TCD's Spring Break 2010 Trip Report

[Tri-circle-D]

So glad to see you back!

And glad ya'll had a great time in my neck of the woods! We live right down 30A near Goatfeathers. Been there? Not much atmosphere(IMHO) but good food. How funny if I had run into ya'll somewhere...cause I would totally recognize your girls! I'd be like "Hey TCD family" and they be like . Great trip report!

No, we have never been to Goatfeathers. I have certainly heard about it. I know there is one in the Seagrove area, but I gather there is one West of Grayton Beach, as well? Is that where ya'll live? If so, I have to say I envy you. But, you are a long way from the Fort, there, aren't you?

So great to hear from you. I agree with the feelings about the Fort. Our last trip just didn't feel right and I felt like Mickey had his hand not only in my back pocket but had the wire information for my bank accounts.

We are considering going to that part of FL for our next camping vacation. Your TR hits the nail on the head.

Hey, you talked me into a DCL cruise. I may just take your word for it on this and try it out as well.

Scot

I absolutely recommend this campground. Book it for your next trip, and if you do half of what I describe in this report, you'll have a blast. I guaranty it!

Welcome back TCD!!!

Beautiful pictures!!!!!

Carol- This part of Florida isn't that far from you, is it? Have you ever checked it out? Lots of Alabama folks come here. You should check it out if you haven't already.

TCD

 

[RocklandRVers]

I think the Guiness World Record folks might be looking for you. Look back at your post on RC and others that sprang up afterward on the subject and see how many folks read them. Your thread even hit the mainstream media.

I said it before, Mike Wallace and Morley Safer (of 60 minutes fame) got nothing on you my friend. You da man!

 

[clkelley]

Carol- This part of Florida isn't that far from you, is it? Have you ever checked it out? Lots of Alabama folks come here. You should check it out if you haven't already.

TCD

Just MapQuested it, about 350 miles. Alabama is a long state.

It may be something we look into, although we're kinda weird, we're not beach people. Hate sand. It would havta be longer than a weekend though. We've limited ourselves to 200 miles for the weekend stuff.

 

[m1tchells]

No, we have never been to Goatfeathers. I have certainly heard about it. I know there is one in the Seagrove area, but I gather there is one West of Grayton Beach, as well? Is that where ya'll live? If so, I have to say I envy you. But, you are a long way from the Fort, there, aren't you?

The one in Seagrove is just a seafood market. The one by us in Blue Mountain is a resturant and seafood market. And yes, we are 400 miles TOO far away from the Fort....but close enough for FL resident discounts! Gotta look at the bright side of things!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

In my last chapter, I asked you to take a look at the Airstreams parked along 30A.

What is this all about, you ask?

Well, for years, there was one little trailer set up here selling shaved ice and frozen custard. It is called Frostbites, and I believe that I have sampled all of the combinations you see listed here on their menu board:

Yes, I have even tried the frog in the blender! (p.s. it's just called that- I'm pretty sure they don't really use a frog in it).

Well, apparently this little trailer made enough of a profit that in the last couple of years, other trailers have shown up.

So, now we have a hippie restaurant :

As far as I know, they sell carrot juice and granola and that type of thing out of this trailer. I say as far as I know, because that ain't my scene. When these hippies first opened up, they had a bike rigged up out front so it would work a blender when you peddled it. That gimmick was enough to convince some of my poor DD's to try one of their smoothies. It had wheat germ and honey, and who knows what else in it. It was the color of mud. I think it cost over 5 bucks. That was what we would call a fail. An epic fail. How these hippies have managed to stay in business is beyond me. They must be selling hippie lettuce out the back door or something.

Now, in the ironic juxtaposition department, right next door to the hippie/health food trailer is a trailer that sells nothing but cupcakes. You heard me right (or I should say you read me right). I said cupcakes. Just cupcakes. No cookies. No big cakes. No brownies. Just cupcakes. Do you understand? They just sell cupcakes. Really. I'm not kidding. Here they are:

You would think this is a bad idea for a business. But, they opened last summer, and they seem to be back this year, too. My girls always buy a cupcake or two here. So, what do I know?

