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Key West sunsets, no filter needed.
- Christina Tarvin
- Apr 29
- 5 min read
How many amazing places have you NOT visited in your home state? We both grew up in the South along the beautiful Gulf Coast of northwest Florida but had never traveled to the most southern tip of that state. It's the farthest south you can go and still be in the contiguous United States. This spring we made that happen by driving from the highest point in Alabama to Key West. You've always heard the waters and the sunsets in the Keys are amazing. You heard right.
This 2,222 mile trip -- with a few miles added for the purpose of meeting up with friends and family -- was quite an experience. From initial visits with family along the Panhandle to dry camping nights in the Ocala National Forest and a mosquito infested campsite in the Everglades, our Honey was set up perfectly to "rough it." Almost two weeks in Military Welfare and Recreation campgrounds, Manatee Cove on Patrick Space Force Base and aboard NAS Trumbo Point Annex, were the most "people-y" camping areas of our adventures . . . redeemed by their waterfront views, hot showers, and laundry facilities. The return trip home allowed us to visit a sweet friend in northwest Florida at her organic farm. We enjoyed her phenomenal homecooked southern meal and brought home veggies to plant. Check her out at Aliff Acres to place an order or get on her CSA delivery list if you happen to be a local. Our final family visit was in the Wiregrass area of southern Alabama at the home of Blue Bear Flutes. If you love the soothing sounds of Native American music and might even want a flute of your own, be sure to check out Chris' brother and sister-in-law's YouTube channel for recorded music, instructional videos and even learn how to build your own flute.
Every camping adventure of this trip was super low-cost. Because Bureau of Land Management lands are essentially non-existent in the southeastern U.S., finding campsites in national forests is a great alternative. The three national forests in Florida are Osceola, Ocala, and Apalachicola and, combined, they cover almost 1.2 million acres. It's pretty easy to find a campsite through the U.S. Recreation website. As a matter of fact, we've camped in national forests in several states. It's a simple process, inexpensive (at least for primitive camping) and offers discounts for miliary veterans, Access card holders, and more.
The Ocala National Forest is huge. We were able to grab dry campsites on our way south and also on our trip back home at the last minute. While we didn't stay multiple nights each time and actually got in after dark and departed before sunrise one time -- Fred even had to unlock the gate for us to get in and out -- we can report that this forest is an incredible place. We will return for longer stays!
Slide right to enjoy the Ocala National Forest from afar.
Our one night in the Everglades National Park was quite an experience . . . mosquitoes are a real challenge there. Even with our favorite natural insect repellent in hand. As you peruse our trip photos be sure to take note of the reservation cancellation announcement (more like a warning) from that national park.
Our time at Manatee Cove was relaxing and peaceful, although we were surrounded by RV's which is not our typical camping setup. Our campsite was situated directly on the shore so mornings began for us by watching dolphins play and feed in the Banana River. This is just a short jump from the Atlantic Ocean so we also enjoyed seeing Cormorants, Pelicans and American Oystercatchers. MWR campgrounds are known for neighborly conversations other former members of the U.S. military and might result in getting a few helpful travel tips. More perks for us included a bathhouse with showers, laundry facilities, and shopping at the NEX. And food. Local seafood restaurants were amazing on a couple outings we took. Our favorites were Squid Lips for lunch (our first taste of conch chowder) and the Fat Snook (the best scallops ever) for dinner on the same day!
Overall, our second camping experience on a Space Force military facility was very nice. Especially when you're camping in a MoonLander. A real moon lander.
What is Key West like? Incredible turquoise waters, amazing sunsets, and sunrises, too. What else? Iguanas along the shore, chickens everywhere (and they're protected), locals who were not always local, visitors and camping lovers who return year after year, interesting international employees at many shops and restaurants, very little public beach access (nothing like our Pensacola Beach home), and delicious seafood.
We camped a full seven days at NAS Trumbo Point Annex. Some days we relaxed at the campsite and other days we drove to Duval Street to look for a parking spot and do the tourist shuffle. Keep in mind that leaving our campsite always means taking much of it with us, i.e., Honey. Campers are usually awesome folks so leaving a few things at the site such as chairs, cook stove, our Slumberjack Roadhouse Tarp (held tight when we're at the campsite with amazing Seasucker vacuum-mount) and the Berkey isn't a concern.
The campground was at a point on the shore where Navy Seals train and lots of boats traversed all day long so it was noisier than we are accustomed to either when dispersed camping or at home in the forest. Benefits though were meeting super nice veterans, gorgeous sunrises without leaving our bed and hot showers.
Sharing photos from the drive down the Overseas Highway -- 113 miles and 42 bridges and averages two hours to traverse. We apologize in advance for any hunger pangs that result from foodie pics!
A few final words and photos from this trip. We encourage you to make the most of the journey. There are always people to meet, places to see, and food to enjoy enroute to your destination. We were blessed this trip to break bread with friends who hike with us when they come to Alabama. They treated us to lunch at an amazing Cuban restaurant called Little Havana in Coral Springs. We also visited quirky little coffee shops and various eating establishments along the way. And we enjoyed brunch at three First Watch restaurants -- Pensacola, Foley, and Melbourne -- always delicious and fresh-made foods. A search on the Seed Oil Scout app found a dive in Islamarada called M.E.A.T. Eatery and Taproom where we were served two incredible burgers, onion rings, and french fries that were cooked in beef tallow. All really great as you would expect from a Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives winner. Here are the last few photos. Oh, and they include a glass bottom boat ride in Silver Springs which was a long-overdue visit as we hadn't been there since each of us were children.
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