Central Florida is home to a diverse selection of Florida state parks with camping. Something for everybody, even if you don’t own a tent or RV. (2nd in a series)
Florida State Parks
Stories about Florida State Parks
Articles about Florida State Parks include camping, kayaking, canoeing, boating, fishing, hiking and bicycle riding.
Oleta River State Park feels like island getaway in Miami urban sprawl
This Miami state park is a remarkable island of green where you can kayak, mountain bike, picnic and enjoy a sandy beach. There are even rustic cabins to rent. It’s the largest urban park in Florida.
Faver Dykes State Park: Camp, paddle, fish near historic St. Augustine
Faver Dykes State Park offers excellent kayaking, productive fishing and woodsy camping just 15 miles from historic St. Augustine.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park: Top beach, lighthouse & sangria on Key Biscayne
The Cape Florida lighthouse, the oldest structure in Miami-Dade County, celebrates its 200th birthday in 2025. This state park is more natural than it has been for decades. Enjoy the terrific beach, tropical hammock, tour the historic lighthouse ande dine at restaurants with great views.
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.
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park: Kayak to stilt houses, hike to small springs
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park in New Port Richey is not well known outside its area. But it’s a good place to kayak both to see springs in the park and to paddle into the Gulf to see historic stilt houses.
Florida’s oldest state parks: Hidden gems may surprise you
The oldest Florida State Parks preserve unique places: stunning caverns, disappearing rivers, towering bluffs, lush ravines, a river with rapids. All are worth rediscovering.
Three Rivers State Park: Camping on beautiful lake at the Florida-Georgia line
Florida’s northernmost state park campground is first to cool off in Fall. Book it now before anybody else reads this story.
Henderson Beach State Park: Fabulous beach with camping near Destin
Fall is a great time to visit Henderson Beach State Park as families wrap up summer vacations, but you’ll have to book way, way ahead for camping.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park: A Florida treasure
Jonathan Dickinson State park can keep a lover of the outdoors busy for days with hiking, biking, kayaking, camping, wildlife watching and soaking up the natural beauty. The park has been the site of ongoing protests of a state proposal to build a hotel and golf courses there.