Next to the Cupcake trailer is the Seaside Post Office. It used to be set back further from the road, but they just moved it closer to make room for the new amphitheater stage:

This is a small post office, but it is fully functional. You can buy stamps and mail a letter in there. And, there are PO boxes that the folks who live in Seaside use.

On the other side of the post office, we come to two trailers that are used by a business that operates under the name Barefoot Barbecue. They just opened last summer. The food here is surprisingly good:

I hope you can read the prices. The prices really aren't that bad, considering we are in a tourist town on the beach. Remember, they charge you 8 bucks for a hot dog at the Meadow Snack Bar. And 6 bucks for a beer. This place is cheap by those standards! They had a new item on the menu called a Portobello Mushroom sandwich. I tried that on this trip. Very good!

The Frostbites trailer is next to the barbecue trailers. We have already seen that one.

So, this all turns out to be a pretty cool little place.

If you look right across from 30A from the post office, this is what you will see:

That large building is the roof top bar for Bud and Alley's restaurant. They also serve food up there. At least I know they serve lunch, because we always make it a point to eat lunch there at least once when we visit. Let's walk across the street and take a look:

This is the Taco Bar. It's also operated by the folks who operate Bud and Alley's (as is the Pizza Bar). It's a fun little restaurant, and they pour a mean margarita:

This is some of the retail space in this area:

This place, The Shrimp Shack, also just opened last summer. I tried an item they sell called the Lobster Roll there,which was good but very pricey, last summer. Otherwise, we haven't tried it yet. But, it seems to do pretty well:

Now we are looking back from the courtyard area in front of the Shrimp Shack and Bud and Alley's across 30A- you will see the post office in there across the street:

When you are up in Bud and Alley's rooftop bar (they call it the Tarpon Club), here is what you will see if you look to the East:

And to the West:

Or across 30A to the North:

We have reached our photo limit again.

I have a few more shots from Seaside, and then we will be heading back to Grayton Beach. . .

TCD

 

[TxTink :)]

Glad your not in Disney jail. Welcome back

HI Glad your back on the Dis! Great thread!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I think the Guiness World Record folks might be looking for you. Look back at your post on RC and others that sprang up afterward on the subject and see how many folks read them. Your thread even hit the mainstream media.

I said it before, Mike Wallace and Morley Safer (of 60 minutes fame) got nothing on you my friend. You da man!

I heard about it. I saw the Mayor at the Fort on my last visit (New Year's Eve), and he told me that thread was going wild. That's amazing. I can't imagine the Fort management is real happy about that. Another reason for me to lay low for a while.

Just MapQuested it, about 350 miles. Alabama is a long state.

It may be something we look into, although we're kinda weird, we're not beach people. Hate sand. It would havta be longer than a weekend though. We've limited ourselves to 200 miles for the weekend stuff.

Well, the sand thing is going to be a problem for you. They have quite a bit of it around, heck even big piles of it that they call dunes, right there on the beach. For some reason, I though you lived in L.A. (Lower Alabama). I had friend who liked to say he was from L.A.-after you heard his accent you knew he wasn't talking about California.

So, how far is a run to the Fort for you?

The one in Seagrove is just a seafood market. The one by us in Blue Mountain is a resturant and seafood market. And yes, we are 400 miles TOO far away from the Fort....but close enough for FL resident discounts! Gotta look at the bright side of things!

I didn't know that Goatfeathers was a restaurant. Call me crazy, but maybe they could come up with a name that sounds a little more appetizing? Who wants to eat Goatfeathers? I have only been West of Grayton Beach a couple of times, and I don't remember seeing it. Maybe we will venture further to the West on our next visit.

TCD

 

[clkelley]

I

So, how far is a run to the Fort for you?


TCD

About 13 hours with the camper.

 

[m1tchells]

I didn't know that Goatfeathers was a restaurant. Call me crazy, but maybe they could come up with a name that sounds a little more appetizing? Who wants to eat Goatfeathers? I have only been West of Grayton Beach a couple of times, and I don't remember seeing it. Maybe we will venture further to the West on our next visit.

