These terrific county parks are popular with locals, rich in things to do, awaiting discovery by the Florida traveler.
We explored the state and discovered them for ourselves, selecting the top 12 county parks we felt had the most to offer.
These parks are not part of Florida’s award-winning state parks system, but every bit their match.
Hardee Lakes Park
Bowling Green / Hardee County
The first thing you notice when arriving at Hardee Lakes Park is how well it is maintained. The broad lawns were freshly cut, and little was out of place on our visit.
Beyond the lawns, the two main lakes loom large. Go deeper in the park on old mining roads, and you’ll find two smaller lakes accessible from your car, bicycles, ATVs, golf carts and horseback.
Hardee Lakes Park is a recently reclaimed phosphate mine, and the unpaved roads running through the park were once mine roads that serviced the pits, now reborn as lakes with some fabulous fishing.
I was in heaven riding my e-bike through the woods and around the lakes.
Shore fishing, dock fishing and boat fishing are permitted on all four lakes in Hardee Lakes Park. (Florida fishing license is required.) Each lake has a place to launch a kayak.
The park’s campground has 60 sites with water and electric hookups for $25 per night. The 24 lakefront sites (#37-60) are especially attractive, spacious and shady with great views.
Why we like it: We love camping here, beautiful scenery, trail-riding
Hardee Lakes Park, 5502 Ollie Roberts RD, Bowling Green, FL 33834. Phone: (863) 767-1100 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm). For campground reservations, book online up to one year in advance at Firefly.
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Huguenot Memorial Park
Jacksonville / Duval County
This sandy campground near Jacksonville is a beach lover’s dream.
A short walk beyond the dunes is a mile-long beach, open fully to the Atlantic Ocean, making it a popular destination for surfers and kite boarders. The park’s beach gets extremely busy on weekends with long lines of day visitors at the entrance gate.
After sunrise and just before sunset, shore birds fill the sky. During the day, shrimp boats, cargo ships and barges ply the St. Johns River to their dockage in Jacksonville.
Across the river is the Mayport Naval Station, and you can see the warships from the campground.
Frequent helicopter training missions over the park and campground are a mixed blessing. It’s fun to watch but could get old after a few days. We were comfortable with the air traffic and fascinated by the marine traffic coming and going from the port.
The park’s campsites have electric hookups but no water or sewer. There is a potable water tank, but access is awkward. Bring your own. The campsites are sand, and it’s inevitable that it will get in your tent or recreational vehicle. Trust me, this park is worth it.
You are technically within the city limits of Jacksonville, albeit away from city lights, on the south end of Florida’s sea islands.
Why we like it: Magnificent ocean beach, majestic sand dunes, rustic campground
Huguenot Memorial Park, 10980 Heckscher Drive, Jacksonville FL 32226. Phone: (904) 255-4255. Campground reservations can be made online or call (904) 255-4255 from 9 am-5 pm, Monday through Friday.
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Riverbend Park
Jupiter / Palm Beach County
At this park near the headwaters of the Loxahatchee River, you can pop your kayak or canoe into the river or bike the wooded trails.
You can camp downriver at Jonathan Dickinson State Park and visit Riverbend for the paddle of your dreams on one of only two federally designated wild and scenic rivers in Florida.
But you can have a splendid day here without paddling at all.
Riverbend has a network of shady, hard-surface trails that are perfect for family bike rides, and you can rent bikes at the park. Hikers too will find good trails to explore.
Wildlife is abundant – deer, turkeys, even a flock of beautiful peacocks.
The park also preserves the site of a key battle in the Second Seminole War, the Battle of the Loxahatchee. This peach of a park is also free.
Why we like it: Kayaking, bicycling and hiking
Riverbend Park, 9060 Indiantown Road, Jupiter,. Phone: 561-741-1359. No camping.
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Tigertail Beach
Marco Island / Collier County
Manicured Marco Island is known for its beautiful beaches, lined with resorts, condos and mansions. The exception to all this commercial development is gorgeous, wild Tigertail Beach.
There’s a reason Tigertail is so unspoiled: 15 years ago it was an off-shore sand bar. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma dumped sand at the southern end, connecting it to the mainland.
You can reach Tigertail by walking north from Marco Island’s main beach, but most people take a shortcut and wade across a shallow lagoon to reach Tigertail.
The squeamish may squeal at the oozy lagoon bottom, but there’s a big payoff on the other side — three miles of beach with soft white sand, scads of shells, ospreys squealing overhead and so many shore birds that it’s a stop on the Great Florida Birding Trail.
Why we like it: Wild white-sand beach jutting out into Gulf of Mexico, shelling, birding
Tigertail Beach Park, 480 Hernando Dr. Marco Island, FL 34145. Phone: 239-252-4000. No camping.
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Long Point Park
Melbourne Beach / Brevard County
Long Point Park is located on a pair of islands in the Indian River accessible via a manmade causeway with 113 waterfront campsites with another 57 sites off the water. It’s the waterfront campsites, and the well-managed campground, that sets this park apart.
Launch your kayak, paddleboard or canoe from your own campsite or a motor boat from the park’s ramp. You can anchor in shallow water behind your campsite.
