Jay often plays in charity golf tournaments around the country, especially those for medically-related causes.
He was going to play a charity tournament in Florida to benefit the Nicaraguan Medical Mission and invited me along - which was unusual in that he doesn't usually invite me along on his golf tournaments. He even took it a step further and said we'd make a mini vacay out of the trip.
I was about to discover why. He'd sold the Beast and bought a new Marathon RV. We'd "break it in: on the trip to Florida.
It was a 20 hour drive down to Clewiston, Florida where the golf tournament was being held. (A very lonnnng 20 hour drive listening to him kvetch about alligators on the Florida golf courses!)
The tournament was going to be played at the Clewiston Golf Course.
When we arrived in Clewiston he pulled into Silver Palms RV Park.
We arrived at a lake and he pulled the Beast into a lakeside site on one of the park's five lakes. Next to the site was a tiki hut with an outdoor kitchen, patio table and chairs and a golf cart parked in there. The entire park was beautifully landscaped and had about any amenity one could name.
"Wow, how did you manage to score this site?" I asked.
"I bought it," he replied.
"You what?! When?"
"Couple of years ago. I needed a tax
write off. Besides, some of my friends have sites here. I figured eventually I'd tire of the New York winters and become a Snowbird so I set myself up to do that."
Okie dokie.
Silver Palms also has some short term sites for rent.
Money $aving Tip: Be sure to sign up for their newsletter to be the first to find out about new promotions and special offers.
If you're not RV'ing it, a very popular place to stay in Clewiston is the Historic Clewiston Inn.
Photo credit: Histroic Clewiston Inn
Historic Clewiston Inn offers rooms with free Wi-Fi and a TV with premium cable and satellite channels. Free continental breakfast is provided. On-site Everglades Bar & Lounge, game room, laundry, free parking. Pet friendly.
They not only have rooms, they rent out 1 and 2 bedroom apartments as well.
Money $aving Tip: Check out their Special Offers page
There are many chain motels/hotels in Clewiston as well.
We rolled into Clewiston late afternoon so I'm not counting the arrival day as a day in the itinerary. Arrive in Clewiston and get settled in your accommodations.
Jay took me around the RV park on his golf cart he keeps there to show me where everything was. All I can say is WOW! Really nice place and most spots are privately owned so you don't get the all-too-common-now campground riff raff, noise and partying until 3 am.
Day 1
Morning: Jay had to pick up a golf buddy at Okeechobee Airport so we had breakfast at a really unique place - the Landing Strip Cafe: 2800 NW 20th Trail, Okeechobee, FL.
The place is always packed with locals so it's not unusual to have to wait for a table but the food is definitely worth it. Not only that, you're sitting at the side of a runway so you can watch the planes taking off and landing which is pretty cool.
(We watched Jay's buddy land so knew exactly when he'd arrived.)
If you have kids, they'd like this breakfast cafe because they can watch the planes take off and land.
Prices are reasonable, in line with what you'd expect to pay these days.
After dropping Jay's buddy off Jay took me on a tour of Clewiston. It's a pretty little town and not a snowflake in sight! YAHOO!
It looked like the entire town had been professionally landscaped and it's nestled on the shores of Lake Okeechobee, which makes it even more beautiful. The lake is the largest freshwater lake in Florida and is famous for its natural beauty. If you can, take a boat tour of Lake Okeechobee!
The tours usually last a couple of hours, giving you ample time to soak in the views. Some operators even offer fishing opportunities, letting you try your luck at catching bass and other fish species.
Scheduling a boat tour is very easy, with various companies offering services throughout the week.
While you're exploring Clewiston be sure to stroll through Civic Park: 162 Royal Palm Ave, Clewiston.
It sits in the heart of the city, close to countless downtown spots to visit and spans over 4 acres.
It is also a superb option if you want to save up on expenses by enjoying free things to do in Clewiston.
Amenities you can find here are play areas for your little ones, picnic tables where you can eat your meals comfortably, a charming gazebo, and several benches throughout the area.
Throughout the year, the park plays host to a variety of events, including Veterans Day ceremonies, the “Meet at the Pole” celebration, the monthly City Market (held the second Saturday from November through April), Sugar Festival Arts & Crafts, and Concerts in the Park.
Afternoon: Have lunch at Lakeside Grill: 1111 S Parrott Avenue, Okeechobee.
Lakeside Grill is a delightful restaurant which offers prime meats, seafood, pasta, and burgers as well as really tasty breakfasts. Large menu selection.
Neighborly atmosphere, delicious food, and excellent value. And a big 'ol alligator just for Jay!
