To the End of the Known World

For the ladies’ last full day, the group explored some of south Florida’s better know and lesser known spots. After breakfast, we checked out the state park, it's boat landing complete with alligator, and it's trail through a Royal Palm hammock.
The ladies decide to stay out of the water
A drive through Marco Island showed us how the other half live – perhaps it’s the other 3%. Golf courses and tile-roofed homes on canals, so each can have a power boat on a lift out back. They wanted $8 to park at the beach, so we headed off to Everglades City, which is nearly the end of the world in this area. After touring the small, quirky town, we found the real end of the world, Chokoloskee. This small island village is the end of the road in the northwest corner of the Everglades. The Smallwood Store there is a piece of early 1900’s history.

Back in Everglades City, we dined at the Rod & Gun Club lodge (thanks to Bill and Nancy for the recommendation). A stuffed Bobcat and Alligator skins on the wall welcome you to another piece of history. Dinner on the screened porch overlooking the river was nice. Food was good, though it was quirky enough to match the place.
Dinner at the Rod & Gun Club

An after-dinner walk on the Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk trail yielded huge cypress trees, strangler figs, Barred Owl and Chuck-will’s-widow.

A Strangler Fig, wrapped around a huge Bald Cypress