Roundtrip Tampa Florida
This route was brought to you by:
RouteXpert René Plücken (MRA Master)
Last edit: 12-02-2021
Route Summary If you don't have your own motorcycle, you can rent a motorcycle via a platform called Twisted Road, where riders offer their motorcycle for rent for a reasonable amount, make sure you have good insurance (also for personal injury to third parties). Another option is to rent through Eagle Rider, the nearest branch is at the Orlando airport.
This tour has a few beautiful winding roads through beautiful nature reserves and there are also parts where we drive on relaxed 4-lane roads. Along the way, enjoy some of the most beautiful Florida vistas including horse and cattle ranches and sprawling orange groves. In the spring, take photos of the orange blossom and breathe in the sweet fragrance in the air.
Florida isn't the hilly state, but there are a few places along this route that will surprise you. The roads are in good condition, but there are some narrow and bumpy roads with occasional gravel. You are driving through the countryside and there are not many places to stop for something to eat or drink, so it is advisable to bring something with you. Along the route there are several interesting locations to stop, if you want to visit all of these you can split the route into two days and spend the night in one of the parks or hotels (at RP16).
All in all, I rate this ride with 4 **** stars.
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Animation
Verdict
Duration
10h 20m
Mode of travel
Car or motorcycle
Distance
342.83 km
Countries
RouteXpert Review The ride is almost 345 kilometers so if you still need to refuel, you can do so in Safety Harbor (RP3), here is also a supermarket to drink something and buy snacks for the road. We take the FL 580 and drive towards “Forest Lakes”. The name of this area already gives it away, there are many forests, parks and lakes, so a very nice area to drive through.
At RP10 it is possible to visit two attractions;
Scream-A-Geddon Horror Park Haunted House. This is a haunted house with great shows, the opening times are;
Sun - Thu 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Fri - Sat 09:00 - 00:00
Sat - Sun 00:00 - 01:00
At the neighbors you will find the “TreeHoppers Aerial Adventure Park”! TreeHoppers is the best Aerial Adventure Park and largest zip line park in Central Florida for thrills. For lovers of climbing, scrambling and zip-lines, a must and a challenge in a beautiful forest. Please note that some days are only reserved for groups and not for open entrance.
The next stop is the town of Brooksville (RP14), here you can plan a longer stop to stretch your legs, drink coffee or do some shopping.
For those who love hiking, horseback riding, hunting and other activities there is the option to visit the Croom Wildlife Management Area (RP15). Spanning more than 8,000 acres in the Withlacoochee State Forest, this park is located along 13 winding miles of the Withlacoochee River and includes Silver Lake. Cypresses and large expanses of long-leaf pines dominate this forest. A wide variety of recreational activities are available, including hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing and picnicking.
There are numerous recreational routes in the area: walking (50 km), cycling (103 km), horse riding (69 km). The paved Withlacoochee State Trail passes through the area. Other recreational options include a dirt bike and ATV area, canoeing and boating (three boat ramps), and camping (five areas). Wildlife on display at Croom WMA includes white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, fox squirrels, alligators, and swallow-tailed kites. Most of the roads in the area are very sandy and unpaved.
After all these activities it is time for lunch, for this we stop at Stef's Southern Soul Restaurant in Dade City (RP18), this is a beautiful and cozy restaurant known for its Southern Soul Food.
After lunch we take a leisurely route to Lake Parker (RP24), it is the largest lake in Lakeland. The lake is relatively shallow with an average depth of 1.5 meters. The lake originates from several lakes in Lakeland, including Lake Mirror and Lake Bonny. Lake Parker flows to both Saddle Creek and the Peace River, making the lake important for ecological reasons.
Lake Parker is one of the more popular lakes in Lakeland for recreational use, particularly for fishing and boating. For those purposes, there are three boat ramps and two fishing piers around the lake. The lake is well stocked with Largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie. There is also a path around part of the lake and a few parks in close proximity.
We take a short detour through Hillsborough River State Park and Morris Bridge Park to Lettuce Lake Park Boardwalk and Nature Trail Observation Tower (RP29).
Lettuce Lake Conservation Park is one of Hillsborough County's most visited parks. More than half of the park's grounds are in the natural floodplain of the Hillsborough River, consisting of a hardwood swamp forest. The rest of the park is made up of hardwood hammocks and plant communities of pine forests.
The park features wooded picnic areas and playgrounds, a 1.25 mile paved practice trail, and a 3,500-foot boardwalk with a watchtower offering scenic views of the Hillsborough River. There is the option to rent a canoe or kayak, this will bring you close to the waterfowl and wildlife.
After this last stop, we drive through Tampa back to our hotel at Rocky Point.
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Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
Changes may nevertheless have occurred due to changed circumstances, road diversions or seasonal closures. We therefore recommend checking each route before use.
Preferably use the route track in your navigation system. More information about the use of MyRoute-app can be found on the website under 'Community' or 'Academy'.
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