Manatee Springs State Park Tour, Chiefland, Florida site to site (RV Living Full Time)

[@michelevelez390]

Love being able to see each campsite along with the park map. Helps a lot when picking your site. Can't wait to see more campground reviews.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Michele Velez Thanks. We will have two Keys State Parks soon. Also getting diesel at a truck stop video should be finished in a couple of days. Thanks for watching and commenting

[@GallionAdventures]

That park looks really cool. It’s been a few years since we been to Florida but we head there next month. Can’t wait. Thanks for sharing

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Gallion Adventures Florida has so many great state parks. I love the springs the most. We live right in between two of my favs. Blue Spring- manatees- and DeLeon Springs - cook your own pancakes 🥞 at the Old Sugar Mill Restaurant

[@DouglasMcPherson1]

Fantastic Review! This was extremely informative and helpful. I am planning a trip with a camper and this answered so many questions! Thank You! Very Well Done!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Douglas, glad to hear it. That’s exactly why we make these detailed videos. Have fun and thanks, Alice

[@bigsargecustoms]

By Far, the best campground review!! Love the detailed campsite reviews. Please keep doing these! "SUBSCRIBED!"

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We really appreciate hearing that. Sometimes we think we should stop them. But then we get a comment like yours. We wish we had the time- and could get the reservations 😅- to go to every FL state park. They are amazing. Thank you again for the encouragement, Alice

[@NomadicInNature]

Wow awesome review of this campground! I love the ones with all the space and shade.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you for watching. This is what we look for in a video when choosing a site so maybe others would like it- Alice

[@Goodtimecampin]

Great job on the video, we have camped here 2 times and love it.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Goodtimecampin Thanks. There was more we wanted to include but didn’t want it to be too long. Thanks 🙏 for watching and commenting

[@Meant2BeRVing]

Great video. My husband Mike would Like this one. Thanks for all the detailed information.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks for watching. There was so much more we wanted to include but wanted to keep it short.- Alice

[@Outdoorstaycations]

We’ve stayed at Manatee Springs State Park, love the boardwalk and seeing the manatees and the birdwatching.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Outdoorstaycations we were too early for Manatees but we will see them soon at Blue Spring near our home. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment

[@LuckyDawgProductions]

Awesome campground review. Enjoy seeing each site like that. Great job! We love camping at Florida State Parks, especially the springs.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Florida state parks are awesome. Thank you for the compliment. We love your reviews of products and I want an ebike (Alice).

[@lisatighe7656]

Thank you for the easy to watch tour of the campgrounds!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad it was helpful. Thank you for watching and commenting. We plan on reviewing many Florida state parks so keep checking.

[@hairycheesexx3800]

Deer are my favorite animal.They are so Peaceful and beautiful.I will be going here today!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sunflower Sunny Awesome. Just please don’t feed them. My neighbor did. Even after the park ranger said it is bad for their health. To see a lot, get up early and walk to the springs. Also , walk to the springs at night. You see all sorts of critters. Including bats flying over the springs water. Signed can be weak so go to concession stand if need be. Enjoy. (RV DMC) Alice

[@joannepreston6034]

This is an awesome tour! Much appreciated!👍

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Joanne, I love Manatee Springs. I hope you enjoy your stay. Alice

[@fiestydame1]

Awesome info looking forward to our trip next week😊

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Enjoy. Beautiful area

[@FollowThomas]

Nice park, definitely wanna camp there when I'm in the area on my bike tour. Nice review 👍

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. I loved the deer and the bats over the spring at night. It’s a bit in the middle of nowhere, but that can be nice, Alice

[@tarah7050]

Thank you, for showing us the campsites.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Tara H Tara, hi 👋. We plan on continuing the site to site tours for all the campgrounds ⛺️ we visit. Thank you for your feedback. Alice

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Come Back to See more Campground Tours kzbin.info/aero/PLTSSVhr0HOzi6qoqEPGBCHgAdFRkK-8A0

[@benjaminrodriguez693]

Great review! Thanks for showing me that my camp site will have my own personal dump station(site 11) 😂

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Benjamin, oh no. Sorry. That’s why we do these videos. But there was a time when booking you had choices. Things are so crazy now, you are lucky to get anything. Let us know how it goes, Alice

[@brucemurray3725]

Thanks for sharing and adding the tips.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Bruce. Thanks for watching so many videos. We really appreciate it. We try to put info out there that helps the community. Alice and Larry

[@CampTravelExplore]

