FLORIDA DAY TRIPS
OKEECHOBEE COUNTRY

One of my Florida day trips was from Naples to Miami and return through Okeechobee Country on Saturday, April 24, 2010.

Towns passed through or visited:

Naples, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Lake Worth, Wellington, Canal Point, Belle Glade, Pahokee, Port Mayaca, Taylor Creek, Okeechobee, Buckhead Ridge, Lakeport, Moore Haven, LaBelle, Immokalee.

Saturday April 24, 2010: Naples to Miami.

I-75 (Alligator Alley) to I-595 at Weston.

I-595 East to Florida Turnpike.

Florida Turnpike south to I-95, then continue south on I-95 to end of highway to my friends house in Coconut Grove. About two hours of mainly super slab cruising, not a lot of scenery. Always a challenge to drive among Miami's third world drivers, many of whom are new to highways and automobiles. These main roads in Miami are not among my favorite Florida day trips, but I didn't have time to get off and wander through Miami.

From Coconut Grove took I-95 north to Turnpike and back to I-595. Get on SR-7, also known as US-441, and head north. Through mainly urban areas, car lots, Seminole gift shops, shopping malls, big subdivisions until you get into northern Broward County.

I stopped at the South Florida National Cemetery in the country west of Lake Worth. A new place only a couple of years old. Our World War Two veterans are dying rapdily and this cemetery offers them a tropical final resting place.

Got off SR-7 and wandered through the wealthy horsey community of Wellington. Big ranchettes, fancy farms and gated subdivisons with large ornamental walls and fountains.

Left the civilization of Wellington and headed west on US-98 to the quiet country around Lake Okeechobee. As you approach the Lake, the area is covered with cultivated farmlands and groves. Visited Belle Glade, Pahokee, Canal Point, Port Mayaca and Okeechobee. Poor towns, many if not most of the residents are Hispanic farm workers.

Visited downtown park and mall in Okeechobee. From Okeechobee went west on SR-70 to Brighton, then south on SR-721 through the Brighton Seminole reservation and Lakeport down to Moore Haven. This is cattle country, most of it run by Seminole cowboys. I wonder if they played Cowboys and Indians when they were kids. Talk about existential confusion!

From Moore Haven took SR-80 west to LaBelle and had dinner (or supper in these parts) at Flora and Ella's restaurant in LaBelle. Fried catfish, greens, hushpuppies and a big setback to my diet. At least I had no dessert, because they are famous for their "heavenly" pies. The devil tried but couldn't make me do it.

From LaBelle took SR-29 south to Immokalee through countless acres of groves and farmlands, then Immokalee road west to home in Naples.

Photos of this trip are available on my FACEBOOK PAGE.

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