Q: My wife and I are retired, living in Tennessee. We have a place in Leesburg, and expect to spend half of January, February and March there. We would like to explore the Gulf coast below Tampa in a Volkswagen Camper (Westfalia). Although in pristine condition, it's an older vehicle and before we drive it down there (rather than our new car) I would like some assurance that it would be fun. We need electric and water hookups and hot showers. Since it is a small vehicle, campsite need not be large. I don't want to drive down to Florida only to find that campsites are few and far between and reserved months in advance. Your advice please?

A: That's great you'd like to explore Florida in your camper. Florida's southwestern Gulf Coast has a lot to offer campers, so you have my assurance it will be fun. Of course, fun is what you make of it, but there you've got pretty beaches, charming towns, good wildlife-watching sites and island sunsets. If you're up for horseback riding, you can do some of that, too.

Your other concern about campsites being reserved months in advance may be a reality, however, in the months you'd like to travel. Florida is a popular place in the winter months, and campgrounds are no exception. It's always a good idea year-round to call ahead and reserve a campsite you're interested in.

My suggestion is to consider which of the following campsites you'd like to stay in, and give them a call now to ask about availability. You should be able to find a few that have room sometime during late January, February and March. If you can, make reservations during the week, which should not only give you better chances of availability, but should give you a quieter campground than on the weekends. Mention that you need electric and water hookups. All of the sites listed below should have hot showers.

• Little Manatee River State Recreation Area (813-671-5005) is a rather new facility. You can hike, canoe and ride horses here.
  
  
• Farther south and a bit inland is Myakka River State Park (941-361-6511) near Sarasota. This is the largest state park and a great place for birdwatching, hiking and biking. The campground is open, shaded and near the river. A guided boat tour and tram tour are fun, and you can rent canoes here, too.
  
  
• Fishing and boating are popular at Gulf View Resort (941-639-3978), on Charlotte Harbor south of Punta Gorda.
  
  
• Even farther south near Ft. Myers is Sanibel and Captiva islands. Sanibel is home to Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, which is known for its good bird-watching. Sanibel and Captiva themselves are great places to relax, with their small-island feel and quaint shops and restaurants. Many people use bikes to get around the islands and to go to the beach. The only campground on Sanibel is a good one, Periwinkle Park (941-472-1433), from which you can access the beach and which has an amazing mini-zoo of its own.
  
  
• If you want to stay in Ft. Myers, try Red Coconut RV Resort (941-463-2609), which is right on the beach.

Hope you find these suggestions are good, and hope you get the chance to have some fun in the southwest.

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