YouTube Video at the bottom of this post.

On Our Way!
After spending some time in Disney and Orlando, we felt the need to unwind and relax on the beach for a while. So, we made our way up to the northwest corner of Florida, heading toward the panhandle. Our first stop was at Bernal Homestead, a lovely Harvest Host where we stayed for a couple of nights.

Making the Turn, Heading West
Turning the corner and heading west was a bit nerve-wracking for me, as it felt like the real adventure was just beginning. Sam reminded me that when we first planned this trip, the main goal was to head west. However, after considering another cold, snowy winter in Vermont, we decided to extend our travels. That’s when the idea of the “golden gap year” came to life. For Sam, the real adventure will begin when he leaves Florida behind.

Top Sail and Making Reservations
Once we decided to spend February somewhere warm, I started doing some research. I watched a YouTube video about Top Sail on the panhandle, and I was hooked. It was the perfect spot for our love of state parks and a place to relax after our busy week in Orlando. My research quickly revealed that, like most Florida state parks, Top Sail required reservations far in advance. As soon as the reservation window opened for non-residents (10 months ahead of your desired date), I jumped on it and secured us a spot for eight nights. Looking back, eight nights might have been a little too long for us, but it was an amazing place to stay.

Hiking and Biking
Top Sail offered 10 miles of trails that we could walk or bike, and the beach was just a short mile away. We spent most of our days soaking up the natural beauty around us.

Exploring Beyond Top Sail
Route 30A runs along the beaches, similar to Route 1 and 1A in Maine. There are small towns along the way that are great to explore, one of which is Seaside. We stopped there briefly, but shopping isn’t really our thing, and parking the truck in those crowded tourist areas wasn’t easy. Fortunately, we found a dog park with ample parking, so Annie was thrilled!

Weather Concerns Affect RV Travel
The day we were set to leave Top Sail, a major storm was heading our way. We tried to extend our stay for one more night to ride out the weather before heading to Dauphin Island, Alabama, but there were no available spaces. So, we changed our plans and decided to head to Black River State Park, a little further west and north, as Alabama was bracing for heavy storms. Alabama will have to wait until we’re heading home, as we have reservations near Houston to visit the space center. While having reservations is convenient, it can sometimes be limiting – I like to stick to the plan, even if it means dealing with unexpected weather!

Have you ever had your travel plans altered by weather, whether in an RV or not?
Let me know in the comments!

Stay tuned for next week when we truly head west to the big state of Texas!