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blue spring state park cabin

Cabin at Blue Spring State Park near Orlando

Articles about special places to stay overnight, unique Florida lodging, quaint lodging, cabins, bed and breakfast, cabins, lodging with character, mom & pop motels.

Shangri-la Springs is a historic hotel surrounded by eight acres of gardens with fountains, ponds, towering trees and the original spring the town is named for. You are welcome to visit the grounds or have breakfast or lunch at its restaurant, which serves produce from its organic garden. It’s an Old Florida hidden gem!

Read More about Shangri-la Springs: A 1921 hotel in 8 acres of idyllic gardens in old Bonita Springs

J. B. Starkey Wilderness Park flies under the radar for most people planning Florida trips. It’s not a state park and it’s not near a population center. But this vast water-management preserve offers tent sites in the woods and rustic cabins you can rent quite cheaply. There are miles of trails, including an excellent paved bike trail.

Read More about J. B. Starkey Wilderness Park: Vast refuge for tent campers with rustic cabins and no RVs

Florida’s grand hotels were built from the Gilded Age through the Jazz Age and they continue to delight visitors with their beauty and history. Several historic hotels have been refurbished in recent years, and not all of them have luxury prices.

Read More about 14 historic hotels in Florida: For a unique stay, choose an authentic spot

Princess Place Preserve is a big, scenic park with miles of hiking, excellent tent camping, comfy cabins and a historic buiding with an intriguing story. Flagler County is full of great parks, but this one, in an out-of-the-way location, is worth discovering.

Read More about Princess Place: 6 reasons to go off-the-beaten track to discover this preserve

If you haven’t experienced Florida’s most famous spring, you’re missing one of the most beautiful spots in Florida. This weekend, Ocali Country Days, a special living-history festival, will re-create the Ocala of the 1800s. Year-round, this park has it all: kayaking, hiking, glass-bottom boat rides, horseback riding and terrific cabins.

Read More about Silver Springs State Park: Famous spring plus cabins, hiking, history

Milton has grown from the “canoe capitol” in Florida’s Panhandle into an outdoors center with eco-resorts and multiple activities. The area’s white-sand rivers are terrific to kayak or tube and there are good hiking and biking trails. Milton has an interesting historic district too.

Read More about Milton: Great cabins, camping, glamping, biking, hiking in ‘canoe capitol’

It’s a long way from just about anywhere — and that’s part of its beauty. But it’s also a great place to bicycle, kayak, hike, watch sunsets and spot birds. An 1859 hotel, now a charming B&B, plus fresh seafood restaurants add to its appeal.

Read More about Six things to do in Cedar Key, a charming, historic, off-the-beaten path spot