Parks (Community/State/National) – Page 11 – Debbie Roney Smith, REALTOR®

Pumpkins in Marianna

Debbie Roney Smith on October 21, 2021October 18, 2021

Come down to Madison Street Park this Saturday, October 23rd, to enjoy the farmer’s market and a pumpkin patch. Marianna Farmer’s Market, open most Saturdays, is partnering with Main Street Marianna to bring “Pumpkins in the Park.” Children get a free pumpkin, and there will be a decoration station for those interested. Additionally, there will be food trucks, a pumpkin carving contest, door prizes, face painting, and more! There is no entry fee, and the event will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hope to see you there for some family-friendly fall fun!

Panhandle RV Parks

Debbie Roney Smith on October 17, 2021October 16, 2021

Traveling via RV can be a great way to save money and enjoy your own space. Luckily, the Florida Panhandle is well equipped for RV travelers, be they tourists or locals exploring their extensive backyard.

Listed below are just some of the many great RV parks available to visit today:

Emerald Beach RV Park (8885 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, FL)
Emerald Coast RV Resort (1957 Allison Avenue, Panama City Beach, FL)
Pensacola RV Park (3117 Wilde Lake Boulevard, Pensacola, FL)
Pensacola Beach RV Resort (17 Via De Luna Drive, Pensacola Beach, FL)
Geronimo RV Resort (75 Arnett Lane, Miramar Beach, FL)
Ponce De Leon RV Resort (2920 North Highway 81, Ponce de Leon, FL)
Live Oak Landing (229 Pitts Avenue, Freeport, FL)
Twin Lakes Camp Resort (580 Holley King Road, DeFuniak Springs, FL)
Fort Pickens Campground (1400 Fort Pickens Road, Pensacola Beach, FL)

Pensacola Seafood Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on September 21, 2021September 20, 2021

Coming this weekend is the annual Pensacola Seafood Festival! From Friday to Sunday, come down to Downtown Pensacola to enjoy the sunshine, music, food, arts & crafts vendors, and more! Kids and animals are welcome, masks are encouraged but not required. Hours are as follows:

Friday, September 24 | 11AM-11PM

Saturday, September 25 | 10AM-11PM

Sunday, September 26 | 11AM-5PM

For more information on vendors, times, and more, visit the official Pensacola Seafood Festival website.

National Wildlife Day

Debbie Roney Smith on September 4, 2021September 3, 2021

Today is the second National Wildlife Day of 2021. Held annually on February 22nd as well as September 4th, Wildlife Day was founded in 2005. Colleen Paige, an animal behaviorist, created this day to bring awareness to endangered animals that need to be preserved and rescued.

It is also meant to bring awareness and support to zoos and outstanding animal sanctuaries that operate nationally and globally; working to educate the public about wildlife conservation is the key to the future of animals. Visit the official National Wildlife Day website for more information such as history, endangered animal lists, ways to celebrate, and more!

Weekend Jazz Fest

Debbie Roney Smith on September 2, 2021September 1, 2021

Coming to Pensacola this weekend (September 4th and 5th) is the annual Gulf Coast Summer Fest Jazz Edition! This is the fifth annual festival and will showcase an amazing collection of sixteen musicians including Eric Darius, Cindy Bradley, Norman Brown, and Paula Atherton. Please leave children under 18 at home when you come to enjoy smooth contemporary jazz along Pensacola’s waterfront. There will be food vendors at the event but visitors are welcome to bring coolers with their own food and drink, as well as lawn chairs and umbrellas. Visit the official event website for more information!

Alligator Facts

Debbie Roney Smith on August 27, 2021August 25, 2021

1. There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida!

2. Alligators have anywhere from 2,000 – 3,000 teeth. While they have a maximum of 80 teeth in their mouth at one time, they lose teeth frequently due to their diet and hunting practices. For comparison, humans only have around 52 teeth!

3. Despite their size and proclivity towards the water, alligators are actually skilled climbers. It’s common to see alligators scaling fences.

4. Baby alligators are at most risk for alligator cannibalism due to natural population control efforts but even those whole are fully grown may end up another ‘gators meal.

Bear Paws Adventures

Debbie Roney Smith on August 23, 2021August 22, 2021

Located at 2100 Bear Paw Lane in Marianna, Bear Paws Adventures offers a natural river float trip in kayaks, canoes, or tubes. They offer equipment rentals and shuttles. Pricing is as follows:

Kayak $35 per person; includes a parking pass and shuttle pass
Canoe $50 for two people; includes a parking pass and shuttle pass
Bring Your Own Kayak/Canoe $25 per vessel; includes a parking pass and shuttle pass
Tubing $15-60
Bring Your Own Tubes $10 per person; includes inflating the tubes, shuttle pass, and parking pass

Visit their official website for more detailed information on pricing and to familiarize yourself with the service rules on parking.

Kayaking on Ocheesee Pond

Debbie Roney Smith on August 20, 2021August 19, 2021

Recent rain and perfect summer weather call for a trip to Ocheesee Pond in Grand Ridge! Kayaking is a must-do at this local. To get to the launch site, head east from Marianna on Highway 90 and turn right on Highway 69. Then, after crossing the railroad tracks in Grand Ridge, take a left onto 69A and follow it to the dirt road on the left marked Arkansas. Marking the spot is a boat ramp sign marking the turn.

Don’t attempt this pond alone if you haven’t done it previously, as after a short half-mile paddle through the clear water, there is a maze-like cypress swamp. There is a marker system but they are often difficult to spot and irregular. However, the kayaking route is a beautiful trip. Amongst the cypress tree-maze are aquatic glades of water lily and spatterdock that give the water a splash of seasonal color. There are often basking turtles, elusive alligators on the prowl, duck sightings, and a plethora of osprey and woodpeckers.

Help Marianna Win a Dog Park

Debbie Roney Smith on August 4, 2021

Jackson County has been nominated for a new dog park grant but requires the assistance of the community to win this grant. You can vote ONCE A DAY every day until August 31st. Jackson County has proposed 4574 Lodge Drive as the location for their future dog park. In the city of Marianna alone, there are five pet salons, two animal hospitals, one animal shelter, and one pet daycare resort – truly, a city of dog lovers! However, this animal-loving community has no place to take their dogs for social interaction and playtime. The Bark for Your Park grant, sponsored by the PetSafe Brand, would fund a fenced-in off-leash dog park at the Citizen’s Lodge Park; it would be about a half-acre in size and feature benches for seating, a watering station, shade structure, and a dog waste collection station.