Oye... high tides and Florida vibes
I’ve taken a break from reporting on the road as I wrapped up my two weeks in Florida. I was super grateful I got to spend the first week in Pensacola at my coworker’s house. It really saved me from having to deal with the (unexpected for me) Florida heat.
After being the mountains for a week.. the first initiation to the warm weather was on a beautiful beach dog park on the Pensacola coast. Ziggy really took in all the sun and sand and had a blast stretching out his legs and playing with his favorite water ball. Afterwards we took the trip down to the Pensacola Pier and ate dinner watching the sunset at Jaco’s Bayfront Bar and Grille.
The following week was filled with much needed work training, getting to know my coworker who I adore and trips to the beach. I happened to reach out to a friend from Kansas City who I noticed on social media was visiting. She invited me to hang out with her and I got to experience Pensacon which was a cool outdoor comic con in downtown Pensacola. I also highly recommend the fish tacos at Crabs on Pensacola Beach.
Once we finished the workweek, we headed to Holiday Campground at Ochlockonee Bay. With every destination I keep wishing I could stay longer. I’ve been catching sunsets along the way and this one was definitely the most memorable one. The campground was super clean and the staff were very friendly. I even got to take out my paddleboard and experience the sound with Ziggy.
As the temps started heating up, the following day we headed to Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park in Jacksonville where we stayed for the week. I cannot speak more highly of this place. It has everything one would need: a lake to kayak or paddleboard, beautiful hiking trails and also walking distance to the beach. The fact that dogs were allowed on the beach was the most pleasant surprise. My campsite was nicely shaded. The whole area feels like you are in the middle of a jungle. I am especially grateful that it was warm but still cool enough that all the bugs hadn’t come out in full force yet.
While in Jacksonville, I really wanted to enjoy the beach. So everyday after work I would go and take in the sunset cooler temps. I also got to take Ziggy to Good Times Dog Bar in Flagler Beach. The pork tacos at Captan’s BBQ were amazing while I got to watch yet another beautiful sunset on the river.
There was some time to experience St. Augustine as well. A cute town south of Jacksonville with a ton of history where the first settlers from Spain docket. It really reminded me of coastal Spain with the narrow streets and cute shops. The empanadas at Spanish Cafe were delicious! On the way back we stopped at Blue Jay Listening Room for some amazing live music played by local jazz artists.
On my last day before crossing over to Georgia, I stopped at Amelia Island. The local Saturday market was open and I bought some delicious garlic spread for the road. This little Island was filled with cute clothing shops and lots of historical landmarks. Even though it started sprinkling, I am glad I stopped to experience the charm and hospitality of the island locals.
I am so glad I got to stop in Florida, but I’ll have to remember for next time that February is still pretty hot and I’ll need to figure out a better AC option for my van. Next stop.. Georgia.
