The beach town of Marco Island is all manicured and modern, but here are four adventures into the wild and authentic Florida that are within a quick drive. You can wade across a lagoon to a wild beach or have lunch in a funky fishing town or stroll on a boardwalk into a beautiful old growth cypress swamp.
Read more...
More than 900 campsites were wiped out when Hurricane Irma swept through the Florida Keys, and that has put pressure on those that remain, especially at state park campgrounds. We show ways to improve your odds.
This Miami state park, 10 minutes from sprawling Aventura Mall, is a remarkable island of green where you can kayak, mountain bike, picnic and enjoy a sandy beach. There are even rustic cabins to rent.
Sea-turtle walks are like seeing a National Geographic film in person. But you need reservations to join these night-time beach walks to watch giant sea turtles nesting.
Avalon State Park is a quiet little beach once alive with Navy “frogmen” who trained here for the D-Day invasion.
2018 is an exceptional one for nesting birds in Everglades National Park. Two super colonies– more than 25,000 birds clustered together– are nesting in the park for the first time since the 1940s. We couldn’t resist a visit. And while you can’t reach the super colonies, there is much to see on a spring visit.
The nation’s first wildlife refuge was created by President Teddy Roosevelt to stop plume-hunters from wiping out several species of birds. The birds are back, and spring is a great time to visit. (You’ll need a kayak for a closeup look.)
With eight state parks, a national park, scads of history and top beaches, Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach make a great base to explore northeast Florida.
Enjoy your last big seafood fling with festivals in Fernandina Beach, Pompano, Palatka and a few more. But just a few!
