The Route: Gulf Coast
The Great American Loop is considered a seasonal route, with a specific region designated for each time of year: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The most comfortable winter weather will be cruising along the deep south. Florida's winter south of Tarpon Springs is known to have an average winter temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit!
We'll cover about 350 miles of Florida from Pensacola/Perdido Bay to Tarpon Springs on The Upper Gulf Coast. We can expect swampy marshland and beautiful wilderness terrain in The Big Bend/Nature Coast. In addition, the Florida Panhandle coastline offers protection through barrier islands with white sandy beaches.
Photo by Chris Andrews on Unsplash.
Tarpon Springs to the Keys is considered Florida's West Coast. This shoreline encompasses the big-city port of Tampa Bay, the islands of Sanibel and Captiva, quaint fishing villages, and vast swamp lands of the Everglades guarded by the Ten Thousand Islands. The upper portion of the west coast down to Naples is more commercial. At the same time, the lower half is more primitive, with sandy beaches, pines, and a jungle-like environment.
