Florida harvest festivals

This laid-back beach town isn’t famous, but it charms visitors with its funky Florida history, gorgeous beaches and a cute downtown with interesting restaurants and shops.

Florida’s underwater parks preserve exceptional bodies of water, from shipwrecks to spring-fed caves. They are among the most unusual parks in the US.

Camping, kayaking, hiking, biking and a humongous swimming pool are the top features of this state park that straddles the Hillsborough River.

With the best beach in the Florida Keys, Bahia Honda is a popular stop. As of May, 2022, the Sandspur Campground and the Sandspur Beach have re-opened, four and half years after being smashed by Hurricane Irma. For those who get there quickly, a few nights are available in the next 11 months for the hard-to-get beachfront Sandspur campsites.

If you want to savor the flavor of the Florida Keys, spend a little time at a tiki bar. Our favorites profiled here are unpretentious waterfront spots where you’ll get good fresh fish, fried everything and a big serving of Keys atmosphere.

There are many hidden islands in the Florida Keys, and some have fantastic stories behind them. There are even a few you can even visit. Here are 6 favorites.

Travel and Leisure magazine calls New Smyrna Beach “Florida’s most underrated seaside city”. We think it is “Florida’s best little beach town.”

Glamping in Florida is now offered in four state and one national park, where some fancy tents come with chandeliers. The idea: Be in the wild, but be comfy. Newest addition: Hillsborough River State Park in Tampa.

Sea-turtle walks are like seeing a nature documentary in person, and they’re back in many places for 2022. But you need reservations to join these night-time beach walks to watch giant sea turtles nesting.

The Florida Folk Festival marks its 70th year at Stephen Foster State Park over Memorial Day Weekend 2022. The annual event celebrates Florida’s land, people and diverse cultural heritage.

Development is creeping up on Spruce Creek and Strickland Bay, but enough has been preserved — for now — to enjoy an awesome day of kayaking. (Watercolor by Stewart Jones)

Paddle Florida is a non-profit that organizes a few paddling trips each year on Florida’s greatest waterways. Limited in size and carefully researched, these trips are great for solo paddlers or folks who appreciate a little support in undertaking a several day paddling and camping trip.

Stroll along the delightful paths through the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach and discover the outdoors in a new way with these tips.

With expansive state parks and a national wildlife refuge plus several attractive county and city facilities, Jupiter offers many excellent places to kayak, hike, bike and learn about native wildlife. Within a two hour drive of 6 million people in South Florida, it’s a good getaway for lovers of the outdoors .

Princess Place Preserve is a big, scenic park with miles of hiking, excellent tent camping, comfy cabins and a historic buiding with an intriguing story. Flagler County is full of great parks, but this one, in an out-of-the-way location, is worth discovering.

Ponce Inlet is a calm ocean-front town at the tip of a barrier island. It has free parking, a stunning lighthouse, parks, a beach and picturesque places to eat fresh seafood.

Beach camping in Florida is living the dream. Stars in the sky, surf softly lapping ashore, shorebirds gliding. Let’s go camping!