OT: beach in Nature Coast

[ladyfsu]

Next weekend is my birthday and it's also a 3 day weekend for schools. We just decided we want to go to the beach for 2 nights and when we usually do this spontaneous beach stuff...we go to indian rocks/treasure island type area. I hear the redtide is pretty awful right now (is this true?).

Anyways...where can we go north of Pasco? We'd like to be able to go to the beach. We're going with another couple who have even more kids than us (we'll have 6 boys and 1 girl all 3rd grade or below)!!!! Usually we hang out at the pool and beach and swim and relax. Anything north of here less than 2 hours away? Let me know if you know of anything. Thanks!

Laine

[BankerJohn]

You could try Citrus County. We only have a small beach, but there you can also swim with the manatees one day, beach same day, and also go to the Homosassa River State Park.

A nice place to stay is the Plantation Inn Resort. It is on the water and reasonably priced for the family.

Banker John

[gatorolsen]

Crystal River has a very small beach but lots of families enjoy it - I don't think that Mon is a school holiday in this county so you shouldn't see too many crowds

some of my friends with kids stay at Encore - has cabins to rent, tent and rv sites with nice pool and biking trails - off same road as beach

best western in crystal river is another place friends stay at

it is also real close to hunter springs park with grill sites, beach/swimming area - very popular so often crowded

also recommend Fort Cooper state park which is ~ 15 min from Crystal River - our last visit saw 4 young deer as we were driving in, only costs $2 for a carload of people - nice swimming area with nice playground, covered pavilions and grilling areas and real bathrooms - lots of trails from paved biking trails to mucky marked trails with lots of animal tracks

Gatorolsen

[ladyfsu]

Thanks...we want to get up there soon (probably not this weekend) because I've heard so many great things. We'll check these places out.

[dmbedard]

BTW, are you set on the beach? Because tubing down the Weeki Wachee or the Rainbow Rivers are awesome experiences. I have been down the WW and the Ichetucknee and it is simply a wonderful, peaceful experience. I plan on doing the Rainbow in the very near future.