Traveling Huntleys

Inspiring travel stories, tips, and guides from a couple exploring the world one destination at a time.

Wildlife

Chiefland, Florida Manatee Springs & Cedar Key

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Chiefland sits on Florida’s Nature Coast in Levy County, north of Tarpon Springs and well off the typical tourist path. The local economy runs on agriculture — peanuts, watermelons, cattle ranching, and timber — and the surrounding landscape reflects that: open fields, longleaf pine flatwoods, and the wide, slow-moving Suwannee River winding through it all. We came specifically to visit Manatee Springs State Park and to revisit Cedar Key, a tiny island community we had loved on a previous trip. Both exceeded expectations in very different ways.

White-tailed deer browsing near the campground at Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland, Florida
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Manatees at Blue Spring State Park, Florida

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Last Updated: July 6, 2026

Manatees are among our favorite animals to observe — slow, serene, and utterly unbothered by the world around them. We had encountered them several times around Florida, but always in murky, brackish coastal waters where you caught only fleeting glimpses of grey shapes drifting beneath the surface. Seeing them in the crystal-clear water of a Florida freshwater spring was something else entirely. From Lady Lake, it was a short drive northeast to Blue Spring State Park in Orange City — and it turned out to be one of the most memorable wildlife experiences of our entire journey across Florida.

Three West Indian Manatees gliding through crystal clear spring water at Blue Spring State Park, Orange City, Florida
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Everglades City & Big Cypress, Florida

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Last Updated: July 4, 2026

From Grassy Key it was a few hours’ drive northwest to Everglades City, where we set up at Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort for the next stretch of our winter travels. Everglades City turned out to be an ideal base for exploring Big Cypress National Preserve — one of the largest national preserves in the United States and one of the most remarkable wildlife habitats in North America. We had visited the area once before and stayed on Chokoloskee Island, but that trip was cut short when we were evacuated due to flooding from storm surge. This time, we wanted higher ground — and the wildlife did not disappoint.

American Alligator resting in cloud-reflected water in the marshes near Everglades City, Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
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Grassy Key- Florida Winter Escape

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Last Updated: July 4, 2026

Grassy Key is one of approximately 1,700 islands that make up the Florida Keys. Located in the Middle Keys just northeast of Marathon, it sits at roughly mile marker 58 on the Overseas Highway — far enough from Key Largo to feel genuinely remote, close enough to Marathon to have access to restaurants, groceries, and activities. In the past we stayed at Big Pine Key, which is southwest of Marathon, but at the time we made our reservations, they were still rebuilding the RV park there from Hurricane Irma. Grassy Key turned out to be a wonderful alternative — a peaceful, waterfront retreat that we ended up staying at for two full weeks.

A retired small wooden boat resting beside the Gulf of America, Grassy Key, Florida
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Key Largo & Everglades National Park

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Last Updated: July 4, 2026

Key Largo was about a 3-hour drive south from Jupiter, Florida. The Florida Keys offer something unlike anywhere else in the continental United States — an island chain stretching 120 miles into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, connected by 42 bridges along the Overseas Highway. We were looking forward to being in the Florida Keys again, even though they can be warm and humid in December. For us, the wildlife and scenery more than made up for the weather.

A Snowy Egret facing the Gulf at sunset in Key Largo, Florida
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