June 4, 2011 / M.E.

Homosassa. Florida

Fishing, Florida, Homosassa, Manatee, Monkeys, Resort, River, State Park, Wildlife

For my aunt’s birthday, she rounded up the whole family for a wholesome family adventure to Homosassa, Florida. Located on the west coast of Florida this old Florida town is known for its fishing and wildlife.

We stayed at the Homosassa Riverside Resort, which worked out perfectly. Every family had individual rooms but we were all close enough together to be able to walk and meet up with one another. All the rooms were on the water so everyone had a great view.

The most interesting thing about the Homosassa Riverside Resort is Monkey Island. In the middle of the Homosassa River, right beside the resort, is an island with monkeys. This island was created to prevent boaters from running aground on the rocks that were submerged in high tide. After the island had been formed, G. A. Furgason, a strong force behind the development of Homosassa in the 1960’s, decided that the island was missing something. A lighthouse was added but the finishing touch was the monkeys. The monkeys are an attraction today for boaters, resort and restaurant guests.

While my mom opted to go fishing with some of my cousins, I offered to help out with taking my younger cousins to the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. While the kids loved running around looking at the manatees and alligators, my 93-year-old grandmother kept it slow and enjoyed looking at the resident hippo, Lu. This park features the best of Florida wildlife, from a gorgeous Florida Panther and black bears to Roseate Spoonbills and manatees. A great feature about this park is that all the pathways were wide and flat enough for any stroller or wheelchair to get around without any problem. I don’t often think about handicap access but when it becomes a need you start to realize how important easy access really is.