"Goatfeathers are the distractions, sidelines and deflections that take a man's attentions from his own business and keep him from getting ahead."

Ellis Parker Butler - 1913


Speaking of appetizing....a little further to the West in Dune Allen is an excellent resturant. Stinky's Fish Camp. Not joking about it being excellent! Fabulous food!

 

[campingdawgs]

Welcome back TCD! I have missed reading your reports! We also enjoy Seaside, although it has been several years since we were there. We have not tried Grayton Beach for camping, but my older DD stayed with family friends in a rental house on the lake there last Spring Break. She loved it!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

About 13 hours with the camper.

Oh my, I had no idea you travelled that far. You are a real trooper.

"Goatfeathers are the distractions, sidelines and deflections that take a man's attentions from his own business and keep him from getting ahead."

Ellis Parker Butler - 1913


Speaking of appetizing....a little further to the West in Dune Allen is an excellent resturant. Stinky's Fish Camp. Not joking about it being excellent! Fabulous food!

Well, after taking that quote into consideration, now the name makes perfect sense. Well, not really, but I don't want to sound dumb or anything.

I have also heard of Stinky's Fish Camp. I will now put it on my short list. But for some reason, I never want to go West of Grayton Beach.

Welcome back TCD! I have missed reading your reports! We also enjoy Seaside, although it has been several years since we were there. We have not tried Grayton Beach for camping, but my older DD stayed with family friends in a rental house on the lake there last Spring Break. She loved it!

Well, it sounds like it's time for a trip to Grayton Beach for the Campingdawgs. It has to be closer than the Fort for you.

TCD

 

[campingdawgs]

BTW, I saw you at FW back in Nov. You and one of your DD's were on a golf cart in our loop. I wanted to stop and meet you, but I was following DD6 on a bike and I was afraid she'd get away from me! DH and DS saw you when you drove by; they were throwing a football. (They wouldn't have recognized you since they don't DIS).

 

[Tri-circle-D]

I want to get these Seaside photos finished, so we can get back to the campground. So here we go.

We are still looking around the roof top bar.

Every night at sunset, they ring this bell. You can guess what time that will be and write your name on a blackboard that they keep here for that purpose. If you guess right, you win a drink!:

This is a cool little tradition. You can just about hear that bell anywhere in town. It is always fun to hear it at the end of a great day.

I have three more shots from up here:

Now, we are back in the retail area along 30A. Here's a shot of one of our absolute favorites. We eat here several times when we visit. You can just walk up from the beach, order your food, and enjoy:

Here's a close-up of the menu:

I used to complain about these prices. But, when you compare them to what they charge at WDW, and also compare the food quality, they are downright reasonable. Also, be sure to try the fried pickles.

A cool feature that you will find in Seaside which I have not yet mentioned is that the design of the town incorporates foot paths. These go behind almost all of the houses, and you can get just about anywhere in town using them. Here is one:

These are what they used to call the Honeymoon cottages. They are now owned by private individuals, but you can still rent most of them through the Cottage Rental Agency at Seaside:

These are obviously the fronts that we are looking out. The backs of these cottages have a gulf view. And, there is a big back porch on each with a hammock. Heaven.

Here is another neat feature in Seaside. Most of the development and homes are across 30A from the beach. When designing the town, the architects designed the roads so that each one ended at the beach. At the end of each road is a Pavilion which is used for residents and guests to access the beach. These are private, and are only supposed to be used by the homeowners and their guests (including those renting homes from the owners). This is the East Ruskin pavilion, which is, you guessed it, at the end of East Ruskin Street:

This is the Tupelo Pavilion. At the end of Tupelo Street (are you seeing the pattern?), you may recognize it. . . it has been on the covers of lots of magazines:

Imagine sitting in one of those chairs enjoying a cup of coffee as the sun rises and the town comes to life. Been there. Done that. It's nicer than you can even imagine. You could also do the same at Sunset with a beer. Just as nice.

