crazy to start.

St. Augustine is known for its Nights of Lights. With over three million lights, National Geographic named it one of the ten best light displays in the world back in 2011 and 2012. I guess other places decided to bring their A-games since then. After seeing other light displays like at Dollywood and Magical Nights of Lights in Gainesville, it was a little underwhelming. Granted it was very pretty and a nice place to walk around; very pedestrian friendly. If you’re in town it’s definitely worth a stroll downtown.

Of course, if there’s a sign, Mason’s reading it. Fun and educational. As a momma, I can’t complain.

We opted to be outside on Black Friday. So after school, we hit the shuffleboard court and then the pool. We’re really enjoying this campground. Look at Tuck’s shuffleboard game face. Man, it is on like a chicken bone!

Again, I don’t know why my kids go without shirts when we’re home. I’ve learned to just roll with it. I don’t want to jinx it but I think Trev is starting to warm up to camper life. Very luke warm but that’s a long way from ice cold. 🙂 He’s not one for going to a campsite and hanging out at the site but you add exploring and actual travel to it and it’s the start of something. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Well, it’s our last day in St. Augustine. Our first stop of the day was to Castillo de San Marcos. Seems like we visit forts everywhere we go doesn’t it? They all have their own unique feel to them. And of course, there are Jr Ranger Badges to be earned.

After a morning spent learning and exploring, we headed over to Anastasia State Park for a picnic and some more beach time. The beaches in St. Augustine are very shelly. I don’t think shelly is a word but I think it fits. It’s not like the sandy beaches of Myrtle Beach, the pebbled Northwest Pacific, or the white powder of the Caribbean (which are my favorite). All the crushed shells add an orange color to the beach. The waves are strong today. The boys love it for their “bodysurfing” they like to do but it sure does bet the fool out of you.

Next, we head to Florida stop number two, where we can “build” some memories.