Franklin Locks North-Florida

[rollieboy]

Little lady and I are going to spend 3 days here next week. I know its going to be hot but we live here all year so not too bad. Any thoughts on the area and should we bring our bikes with us?

[Tn Traveler]

Originally Posted by rollieboy

Little lady and I are going to spend 3 days here next week. I know its going to be hot but we live here all year so not too bad. Any thoughts on the area and should we bring our bikes with us?

I am assuming that you are talking about the North side of the Caloosahatchee and not North Florida. We have stopped there at the docks when crossing the OWW from Stuart to Fort Myers. I don't know of anything close around, but it is a quiet place to stay.

[xrvr]

You can bicycle in the cg. Best bet is crossing over the river at Alva and going back to the locks on the south side and watch the boats go through. You can use the walkway to get real close. There is a park there but no camping on the south side. While in Alva, stop at the Alva diner. North side has a fishing pier, I like to watch people catch different kinds of fish there.

[Protagonist]

WP Franklin Lock on the Okeechobee Waterway is in manatee country. If you go over to the lock to watch the boats go by, you may see some. Boats are required to come to a complete stop whenever manatees are sighted, to keep from cutting the critters with their propellers. AND, if a manatee swims up to the lock gates, the lock operators are required to lock the manatees through to the other side just as if they were boats!

I've never stayed at the Franklin Lock campground, but I spent a week at Franklin Lock for training when I worked for the Corps of Engineers, years before I bought my Airstream. First time I ever saw manatees in the wild instead of in an aquarium.

[OTRA15]

Thanks rollieboy and welcome to the forum!

Interesting to learn of this CG:

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/wp...O&parkId=73462

which includes: "The 30 tent and RV sites and the eight boat sites are equipped with electric and water hookups. A boat ramp and fishing pier are conveniently onsite."

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...a_Florida.html

https://www.google.com/maps/place/W....!4d-81.6933801

Thanks again.

[A W Warn]

I have not stayed at the campground, but have driven in to look a few times. In winter, when I visited, it is busy!

If you want to take a cruise/half day trip through the locks on a boat tour you can from the Ft Myers area. Some tours offer lunch or dinner.

Another interest in that area I have been to a few times is the Edison & Ford Winter Estates at Ft Myers.

During winter the manatee cows and their calves gather at Manatee Park (Lee County Park) near the warm water outlet of the electrical generation plant. It not unusual to see them by the hundreds.