Hanging Out With the Alligators in Florida! - Sat, Apr 4 2015

Hanging Out With the Alligators in Florida! (4/4/2015)

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The Basics:

Event Type:

Adventure

Event Location:

Myakka River State Park, Florida - main campground

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Apr 4 2015 10:00 AM

Registration Cut Off:

Wed, Apr 1 2015 11:55:00 PM

Event Duration:

2 days, one night

Difficulty Rating:

D3: Moderate

Event Coordinator(s):

Ryan
You must be logged in to get the Event Coordinator contact information.

Member Cost:

None

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 18 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

5 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

On a recent visit to Florida, I took a day trip to Myakka River State Park, home to about 1000 alligators and I thought: "Hey, what a great place to hang out with the alligators* and do some camping!".

So - let's go there. This weekend - we will meet up for overnight camping in Florida. Everyone is responsible for their own airfare from Edmonton to Fort Myers, FLA, plus car rentals, meals etc. I 'm not organizing how you get there.

FAQ: 1. Is this for real?

Of course it is ;)

2. Are there really a lot of alligators at this particular park?

I have personally been there, and I can vouch that the answer indeed is ... yes. I took an airboat tour on the main lake myself and saw many alligators. I didn't manage to get to a particular spot in the park referred to as "The Deep Hole" (they only allow a few people to visit each day, on a first-come basis). I think this video says everything there is to say about this particular place.

3. Can you seriously go camping at this place?

Yes. You can. You can also do a myriad of other things, including checking out their treetop skywalk (worth seeing!), hiking, going canoeing/kayaking among alligators in lakes and rivers.

* To be clear: By "hanging out", I don't mean touching, petting or feeding alligators, as this is illegal in Florida. Even if you manage to avoid winning a Darwin Award for any of the above totally idiotic actions, you are likely to receive a fine of $500 US, and/or jail time. So, just don't do it.

Required Items to Bring:
Camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, etc.)

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.
Pre-purchased airline ticket (unless you plan to walk/drive to Florida)
Pre-purchased campsite reservation (visit reserveamerica.com)

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

From Florida Southwest Regional Airport (Fort Myers, Florida): follow Interstate 75 north for 122 km. Exit at highway 72 and head east (away from Sarasota) for 14 km until you reach the park gate. Travel north on the Myakka State Park Road until you reach the campground near Myakka Lake.

Notes:

- We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines at all times while participating in EOC events.
- Please scroll through and read the entire online waiver when you sign up.
- Details of this event are subject to undergo a change at any point in time, with or without warning.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance:
Please review our Cancellation Policy carefully!