Big Kahunas Water Park

A Family Adventure in Destin, Florida - Read the rest of the story

For their 7th birthday, Mother Goose (Rebecca's Mom) gave the twins passes to Big Kahunas water park in Destin. We don't do this type of thing (ie expensive) very often, but we like to do one or two special adventures on our annual vacation to the Florida Panhandle, especially on occasions like birthdays.

We arrived at Big Kahunas water park midday, and the parking lot was already pretty full. We were worried about a crowd at first because there was a line at the gate. Our worries were soon quelled. We never had to wait for any of the attractions for more than just a few minutes.

After stashing dry clothes and valuables in a couple of lockers, we headed for the water. The rest of the day is a blur. We went from slide to slide, and took breaks in the lazy river. A little thunder storm blew in mid afternoon, so we took cover in the food court area. Not to worry, if you don't like the weather in Florida, hang around for a while, it'll change. If it doesn't, Big Kahunas will give you a rain check. Fortunately for us, the rain passed quickly, and we were back in the water.

The Lazy River

The Richardson Tribe played hard at Big Kahunas, and we got our money's worth. From there, we went to one of the many Alvin's Islands and bought hermit crabs for all the kids before heading back to the beach house in Seagrove. What an awesome day, and what a great birthday gift for the twins.

Click here for lots of pictures and more details about Big Kahuna Water Park.

The Redneck Riviera

Beaches of South Walton

Disclaimer - Let me make it clear, I am likely risking the scorn of fellow Southerners for sharing this information with such indiscretion. Many of our friends from the northern states are not privy to the region we affectionately call the "Redneck Riviera," a place where you can still enjoy a peaceful beach sunset with no one but loved ones by your side. A place that knows no crowds. A place with emerald green waters, fine snow-white sands, and daily magical sunsets. Regretfully, I feel obliged to introduce this tropical paradise to all our friends, regardless their latitude relative to the Mason Dixon line. So, my Southern brothers and sisters, please forgive me. I mean well.

Walton County spans the Florida panhandle from the Alabama line to the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico. You'll see no high-rise condos in Walton County. There is an ordinance that restricts such construction. The beaches of Walton County are stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of nearby Panama City Beach and Destin. But don't expect shacks. This portion of the Panhandle is very much up-scale, in a Panhandle sort of way.

Most visitors of Walton County stay in rental units and beach houses. The beaches are pristine and remarkably NOT crowded. Renting a beach house for a week isn't cheap, but a much better value for a large family than a hotel. Having a kitchen will save a fortune alone. The popular beaches long Scenic Route 30A are Rosemary Beach, Seagrove, Seaside (The Truman Show), Grayton Beach, Blue Mountain, Santa Rosa, and Dune Allen. The beach/golf resort town of San Destin defines the western-most part of Walton County.

An affordable alternative to hotels and beach houses is camping. On the West end of Scenic Route 30A is Topsail Hill Preserve, a beautiful state park with miles of unspoiled beach and giant blinding-white sand dunes. Camping at Topsail Hill is very affordable. It is, after all, a state park. One big bonus of this state park? FULL HOOKUPS!   Read the rest of the story.

Silver Springs, a Southern Tradition

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: December 2010

As a kid growing up in Georgia, my family vacationed just once a year for maybe three or four days, usually in Panama City or Fort Walton Beach, Florida (AKA: the Redneck Riviera). But I'll always remember that one Summer in the mid '70's that Mom and Dad took my best buddy and me on an awesome trip to Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp and several destinations in North Florida. Best I remember, we didn't do much exploring on that trip, but I remember visiting Silver Springs very well. So, 35 years later, I decided my kids needed to experience the same treat, and they did.

