Historic Vacations - Florida Road Trips
|
||
Tip  - Hit the <Ctrl> <+> Keys on your keyboard to make the Type on this page larger. <Ctrl> <-> for smaller Type - (This works for most recent versions of Internet Explorer + FireFox Browsers)These pictures are from the Florida portion of the Historical and Scenic Road Trip Vacation my wife and I took to Eastern, Florida from the US Midwest. The trip ended up taking 3 1/3 weeks, covering 15 states and 4,437 miles. We visited several Historic Florida Lighthouses, some very old Mansions with History interest, a Huge Historic Fort, and spent some time on the Historic and very peaceful and beautiful Natchez Trace Parkway and the Blue Ridge Parkway which were constructed in he 1930's. Direct to Historic Vacations - Florida Road Trip List below We took 5 days to drive to Cocoa Beach, Florida from the Midwest, spent a week at a Florida Beach Vacation in Cocoa Beach, FL and then took 11 days to return Via a different route. Note: The many photos of Historic Vacations - Florida Road Trip Sites and USA Scenic Attractions on this page may cause this page with pictures to load slow if on a dial-up connection. All pictures on this page are Copyrighted but are free to use with instructions below - also see bottom of page for free larger size Downloadable Wallpaper + Beach and other Screensaver Photos. See details on the Links to other Pictures & comments from Eastern Florida Vacation Beaches & Attractions + some other favorite affordable beach vacation areas & Day trips to area Florida Attractions below.
|
|
Destination - Cocoa Beach Florida, Atlantic Ocean Surf, and Florida Beach Vacation area  Destination for this "leg" of the trip - Cocoa Beach Florida - taken from Ocean Landings Timeshare Resort Condo Balcony. We stayed here a week and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Atlantoc Ocean Surf. Walked on the Beach at Sunrise and Sunset most days. All pictures on this page are Copyrighted, but you are welcome to use them if you use the instructions at the bottom of page for free downloads - also are High Resolution Downloads available for some photos on this page + others from our 3 Vacation Guide Sites - see links below  Birds looking for food (sand crabs?) on beach in Atlantic Ocean surf - Cocoa Beach, Florida. Long-legged birds did not seem to worry about big waves coming in - sometimes water would get almost up to their body, but they didn't fly. See this link for latest Video of Cocoa Beach Surf with Sounds + Birds on Beach looking for Sand Crabs (Video Link is at bottom of "box" under beach picture with bird)  One of our favorite things to do in Florida. Dine with a view on great seafood at Bonefish Willy's ouside Dining Deck overlooking the Intercoastal Waterway. We only eat at "On the Water" restaurants while in Florida since don't have that option at home. "Grills" up at Port Canaveral just north of Cocoa Beach is another Dining favorite - can watch the ships come and go in the Port - also great seafood.  View of Pelicans on old dock posts from outside eating area of nearby Restaurant on Intercoastal Waterway at south end of Cocoa Beach Florida. The "Lobster Shanty" Restaurant was about a mile south of the Condo down Hwy A1A and backed up to the Intercoastal Waterway. Good "early Bird" specials.  Got to see and hear a small Militiary Satellite Launch at Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch had gotten delayed a couple of times due to weather and some technical problem. Even had one delay the day of the launch. This was taken from Condo Balcony at Cocoa Beach. Can see rocket at top of trail if look close. Have to watch for the launch countdown on NASA TV channel so know when to look outside since sounds of the launch rocket arrive several minutes after the actual launch starts. If you waited to hear the sounds of the launch to start viewing, the rocket would be high in the sky and almost out of view.  Cruise shiip heading south from Port Canaveral - likely in route to Nassau. Smokestack looks like it is one of the Carnival Ships Line - taken from Cocoa Beach, Florida.  Colorful Florida Cocoa Beach Atlantic Ocean Sunrise Back to Historic Vacations Road Trip list above Start of Return Trip back north to Midwest Historic Ponce De Leon Lighthouse and St Augustine Lighthouse - Florida + Tybee Island Lighthouse and Historic Savannah - Georgia - Historic & Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway - North Carolina and Virginia  First stop on beginning of trip back north to Lincoln, Nebraska Via stops listed below. Ponce De Leon Inlet Lighthouse completed in 1887 - Tallest Florida Lighthouse - 12 miles south of Daytona Beach. More Info and pictures at the Ponce De Leon Inlet Light Station web site.  