Here's what the beach looks like around here:

Here's another foot path:

I guess this would be a good place for me to tell you that you could easily spend a day just walking around Seaside and admiring how this town was put together. You know, this is where the New Urbanism movement started. Have you been to Celebration, Florida? They copied Seaside. Same thing with Watercolor, which we have seen a bit of, and any New Urbanism town that might be popping up in your neck of the woods. It all started here, more than 25 years ago.

If you want to buy a place here, this is the place to call:

A couple years ago, you couldn't touch the smallest shack in town for less than a mil. But, prices have come down recently. Not low enough yet for TCD, but there are a few pretty nice houses listed now for less than a really big one. This would be a great opportunity for someone with the means to take advantage of the current market.

Now, we are heading back to the campground, so here's a few Watercolor shots:

Here's what the bike path looks like as you leave town:

And, before you know it, there's Western Lake on your left, and you are almost there:

Next up . . .

We will look at the campground and its facilities.

And the town of Grayton Beach, too.

TCD

 

[I'mDownWithDisney]

Great TR....loving the pics. We go to that area about once a year. Off season rentals are crazy cheap. We rented a 3 bedroom house, that was on the market for $990,000, one Thanksgiving for $95 a night. It wasn't in Seaside proper, but east on 30A just a mile or so.

 

[mnsprk]

T.C.D. we haven't had the pleasure of making your acquaintance but hopefully, during one of our Fort visits that will happen. I do want to thank you for the pics., we just made ressies at Grayton for Feb after we leave the Fort. Can't wait!

THANKS AGAIN!

Grumpy (Dave) & Grandma (Linda)

PS: Thanks for the RC documentary also.

 

[4mickey2]

this reminds me of door county, wisconsin. everyone bike rides up there (it is in the handle part of our state) and is surrounded by lake michigan. but, our icecream shop is called....

are you ready.....


this is funny but, true oh so true...


"NOT LICKED YET!"

lol. we have to go there everytime we visit.

great tr, tcd. i love florida state parks.

 

[DaveInTN]

Well TCD, it's about freakin time. So I guess all that time I spent searching the Dunedin obituaries was pointless. BUT, I'm glad you are back.

 

[2goofycampers]

Well TCD, it's about freakin time. So I guess all that time I spent searching the Dunedin obituaries was pointless. BUT, I'm glad you are back.

We are a narcissistic group. If you don't spend time with us we think you must be dead.

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Great TR....loving the pics. We go to that area about once a year. Off season rentals are crazy cheap. We rented a 3 bedroom house, that was on the market for $990,000, one Thanksgiving for $95 a night. It wasn't in Seaside proper, but east on 30A just a mile or so.

Wow! I've never seen anything that cheap. Where did you find the info on that house? VRBO?

T.C.D. we haven't had the pleasure of making your acquaintance but hopefully, during one of our Fort visits that will happen. I do want to thank you for the pics., we just made ressies at Grayton for Feb after we leave the Fort. Can't wait!

THANKS AGAIN!

Grumpy (Dave) & Grandma (Linda)

PS: Thanks for the RC documentary also.

You are welcome. The only hesitation I would have about February is that it gets cold up there in that part of Florida. But, if you're prepared for that it would be a fun time to visit, during the off season.

this reminds me of door county, wisconsin. everyone bike rides up there (it is in the handle part of our state) and is surrounded by lake michigan. but, our icecream shop is called....

are you ready.....


this is funny but, true oh so true...


"NOT LICKED YET!"

lol. we have to go there everytime we visit.

great tr, tcd. i love florida state parks.

That's a great name for an ice cream shop! Thanks for reading!

Well TCD, it's about freakin time. So I guess all that time I spent searching the Dunedin obituaries was pointless. BUT, I'm glad you are back.

Gosh. Sorry that all that work went unrewarded. But, thanks for thinking of me. BTW, I read the end of your November TR. Good job, and congratulations and God Bless on your newest endeavor. You are a good man!

We are a narcissistic group. If you don't spend time with us we think you must be dead.

TCD

 

[DaveInTN]

BTW, I read the end of your November TR.

Actually, I worried that I had driven you off since your last post until now was a comment on my TR. If there's even a remote chance that is true, please don't read my recent TR. I'd like you to stick around for a while.