Open daily from 6:30 am to 2 pm.
After lunch take a break from the Florida sun and take a scenic drive around Lake Okeechobee.
Gators get their revenge!
Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail
The loop spans roughly 110 miles, providing ample opportunities to explore natural beauty. There are designated pull-offs and viewpoints where you can stop and take photos. Each location offers unique vistas of the lake and surrounding wildlife. And the sunsets are spectacular!
This leisurely drive allows you to appreciate the beauty of Florida’s landscape. It’s ideal for families, couples, or solo travelers looking to unwind and connect with nature. Don't expect a big city "tourist attraction".
The lake is primarily surrounded by agricultural land.
Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, running for 109 miles long, sits on the banks of Lake Okeechobee and runs along the Herbert Hoover Dike. The entire trail is paved so is ideal for hiking or biking.
There’s beautiful wildlife too, from wading birds like egrets and ibises, to plentiful alligators. The trail links a string of parks, marinas, and campgrounds around the lakeshore.
If you’re only in the mood for a short walk you could go out and back for a mile or two, starting at the Clewiston picnic area. Bring a hat and wear sunscreen as the entire trail is in the sun!
Then Jay took me to the Roland Martin Marina in Clewiston: 920 E. Del Monte Avenue, Clewiston, having asked me if I wanted to go for a boat ride on Lake Okeechobee. (Sure!) Little did I know he was about to have a whole lotta fun at my expense.
The Roland Martin Marina is one of the top waterfront attractions in the city.
As embarrassing as this story is, I'll tell it on myself...
We get to this marina and it's like Jay knows exactly where he's going. He takes me down this pier where this big honkin' boat is moored...and he jumps aboard this boat!
I start yelling "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!
GET OFF OF THERE!"
"Why?"
"BECAUSE YOU CAN'T JUST GO JUMPING ABOARD SOMEONE ELSE'S BOAT! NOW GET OFF OF THERE!"
"The owner won't mind if we take her out for a spin..."
"YOU DON'T KNOW THAT! GET OFF OF THERE! WHAT IF THE OWNER COMES?!"
He reaches out his hand and says "C'mon, hop aboard!"
I'm now starting to back down the dock away from the boat, yelling "NO WAY! YOU WANT TO END UP IN JAIL YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD! I'M NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO GET CAUGHT MAKING MYSELF AT HOME ON SOMEONE ELSE'S BOAT!"
He's now chasing me down the dock and finally catches me, laughing like hell...and says "The owner won't mind, It's my boat."
"YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU HAD A BOAT!"
"You never asked me if I had a boat..."
Apparently he had a whole FL Snowbird life I knew nothing about.
Surprise, surprise!
And didn't I feel stupid! Especially when
the 2 couples Jay had invited to join us showed up and he told them all about my rant.
The cruise was delightful. Lake Okeechobee is noted for its trophy bass (among other fish species) so the guys fished and we had fresh bass and steak on the boat for dinner. It was the perfect evening.
Day 3
Morning: If you're into Columbian food, have breakfast at Punto Rojo: 728 US-27 S, Clewiston.
This is both a restaurant and a bakery.
I was shocked when I walked through the door into the restaurant. The building exterior gives no clue as to the bright, cheerful decor inside! This is just a small restaurant and bakery but it packs a punch!
The food portions are absolutely HUGE! I don't know what they do to prepare their skirt steak but it's out of this world. (We had steak and eggs for breakfast). As for their bakery, I wanted to try every single thing in their display case. If I had one "criticism" is that we Americans will find their breads to be heavy and overly sweet. But a big thumbs up on Punto Rojo!
After breakfast we headed out to the Big Cyprus Seminole Indian Reservation and its Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum: 34725 W Boundary Rd, Clewiston.
This is out in the middle of nowhere and you can't find it using your GPS so I'll give you directions:
FROM CLEWISTON/MOORE HAVEN
40 Min.
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Take SR-80 to the intersection of SR-80 and US-27
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Continue on SR-80 to LaBelle/Ft. Myers
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Make a left onto CR-833 (Big Cypress Reservation)
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Follow CR-833 for approximately 29 miles until you reach the Big Cypress Reservation (Please note, there will be two sharp turns on CR-833, but do not get off the highway. Just follow until you cross the Reservation line), CR833 becomes N. Boundary Road as you enter the Reservation.
