We’re officially on the move again, and it feels like we’re closing out our Florida chapter in the most “Great Loop” way possible — a mix of family time, fun stops, a few lessons learned, and some upgrades that are already making life easier on the boat. As we write this, we’re docked at Fernandina Beach Marina on Amelia Island, right on the edge of crossing into Georgia.

Before we leave Florida behind, we wanted to share a bit about this last stretch — because it really had a little bit of everything.

A Grandkid Adventure at LEGOLAND

One of the highlights of this leg was having Nick, Rami, and our grandson Leon come down to visit us. We decided to make a trip out of it and headed over to LEGOLAND Florida Resort, where we stayed at the LEGOLAND Pirate Island Hotel.

We’ll be honest — we expected this one to be very kid-focused. And it was… but it was also a lot of fun for us too. The rooms were pirate-themed and had a scavenger hunt built right in. We followed clues around the room that led to a treasure chest filled with snacks, drinks, and LEGO surprises. Leon thought that was pretty cool, and honestly, so did we.

The park itself had more to it than we expected, including an aquarium and an entire area with miniature cities built out of millions of LEGO bricks. It’s definitely one of those places that’s worth it if you’ve got kids with you — even if you’re just a kid at heart.

Winter Park: Wine, Steak, and Showing Off Loop Life

After we dropped the kids off at the airport, we turned right around and picked up Chris’s brother Todd and his wife Tammy. They’ve been on the boat before, but this was their first time actually traveling with us — which made it a lot of fun to share the experience.

We took them over to Winter Park and made a stop at The Wine Room on Park Avenue, which ended up being a really fun spot. You can sample wines right from the tap, so if you’re not sure what you like, you can just try a little bit of everything. We paired that with a charcuterie board and spent a good chunk of the afternoon there.

And then, of course, we had to go back to Bovine Steakhouse. We’d been there before, and the steak was just as good as we remembered. Some places are worth repeating.

Back to Boat Life: Manatees, Gators, and River Miles

Once we left the dock again, it was back into the rhythm of boating life.

Heading north, we passed near Blue Spring State Park, where we saw a ton of manatees. That meant slowing way down and having spotters up on the bow to make sure we didn’t get too close. It’s pretty incredible to see them in the wild like that.

We stopped for fuel at Holly Bluff Marina, and let’s just say… we didn’t fill up all the way. Diesel was pushing close to six dollars a gallon, so we took just enough to get where we needed to go.

One of the more memorable moments from that stretch was spotting an alligator along the bank. Todd actually got the drone up and captured some great footage — close enough that it ended up spooking the gator back into the water.

We anchored again near Morrison Island, which we’d stayed at before. Calm water, easy night… although we did manage to lose a fishing rod in the process. It happens. Thankfully, Amazon had us covered the next day.

Dock and Dine: One of Our Favorite Parts of the Loop

One thing we’ve really come to love about this journey is the dock-and-dine spots. This time, we stopped at Corky Bell’s Seafood, and it’s easy to see why it’s a favorite.

If you eat there, they let you stay overnight at the dock. Simple as that.

We had dinner, a couple of drinks, and enjoyed the outdoor patio. The alligator bites were actually really good, which isn’t always the case. If you go, our advice is to get there early. By the time we left, there was a line out the door.

Boat Life Upgrades in Jacksonville

When we got back to Jacksonville, we spent some time at Huckins Yacht Corporation knocking out a few projects.

We’ve got a soft spot developing on the bow that we’ll deal with later, but for now we focused on a few quality-of-life upgrades. We replaced the carpet in the bedroom with carpet tiles, which turned out great and feels much better underfoot.

But the biggest upgrade — and probably the most impactful — was switching to a vented washer and dryer combo. If you’ve ever used a non-vented one, you know the struggle. Clothes came out wrinkled and still damp, and we were spending way too much time at laundromats. The new one has already made a huge difference.

A Bucket List Stop: The Players Championship

While we were in Jacksonville, we also made time for something we’ve wanted to do for a while — we went to The Players Championship.

The weather couldn’t have been better. Mid-70s, sunny, no wind. We spent the whole day out there following the pros and just taking it all in. It was one of those days that reminds you why you’re doing this trip in the first place.

It also inspired our next plan — we’ve already booked time in Hilton Head during another tournament, and we’re hoping to anchor out near the 18th hole. That’s definitely on the bucket list.

Into the Intracoastal: Learning as We Go

Leaving Jacksonville and heading north, things started to feel a little different.

The Intracoastal up here is much narrower, with more curves and marshland on either side. Tides are a big factor too — we’re seeing swings of up to six feet, which means you really have to pay attention when anchoring and navigating.

Staying in the channel is critical. Just a little outside of it, and you can go from 12 feet of water to 4 feet pretty quickly.

We also ran into our first barge in this stretch. It’s a good reminder to get on the radio and communicate. We called them on channel 16, and they told us exactly how and when to pass. Those captains know the waterways better than anyone, and they’re more than willing to help.

Amelia Island Evenings

Once we got settled in Fernandina Beach, we took some time to explore.

We stopped in at The Palace Saloon, which is the oldest bar in Florida, and then had dinner at The Salty Pelican Bar & Grill.

Both were great stops, and like we’ve learned in a lot of these towns — timing matters. We got there early and didn’t have to wait, but by the time we left, there were people lined up outside.

What’s Next: Crossing into Georgia

Now we’re getting ready to head into Georgia, with stops planned in Brunswick and Savannah, before eventually making our way to Hilton Head Island.

We’ve heard great things about Brunswick — especially how protected and boater-friendly it is — so we’re looking forward to spending some time there.

Final Thoughts

This stretch really reminded us why we love doing the Loop.

It’s the mix of everything — having family visit, finding new favorite spots, dealing with the little frustrations, and figuring things out as we go. Florida gave us a little bit of all of it.

Now it’s time to see what Georgia has in store.