A Kid’s Take: Florida

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been going to Florida. My Grandma lives down in the keys, so we’ve visited her a lot, about fifteen times. The first year, when I was maybe three years old, we flew. Every other year, however, we have driven about 22 hours in two days, so it gets pretty tiring after 10 hours. It’s a lot of driving, but it’s definitely worth it. Once you get there, you’ll immediately be relaxed. Manasota Key is a nice beach town, with great views of the Gulf of Mexico. The restaurants serve really good seafood and have that authentic fisherman vibe. A few good spots are The Lock ‘N Key, The White Elephant, and Calico Jack’s. They mainly have seafood, but they also have other options throughout the key. The beach is incredible, but in recent months it has suffered from erosion and storms. It also has a lagoon/bay in which you can see tons of birds and wildlife. Last visit, we went on a boat ride and saw a manatee that was five feet away!!! We also saw a really cool herd of dolphins as we were heading back. If you are in to nature, there is Stump Pass Beach State Park. If you are driving to Manasota Key, there are some great barbeque places near Florida that you can eat at. In the winter, the temperature is usually at around 60-70 degrees, whereas in summer, it is an average of 90 degrees. My suggestion would be to go in spring, when it’s not too cold, not to hot, and the water is perfect. Manasota Key is just off the coast of Sarasota, FL, where they have good hotels and places to rest. This secret gem of an island is filled to the brim with aquatic life and nature, and beaches ready to be relaxed on. I love this place, and I know you will, too.