Explore dozens of spoil islands in the Indian River. These islands are surrounded by clam beds and oyster bars, some of which may be off-limits to recreational harvesting. Check with the park office on where you can legally go clamming.
Even so, the fishing is excellent. The oysters, clams and estuaries are an ideal fish nursery, the nearby Sebastian Inlet is a gold mine for gamefish.
The park includes a wildlife refuge for short hikes.
Why we like it: Spacious waterfront campground, great fishing and clamming
Long Point Park, 700 Long Point Road Melbourne Beach, FL 32951. Phone: (321) 952-4532. Day use: $4 per vehicle. Camping: $28/night plus tax.
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Anne Kolb Nature Center
Hollywood / Broward County
On the eastern side of Broward, Anne Kolb Nature Center preserves some of the rarest land among parks in South Florida — mangrove wetlands.
The park offers trails for hiking and biking and West Lake, which comprises most of this park, is a favorite for kayaking.
To launch your canoe or kayak into the waters around Anne Kolb preserve, you go a mile west of the nature center to West Lake Park.
There are three well-marked kayak trails winding through the mangroves. Be sure to get a brochure when you pay your $3 admission to the park.
Why we like it: A wilderness escape for kayaking in an urban setting
West Lake Park, 1200 Sheridan Street, Hollywood, FL. Phone: 954-357-5161
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Circle B Bar Reserve
Lakeland / Polk County
If you’re into birds or nature photography, you’ve probably heard of Circle B. But this big nature preserve deserves to be better known among hikers, families and anyone who enjoys natural Florida.
Peak season for visiting Circle B is fall through spring, when nature photographers flock there to capture images of the huge white pelicans, tropical-pink spoonbills, leggy sandhill cranes, iconic bald eagles and dozens of other birds.
But year-round, it provides miles of well-marked shaded hiking trails and there is always wildlife to be viewed.
The nature center was recently redone and has excellent interactive exhibits kids will especially enjoy. Amazingly, it’s all free.
Why we like it: Great for photographers, bird watching and scenic hikes
Circle B Bar Reserve, 4399 Winter Lake Rd., Lakeland, FL 33803. Phone: 863-668-4673.
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Princess Place Preserve
Palm Coast / Flagler County
This is a magical place with a long, interesting history and all kinds of recreational opportunities.
Princess Place preserves 1,500 acres of pristine land midway between St. Augustine and Flagler Beach, offering offers miles of hiking trails under ancient 80-foot-tall live oaks, a wild-life-rich saltwater marsh perfect for exploring by kayak and primitive camping.
To top it off, you can tour a beautifully preserved 1888 hunting lodge fit for a princess, who indeed lived here for many years.
Princess Place is the oldest homestead in Flagler County, founded by a wealthy 24-year-old from New England, Henry Cutting. In 1888, he built a grand hunting lodge in the Adirondack Camp Style. The unfurnished lodge is open for tours on a limited basis — Friday, Saturday and Sunday only at 2 p.m.
The porch of the lodge overlooks the saltwater marsh and gets a steady breeze from the ocean a mile away.
The longest hiking trail, Hominy Branch, is 2.5 miles under a canopy of oaks. Other trails run along the banks of Pellicier Creek or through the saltwater marsh.
The park has a kayak launch, and the rivers and marshes would be perfect for exploring by kayak.
Why we like it: Amazing stands of live oaks, Florida history, kayaking on Pellicier Creek
Princess Place Preserve, 2500 Princess Place Rd., Palm Coast, FL. Camping is $20 for non-residents.
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Moss Park
Orlando / Orange County
Moss Park is Orlando’s best-kept secret.
Only 20 minutes from Disney World and Universal Studios, Moss Park offers fabulous camping plus boating, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, hiking, playgrounds, biking, fishing, picnic areas, a swimming beach, bird-watching and orienteering in the adjacent 2,000-acre Split Oak Preserve, The preserve offers miles of trails to explore.
Moss Park is on a peninsula nestled between Lakes Mary Jane and Lake Hart. Abundant wildlife thrives in the park and the preserve. In one night of camping, we saw sandhill cranes and small herds of deer, who emerged from the preserve to graze.
The campground’s 54 RV/tent sites are spacious, private and shaded. Day use: $3-$5 per vehicle. Camping: $18-$23 per night.
Why we like it: Close to Disney, spacious campground, hiking in an amazing preserve, freshwater swimming beach
Moss Park,12901 Moss Park RD, Orlando. Phone: 407-254-6840.
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Fort De Soto Park
St. Petersburg / Pinellas County
Fort De Soto has three miles of white-sand beaches that are consistently ranked among the best in the nation. You can paddle to offshore islands and access bike trails you can ride all day.
There are two fishing piers, a historic fort, picnic areas, playgrounds and an impressive bird population. While a challenge for RVers to get reservations in the 238-site campground, there is almost always availability in an 85-site section set aside for tent campers.
The park’s seven-mile bike trail offers access to the 38-mile-long Pinellas Trail.
There’s a ferry to Egmont Key State Park and a 800-foot boat-launch area. Here’s a Florida Rambler story on visiting Egmont Key.