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Turn right on West Boundary Rd, travel for 3 miles
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Turn right on Gator Tail Trail
The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is the official museum of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Seminoles are the native Indigenous people of Florida and is location on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in Hendry County. The
6500 square feet gallery showcase cultural and historical exhibits from the 1800s to today. The mile long boardwalk leads through a Cypress hammock to the living Seminole Village.
In the Seminole language, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki means a place to learn, a place to remember.
There are more than 100,000 unique artifacts in the collections, including sculpture clothing, basketry, and beadwork. As a reminder that you’re in the heart of the Everglades here, the museum is surrounded by a boardwalk nature trail. This loops for a mile through a cypress dome, and has interpretive signs identifying plants and wildlife.
ADMISSION
Adult $10.00
Senior (55+) $7.50
Students (18 and under, or with a college ID) $7.50
Military $7.50
Family (2 Adults and Up To 4 Children Ages 5-18 $30.00
Children 4 and Under Free
Seminole Tribe Member Free
Other Tribe With ID Free
The museum is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 5 pm but is closed holidays.
Entry to the boardwalk closes at 4 pm.
Afternoon: Have American & Native American fare at Swamp Water Cafe: 30000 Gator Tail Trail, Clewiston
Located inside the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.
He can't escape them no matter where he goes!
I'd rate their food as average but their complimentary fry bread is over the top!
They also run quite a few daily specials.
I did like their Indian tacos - Authentic Seminole fry bread topped with beef chili, chopped lettuce, tomato, onion
and fancy shredded jack and cheddar cheese served with sour cream and salsa.
They also have an all-you-can-eat soup and salad bar for $15.
Swamp Water Café offers one of the most unique dining destinations in the Everglades with views of airboats and wildlife roaming in the 2,220- acre park. In fact, the restaurant sits right next to a gator pit.
Open daily 7 am to 7 pm.
We'd never taken an airboat ride so decided to take one with Okeechobee Airboat Rides: Okee Tantie Marina Hwy 78 West, Okeechobee FL.
Okeechobee Airboat Rides offers a thrilling guided Everglades airboat ride, eco-tour, and wildlife adventure experience! A must-do if visiting the Lake Okeechobee area.
The tour is fully narrated; each passenger is equipped with aviation-type headsets which allows communication while running. Tours are family-friendly and suitable for all ages.
They offer both 1 hour tours and 1.5 hour tours. A 1 hour tour costs $50.
Be sure to bring sunglasses and sunscreen.
Evening: Have dinner at one of the best restaurants in Clewiston, Jalapenos: 444 E Sugarland Avenue,
Clewiston.
Nestled on Sugarland Avenue, this modest eatery is a foodie magnet, known for its tacos and Mexican food specialties. This joint is one of the best restaurants Clewiston has to offer, thanks to its authentic Mexican food.
From quesadillas to burritos, this taqueria has an impressive selection of fun, fresh, delish and vibrant Mexican entrees. Plus, they have a salsa bar with a seemingly endless array of sauces.
Do yourself a favor, and sample their tacos al pastor. Large and flavorful, these distinctive tacos are filled with juicy, thinly sliced pork slices marinated in a tangy and sweet fruity sauce.
Day 4 - Tournament Day
I was glad I'd met some of the other golfers wives prior to the tournament as it made the day go faster - and it was more fun!
The day was made even better when Jay's foursome came in in 2nd place!
The day included golf, raffles, 50/50 and lunch.
I even won a really nice raffle prize - a Garmin golf watch - that Jay was all but drooling over.
"You can have it", I said, strapping it on his wrist. "It's broken."
"Whatya mean it's broken? It's not broken!"
"Yeah it is...it's missing giving you the most important readout of all - where the gators are on the golf course! You can't even tee
off without that display!"
Photo credit: Garmin
All of us were having such a good time, none of us wanted the tournament to end. So we decided we'd all meet that evening at Next Corner Tapas & Bar: 132 N W C Owen Avenue, Clewiston.
Next Corner Tapas & Bar is your go-to family restaurant for Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine in Clewiston,
One of Jay's friends recommended we go here and he knew his restaurants! We loved everything from the decor to the food to the service, their Sangria and especially the company we were in. We had a wonderful evening together. Highly recommend you try Next Corner Tapas & Bar.
Day 5
Morning: Breakfast at Common Grounds Coffee House: 104 Bond St Unit A, Clewiston.
Their coffee is WAY better than Starbucks for starters. And I'm hooked on their spinach and feta bistros.
Great place, more than just a coffee shop. Great food and service, great location, great prices and a friendly gathering place for both locals and tourists.
