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Lone Cabbage Fish Camp for Fun Near Cocoa, Fla.

Popular Riverside Restaurant, Air Boat Ride and Fishing Destination

Feb 22, 2009 Kathy Hagood

Lone Cabbage Fish Camp near Cocoa, Fla., is a fun riverside destination known for its restaurant and air boat rides. It's popular with both locals and tourists alike.

After a hefty lunch of fries and fried alligator nuggets at Lone Cabbage Fish Camp on the St. John’s River near Cocoa, Fla., it’s time to hop on an airboat and see gators in the wild.

Although the rustic Florida Cracker camp’s fried fare is delicious, it’s a little spooky for diners to wonder if the alligators eyeing them from the water know they've been eating the gator's kin.

Air Boat Rides at Lone Cabbage Fish Camp

The destination's thirty-minute airboat rides offer views of the river plus they are an exciting way to see not only alligators but water birds as well. Hold on to that hat as the boat gathers speed.

But don't worry about tilting far over in the airboat because unlike small airboats, these touring airboats are made for many passengers and stay level as they buzz over the water.

Airboat tour guides offer stories and facts about the river’s natural diversity with a joke or two thrown in for good measure. Those who miss lunch before the airboat ride, can always catch lunch or dinner afterwards.

Fare at Lone Cabbage Fish Camp

If fried alligator isn’t to a diner's liking, there’s wide variety of other fried offerings, including frog legs, catfish, shrimp and chicken. Trout and grouper are served grilled or fried and the tuna is grilled. Dinners are served with hushpuppies, slaw and fries. Hamburgers, hot dogs, corndogs and barbecue are also available as are appetizers and desserts.

The camp’s slightly sweet hushpuppies are so good, diners may want to order an extra basket full. And the Key Lime pie is a must if there's the room for it. Because the food is cooked to order, it takes more time than at the drive through, but it’s worth it.

The food is so delicious and atmosphere so relaxing that Lone Cabbage is frequented by tourists and locals alike. It’s the perfect place to see a little of “the real Florida.”

Sunday Afternoon at Lone Cabbage Fish Camp

Sunday afternoon is party time at Lone Cabbage. The fish fry and live band on first and third Sundays tend to draw a capacity crowd to the restaurant and its huge river viewing deck. Many locals make a habit of going Sundays to hang out, drink a beer, listen to the music and watch the river flow.

Don't worry about motorcycles parked in front of the camp. These Harley riders tend to be the well-heeled sort that like to feel "born to be wild" on the weekend.

Helpful Info on Lone Cabbage Fish Camp

Where: 8199 State Road 520, Cocoa, Fla. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. seven days a week. For more information, call 632-4199.

The copyright of the article Lone Cabbage Fish Camp for Fun Near Cocoa, Fla. in SE U.S. Travel is owned by Kathy Hagood. Permission to republish Lone Cabbage Fish Camp for Fun Near Cocoa, Fla. in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Another air boat