The Florida State Park of Cayo Costa is located right across Boca Grande Pass to the South and is accessible only by boat or ferry. It had been almost 15 years since I’d visited and I suggested it for a 3 night family getaway right before Thanksgiving. Cayo Costa has both camping cabins and a tent area, but even in cabins, it is rustic, primitive camping experience. There is no electricity on Cayo Costa. No water at your cabin or campsite. There are bathrooms and water is available there.
We decided we’d take the parents 17 foot Scout to the island, traveling from their home in Englewood. Loading the truck was a chore with a huge cooler, giant tent, a load of firewood, fishing stuff, clothes for three, cooking gear and “W” the nickname we applied to wine. This was one vacation where everything was lugged. We lugged the stuff outa the truck to the dock at Jim and Faye’s, staging it for loading the boat in the morning. In the morning, we lugged everything to the boat and loaded it carefully so that it wouldn’t sink. Finally, we were set to run to CayoCosta, about an hour away by boat..