We were up to getting out of Clewiston for a bit and some fun so took a 1.5 hour road trip up the coast to Jupiter, FL to Beach Water Sports
and rented a jet ski. 17967 SE Federal Hwy, Jupiter, FL.
All of their Yamaha 130 hp jet skis are new or one year old and are able to fit one to three people comfortably.
Rental is $130 per hour with each additional hour costing $100.
Jupiter is a beautiful coastal town known for its stunning beaches and turtle nesting sites.
We have an affinity for sea turtles so wanted to visit the Loggerhead Marinelife Center: 14200 US Hwy. 1, Juno Beach, FL - one of Jupiter’s best family-friendly activities.
The Loggerhead Marinelife Center is especially cool because the beaches surrounding Jupiter happen to be the busiest loggerhead sea turtle nesting sites in the world.
As such, Palm Beach County makes a concerted effort to protect the endangered species as they visit the town to lay their eggs.
We both agreed visiting this turtle hospital was the highlight of our trip and we spent the entire afternoon there exploring every inch of the facility. We were glad we did in that we saw a turtle brought in for treatment on their turtle ambulance, saw hatchlings breaking out of their eggs, and a turtle being released back into the wild.
This rehabilitation center is well worth your road trip to Juno Beach. It offers several different guided tours including early access tours before the facility opens, public and private guided tours of the facility, and a visit to 3 turtle nesting sites in the wild. They also offer a self guided audio tour.
Participants of the Audio Tour program will receive individual audio devices and a campus map. This program is entirely self-guided and enables you to explore our expanded campus at your own pace. You will gain a deep understanding of our mission and the critical work that we do at LMC during each of the 8 stops along the way. Please Note: The Audio Tour device is reserved for the full day. You may arrive and check out the device at any time during operating hours from 10 AM – 4:30 PM.
You can explore all of the different programs the center offers here.
Afternoon: We didn't want to interrupt our visit to the center so had lunch at its Tortuga Cafe.
The café is conveniently located on the new mezzanine level directly behind the Mangrove exhibit.
You can relax is their high top area overlooking the Caribbean Reef Tank and Tortuga Terrace where you can sit to enjoy your snacks and overlook the Atlantic Ocean.
Open 7 days, 11 am to 3 pm.
Admission is FREE but the center appreciates donations. 100% of donations go to the center's care and rehabilitation of turtles.
Evening: Have a different kind of dinner at Guanabanas Restaurant: 960 N Hwy A1A, Jupiter, FL
At Guanabanas Restaurant, it’s hard to distinguish whether you’re dining on a Caribbean Island or in Jupiter, Florida. Opened by Jupiter surfers as a sandwich shop in 2004, Guanabanas has grown to become an institution in northern Palm Beach County for three reasons: The lush, tropical setting; great cuisine and cocktails; and live music from both national acts and the hottest names in South Florida.
The use of locally produced ingredients is the order of the day. All of their seafood is purchased from local sources and, as a licensed wholesale seafood dealer, Guanabanas is subject to South Atlantic Fisheries Management Commission and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission regulations in order to help manage and maintain the abundance of sea life in our fisheries.
All of their seafood is fresh from Florida.
The seafood is fantastic...but if I had one criticism it would be that nearly every entree on their menu is listed as "Mkt price". I always ask what any restaurant's "Mkt price" is to make sure it is the actual market price and not an inflated price.
What we absolutely loved is that Guanabanas is a 100% open air restaurant and bar with woven tiki huts, and banyan trees towering overhead and hand chiseled coquina stone pathways. It's a laid back, beautiful place.
Incidentally, if you have your own boat you can get from place to place mentioned above by boat.
After dinner return to your Clewiston accommodations and enjoy a relaxing rest of your evening.
Day 6 - Last day in fl
It's your last day in Florida so do anything you haven't done yet that you want to do.
Morning: We had breakfast at the old Big Eater's Cafe (now called Jan's Soul Food): 110 west Ventura Avenue Across the street from city hall, Clewiston.
Photo credit: Big Eater's Cafe
We love Jan's pancake sandwiches and even more, that whatever is left at the end of the day, Jan donates to those in need. Our kind of gal!
Great food, service and prices.
Jay wanted to take the boat out one last time to make sure everything was up to snuff on it so we cruised around Lake Okeechobee while he did that.
We'd made a "date" with another couple to get one last round of golf in before we left so we then headed to the golf course for a round of golf with them.
(Jay had a ball trying out his new golf watch...what a production THAT was! I bet the 3 of us know more about that watch's functions than Garmin itself does!)
We returned to the site to get the RV unhooked and we hit the road for home.