Southwest Getaways 2008 - (Page 13) southwest getaways walk the curve of the beach and see a treasure trove of rare sea shells – true tulips, lion’s paws and more. Reached by ferryboat from Pineland or by a very strenuous paddling trip from Pine Island, Cayo Costa is perfect for a family getaway-from-it-all, your own paradise with a view. Don Pedro Island State Park. Sand Footprint Savor sea breezes from the Gulf of Mexico during a walk along a wild beach. At the south end of Manasota Key, Stump Pass Beach State Park is popular with sunbathers, but you can find your own secluded spot. Duck the crowds by following the nature trail down the narrow peninsula, or walk the beach to your own quiet cove and watch dolphins play in the bay. Find true solitude at Don Pedro Island State Park, a park nestled offshore of the curves of Charlotte County’s coastline. Launch your kayak or watercraft from the land base at Cape Haze – a little-known treasure in itself, with two nature trail loops and a picnic area – and paddle to the dock of this open and breezy 230-acre park. Colorful grasslands and dunes topped with sea oats form the backdrop to an unspoiled beach. Ferryboats bring visitors Friday through Sunday; the rest of the week, it’s yours. At Gasparilla Island State Park on Boca Grande, sunning near aquamarine waters is one way to spend the day, but a visit isn’t complete without a step back in time. At the south tip of the island, the Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum illuminates the past, covering topics including the “rancho” fish farms tended by early Spanish settlers, phosphate barges and railway service to Boca Grande. It is on these shores that the legend of the pirate José Gaspar unfolds, complete with a kidnapped princess and buried treasure. Will it be yours to find? Walk in pirates’ footsteps along the windswept shores of Cayo Costa island, where Cayo Costa State Park offers an affordable oceanfront stay at its rustic cabins and campsites. Play Robinson Crusoe as you Take in a two-mile view across an unbelievably broad prairie of grasses and wildflowers waving in the breeze at Sarasota’s Myakka River State Park. Climb 74 feet up to the top of the Canopy Walk tower, and cross the swinging bridge 25 feet off the ground in the forest canopy among the live oaks. It’s just off Park Drive, down a short nature trail. Or get farther off the beaten path, don a backpack and hike up to 39 miles along the Myakka Hiking Trail in the backcountry. At Paynes Creek Historic State Park, a 1930s swinging bridge connects the sites of Fort Chokonikla and the Kennedy-Darling Trading Post, which sat on the northern border of the Seminole Reservation in 1849. An attack on the post prompted construction of the fort and set events in motion that led to the Third Seminole War. Miles of hiking trails wind through these shady forests along the creek and the Peace River in Bowling Green. Put on your hiking boots and explore the wild scrub of Oscar Scherer State Park. In 1872, Oscar Scherer invented a process to dye shoe leather; in 1955 his daughter bequeathed this park to the people of Florida in his name. Nearly 12 miles of trails meander by shady creeks and through pine flatwoods and scrub – Florida’s desert. The desert is the perfect home for the Florida scrub-jay. Bring your binoculars to spot these nearly foot-long (including tail) blue birds, which travel in family groups. On a mountain bike, you can explore the sandy trails. Or bring (or rent) a canoe and slip through the wilds on a paddle trip down South Creek. Stay longer and Save! Starting May 1, 2008 Call 239-463-5711 and ask for the VISIT FLORIDA® Stay Longer & Save Special. 6890 Estero Blvd. Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931 800-690-9350 | 239-463-5711 www.fortmyersbeachhi.com Reader Response 12 Reader Response 13 When you go Florida State Parks www.floridastateparks.org About Sandra Friend: An avid outdoors enthusiast, Sandra Friend is the author of numerous books on Florida hiking and travel. She is a member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association and the Society of American Travel Writers. Southwest Getaways 13 http://www.fortmyersbeachhi.com http://www.fortmyersbeachhi.com http://www.bayfrontinnnaples.com http://www.floridastateparks.org http://www.bayfrontinnnaples.com
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