Great find Inverness FL, the Cove

[rbs]

I'll start off by saying the "Cove" resort located in Inverness FL is owned by a great friend, we haven't seen for years. She bought this place and turned it into a beautiful rv campground and absolutely outstanding restaurant. We were absolutely blown away by what all she has done, it is really a testament to her hard work, creativity and boldness, and we are just so proud of her. I can, without hesitation, recommend this place, you will be absolutely taken, by literally everything about it, the 1st class camping, the outstanding food, the beauty and the hospitality to match. I'll try and post a picture or two. As a note, there are only 10 spots, all full hookups, with great wifi.

[Rollin]

With no firm plans and no fixed destination, I decided to follow RBS’s lead and stay at the Cove RV & Pub in Inverness, Florida. For geographic perspective, The Cove is about 1 & 1/2 hours north of Tampa, between I-75 and US-41. Anyone that has travelled I-75 can attest to the drudgery of heading south from the Georgia line, through congested areas such as Gainesville, Ocala and avoiding the every-present Orlando traffic while trying to navigate further south.

The Cove RV & Pub was a welcome relief from I-75 and is a great example of why we should get off the beaten-path. The RV portion backs up to the Pub portion and sits on the edge of Lake Henderson. There are only 10 RV spots each with full hookups. Each spot was modest in size, gravel and reasonably private. There are about 6 small cabins used for AirBnB’s. The entire presentation was “quaint”. The food at the Pub was delicious, the staff friendly and it seems to be very popular with the locals. There are specials most every night. I can highly recommend the Cove RV & Pub just for the RV experience.

The town of Inverness on US-41 is an easy 3-mile bike ride with several restaurants. The old courthouse has been turned into a museum. The Withlacoochee State Trail is a rails-to-trails about 46-miles long and connects to several nearby parking areas. It runs through downtown Inverness. I simply rode from the campground and hopped onto the Trail just prior to US-41 which was less than 3-miles. The Trail is paved, flat and mostly covered by a canopy of beautiful trees. There was an E-Bike rental about 1 mile south on US-41. I went as far as the small 19th century town of Floral, about 10 miles south but the trail continues for another 10 miles and connects to other paved trails. The trail continues north for about another 20 miles. For the adventurous, the All American Airboat tours of Lake Henderson launch from the back of the Pub. I recommend the evening tours to see the most wildlife including alligators. I can personally recommend Cattle Dog Coffee in Inverness or Robin’s Country Kitchen south of town.

Nearby is the confluence of several warm rivers that is reported to be the “Manatee Capital of the World” and there are tours where you actually swim with the manatees. Kayaking, paddleboard are also options.