Hey Guys! This one is on my Fall list! Thanks for the insights! I thought all this time I was subscribed, but I made sure to do it today! Looking forward to your upcoming videos!! Happy Camping!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We love it. I love the abundance of deer. Plus it’s not too far from my boys in Gainesville. We are so behind in watching videos because of limited upload and sketchy internet. I’ll have some catching up to do when we get back to the states. Thanks for including us. Take care. Alice

[@tdwestcott2704]

I just watched your video. Thank you for the campsite tour! Much appreciated!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Tracey Wescott Tracey, hi. No worries. We seem to be filling a need. Not many people show every site. Make sure to see those deer. I love them. (RV DMC) Alice

[@AdventureEncounters]

Thanks for sharing! Very informative! This place is on our list to visit as well! Lol, the deer 👍😁😂

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

This was our second time. I (Alice) insisted we go again because it was kind of close to UF where my son is and the deer 🦌. Larry wants to go somewhere new every time. I won 😂. Thanks for watching.

[@AdventureEncounters]

@@DownsizingMakesCents lol, I'm (Ashley) like Larry...always wanting to experience a new place haha.

[@Debbie_T_FL]

Awesome video 😊

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thanks. We hope it helps you be prepared better for a visit

[@MsJamesnorton]

Fanning springs awesome

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We haven’t been to Fanning

[@TicklerDude]

#57 looks like the best campsite!!!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Hey. I hope you get #57 then. It’s been awhile since we’ve been there. I love it. The deer. The spring. The boardwalks. Thanks for the look. Take care. Alice.

[@FernTheCamper]

Great tour, thanks for sharing! Just subbed, looking forward to following along :-) -Holly, Clive and Thorn

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Thank you. We are still learning. We are hoping we can make everyone's travels a little bit more enjoyable

[@debprimosch4144]

Really helpful!!! Thanks

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Deb, hi. I loved Manatee Springs. Sooo many deer. I hope you find a perfect spot for you. Thanks for coming by. Take care. Alice

[@debprimosch4144]

@@DownsizingMakesCents We are booked for 6-9 July (4 days). Are there bike trails there? Should we bring our kayaks or rent one?

[@thediegosdreams6436]

Hello! Love the views! I wish you could share pricing information even if it’s subject to change. Helps us planners guesstimate cost for a site and the kayaking/canoeing you did. Thanks for sharing! We are in Jacksonville, and are considering going in the next month or two. This was our first video watching of yours and it is great! Can’t wait to watch more! We are T- 2 months & 20 days until Full Time RV Life, and will be doing all of Florida for 2022. -The Diegos’ Dreams

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad you found us. And thanks for the point about pricing. We hesitate because we had someone complain once that the price was wrong. Maybe we will include it in the description with a “disclaimer” 😉 Good luck on full time traveling. We sure do love our Florida state parks. The $7 a day increase in campings fees hurts, but if they actually use the money to update the parks, it’s worth it. Let us know if you have any other questions. Safe travels, 🤗 Alice

[@ChickerysTravels]

Thanks for the tour. Can’t wait to get back to Florida this year! I love all the springs! Will you be there this winter too?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We should be still around. Love to hook up if you come to Central Florida

[@wes326]

I've been scuba diving there. Nice place with a campground.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Wes, we saw some scuba divers one time we were there. I have heard it’s popular. The campground is nice that it’s so close to the springs. I like the deer 😅 Alice

[@wes326]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Definitely the quiet part of Florida. There's a lot of hidden gems in Florida.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

I completely agree. But this year I don’t think anywhere will be quiet. It’s so hard to get in Florida state parks this year. Alice

[@Laradoxx]

Congratulations on achieving the milestone of getting “deer” right and not saying “deers”

[@BikesBoatsBivouacs]

Really nice job on editing this video. I have found up here in PA that you need to book state parks well in advance or you can't get a site. Is this true there?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Bikes Boats Bivouacs yes and no. Thanks for watching and the comment. There are key places and specific site numbers that are difficult to get depending on time of year. For instance, the keys in Winter ❄️. Ugh 😫-Alice

[@iansullivan1803]

Camp spot 21 was pulling a 5th wheel with a 1/2 ton truck!?! Respect

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

We have seen it all, 40+ fifth wheel triple axle with a 150. Crazy. Larrry

[@RVUNDERWAY]

Wow, you two! That was an incredible park tour. Can't wait to see more. Love your channel! (Was that your, Larry, diving in the springs?)

