Where the Big Adventures Started
This is where the big adventuring all started.
One of the boys mentioned how fun it would be to stay in an RV. That was all I needed to get the wheels spinning.
And let me tell you, when the wheels start spinning in my head, they donāt stop until Iāve exhausted every possible way to make something happen.
I started searching, and thatās where I discovered RVshare and Outdoorsy. I had no idea you could rent an RV from another person just like you rent a vacation house through VRBO or Airbnb.
Had we ever been in an RV before?Nope.
Did I think I could drive one? Absolutely nope.
Thatās where the family MVP comes in.
My husband hears my plans and usually just says, āOkay.ā
He makes the plan happen.
He said he would drive it, weād figure everything else out, and that was all I needed to hear.
Done. Weāre going.
Did I almost rent us an RV that was WAY too big simply because the owner offered to decorate it for our adventure?
Yes. Measurements and math arenāt exactly my thing. Thankfully, that rental fell through.
At the last minute, we found a drivable 28-foot camper that worked for us. We flew into Fort Lauderdale and took an Uber to a Publix, where the RV owner met us and walked us through everything.
It seemed pretty easy.
Of course, I was mostly relying on the family MVP to remember everything and figure out how the heck to operate this thing.
We headed into Publix to stock the refrigerator with food for the trip. The owner had already filled the water tank for us because the Everglades campground didnāt have hookups.
Which brings me to another thing we learned very quickly: Dry camping.
At the time, I had no idea what that meant.
Basically, youāre camping without the normal electric and water hookups. You use your generator for electricity, and the RV has tanks that hold your fresh water and wastewater until they can be emptied.
Translation?
Short showers.
I quickly learned about the navy shower (get wet, turn the water off, soap up, rinse, and get out).
Apparently, I had a lot to learn about RVing.
The Everglades: First Stop
We drove toward the Everglades, and everything was going surprisingly well.
Which, of course, should have been our first warning.
The Everglades has more than one entrance.
We put āEvergladesā into the GPS.
I know what youāre thinking.
Why would you ever do that? I donāt know.
But thatās exactly what we did.
We arrived at the wrong entrance, and it wasnāt until we were sitting in line waiting to get in that we realized our mistake.
But there was a silver lining.
While we were sitting there, we saw our first alligator.
He was just hanging out in the grass, sunning himself like he had absolutely nowhere to be.
Everyone joked that we had seen an alligator, so I guess we could just go home now. š
After about a 40-minute detour, we finally made our way to the entrance we actually needed: Flamingo.
And hooking up the camper was easy.
Mostly becauseā¦There were no hookups. š
Two Days in the Everglades
We spent two days in the Everglades, and honestly, that was perfect for us.
We rented bikes, went kayaking, and did the Junior Ranger programs.
And, of course, we saw alligators and American crocodiles (did you know its the only place to see both? Also a fact thats been learned along the way: American crocodiles are not as mean as alligators, however non-American crocodiles are more dangerous. This was a debate that caused confusion and has been settled [you know who you are]), and manatees!
One thing you should know before planning a trip to the Everglades: the mosquitoes can be intense.
We went in April, so it wasnāt nearly as bad as it can be during the summer, but we still needed bug spray and citronella candles.
Apparently, during the summer months, mosquitoes can be so bad that people cover themselves from head to toe and even use face nets.
Iām just going to say it:
Thatās not really part of my fashion sense.
So if you feel the same way, I highly recommend choosing a different time of year.
And, of course, thereās also that little issue of Florida summer heat.
No thank you.
Next Stop: The Florida Keys
After the Everglades, we packed up the camper and headed down to Key Largo.
We snorkeled and then spent two days relaxing at an RV park
. 
And this is where we learned another very important RV lesson.
If youāre using a drivable RV, you donāt automatically have another vehicle to get around in.
Seems like common sense, right? Apparently, not enough common sense for us to think about it ahead of time. š
Because we had rented a motorhome, we didnāt have a separate car.
So we couldnāt really explore the Keys the way we had imagined.
We were essentially āstuckā at the campground.
But honestly? It was fine.
The campground had paddleboards to rent, a pool, and, of course, the ocean.
Sometimes you donāt need a packed itinerary.
Sometimes sitting around, getting in the water, and doing absolutely nothing is exactly what you need.
If Youāre Already in the Keysā¦Add Biscayne
If youāre planning a trip to the area and youāre trying to check off National Parks, Biscayne National Park is one you should consider adding.
Itās a little different from the other parks because so much of the park is underwater.
You can take a boat out and snorkel to experience it.
We should have added Biscayne to our trip while we were there.
But hereās the thing:
At the time, we werenāt collecting National Park visits yet.
We had no idea this little trip was going to turn into our eventual quest to see as many National Parks as possible.
Had we known, we definitely would have planned for it.
Dry Tortugas: One More Florida Adventure
Another Florida adventure that deserves to be included here is Dry Tortugas National Park.
For my husbandās 40th birthday, we went back to the Keys together, and we were lucky enough to experience Dry Tortugas by seaplane.
And wow
Iām sure Dry Tortugas is one of those National Parks that people have a hard time checking off because getting there takes a little more effort.
You can get there by ferry or seaplane.
The ferry is the less expensive option, but it makes for a longer day.
If you can splurge on the seaplane, though?
Do it.
It was one of the most amazing experiences weāve had.
Flying over the water was incredible by itself, but we could look down and see sea turtles and sharks from the plane.
Seeing the turquoise water, tiny islands, and the Dry Tortugas from above was something Iāll never forget.
And yes, this is one of those times when the journey really was part of the adventure.
Where It All Began
Looking back, itās funny to think that this trip started with one of the boys casually saying, āIt would be fun to stay in an RV.ā
That one little comment turned into:
An RV rental.
Our first experience dry camping.
A wrong Everglades entrance.
Our first alligator.
Kayaking.
Snorkeling.
The Florida Keys.
And eventually, a seaplane ride to Dry Tortugas. And owning our own RV.
We didnāt know it at the time, but this trip was just the beginning.
It was the trip that showed us how much fun it could be to just go figure it out.
And apparently, once I get an idea in my headā¦thereās really no stopping me. š