Why we like it: One of Florida’s top-ranked beaches, fabulous campground, bicycle trails and kayaking
Fort De Soto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway S., Tierra Verde, FL 33715. Phone: (727) 582-2267. Day use: $5 parking fee plus causeway tolls. Camping: $30-$37 plus tax.
Read more about this park:
E.G. Simmons County Park
Ruskin / Hillsborough County
The beaches, kayak trails and a spacious 112-site campground rivals any state park, and most of the sites are waterfront, allowing you to launch your kayak or canoe directly from your campsite.
Paddle trails weave through dozens of mangrove islands in the adjacent wildlife sanctuary.
When we visited, the mullet were jumping everywhere, a strong indicator that the fishing is decent in these nurturing backwaters.
There is a swimming beach on Tampa Bay and a boat launch.
Why we like it: Waterfront camping, backcountry kayaking
E.G. Simmons Park, 2401 19th Ave. NW, Ruskin, FL. Phone: (813) 671-7655. Day use: $2 per vehicle. Boat launch: $5. Camping: $18-$24 per night.
Read more about this park:
Camp Milton Historic Preserve
Jacksonville / Duval County
Camp Milton Historic Preserve, a City of Jacksonville park, has two unusual things about it – it interprets a rare-in-Florida Civil War site, and it is a trailhead for a terrific 14-mile paved bike path, the Jacksonville-Baldwin Trail.
Camp Milton was the base for 8,000 Confederate troops, who were defending against the Union troops who had taken Jacksonville. The Confederates erected three miles of earth and timber fortifications, traces of which have been found. Today you can see those traces (there’s not much left) as well as a re-creation of a late 19th-century homestead, a replica bridge, an arboretum and boardwalks.
The bike trail is a paved trail following a former railroad line that begins just west of Jacksonville and extends 14.5 miles west to the town of Baldwin. The trail goes through several habitats, past two creeks and wetlands and at time the tree canopy forms a tunnel over the pathway.
While at Camp Milton, watch for birds. The site was recently added to the Great Florida Birding Trail. Eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark, palm warbler, and loggerhead shrike can be found in and around the fields by the entrance. Raptors like bald eagles, American kestrel, and sharp-shinned hawk (winter) may be spotted overhead. Check the creek area for songbirds.
Camp Milton has restrooms, picnic tables and drinking fountains. There is no playground and if you don’t ride the bike trail, you’ll probably be done with the park in an hour or two.
Why we like it: Civil War history comes alive, spectacular bicycle trail
Camp Milton Historic Preserve, 1225 Halsema Rd N, Jacksonville, FL. There is no entry or parking fee.
Read more about this park:
Six more county parks you’ll love…
C.B. Smith Park, Broward County: This manicured park is one of South Florida’s best family recreation areas with a water park and multiple waterslides (closed in winter), batting cages, a golf driving range, tennis center, multiple picnic areas, playgrounds, and fishing lakes. The park has a well-groomed campground with 71 paved RV sites, full hookups. Day use: $1.50 per person on weekends and holidays; free on weekdays. Water park admission: $9.50 per person. Camping: $30-$40/night plus tax. Address: 900 N. Flamingo Road, Pembroke Pines, FL 33028. Phone: 954-357-5170.
Peanut Island, Riviera Beach, Palm Beach County: The very definition of hidden gem: It’s an island with camping, some of the best from-the-beach snorkeling in South Florida and a fascinating historic site, a bunker where President John F. Kennedy could hide during a nuclear attack.
Clam Pass Park, Naples, Collier County: I loved discovering this beautiful beach where the small pass creates a tidal flow and natural lazy river effect. 465 Seagate Dr, Naples.
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park, Duval County. Hanna Park boasts 1.5 miles of sunny beaches, a 60-acre freshwater lake, 20 miles of trails and 300 wooded campsites. 500 Wonderwood Drive, Jacksonville.
Kelly Park, Apopka, Orange County: One of the finest public campgrounds in the state plus great swimming and tubing in Rock Springs, this park would make any “best parks” list. 400 E Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712
Spruce Creek, Port Orange, Volusia County: At high tide, this is a great place to launch your kayak into scenic Spruce Creek. It also offers three miles of hiking trails, a boardwalk, kayak/canoe launch and a long fishing pier reaching into the marsh. 6250 S Ridgewood Ave, Port Orange, FL
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Veteran journalists who worked together at Fort Lauderdale’s SunSentinel newspaper, Bonnie and Bob founded FloridaRambler.com in 2010 to explore the natural, authentic Florida, writing about their natural interests in hiking, biking, paddling, RV and tent camping, wildlife, unique lodging, dining and historic places.
Patty
Tuesday 6th of June 2023
Bob and Bonnie thank you for this guide to exploring Florida treasures.
Bob Rountree
Wednesday 7th of June 2023
You are welcome! We love doing it. :-)
Sharon
Saturday 2nd of October 2021
So glad to find this website! Here's hoping to visit some of these beautiful parks.
Mike
Wednesday 8th of July 2020
Thank you for this! I'm a native Floridian of 60+ years and have never known about some of these areas. Will be visiting soon!