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

RV UNDERWAY that was me, it was a bit chilly at first but I love all the springs in fla. We are still trying to get better at filming and editing, but being on camera is the hardest part, you seem very comfortable talking to the camera.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

RV UNDERWAY hubby is Canadian 🇨🇦 so he can take it better then me 😂🤣-Alice

[@otnielsantiago2198]

We like going to Highland Hammock SP in Sebring, FL

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Otniel, there are so many Florida state parks, I don’t think we will be able to go to all of them, but wish we could. I’ll check this one out. Thanks for the tip, Alice

[@2021-j2d]

Any recommendations on what to see/do in the local area outside the park?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Donna There isn’t much nearby. But about an hour or hour and a half away is Gainesville. Florida Museum has a special live alligator and croc 🐊 exhibit. They also have Butterfly 🦋 World. Plus see the bat 🦇 houses on campus across from Lake Alice. I have a bat video on my IG account.

[@2021-j2d]

Downsizing Makes Cents Thanks

[@OutdoorAdventureswithShawn]

we have a forty foot fifth wheel - what site will work best ???

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Check out Magnolia 1 loop. The campground map has 40 foot as XX big. I saw quite a few on the map designated so in that section. If you book through reserve America and select your size rig, it should narrow it down. Hope that helps. Alice

[@OutdoorAdventureswithShawn]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Thank you so much !

[@micahdillon1733]

Really like your video. Thank you for your work. (Please change the background music every few minutes.)

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

This is one of earliest campground tours. We don’t talk anymore throughout the tour and we have several songs instead

[@nataliebaublitz274]

I just booked site 73 and after watching your video I am a bit upset that I did, since you said it smells like the bathroom and there may be a lot of people cutting through our campsite.... hopefully it'll be ok.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Natalie, we have stayed at a lot of state campgrounds. I’m sure it will be fine. Our first campground videos, we thought we had to talk the whole time. I love Manatee Springs. We’ve been twice. I loved seeing the deer and being in walking distance to the spring. Let us know how it goes. Alice

[@nataliebaublitz274]

@@DownsizingMakesCents thanks Alice, I did appreciate your video. Was just bummed about the review of the site. Hoping positivity will make our experience better. Although, it's supposed to be very cold when we go, which was unexpected, but that's 2020 for you!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Take a walk a night to the spring. We saw bats over the water. Plus, walk early in the morning. You’ll see deer. Then the cold won’t bother you. Alice

[@nataliebaublitz274]

@@DownsizingMakesCents Great news! We were able to switch to site 11 based on your video! Thank you sooo much!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

@@nataliebaublitz274 Awesome. I hope u you it like the new site. Please don’t be mad if you don’t like it 😅 Alice

[@davearonow65]

Are there any primitive tent camping only sites that you didn't show?

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Sorry for late reply. I don’t remember but I’m sure the website will show it. Most Florida State Parks that we have stayed in did. Sorry I can’t help more. Alice

[@JMandCBC]

Was wondering what your favorite springs campground is? looking for 3 nights in April with kids, and looking for campground with good riverfront / springs access for kayaking/swimming and one with spacious quiet wooded sites…btw, curious, have you ever camped at chassahowitzka river campground? Would be curious to know how that experience compares to manatee springs state park. Thanks!

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Is that a private campground? I don’t recognize it. This is a tough one. Manatee Springs might be my least favorite 😁 Check out this place list of springs kzbin.info/aero/PLTSSVhr0HOzjHB5rqwuqy82WakO2NqW1m They each have a great component. Blue Springs can be noisy. Silver Springs is far to day use. Rainbow springs we rented right from campground etc

[@JMandCBC]

@@DownsizingMakesCents yes, Chassahowitzka River CG is a private campground. Springs look beautiful there. Campsites look pretty small though

[@shaundavidson2582]

Just watched the video see you no video of Blackwater River State Park campground in Holt,Fl. check that out some time

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

There are so many Florida state parks we would love to see. Thanks for the tip

[@alanhumphrey4198]

This is the correct spelling for --Chiefland...

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Alan, thanks. We keep forgetting to fix this. Alice

[@donaldhooper3064]

Looks like a beautiful campground but I could not watch it all. The panning back & forth was dizzying. Showing a few of the sites would have been sufficient. The whole thing was too much.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Donald, I totally get that. We changed future tours so we don’t pan. But we continue to do every site. Many people find it helpful. Maybe try one of our more recent tours. Thanks for the honesty, Alice

[@vkhiev]

They should rename it to DEER PARK

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Yes. I felt the same way 🤗

[@Uwill49]

I actually lived there with the family of the Ranger Captain back in 1981 before moving to Melbourne, FL with the son. I can't remember their names but I do remember watching the HBO Special - 1981Journey Concert in Houston at their house. Good times in Chiefland.

[@DownsizingMakesCents]

Glad we could spark a good memory