A sun-soaked boardwalk leads over the dunes and to the sand at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
I love these boardwalks at Cocoa Beach. If you have been around here much, you probably know that, as they have been featured many times before, especially in older posts that are now in the Burnsland Archives section. I like how the lines of the boardwalk lead your eyes to the beach, even in this one does have a sideways jog at the end. I like the excitement of knowing the beach is just up ahead. And I like hearing the sounds of the beach getting closer as you walk. A photo captures some of that, but not all of it, although it does help to bring back the memories.
Last year, we visited Mammoth Cave National Park two different times. As you might imagine, our main goal there was to see some of the caves, and we went on two different cave tours. But we also took a little time to see some of the other sights of the area above ground.
As we were driving through the park area, Laura and I came across the Mammoth Cave Baptist Church. I always enjoy seeing old church buildings, and this one was quite interesting, tucked away between the trees and the woods. Very different from something like the Metropolitan Cathedral in Panama, this one was just a simple wooden building, relatively small and unassuming. Of course, the church is not the building, but rather the church is the people. So you should definitely not judge a church by is building, but rather by its love for God. But it is still interesting to see all the different types of church buildings that have been built over the years.
Sunlight breaks through the clouds above the water at sunset at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World.
When we visit Disney Springs while in Florida, we usually end up there in the early evening, and that was once again true during our July 2024 trip. As we were walking across the relatively new bridge across the lake, the sky was too nice not to take a photo, so I did, of course.
A view down the beach at Lori Wilson Park at Cocoa Beach, Florida, from our July 2024 Florida trip.
If you are a longtime Burnsland website reader, you will know that I like views like this down the beach. There is no main subject here besides the beach itself. The waves are rolling in as their whitecaps settle. People are enjoying themselves under the brilliant blue sky. A few clouds line the horizon.
Beach chairs and umbrellas in the sand on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean at Cocoa Beach, Florida, from our visit in July 2024.
When we have gotten to the beach early and have staked out our spot, I sometimes get a little frustrated when people come later and set up their stuff right in front of us. However, these people did at least go over to the side just a bit and were not directly in front of us. And besides, their stuff created a good photo opportunity. So I am not complaining here.
Sea oats flutter in the breeze at Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach, Florida, from our July 2024 Florida trip.
On most of our trips to Cocoa Beach, I take a sea oats photo. It has become a tradition. And if you think it is a strange tradition, that is because traditions are made to be strange. And besides, I don’t mind being strange.
The lighthouse at the Yacht Club Resort at Walt Disney World in Florida lights the way for the Friendship boats and other watercraft around the Epcot Resorts, as seen during our 2024 Florida trip.
Of course, the lighthouse is actually just a decorative item, as it does not serve a real purpose in the lake there. And its light is not any brighter than the other lights of the resort area, either. But it still makes for a nice photo opportunity, especially at night.
When you think of Mammoth Cave National Park, you probably think about walking through a dark cave deep in the earth, and it is true that the cave tours are the main attractions at Mammoth Cave. However, there are above-ground hiking trails to be discovered there, too. On our first visit, we decided to go for a hike before our Historic Cave Tour.
After checking out our options, we decided on the Mammoth Cave Railroad Bike and Hike Trail, partly because it starts out very near the Visitor Center, which was where we parked for our cave tour. However, we knew that we would not hike the entire trail, as it is over 9 miles long, and then we would have to hike the same 9 miles back to the Visitor Center. But we thought that we could walk for a while, keeping a watch on the time, and then turn around and go back. There was even a cemetery on the map that we thought we might see. So we each grabbed a bottle of water, as it was already getting hot out, and we set out on the trail.
Our spot on the beach at Cocoa Beach, Florida, is marked by our chairs and umbrella. Plus some drink holders to keep our drinks out of the sand, too. This was during our July 2024 Florida trip, by the way.
A look at the Walt Disney World Dolphin hotel at Walt Disney World in Florida1 in the early evening hours. Except that in this view you cannot see either of the two large dolphin sculptures on top of the building. Take my word for it - they are still there.
