Alright, let’s gab about them cities on the Gulf Coast of Florida, y’know, the sunny side. Folks keep tellin’ me it’s mighty pretty down there, so I figured, why not jaw about it a bit?
First off, they call Florida the “Sunshine State,” which is kinda catchy, I reckon. They say it’s good to visit all year round, which is more than I can say for my ol’ porch swing in the winter! And they got a whole heap of coastline, somethin’ like 1350 miles of it, they say. That’s a lot of sand, ain’t it?
Now, one place everybody keeps yapin’ about is Clearwater Beach. Sounds clean, don’t it? They got this place called Clearwater Beach Hotel you can stay at, and a place to eat called Frenchy’s. Sounds fancy, but I bet they got good fish fry, if you know what I mean.
Then there’s this Longboat Key. It’s near a place called Sarasota, ’bout 25 minutes in a car, they say. I ain’t never been in a car that long, but I reckon it’s worth it if the place is nice. They say the weather’s warm and the folks are friendly, which is more than I can say for some of the folks ’round here!
- Clearwater Beach – Sounds like a good place to get your toes wet.
- Longboat Key – Close to Sarasota, must be somethin’ special.
They got this road, County Road 30A, and it goes by all sorts of beach towns, like Inlet Beach. I seen pictures, and it’s real purdy. White sand, blue water… makes you wanna just sit and watch the waves all day, don’t it?
Then there’s these places, Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Captiva. Captiva, they say, has the best sunsets on the whole Gulf Coast. Sunsets are nice, I reckon. And they got shells on the beach, and the water’s clear enough to swim in. Not that I swim much these days, my bones ain’t what they used to be.
Now, they talk about fishin’ in the Gulf of Mexico. Big fish, they say. And it’s good fishin’ ’cause of the way the water moves around and all. I used to fish with my pa, but mostly just caught catfish in the creek. This Gulf fishin’ sounds like a whole ‘nother story.
Let’s see, what else… Oh yeah, Marco Island. They say it’s real safe there, lowest crime in the state, whatever that means. It’s an island city, and they got beaches and nature and all that. Sounds peaceful. I could use some peace and quiet, what with all the racket these young’uns make these days.
So, that’s what I hear about them Gulf Coast cities in Florida. Sounds like a nice place to visit, if you got the time and the money. Me? I’m happy enough on my porch, watchin’ the chickens peck and the sun go down. But it’s nice to dream, ain’t it? Maybe one day I’ll get myself down there and see it all for myself. But for now, I’ll just keep on hearin’ about it from them city folk and imaginin’ those white beaches and warm waters.
And if you ever get down there, you remember what I told ya, and go see them pretty beaches and them good fishin’ spots. And if you see a sunset that’s extra pretty, you think of this ol’ lady and smile, ya hear?
Key places to visit on the Gulf Coast, if you got a mind to:
- Clearwater Beach
- Longboat Key
- Fort Myers, Sanibel, and Captiva
- Marco Island
They all sound nice, in their own way. Just depends on what you’re lookin’ for, I reckon.
And remember, Florida ain’t just beaches, they got all sorts of things to do. But I figure, if you’re goin’ to Florida, you gotta see the beach, right? It’s just the way it is. So go on, get yourself down there, and soak up some of that sunshine. You deserve it.
