FLORIDA SUMMARY

Day 1 - At Blue Spring State Natural Park we watched manatees (or sea cows) swim in a spring along the St. John's River. They hang out here when the river gets too cold. We walked along the Sunglow Pier at Daytona Beach, but the weather was cold and rainy.

Day 2 - We spent the afternoon at De Leon Springs State Park where we rented a canoe. Lunch was pancakes at the Old spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House.

Day 3 - St. Augustine was a wonderful city to explore for the day. We visited the Bridge of Lions, the country's oldest wooden school house, Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, Flagler College, St Augustine Basilica, and the Castillo de San Marcos.

Day 4 - We headed south to the Everglades. We first stopped at the Everglades Alligator Farm where there were shows and feedings. We even got to hold a baby alligator! Here we also took a fun airboat ride where we saw lots of birds. We then drove to Everglades National Park. We walked along the Anhinga trail which was packed with birds and alligators.

Day 5 - In the morning we drove all the way down to Key West. We visited the US's southernmost point, the cemetery and St. Paul's Episcopal Church. We then did a pub crawl, with lots of key lime pie! We watched the sun set at Mallory Square.

Day 6 - We returned to the Everglades and took a Back Country Pelican boat tour through the mangroves to Coot Bay. We got to see some crocodiles this time. We then walked along the Guy Bradley Trail along Florida Bay, the Christian Point Trail (where we were driven away by mosquitos) and around Eco Pond as the birds came in to roost in the trees for the night.

Day 7 - We drove up to Big Cypress National Park where we took a walk. Pouring rain kept changing our original plans and we eventually ended up at Billie's Swamp Safari. We took a stroll along a boardwalk through a cypress swamp, then got to take a swamp buggy ride through their animal reservation. An airboat ride then took us deep into the cypress swamp.

Day 8 - Back up near Daytona, we climbed to the top of the Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse.

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