In this blog we will share with you our slow trip RVing along Florida’s Nature Coast on the west coast of Florida, and how we booked our 3 stays using Harvest Hosts for under $20 per night.
After spending June 16-18, 2021 in Sanford, Florida having our bus wrapped, we moseyed back home to Tampa to do one more round of good-byes with family (Grandpa Roger & Uncle Mike), finalize some work on our rentals, and eat at one of our favorite restaurants in Old Seminole Heights (shout out to The Social House).
RVing north from Tampa
We slowly made our way north out of Florida… finally 🙂 When we started this journey, we thought we would be able to convert our 37′ school bus into a tiny home in 3 months. 8 months later, we were finally on the road – we still did it.
Ingrid & the kids rode separately from Eric because he wanted to get some driving hours under his belt before bringing the kids and mom on board. Truly, we were thankful for that separation because the Florida heat was brutal on the bus. That heat would continue until we reached cooler weather north of Maryland.
Due to the engine’s location next to the driver’s seat, the front cabin will get excessively warm as the engine heats up. That in combination with no A/C (while driving) made for many warm days of driving. We tried (& still do) to keep driving times to a maximum of 3 hours.
We took the backroads going north to experience the scenic route, and were happier for it. There are some beautiful, sleepy towns along the way.
Sparacia-Witherell Family Winery & Vineyard
Our first stop on our adventure was Sparacia-Witherell Family Winery & Vineyard in Brooksville, Florida. Brooksville is known for being hilly territory, which is often unheard of in the state of Florida. We felt like we were somewhere else when we pulled into the estate filled with acres of muscadine grape vines, a wine tasting room off the main house, and plenty of outdoor seating with live music in the evenings.
There was even a field nearby filled with watermelon, black-eyed peas and squash – the owner, Joe, let some of the locals farm his land and donated most/all of the food back into the community, from what I recall. The kids got to pick a ‘jubilee’ watermelon before we left.
The winery and vineyard is family-owned, and the name derives from the last names of the siblings. You can read more about this winery on their website.
We stayed 2 nights – the second night was unplanned. Our mini-split AC started leaking inside when we turned it on, which lead to frantic calls to local AC techs and some extra warm days. On the bright side, there was wine and plenty of space for the kids to explore. Eventually, we determined that we had turned the AC on too low and cause it to freeze up – it wasn’t able to drain easily because of the uneven surface we were on.
The owner was accommodating and understanding, and we felt right at home.
Expanding the winery
The winery was in the middle of an expansion of the outdoor patio(s) – they weather the pandemic well due to the outdoor nature of their business. In the evenings, there was a food truck and local artists would come and play. Our kids easily made friends with other children. Eric even practiced flying his drone one afternoon.
Wines to taste
We purchased the wine flight and sampled their spiked tea.
Ingrid’s favorite wine was the Duet, a 100% muscadine wine (noble variety) that was flavorful and not reminiscent at all of the “stinky” flavor/smell that these native grapes give off. If you have ever had a muscadine grape, you’ll know what she means.
Eric enjoyed the sherry and blueberry beer.
Harvest Hosts
We found this winery through Harvest Hosts, a website that brings together hosts that are RV &
To get 15% off your membership with Harvest Hosts, use our link to register. In return, we do get $15 for referring you. Will it be worth it? We think so.
1 night on the Suwanee River
Our next stop was along the Suwannee River. We found this host through Boondockers Welcome, another website for hosts to find RVers. This company was recently acquired by Harvest Hosts.
The family was so kind and perfectly prepared for RVers, with hookups and amenities. and the location was beautiful. The extra amenities included a trailer with shower and screened in patio, outdoor shower, and access to the dock on the Suwannee River. We slept so well that night with AC.
It was wonderfully peaceful to enjoy a morning cup of coffee on the dock. This is a place we would definitely consider returning.
Gan Eden Farms
From there, we continued on our last & final stop in Florida. We spent one night at Gan Eden Farms in Live Oak. This farm is definitely off the beaten track, but a fun place to visit none-the-less.
We were greeted at the gate by the owner, his grandson, and many large dogs. Ingrid could immediately see that there were Great Pyrenees (or mixed), which made her think of her childhood Great Pyrenee, Snowball, and her puppy, Bertha.
Gan Eden is a working farm specializing in goat meat and some fowl.
The owner took us on a tour of the farm by golf cart. The dogs merrily followed along.
The kids really enjoyed seeing all the animals, especially the turkeys, goats, chickens and ducks. Landon really wanted to take eggs home but they weren’t fresh – no one wants to crack open a rotten egg! Ingrid really enjoyed the fruit trees and permaculture landscape they were trying to accomplish. In a few years, the orchard and hoop house will really come together.
The dogs prevented us from getting the drone up for an aerial tour of the farm; however, the sunset more than made up for it.
Not built for RVing (yet)
They didn’t offer any hook-ups, so if that’s something you need, then this may not be an ideal stay for you. We found this farm through Harvest Hosts.
How do we live tiny as a family of five
A common comment we hear is, “I couldn’t live with my family in such a small space.” We 100% agree with that, which is why we leave our tiny home and explore outside. In Florida without AC (if not hooked up to electricity), the days are unbearable inside the bus… and outside, to be honest. We plan accordingly with activities to avoid the hottest part of the days inside.
Do we still get on each others’ nerves? Also, 100%; however, that would happen in a home.
Do we have experiences like no other “traditional” family? Another 100%. We’re very fortunate that we’re able to take these trips and spend 1 night on a farm, another on a winery and another waterfront. Our old vacations in the nicest hotels were not even as good. I wish we knew then, what we knew now. Traveling & RVing full-time with our family squeezed into a skoolie was exactly what we needed to fulfill our lives, while being budget-friendly.
RVing and the open road
Thanks for following along with our
If you enjoyed this guide, then take a look at these others:
- 1-day travel guide to Alpine Helen, Georgia – blog
- 1-day travel guide to Alpine Helen, Georgia – best for mobile phones
- 1-day travel guide to Spooky Salem, Massachusetts
- Florida Keys Travel Guide
- Tampa, Florida Travel Guide
Blog originally written in July 2021
[…] In fact, we booked multiple stays with both booking platforms during our 6 month journey along the eastern coast of the USA. Harvest Hosts, which allows for a free overnight stay from its hosts who own or manage […]