Informative articles about recreation in Florida parks, forests and preserves, national parks, wildlife refuges, including camping, fishing, paddling, hiking, bicycling and beaches.
Several national parks in Florida are hidden treasures. In honor of National Public Lands Day Sept. 26, when national parks are free, here’s a guide to Florida’s national parks, from the famous to the obscure.
We’ve picked 12 Florida State Parks that are off-the-beaten path and less well-known. From the Keys to the Panhandle, explore these fascinating spots. Each averages fewer than 150 visitors a day.
National Wildlife Refuges are sometimes called “America’s best kept secret.” Florida has 29 refuges, the third most of any state. We think these eight are particularly worth discovering.
Free days in national parks come five times a year and they’re a good deal. Many national parks now charge $25 and $30 for admission.
Secluded campground tucked into the shady woods of Oscar Scherer State Park with access to a fabulous rail trail linking Sarasota to Venice.
Ocala National Forest features more than a dozen developed campgrounds and two state parks you can use as a base to explore more than 600 square miles of wilderness.
Florida Keys state parks are some of the most intriguing & beautiful places in the Keys. Some are little-known & off the beaten path. Get our insider tips.
Off-season in the Panhandle begins in September, and there’s no better time than autumn to camp on the beach.
Secret beaches are the stuff of vacation dreams. But I found one — more than 5 miles of wild, broad unspoiled sandy shore, lined with thick native vegetation and without a condo or T-shirt shop in sight.
Many of these free things to do in Florida are off-the-beaten path spots to enjoy nature, wildlife and history — from 300-year-old forts to superb boardwalks.
Washington Oaks Gardens State Park near St. Augustine has two sides — historic gardens amid ancient live oak trees on one side and a beach with fantastically shaped coquina rocks on the other.
This state park is more natural than it has been for decades. Enjoy the terrific beach and tropical hammock, tour the historic lighthouse, dine at restaurants with great views and walk or bike trails.
Camping, kayaking, hiking, biking and a humongous swimming pool are the top features of this state park that straddles the Hillsborough River.
Natural beauty makes Riverbend Park a delightful place to explore. Its 10 miles of bike trails are particularly suited to family bicycle outings. It’s also the site of a historic battleground and is where you launch for kayaking the Loxahatchee River.
Faver Dykes State Park offers excellent kayaking, productive fishing and woodsy camping just 15 miles from historic St. Augustine.
O’Leno State Park is a Florida treasure. It is here that the Santa Fe River vanishes, only to re-emerge a few miles south to continue its scenic crawl to the Gulf of Mexico.,