Leesburg Bikefest

Everybody knows about Bikeweek and Biketoberfest in Daytona, but I have lived here for 15 plus years and never heard of Leesburg Bikefest.  My loss. 

Leesburg Bikefest is not a big and spread out as Bikeweek, but it does attract some 250,000 people and has some good entertainment.  In 2016 some of the highlights were Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws, Hypersona, and Bret Michaels, but there were over 50 bands playing over the weekend. 

There is also a lot of bike related contests with some very cool bikes to look at and some more not-family friendly 'hot body' type contests involving human bodies rather than bike bodies. 

There are a lot of vendor stands set up all around the town square and the town shops, including a lot of antique stores, are open during the event.

The nice thing about this bike show is that everything is compact and walkable.  You can go from band to band, venue to venue within about a three block area. 

Since the event takes place at the end of April it is likely the weather will be dry and not intolerably hot.  It is definitely worth walking around and enjoying the festival if you have an interest in motorcycles or classic/southern rock music.

Website:  http://www.leesburgbikefest.com/

Green Springs Park and Gemini Springs (Enterprise, FL)

Green Spring

What a cool place this is!  The park is small with various short hiking paths.  The paths are various degrees of difficulty, but anyone should be able to get to the spring viewing area. 

Green Spring Hiking

This blog is going to be mostly pictures, because what can I saw except green, green, and more green!

What makes this spring special is its milky green color.  Apparently this color is caused by green Sulphur and there aren't other publically accessible springs like it around any longer.  It is very beautiful and peaceful. 







Coral Snake

Do beware of snakes while you are there (or anywhere in Florida).  We saw this beautiful, but dangerous Coral Snake underneath the viewing platform.

There is no swimming in this spring.  There is a play ground and a couple of nice pavilions.  It would be a really unique place to have a wedding, but I don't know if you can actually do that there.



Gemini Spring

If you would like a longer outing there is a Spring to Spring trail that goes from Green Springs to Gemini Springs.  Gemini Springs is a larger recreational area with fishing and kayaking/boating as well as a dog park and playground.  The two springs at Gemini are pretty, but traditional clear water.

Tips:   The terrain isn't rugged, so sturdy sandals are fine for walking...except, well, snakes. 

Website Green Spring:  http://www.volusia.org/services/community-services/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-facilities-and-locations/ecological-nature-parks/green-spring-park.stml







Website Gemini Spring:  http://www.volusia.org/services/community-services/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-facilities-and-locations/ecological-nature-parks/gemini-springs-park.stml

Swamp House River Front Grill (Debary, FL)

While we were out exploring we stumbled upon this place.  Well, we actually used a smartphone app, because you would be really unlikely just to accidentally find this place out driving around.  For one thing, it is at the end of the road.  For another, it doesn't really look like a public restaurant until you are parked and walking in.

This place is pretty unique.  We were there on a Saturday afternoon.  There was a man playing good country music.  Not too loud, just right.  They actually grill their burgers outside on a real grill.  And I'm here to tell you they are delicious.

They have a specialty drink called a Rum Bucket.  I watched the bartender pour 4 types of rum in and then a bunch of other stuff too.  Only 9.99 for the first one and 7.99 for refills.  This drink is NOT for the driver!

The restaurant sits right at a harbor where there are lots of boats parked and reserved parking for diners who wish to arrive by boat.  The country store sells fishing and boating supplies, some oddities, and also rents Pontoon boats for cruising up and down the St. John's river.  You only need a drivers license to rent one.
 

If you are up visiting the Springs, the Sanford zoo, Debary Historic House, or just in the area, it is worth stopping by here on a sunny day.

Tips:  Outside tables at the bar are first come first served, so be prepared to stand or wait or go upstairs to the inside restaurant.

Website:  http://www.swamphousegrill.com/

Andretti Thrill Park (West Melbourne)

There aren't many places in Florida with hours of entertainment for families that are as great of a bargain as Andretti Thrill Park. 

So what is it?  Well, a little bit of everything.  There are several go cart tracks (the original purpose of the place).  But there is so much more.  A not all inclusive list:  Rock climbing, mini-golf, paddle boats, batting cages, laser tag, aerial rope course, kiddie rides, picnic area for events, video games, and more.

How does it work?  They have one of the smartest pricing systems I have seen.  The price for children is based on their height, not their age.  Why?  Because the taller you are the more things you can do (safety).  So you pay less for the little ones that can't drive the big carts or do some of the other activities. 


