Every year, we pull together our list of holiday gift ideas for outdoors recreation, and this year’s list covers five categories: kayaking, camping, hiking, snorkeling and loungin’ Key West style.
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Ernest Hemingway ended up in Key West like many others — by accident. He came for a day and stayed for a decade, and his influence is unmistakable.
Florida winters were meant for this: Discovering wild and scenic places by kayak. To help you plan fun Florida kayak trips, I’ve selected three of my favorite kayak destinations in Southwest Florida. These aren’t well-known but deserve to be.
You can explore the wilderness of the Ten Thousand Islands off Florida’s Gulf Coast with this short kayak trail to an uninhabited island full of history. It’s the perfect “starter” kayak trail for an area full of paddling possibilities.
Pine Island never was a big tourist destination. And that’s why it is such a refreshing place to explore today. It’s full of groves and plant nurseries with a few stops that make it worth exploring.
Our Everglades National Park paddle on the Coot Bay/Mud Lake trail offered two hours of gorgeous scenery through magical mangrove tunnels. It also required about two hours of hard paddling against the wind.
The Castle Windy Trail is a shady respite from the never-ending sun of Cape Canaveral National Seashore, introducing you to the primitive coastal environment that was once typical of Florida’s Atlantic shoreline.
Fanning Springs and Manatee Springs state parks on the Suwannee River offer beautiful springs, cabins, camping, kayaking & biking in Northwest Florida. Where is this Florida wonderland? Far off the beaten path.
When crossing Florida on I-75, this hike is an easy way to experience the Everglades. You can hike for miles; even backpack to a campsite. Or stretch your legs for a short taste of the wild.
In the summer months, many campgrounds in the Florida Keys reduce their rates. We’ve picked out a few for you to consider on your next trip to paradise.
Tent camping in the Keys took a big hit from hurricanes Irma and Ian, but there are still a few places where you can drive a tent stake in the ground.
Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and Campground offers a quiet lower Keys alternative to the hustle and bustle of Islamorada and Marathon.
The rare and endangered Florida panther makes its home in the wilds of the western Everglades and the Big Cypress Swamp, much of the area preserved in protected state and federal lands accessible to hikers.
EVERGLADES CITY — Whitewater paddling in the Everglades? Well, almost. The tides move in and out of the Ten Thousand Islands so quickly, the water rushes and ripples through the passes, so you need to catch the current going in the right direction if you want to make headway.
EVERGLADES CITY — One of my favorite Florida getaways is to boat out to the outer islands and camp for a weekend on a remote, pristine beach fronting the Gulf of Mexico.
This isolated cluster of islands 70 miles west of Key West is accessible only by boat or seaplane. But treasures await you, especially if you camp over for a few nights. Yes, you can camp here! Snorkeling and kayaking, too!
The charming Riverview Hotel accommodates guests at the gateway to New Smyrna Beach’s arts and entertainment district, a half-mile strip of historic homes, quaint galleries and friendly pubs leading to one of Florida’s most popular beaches.