Central Florida’s Lake Wales Ridge is made for exploration. It offers rolling hills, forests, streams, quaint small towns with lots of places for hiking, kayaking and camping.
Author: Bonnie Gross
Indian Key: Favorite Florida Keys kayak trail to historic island
If you’ve ever dreamed about exploring a deserted tropical island, here’s your chance: Take your kayak down to the Florida Keys and paddle out to Indian Key State Park to explore jungly ruins and snorkel a rocky shoreline.
Little Manatee River near Tampa: Great for kayakers, hikers & campers
Just 45 minute from Tampa/St. Pete, the beautiful river, state park and region is a natural haven that can keep you busy exploring for days. There’s an outfitter to make trip-planning easy, plus it offers cabins and camping.
Where to see Key deer
With their big eyes and tiny size, this endangered species is easy to love. Visitors to the Keys often want to know where to see Key deer. Best place to start is a free nature center in Big Pine Key in the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge.
Key West Audubon House: Fascinating characters, enchanting spot
One of the prettiest places is Key West is the Audubon House, also known as the Geiger House, and its gardens. Like the best spots in Key West, the Audubon House is full of fascinating stories with larger than life characters. It also features a great collection of Audubon’s work in Florida.
John D. MacArthur State Park: Kayak trail to Munyon Island for beaches, mangrove tunnels
MacArthur Beach State Park offers one of my favorite kinds of kayak trails – a trip to an island reachable only by boat. To make it better, historic Munyon Island has an interesting story and great scenery.
Kayak under a full moon for a peaceful adventure
See Florida in a new light — moonlight. Many kayak outfitters around the state organize full-moon paddle outings. The last full moon of 2024 is this weekend.
Where to see white pelicans, spectacular birds wintering in Florida
White pelicans migrate to Florida in winter by the thousands. They are the sort of big, dramatic birds that even folks who don’t consider themselves birders will enjoy spotting.
Ten great places for winter wildlife viewing; some off the beaten track
No matter how many times I see them, the sight of a white pelican, bald eagle or an otter will make my day. These spots are favorites for providing reliable views of animals in beautiful settings.
Fort Clinch: Worth a drive to explore Amelia Island park with all sorts of fun
This state park is so worth a drive to explore. It would take days to experience it all – a beautiful beach, a well-preserved Civil War fort, hiking, biking, wildlife, great camping.