Road Trip!

[Village Kid 2]

ejp52's post sharing his spontaneous trip to watch the launch last night in the middle of the night got me thinking (dangerous in itself).

If you and your friends were sitting around talking and someone yelled, "Road Trip", where would you "pick up and go" on a moment's notice? Just a fun place not too far.

VK

[villages07]

To da beach....Daytona or somewhere similar; would have to be a sunny, mild day and not during spring break or bike week so we had room to roam.

[784caroline]

Spring trainning ball game!

[chuckinca]

Circus Museum in Sarasota

[beady]

I'd have to say the beach. I have never lived this far from the ocean and sometimes it makes me sad. So, it would be my first choice.

[islandgal]

Beady - I am with you.
I am having a really hard time thinking about driving to the beach - like an hour away. I haven't tried it yet and doubt if I will. Have you?

[ejp52]

Tarpon Springs to just walk around and explore,Sea world for all day trip.
Beach on a hot steamy summer day. :hot: :beer3:

[islandgal]

How far is Tarpon Springs from TV?

[billethkid]

Islamorada in the Keys at sunset....

BTK

[DickY]

Tarpon Springs is between 90-100 miles from TV,

[Rokinronda]

Daughter was married in Islamorada, where they met. It was amazing! We miss the beach most, also. 2 miles from our last home. I love New Smyrna beach. Clearwater beaches are very nice, also. We have always done a lot of exploring on road trips! We have seen almost the whole coast of Florida, except the panhandle.......(next!!) Wouldn't it be nice to have a small sandy beachy area to plop a beach chair and sink your toes in the sand? Maybe a fourth town with a WATER PARK (lazy river and wave pool w/sand!!!! We'll call it Villages Paradise beach....Dreaming and rambling, again. ss

[renielarson]

I may be a little strange but sometimes I get tired of the same ol' same ol' and want a little more adventure. I found this site and think I will visit a few of these attractions when I get back down to Florida. If you go to the site you can click on "tips" for more info...
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/fl.html

I also like the book ALONG Florida's Expressways by Dave Hunter for visiting easily accessible "not so familiar" attractions. I also have another Florida "one day" trip book but left it at our villa and can't remember the name of it. I bought both books at the TV Barnes and Noble and have used them many times.

ATTRACTIONS & ODDITIES
Complete List of Florida Sights

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Apalachicola: Gorrie Ice Museum [tips]
Alligator Alley: Miccousukee Indian Village
Bithlo: Figure 8 Schoolbus Races [tips]
Bonita Springs: Everglades Wonder Gardens
Cape Coral: Iwo Jima Statue Replica [tips]
Cape Coral: Big John [tips]
Captiva Island: Bubble Room [tips]
Carabelle: World's Smallest Police Station [tips]
Cassadaga: Town of Spiritualists
Christmas: Largest Gator
Clermont: Florida Citrus Tower [tips]
Clermont: Hall of Presidents [tips]
Daytona Beach: Brownie the Town Dog
Daytona Beach: Daytona USA
Daytona Beach: Wright Bros. Plane Replica
Dunnellon: Phosphate Marker
Estero: Hollow Earth Utopia [tips]
Ft. Myers: Giant Beethoven Head [tips]
Ft. Walton Beach: Maytag Repairman [tips]
Ft. Walton Beach: Reptile House [tips]
Gibsonton: Circus Freak Wintering Town [tips]
Grassy Key: Flipper's Grave
Hillsboro Beach: Barefoot Mailman Statue
Homestead: Coral Castle
Islamorada: Theater of the Sea
Islamorada: Wrong-way Hurricane Monument [tips]
Jupiter: Burt Reynolds and Friends Museum
Key West: Southernmost Point in the US
Key Largo: Christ of the Deep
Key Largo: Jules' Undersea Lodge [tips]
Kissimmee: Gatorland
Kissimmee: Medieval Times
Kissimmee: Monument of States
Kissimmee: Giant Orange
Kissimmee: Second Largest Gator
Lake Wales: Spook Hill
Lloyd: Johnny Donutseed [tips]
Lumberton: Forgotten Citrus Center Monument
Melbourne: Liberty Bell Memorial Museum [tips]
Miami: Jackie Gleason Mausoleum
Miami: Monkey Jungle
Miami: Jungle Island
Ocala: Big Daddy Don Garlits Museum Of Drag Racing
Ochopee: Skunk Ape Research Headquarters
Ochopee: Smallest Post Office in the Uniter States
Ona: Solomon's Castle
Orlando: Graceland replica [tips]
Orlando: Holyland Experience
Orlando: Titanic: The Experience
Palmdale: Gatorama Wildlife Park
Panama City Beach: Goofy Golf
Pensacola: Museum of Oddities [tips]
Pensacola: Naval Air Museum
Pensacola: 1/2 scale Vietnam War Memorial [tips]
Plant City: Dinosaur World [tips]
Port Orange: Bongoland
Punta Gorda: "First White Man to Die in America"
Sarasota: Sarasota Jungle Gardens [tips]
Silver Springs: Silver Springs [tips]
St. Augustine: Fountain of Youth
St. Augustine: The Old Jail
St. Augustine: St. Augustine Alligator Farm
St. Petersburg: Sunken Gardens [tips-news]
Sugarloaf Key: Bat Tower [tips]
Tarpon Springs: Spongeorama
Titusville: American Police Hall of Fame and Museum
Titusville: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Titusville: Shuttle Launch Experience
Titusville: US Astronaut Hall of Fame
Wakulla Springs: Pole-Vaulting Fish [tips]
Wakulla Springs: Old Joe the Alligator
Wausau: Possum Capital of the US [tips]
Weeki Wachee: City of Mermaids

Winter Haven: Cypress Gardens
Winter Park: Walk of Fame [tips]

OOPS...sorry I took up so much space for this post... :redface:

[Barefoot]

Speaking of beaches, does anyone know where the nearest beach is to TV that allows dogs?

[handieman]

Barfeet
Take the doggies here no one will ever notice
Handie :joke:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee31/handieman4u/thebeach.jpg

[golfnut]

now if we could only get brights post sorted in order of distance from TV.

[renielarson]

geesh golf...
do we women have to do everything for you men?

[Rokinronda]

1 hour 45 minutes...72 miles to New Smyrna Beach.....Nice easy country drive east. Watch out for passing speeding vehicles...GEEZ! :dontknow: :cop: :dontknow:

[Rokinronda]

see above post......1st go to Pirates Cove Restaurant at Ponce Inlet for lunch! The lighthouse close by is interesting. Great spot with outdoor seating and laid back lunch........Then BEACH IT!! Makes for a GREAT day. I am married to Mr. Spontanious............He's been 34 years of pure FUN! (if spying....love you hon! 8) )

[golfnut]

bright, if you can sort it I'll drive.

[renielarson]

laughing so hard....as if men follow directions...we'd get lost!

I'll map the route and drive

[samhass]

Thanks Brightspot, for the list of attractions.

[chelsea24]

Great list Brightspot! And Handi, you're a crazyman as usual! I think that I'd like to see The Titanic Experience in Orlando. When we were in Halifax, we saw the biggest burial site of Titanic victims, mostly not named. Headstones were in the shape of the bough of a ship and there was a tall pinnacle like one in the front for all the unnamed children. It was a very emotional experience. Covered with toys and things people left. Also, there was a headstone for Jack Dawson, covered with flowers. This was the name used in the movie Titanic for Leonardo DiCaprio. The guide commented that Mr. Dawson, just an Irish immigrant, became famous after his death because of the use of the name. It's was interesting to see all the flowers and realize that so many people thought that love story in the movie was true. :dontknow: