Fanning Springs and Manatee Springs state parks offer beautiful springs, cabins, camping, kayaking & biking in Northwest Florida. Where is this Florida wonderland? Far off the beaten path.
All those “lazy river” water attractions at hotels and parks? They’re just trying to recreate the exhilarating experience of tubing the clear, wild Ichetucknee River in north central Florida. Try the real thing. Summer tubing season starts the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
Grayton Beach is consistently ranked among the Top 10 beaches in America, making it a prime candidate for your bucket list. It was on mine, and we camped there this fall.
Three Rivers State Park ranks high on our list of Florida campgrounds. Perched on the shores of Lake Seminole at the Florida-Georgia line, there’s not a bad campsite in the park, and you are in the middle of nowhere. We loved it. So will you.
Dunnellon is known for its spectacular Rainbow Springs and River, especially during tubing season. But there are more reasons to visit in cool weather, including another exquisite river– the Withlacoochee — several good restaurants, and trails for both hiking and biking.
Rainbow Springs and the Rainbow River are among Florida’s top tubing and kayaking spots. People love this waterway because of the pure, clear water and the spectacular natural setting. In winter, it’s a peaceful place to kayak and perhaps see otters and birds. In summer, it’s full of tubes doing a four-hour float through a cool paradise.
Apalachicola celebrates its local seafood industry, and oysters take center stage (along with country music star Rodney Atkins)
O’Leno State Park is a Florida treasure with a scenic campground at the heart of two state parks that will take your breath away. It is here that the Santa Fe River vanishes, only to re-appear 3.5 miles later to meander many paddle-loving miles to its merger with the Suwannee River.
Pensacola is one of the premier fishing ports on the Gulf of Mexico, and they celebrate with the fresh, local catch each year at the end of September.
Seafood festivals are common in Florida, but Cedar Key Seafood Festival is uncommonly appealing. Not only is Cedar Key historic and charming, it’s also clam capital of America.
The Big Bend area of Florida around St. Marks and Wakulla Springs is rich in things to do and see: Kayaking, biking, historic sites, springs, lighthouses. Yet, it is a less visited area off the tourist trail.
