Goodbye Lake Toho, Hello Florida Exploration!

We cut our stay at Lake Toho short when they asked us to take down our dog fence—something about regulations, blah blah. I guess they didn’t appreciate our Chihuahua Fortress of Solitude.

But we weren’t ready to bolt to Savannah just yet—the temperatures there were still too chilly for our liking. And even though Florida wasn’t originally a big part of the plan, the sunshine won us over. I’d been feeling awful since Christmas, so the idea of warm weather and hot tubs sounded way better than shivering in Georgia.

Thankfully, John the Rockstar Husband Laverty took care of most of the packing (seriously, what a guy), and we set off for our first stop: Leesburg.

Ridgecrest: A Cozy Stay with a Side of Pickleball

Our first Florida pit stop was Ridgecrest, a mobile home and RV park combo that turned out to be surprisingly lovely.

• The welcoming committee came right over to introduce themselves, hoping we’d be staying longer.
• Our immediate neighbor was from Ontario (because, of course, every RV park has a token Canadian).

Even though I was feeling mostly terrible, we still managed to:

• Hit the hot tub (a necessity)
• Play some pickleball (not gracefully, but hey, we are learning)
  • in fact this is where John the Rockstar husband Laverty finally let me win a game
• Walk regularly (because the chis demand it)

One week later, it was time to move on…

Blue Parrot: Pickleball, Friendly Locals, and the Best Hot Dogs

Next up? The Blue Parrot in Lady Lake, Florida.

I can safely say that this was one of my favourite stops in Florida—but not because of the wildlife (spoiler alert: no more gators). It was the people that made it great.

From the moment we arrived, everyone was super friendly.

• People came out of their homes just to chat.
• They gave us the full rundown on local restaurants, park life, and, most importantly, the pickleball schedule.

Now, keep in mind, I was still feeling like absolute garbage, but I was self-medicating like a pro (don’t worry, just Advil and Tylenol). So when the locals recommended a hot dog joint called Crave, we decided to check it out.

Crave: A Hot Dog Joint Worth the Hype 

We walked in expecting to grab a quick bite, but instead, we ended up chatting with the owner.

He was thrilled to meet us—partly because we were from Canada (Canadians are apparently a big deal around here), and partly because his regulars had recommended him to us.

The food? Incredible. If you ever find yourself in Lady Lake, Crave is a must. I had a standard chilli dog and it was truly awesome.

Pickleball Showdown: Beating the Locals (Not Sorry) 

Despite feeling like death, I woke up on our second morning and saw a few couples out playing pickleball.

My immediate reaction? “JOHN WE’RE DOING THIS.” So we ran the dogs back to the raven, grabbed our rackets and dove right in.

We rushed over and convinced a couple sitting on the sidelines to play against us. And let me tell you—we absolutely crushed them. (Not to brag, but…okay, maybe a little.)

Once they left, we joined the big game. This one included:

• The local legend (a woman who has definitely played a lot)
• One of the maintenance guys
• Another local player

We swapped out partners every game, and guess what? We held our own the entire time!

Even in my weakened, possibly flu-ridden state, we managed to keep up with the pros. Not bad for a couple of newbie Canadians, eh?

Final Thoughts: Florida, You Win.

We hadn’t originally planned on spending much time in Florida, but between the hot tubs, friendly locals, and pickleball victories, I have to admit—it totally sucked us in.