The second great part of their pricing is that the cost is by the hour so you can spend two or three hours without feeling pressured to spend the whole day because leaving early feels like wasting money.  There is an all day price as well if you want to stay longer. 

What else makes this better?  No lines!  Or very short ones.  I have never been there when the line for any attraction was more than a few minutes.  No need for fast passes or 90 minute wait times.  (Of course I would like to see a little bit bigger crowds, this is a treasure that we would like to keep in Melbourne). 

There is a snack bar and the food is typical unhealthy park type food, but hey, who cares?  And you won't pay outrageous prices for that either. 


And birthday parties too!  Skip Chuckie Cheese (although there is one of those in Melbourne as well) and do your kids party at Andretti.  The equivalent in food, but so much more to do and a smaller price!


You can have other events there as well.  My office had a very nice corporate gathering there one year.  Less expensive than most outings and everyone had a great time. 

Tips:  This is a good place for kids of all ages, but the smaller they are the less there is to do.  If you have a wide spread of ages, make sure you have enough adults to accompany the little ones.

Website:  http://www.andrettithrillpark.com/index.html

If you have a little extra time in the area, take a stroll through the beautiful botanical gardens at Florida Tech campus.

Ginnie Springs (High Springs, FL)

Florida Springs are something everyone in Florida knows about and nobody who doesn't live here seems to understand, if they even know they exist.  Tourists want to see Disney and all of the theme parks, but they miss what Florida really is.  They go home with a great memory, but not the one I would want them to have.

There are a lot of springs on private land and in state parks that offer a bunch of different amenities.  This blog is only about Ginnie Springs.  I'll talk about some of my other favorites later.

Ginnie Springs is best known for its camping and tubing down the river.  The springs are a constant chilly 70ish degrees, but that is a great temperature for Florida summers.  The Santa Fe river is slightly warmer.

Aside from tubing in the water, you can dive, snorkel, swim, and fish.  It is about a 15 minute walk from the top of the tube run to the bottom and takes about an hour in the tube. 

This is a private spring and as such has its own fee schedule.  You can check out the costs for admission, camping, and equipment rentals on their web page. 

You should note that if you are looking for quiet out of the way interaction with nature, Ginnie Springs is probably not the right park for you.  This park is very popular with the college crowd from both University of Florida and Florida State University, so expect a bit of a party atmosphere.  Alcohol is ubiquitous.  Quiet hours don't start until midnight, so don't expect to get a lot of sleep.

Also note it is very busy on holiday weekends and spring weekends.  Make reservations early and arrive early to get a good spot.

Tips:  No pets allowed.

Everything at the camp store is a bit expensive, so plan ahead.

You can save some money by bringing your own floating devices.

Website:  http://www.ginniespringsoutdoors.com/

Kayaking

a double kayak

There are a lot of fantastic places to kayak on the Space Coast!  Any google search will show you all of the boat ramps in Brevard County.  The best kayaking will normally be at any ramp that is for non-motorized craft only, but there are exceptions to that rule. 



A manatee in the canal in Thousand Islands

One of my favorite places to kayak is in the thousand islands area in Cocoa Beach.  The boat ramp at the end of the aptly named Boat Ramp Road is a great place to drop your kayak in the water.  The area there is full off shallow lagoons and mangroves along with a deepwater canal for the bigger boats to use. 



I don't recommend getting this close, but sometimes it is
hard to get out of the way.

Wildlife viewing is great in this area as well.  Manatees are often present in the canals near the houses.  Dolphins skim by in the canals and even in the lagoons where the water is deep enough for fishing.  Birds are everywhere.  Some people even fish from kayaks out here.

Other nice areas to explore:  The Grand Canal south of Pineda Causeway.  Drop in at the causeway

I recommend a SUP if you want
to stand up

and cruise through the nice houses.

Further south off A1A is Honest John's Fish Camp.  http://honestjohnsfishcamp.com/  You can rent a kayak here and I think there is a small fee to use their ramp for your own boat.  There is a nice canal around some mangrove islands and a great opportunity to see dolphins and manatees.



sunset from paddling paradise

Want to try paddle boarding or kayaking for the first time?  Visit http://www.paddlingparadise.com/. They will rent you the equipment and show you how to use it.  They have scheduled tours and gatherings as well including sunset paddles that end with a nice fire by the river.  They are at off US1 at the Eau Gallie River.

