[Sidney Lanier]

Our son Craig is an outdoors person, so when we were in TV around Thanksgiving, he took Quixote (his Spoiled Rotten-weiler) and went exploring/camping in our general area. He found Ozello, a delightful historic village on the Ozello Trail (actually in the Crystal River postal area), off Route 19 and barely an hour from TV. There he found an outfit that offers different types of water touring from Ozello.

We and Craig and his girlfriend took a Sunset Tour on a pontoon boat that holds six passengers max--and what a sunset we were treated to from among the offshore islands (just before the Gulf)--and as added bonuses got to watch dolphins 'playing' with their food (mullet) from as little as about 25 feet from the boat, beautiful huge white pelicans in the water, and ospreys in the trees!

The following day Craig and friend went back and rented kayaks for a half day and had the grandest time (while we ourselves had fun with Quixote back in TV)! Also available are airboat tours, guided kayak trips, fishing expeditions, snorkeling, scalloping in season, all at what we consider fair prices. If interested, take a ride down there--once off Route 19 it's a really pretty ride--or call Captain Russ at 352-212-6142 to make reservations for a particular offering. You can even say that "Craig's parents sent us"; that'll be a chuckle! There's also a great seafood restaurant another few miles down the Ozello Trail.

(Hope this isn't considered advertising; that's not my intention in posting but rather a suggestion about a question I've seen on TOTV asking about good day trips.)

[KathieI]

Thanks so much SL, it sounds absolutely wonderful. I'm definitely going to visit there when my family visits me from Tampa and Orlando. They will love it and I will too.

Wonderful post, great suggestion,!!! :bigthumbsup: :bigthumbsup:

Tal, did you know about this ??? He knows everything!!

Thanks Kathie

[beady]

Double thanks SL.
I will have outdoorsy type company in March. They will be very impressed with me for finding this trip. Sounds perfect. 040 040 040