When we first arrived, I didn't recognize the park. It was beautiful, yes, but there is a lot more parking than before. Silver Springs had apparently expanded considerably, but it looked very nice. We approached the ticket office and inquired about admission. Now, as a Southerner with four kids, and being a little cheap (as many Southerners with four children are), I wasn't expecting to pay nearly $180.00 for my family to enter Silver Springs. It certainly wasn't that expensive when I was a kid. However, as the day passed, and the people were so great, and the animals were so unique, and the sights were so amazing, I began to consider cost vs benefit. I compared the cost of a nice dinner for six to a day's worth of entertainment and education, and decided it was probably money well spent. More...

For more pictures and details about Silver Springs, visit their  dedicated page.

Canoeing with the Manatee of Salt Springs

Adventure Journal - Entry Date: December 2010

Santa brought the Richardson Tribe canoes this year, so we decided a Southbound trip was in order. The goal was to seek warmer weather, but a sudden cold front moved in and threatened to dampen our spirits. Sorry Mother Nature, it takes a lot more than snow and frigid weather to deter the Richardson Tribe. We came prepared to make the most of the Ocala National Forest, and we feel like we succeeded.

Our first impression of the Salt Springs Recreation area was the "Run", a marina located on the small lake formed by the spring. We used the salt Springs Run marina for two days because of convenient parking, easy water access, a nice picnic area, and convenient restrooms.

The first day was our maiden voyage for the canoes, and Rebecca and the kids were a little nervous. On one hand, we were comforted by the fact that the water was a balmy 72 degrees, on the other hand, we were also aware that alligators love the warmth of the springs too. It didn't take long for everyone to become a little more at ease, and we started spotting the wildlife. The water is crystal clear, so we could see the fish swimming beneath us. We could occasionally see the manatee surfacing across the still water.

It wasn't long before we spotted some manatee very nearby. A young pup, probably 800+ lbs, was curious about a pontoon boat very near to us. I used my new waterproof Pentax camera to snap a shot or two. He then swam over to me, slowly raised his massive head out of the water, and just sat there looking at me. I confess*, I reached down and touched his head, and he slowly slipped back under. He seemed curious about a rope dangling from the rear of Rebecca's canoe. He surfaced and began nudging it with his nose causing the rear of the canoe to slowly rise up. Rebecca excitedly said "Row! Row Lee Thomas"! We saw the manatee several more times that day, but I was never able to get a better picture above or below the water.

After a full day of paddling, we moved our camp from the RV Park across the street to the campground at the Recreation Area. The sites are much larger, much more like camping in a state park. Sure, there's no cable, but who needs cable when there's a fire ring. For a change of pace, we visited St .Augustine the next day.

The second full day at the spring was our last day in the area, so we packed-up the camper, checked out of he campground and moved everything to the Marina. There were a lot more people there on this day (New Years Eve), but there is plenty of parking, so we had room for the RV, Jeep, and trailer.Once we had the canoes launched, we enjoyed another beautiful warm day searching for (and seeing) the manatee, fish, and innumerable birds that grace the lagoon. We paddled up into a little cove where large turtles were sunning themselves on logs. We were told that an alligator sometimes likes to sun himself on the shore there, but we never saw a single reptile the entire time we were there. There is a hawk that hangs-out at the marina, and we were able to watch it closely. Only the knowledge that I had to load and drive kept this from being a perfectly relaxing afternoon.

Around 3:30pm, we reluctantly loaded the canoes on the Jeep, then loaded the Jeep on the trailer for our journey North to Crooked River State Park near Saint Marys, Georgia. It was there that we would bring in the new year, just us, a family of six curious people in an RV we call Homer.

*Note- There are laws against "harassment" of manatees. These include swimming after (chasing), riding, poking, and feeding. The term "harass" is very subjective, and I'm sure some people would consider touching a manatee "harassment", even if the animal swims up to you and begs for attention. The rules posted at the marina say touching with one hand is acceptable, but not two. That would constitute "riding". Therefore, I think it must be ok to touch the head of a manatee that surfaces by your canoe. Between you and me, it was a very neat experience.