Yogi Bear provides a great getaway

By ANDY HEFTY

MADISON, FL - Want a cheap vacation only 90 minutes away? No, not "the land of the big black mouse." Not even the beaches. Here, just off of Interstate 10 in between Live Oak and Tallahassee, is a campground like no other: Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Campground.

Joyce Sumrall, alongside her husband Alan, manages the campground and personally welcomes each camper. Their pride in the facilities shows through in their enthusiasm to make everyone’s experience worthwhile. Their staff will go out of their way to help out. This is a great place to "reconnect" as a family. Groups are welcome for church retreats. Many events take place, such as gospel revivals and barbecue fundraisers.

There are three ways to camp. For those who enjoy the primitive style, there is a seemingly endless array of primitive camp sites. Campers can also get electricity and water on their sites for added comfort. Trees surround every site. Campers can choose lakeside, near the woods, or close to the cabins.

Owners of recreational vehicles will find pull-through sites with full water and electric hookups, and a "dumping station" nearby. Enough space between RV campsites allows privacy among campers. So those who are night owls preferring to watch TV won’t bother the early risers wanting to get some sleep before leaving in the morning.

Anyone who doesn’t have an RV and cringes at the thought of sleeping in a tent will have the choice of any number or type of cabins, from the spacious to the cozy.

Wireless Internet is available for those who simply cannot stay disconnected -- even for a single day.

As each year passes, the camp continues to improve with the cleanest of restroom and shower facilities, well-groomed spaces for tossing footballs and Frisbees, and an immaculate pool. A stage provides outdoor meeting capacity or an improvised talent show. The indoor banquet hall gives you the chance to host gatherings from the relatively formal to the country hoedown.

An indoor theater is present, with the entire collection of Yogi Bear cartoons and endless movies for the kids to enjoy. The camp store stocks all the necessities that you may have forgotten, such as toiletries, suntan lotion, sunglasses, ice, firewood, and other necessities for enjoying your camping experience.

Each site includes a barbecue grill, a fire pit (when the risk for forest fire is low), and the option to enjoy the vast amenities Jellystone has to offer. Some of the free or low-cost recreational activities include arts & crafts, "candy bingo," karaoke, "Yogi Bear theater," swimming, miniature golf, train rides, playgrounds, kayaking, paddle boating, fishing, and a 40-foot water slide.

The campground is also home to an enormous paintball arena. Folks are invited to stay for the day for a small fee if they don’t wish to "camp with Yogi." The big bear himself makes several appearances for the kids, too.

The author makes a minimum of semiannual treks with his large family to this haven of rest and recreation. The experience of his family testifies to the quality of a family-friendly environment. Sure, it’s no five-star luxury cruise line. But with the cost of gas, plane tickets, and food all going sky high, an inexpensive trip to a top-rate campground is a considerable alternative.

On the web at  http://www.jellystoneflorida.com/