Historic St Augustine Lighthouse completed in 1874. The great Views at the top are worth the 219 step approximately 14 story climb. (There are several places to sit and rest on the way up.) A similar version of this Florida Lighthouse picture is on another Site by permission. See this link for High Resolution downloadable and printable photo versions of many popular Pictures from our various Vacation Picture web pages and three US Vacation Guide "Picture Enhanced" Web Sites. List at www.GoUSVacations.com  Historic Tybee Island Lighthouse - There have been several constructed, the first one in 1732. Present Lighthouse has a 1916 day mark and was recently restored - 178 steps to the top. East of Savanna, Georgia. To Tybee Island Lighthouse Web Site. See bottom of page for free picture download and use instructions for photos on this page - also for High Resolution Photo download links available  Historic Fort Pulaski on Tybee Island, Georgia. Fort Pulaski took 18 years to build. The Fort has 7.5 feet thick walls and an estimated 25 million bricks. In April of 1862, Union troops directed the new experimental rifled cannon fire at the fort. They breached the southeast wall within 30 hours of bombardment. The accuracy & success of the new rifled cannon suprised military experts of the day. To Fort Pulaski National Park Service Web Site.  Turtle Crossing Sign on fast moving Hwy 80 going west off of Tybee Island, Georgin into Savannah, GA. Didn't see any turtles that day. This area would have primarily "smaller" turtles Vs large sea turtles. See this page for some Giant Sea Turtle Info and Pictures - these giant sea turtles lay their eggs in holes they dig in the sand on the beaches at Cocoa Beach & Satellite Beach + other eastern Florida beach areas. See this page for some Giant Sea Turtle "tracks" in the beach where they have come up and laid their eggs.  Historic Mercer Williams House - Savannah, Georgia. One of many interesting historic houses and buildings in Savannah. Some good waterfront restaurants too.  Historic Cathedral of St John the Baptist across Liberty square - Savannah, Georgia. The first small frame church was built on this site in 1780. The current large Cathedral was restored in 2000 and has a beautiful interior with over 50 stained glass windows. To more Cathedral of John the Baptist pictures and history  Scenic Overlook on Historic Blue Ridge Parkway which runs through North Carolina and Virginia - Driving on the Peaceful and very Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway was one of the highlights of the trip. (See new Blue Ridge Parkway Vacation page link below for more Parkway pictures)  Peaceful drive through an area with split rail fences on Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia. See link below for more on Blue Ridge Parkway scenic drive. (This photo and one above are on another Web Site by permission.)  Blue Ridge Parkway Vacation - Photos and Tips - "Must See" driving tour on the very scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. "Add on" 2 or 3 Days to a Virginia Beach Vacation. Includes Map Links and Google Interactive Driving route map. On our US Vacation Beaches Vacation Guide Site.Will stop here for now - The rest of the Return Trip Via northern Florida, Savannah Georgia Historic District, Tybee Island Lighthouse, Historic Fort Pulaski, and Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway + the Virginia Mountains, D-Day Memorial, Huntington, West Virginia area and Jamesport Amana Colonies will be added soon. Check back here. Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee - Hawn State Park, American Quilters Museum, Kentucky Lake Overlooks, Shiloh National Military Park - on prior page Tennessee & Alabama - Natchez Trace Parkway, Frank Lloyd Wright House, Oak Mountain State Park - on prior page Florida - Wakulla Springs State Park, St. Mark's Lighthouse - above Cocoa Beach, FL Destination - Cocoa Beach Florida, Atlantic Ocean Surf, and Waterfront Restaurants - above
|
|
Oregon Light Houses + Florida St Augustine Light Houses and Virginia Light Houses - Info and Downloadable Pictures
Direct link to 40+ High Resolution downloadable and printable photos from several US Vacation destinations & Attractions. View a Popular selection of over 40 Previews of High Resolution Images from our Sites. To our SE Virginia Vacation Beaches and nearby Attractions to Virginia Beach Vacation Pictures web page with Day Trips & Pictures To our Western Nebraska Travel Vacation Pictures web page about a Road Tour of the Nebraska Sandhills and Panhandle including Scottsbluff area Attractions & the Niobrara River area.Beach Sunsets & Sunrises Photo Gallery - Colorful Sunset Pictures in rural areas + some Beach Sunsets and Beach Sunrises too Check out some pictures and descriptions of trips to Virginia and Florida Beach Vacations + Oregon Vacation Beaches at the following web site:
|
