Getaways to the authentic Florida
Informative articles about recreation in Florida parks, forests and preserves, national parks, wildlife refuges, including camping, fishing, paddling, hiking, bicycling and beaches.
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is for explorers – folks who like to find places that aren’t in the guidebooks. Here you can hike for miles in the woods, hear only nature and have a chance to spot wildlife, including bear, bald eagles and endangered scrub jays.
You don’t have to drive hours off the interstate to find Florida’s natural beauty and funky history. You can find treasures within 10 minutes of these I-75 exits.
Amateur astronomers and photographers love this peaceful savanna in the heart of Florida, an ideal destination for stargazing, bird watching, and not a bad getaway from the world at large.
Loop Road is famous for being a wild place. (That once applied to the people as well as the animals.) It’s a gravel road off the Tamiami Trail in the Everglades. If you’re not in a hurry, it’s a rewarding place to explore.
Launch at the famous springhead and paddle a historic waterway with monkeys, manatees and otters. Silver Springs kayaking is as good as it gets.
Withlacoochee River Park is a base camp for hiking and bicycling in the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve with one special characteristic — it’s also a “dark sky” park favored by amateur astronomers.
There’s not much going on in Lake George State Forest, making it an ideal getaway for a few days of solitude along the St. John’s River.
Diverse eco-systems are the hallmark of North Florida state parks with camping, from beaches to cool springs and deep woods hideaways. Part 4 in our series.
From coral reefs to Everglades habitats, state parks with camping in South Florida and the Florida Keys may be few but they are distinguished. (3rd in a series)
There are 14 Florida state parks with camping in the Panhandle, and many are on spectacular sugar-sand Gulf beaches.