You can also drop in a Ballard Park in the same area of the Eau Gallie River.  http://www.melbourneflorida.org/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/12/1539

I have heard that Turkey Creek in Palm Bay is a nice place to kayak, but I have not been there yet. http://www.brevardcounty.us/EELProgram/Areas/TurkeyCreek/Home There is also nice hiking in this park.

Sunset on Lake Washington

Lake Washington is a beautiful place to do a sunset paddle as well.  You won't see manatees or dolphins, but keep your eye out for alligator and perhaps don't get too near the shallow shorelines.

Further north there are several nice places on Merritt Island including the Ulumay Wildlife Sanctuary.  This is another area that has nice hiking as well as kayaking. 

Set up for Bioluminescent Tour

Merritt Island Wildlife Sanctuary has several canoe drops worth exploring.  The one near Haulover Canal is likely to have some manatees in the area.  There is also bioluminescent kayaking in this area at night in the summer.  Go when there is no moon!

Water sports are abundant on the space coast, but few ways let you get closer to the wildlife than kayaking or paddleboarding. 

Tips:  Assume you will get wet.  Plan accordingly.

Waterproof camera and/or Go Pro.

Dry bag for anything that can't get wet, but be careful they aren't fool proof. 

If you are able to paddle yourself, I recommend it.  Two person kayaks are fun, but a little hard to coordinate if you don't know what you are doing.

Kennedy Space Center (Titusville)

Everyone knows that Kennedy Space Center is here.  That is why we call it the Space Coast, right?

The visitor's center is a neat place to go.  Tours of the center as very cool.  The Astronaut Training experience seems to appeal to the younger crowd.

And now, of course, the Space Shuttle Atlantis is on display.  That is the newest and latest attraction, but don't let that be the only thing you see.  The space program has a long and interesting history.  It may not appeal to everyone, but I have found that my out of town guests who experienced the space race back in the 1960s are particularly interested in the Apollo/Saturn V tour.

I've never seen anyone who didn't enjoy walking around the rocket garden, but that is just the beginning of the experience.



General Admission to the complex includes: 

Space Shuttle Atlantis℠	Twin IMAX® Theater 3D Films
Shuttle Launch Experience®	Special Viewing for Rocket Launches
Meet an astronaut	Numerous Shows and Exhibits

Treetop Trek Aerial Adventure Park (Melbourne)

Not long ago, I blogged about the Brevard Zoo (love that place).  Attached to the zoo is the Treetop Trek Aerial Adventure Park.  This is great local adventure for the more active person.  To do the adult sized adventures, you do need to be in at least average physical condition.  The longest course takes about 3 hours and some exertion.  There are partial courses and zipline only courses that take less effort, but I recommend doing the obstacles if you are able.  They are fun and there is a great sense of accomplishment when you are finished. 

There is also a child's course called Chutes and Ladders.  Children must be at least 36" tall to do this course.  There is no minimum age, but they should be able to follow all safety instructions and must be able to demonstrate that ability.  I can't imagine a child under 5 being able to do it consistently.  Adults cannot do this course, but walk on the ground under the course to watch and provide instruction (no charge to observe). 

For all courses, you need to be wearing closed toe shoes.  It is recommended that shorts are mid thigh at least for comfort in the harnesses.  Long hair should be tied back. 

As of January 2016 prices are: 

Chutes and Ladders        $14.95

Canopy Walk                    $29.95

Treetop Challenge          $49.95

Black Diamond               $64.95

All-Zip Option                  $39.95

 

I have only done the first three options.  The Black Diamond is a newer addition that adds more extreme challenges.  I found the Treetop Challenge extreme enough so I don't think this grandma is going to try the extreme options any time soon! 

 

Tips:  Plan your adventure for morning when it will be a little bit cooler and have a lesser chance of weather problems (thunderstorms) if you go in the summer. 

 

The zoo is a great addition to do when you are done with the course.  Little ones can even cool off in the water play area.  (And big ones can cool off with a beer). 

 

Don't rush through it.  It isn't a race.  Take your time and enjoy yourself.  If people stack up behind you, let them play through, just like golf.

 

Check the Weather forecast.  They will close down for severe weather and no rainchecks will be issued (not a policy I am a fan of). 

 

Website:  https://www.treetoptrek.com/