Everglades City is at the end of the road in a remote wild, spot. Here you can explore the Everglades, learn fascinating history and feast on stone crabs, whose season ends May 1.
Bonnie Gross
Honeymoon Island has a big, natural beach where you can get away from people, but also offers a cafe, bikes and kayaks to rent and a playground. Recently, the beautiful sandspit beach that extends miles north split in two! Erosion has connected the Gulf to the Intracoastal, and it’s still shifting. Don’t worry: There are still miles of beach to walk.
Boardwalks allow everyone to explore Florida’s natural beauty, including people in wheelchairs and families with strollers. Here are 16 of our favorite boardwalks in South Florida.
Florida’s wackiness goes back to its first settlers, and Koreshan State Historic Site celebrates one of our earliest eccentrics. Thanks to this cult leader, though, a lovely wooded site on the Estero River was preserved through the years for us to enjoy.
We know what the big draw is in Orlando, and it’s not nature. But it should be! Even if your destination is a theme park, here are 9 natural experiences and places that are memorable additions to a visit to Central Florida
I love to discover and share new places to kayak, and Prairie Creek near Punta Gorda is a scenic, pristine stream full of birds and wildlife. It’s just the sort of place that makes me love to paddle.
Punta Gorda is a surprising small town on the Gulf Coast between Naples and Tampa. It has big waterfront views along Charlotte Harbor, a historic district and a charming downtown. It’s a good base for kayakers, with several options nearby.
Free days in national parks come six times a year and they’re a good deal. Some Florida national parks now charge $25 and $35 for admission.
The Tamiami Trail, linking Miami and Florida’s west coast, gets you close to alligators, cypress swamps and Everglades scenery. It also offers outstanding stops along the way, particularly the Shark Valley area of Everglades National Park.
The Old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon is a must-stop on the Overseas Highway. Its history and scenic beauty make it a great place to walk or bike. The bridge ends at Pigeon Key, which you can tour to learn its fascinating story.
In the wild and watery world of southwest Florida, Collier-Seminole State Park near Naples draws people who love the natural Florida for camping, hiking and paddling.
Sea-turtle walks are like seeing a nature documentary in person, and they’re back in many places for 2023. But you need reservations to join these night-time beach walks to watch giant sea turtles nesting.
There’s a good reason Boca Grande is a favorite among the rich and famous: It’s beautiful, unspoiled and preserves the charm of Old Florida. It makes a satisfying daytrip, especially on a bike. Another plus: The historic lighthouse at the southern tip just reopened 16 months after being slammed by Hurricane Ian.
One of the best ways to see Florida’s Everglades is via the Tamiami Trail to the Shark Valley entrance, home to a terrific bike trail and abundant wildlife. Visitors have been reporting outstanding wildlife viewing during holiday visits.
Like a lot of visitors, for years I had overlooked Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park on my visits to Key West because it is tucked away out of sight. But the historic fort and great beach are worth discovering.
One of the best places to see wood storks and other wading birds nesting up close in spring is Wakodahatchee Preserve in Delray Beach. In February to April, dozens of storks build nests close to an easy-to-walk .75 mile boardwalk.
Florida Southern College in Lakeland has been named one of the 20 most beautiful college campuses in the country. The campus is unique: Nowhere else in the world has more buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.
The Van Fleet Trail into the Green Swamp is one of the most rural, isolated rides you’ll find in Florida. It’s flat. It’s straight. But if you want to truly get away from it all and encounter a little wildlife along the way, here’s the place.
The Gulf coast along Charlotte Harbor has miles of wild shoreline, making it a wonderland of wildlife and natural beauty and ideal for sea kayaking.
Siesta Key is famous for its top-ranked beaches, but this kayak trail is another reason to visit. It takes you through a bird-filled preserve to a beach accessible only by boat. The origin of this beach involves the fascinating tale of Midnight Pass, which some locals want to restore.