3rd Times a Charm!

While in Ft. Lauderdale I tried to research where we should stay after our time in the Keys. We wanted to be somewhere central in order to check out the Everglades and yet be able to go to Key Largo.

One place I researched was Larry and Penny Thompson Park. It was reasonably priced, looked really cool, got good reviews, in fact, it seemed perfect, but it was on the south end of Miami and not as central as the Homestead area. The Homestead area is definitely very centrally and ideally located to the Keys and the Everglades. In fact, it’s the closest location to both, without actually staying in the Keys or the Everglades. But the RV parks get very mixed reviews and they are expensive.

It was either Gold Coaster or Southern Comfort that seemed nice, and was priced ok – until they mentioned the $7/kid/night extra charge. Yep an extra $21/night. So we booked at The Boardwalk. It seemed ok – the clubhouse and pool looked nice. The park itself seemed kind of old and not well maintained. She warned (as did reviews) that it is very narrow. After Leo’s we thought we could do almost anything. We looked at 3 different spaces at Boardwalk. Because of the placement of the water and electric poles, and the placement of the high cement patios, and where the trees were we could not fit. If one of the 3 was different we could have made it work with some effort. She showed us one spot by the office, but it was really awkward and I just wanted to try something else.

So we headed to Florida City Park. Again, mixed reviews. Some people said it was kind of seedy and in a seedy location of town. But one lady used it as her base for this area so it might not be bad. And, some people are snobs and more high maintenance than others so I’m sure it can’t be that bad. Wellllll it was. We’re used to people watching as we drive in and set up, but there was this one guy that gave me the creeps and I couldn’t shake the feeling. I was trying so hard not to judge, but when Huck said he didn’t feel very good about the place, I encouraged him to get a refund even though we were tired and had skipped lunch.  Let’s call Larry and Penny’s.

Yep, full circle.  And 3rd times a charm. I forgot Huck also had a business call so we were pressed for time. Luckily they had a spot. We chose to stay for a week because the price was so good, there is so much to do around the area, and we just NEED to slow down, if you call one week slowing down. (It’s not for those of you who haven’t traveled like this.)

The Camp Ground part of this park seems really great so far. There is a free pool with lifeguards! A cute little club house. Nice sidewalks to walk and ride on. The area we are in has about 1o kids we’ve seen so far. There is laundry and a shower house very close. We have full hookups (which is better than the other places – and half the price.)

The park we are in is part of a larger park. We are literally on the edge of the Miami Zoo. There is another pool in the larger park area with water slides that is actually really reasonably priced if we want to go there instead of the beach or the free pool.

And it’s centrally located. We do have to drive probably 40 – 60 min to some of the places we want to see. But for the price and the safety and the quiet and the relaxed nice feeling this offers, it is totally worth the drive!

What keeps resounding with me is that we prayed for God to guide us and for us to listen to his promptings. I do believe this was one of those instances.