http://www.solotravelgirl.com Traveling alone, not lonley Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:35:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/celebrate-the-new-year-with-a-first-day-hike-in-a-state-park-near-you/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/celebrate-the-new-year-with-a-first-day-hike-in-a-state-park-near-you/#comments Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:03:56 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=7508 Pin itRejuvenate and connect with your inner tree-hugger on New Year’s Day by participating in a First Day Hike in a state park near you. Here in the Sunshine State, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Florida Park Service is sponsoring free, guided hikes in nine state parks on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012, as...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/celebrate-the-new-year-with-a-first-day-hike-in-a-state-park-near-you/feed/ 0 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/alligator-hugging-in-naples-florida-yeah-thats-right-gator-hugging/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/alligator-hugging-in-naples-florida-yeah-thats-right-gator-hugging/#comments Mon, 29 Aug 2011 03:47:34 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=6298 Pin itMike Sturgill sat in his Naples, Fla., souvenir shop stroking his pet named “Bobby.” With the exception of an occasional eye blink, Bobby stood still and I swear, I saw contentment on his face. If he were a cat, he’d be purring. “Would you like to hug him?” Sturgill, aka “Gatorman Mike,” asked as...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/alligator-hugging-in-naples-florida-yeah-thats-right-gator-hugging/feed/ 3 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-caring-for-florida-wildlife-in-punta-gorda/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-caring-for-florida-wildlife-in-punta-gorda/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 02:18:15 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=6260 Pin itLast week I had the opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of Peace River Wildlife Center in Punta Gorda, Fla. The nonprofit organization is supported 100 percent by donations and do an amazing job nurturing Florida’s native wildlife back to health and caring for those orphaned for whatever reason. Wildlife receives tender care with...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-caring-for-florida-wildlife-in-punta-gorda/feed/ 0 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-peaceful-placida-fla/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-peaceful-placida-fla/#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:49:13 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=6224 Pin itSunday I had the opportunity to spend some time in the adorable fishing community of Placida, located in Charlotte County in  Southwest Florida. I simply love it for its authenticity and admit I don’t spend enough time there. If you visit, plan on lunch or dinner at the Fishery Restaurant (13000 Fishery Rd. Tel:...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/wordless-wednesday-peaceful-placida-fla/feed/ 0 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/loving-pelican-kitsch-in-gulfport-florida/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/loving-pelican-kitsch-in-gulfport-florida/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2011 03:40:46 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=5744 Pin it  “It’s kind of old Florida-ish,” the diner at the next table over told his dining companion when describing Gulfport, Florida. Some visitors to this waterfront community would probably say the funky boutique shops are their favorite amenity about Gulfport while others may say the Walter & Bert Williams Fishing Pier. Another group may...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/loving-pelican-kitsch-in-gulfport-florida/feed/ 1 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/walking-with-dr-beach-to-find-out-what-makes-a-great-beach/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/walking-with-dr-beach-to-find-out-what-makes-a-great-beach/#comments Sat, 07 May 2011 03:13:10 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=4969 Pin itWhen Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman was 4-years-old, his parents brought in a dump truck full of sand to transform most of his Charlotte, N.C., backyard into a sandbox. They thought this would prevent the youngster from playing in red clay notorious for ruining his clothing. When he was six, Leatherman found himself on Myrtle...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/walking-with-dr-beach-to-find-out-what-makes-a-great-beach/feed/ 0 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/de-leon-springs-make-your-own-pancakes-in-this-florida-state-park/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/de-leon-springs-make-your-own-pancakes-in-this-florida-state-park/#comments Sun, 01 May 2011 21:41:41 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=4898 Pin it  If you don’t like how the pancakes turn out at The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Grill and Griddle House in De Leon Springs State Park, there’s no one to blame but you. That’s because you’re the chef. Being a solo diner, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to get a seat and...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/de-leon-springs-make-your-own-pancakes-in-this-florida-state-park/feed/ 1 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/quick-stop-at-ray-charles-childhood-home-greenville-florida/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/quick-stop-at-ray-charles-childhood-home-greenville-florida/#comments Sun, 10 Apr 2011 04:20:57 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=4590 Pin itI’m proof billboard advertising works. On a recent trip through Florida’s Panhandle, I spotted one advertising the Ray Charles Childhood Home in Greenville, Fla. Huh? First, I’m embarrassed to admit I didn’t know there was a town called Greenville and second, I didn’t know Ray Charles had Sunshine State connections. Last month, my friend...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/quick-stop-at-ray-charles-childhood-home-greenville-florida/feed/ 0 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/roomstay-com-for-florida-vacation-planning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/roomstay-com-for-florida-vacation-planning/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 16:23:03 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=4519 Pin itSummer’s around the corner and my fellow Floridians will soon being planning their vacations. A good number of us actually vacation within our home state because after all, it is the vacation capital of the world! There are many resources for locating Florida hotels and RoomStays.com, my new friends supporting my travel habit, is...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/roomstay-com-for-florida-vacation-planning/feed/ 2 http://www.solotravelgirl.com/i-ate-bugs-and-tolerated-it-echo-farm-fort-myers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss http://www.solotravelgirl.com/i-ate-bugs-and-tolerated-it-echo-farm-fort-myers/#comments Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:34:48 +0000 Solo Travel Girl http://www.solotravelgirl.com/?p=4268 Pin it“Would you like a grilled cricket?” the young woman said while holding a bag of chilled mealworms. I attended ECHO Farm Day at Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization in North Fort Myers, Fla., yesterday. Founded back in the 1970s, it’s a global Christian organization believing in equipping people with agricultural skills and resources to...]]> http://www.solotravelgirl.com/i-ate-bugs-and-tolerated-it-echo-farm-fort-myers/feed/ 1