Florida
has over 150 state parks, recreation areas, state historic and cultural
sites. Florida's state park system has received the
National State Parks Gold Medal as America's best.
Many of these state parks offer more than natural wilderness and recreation. Historical reenactments, living history, boat tours, musical celebrations, nature hikes, birding tours and children's events can be found at many parks making these excellent side trips for any vacation.Additionally, Florida has an excellent array of camping facilities ranging from very primitive, natural wilderness settings to cozy and comfortable cabins with all the facilities to make a camping vacation with minimal fuss.
Parks
vary from coastal and oceanic to inland forest to parks featuring
crystal clear natural springs to those with winding, lazy rivers.
There is even a park, the Florida Caverns, that features underground
natural caverns - rather surprising considering Florida's geology
makeup of sand and limestone!
A free
Florida State Park Guide can be obtained by calling 850.488.9872 or
by writing the Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, Division
of Recreation and Parks, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd. MS 536, Tallahassee,
FL 32399-3000. An excellent online source for Florida park information
can be found at Florida
Recreation & Parks.
There
are also a number of National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges
within Florida. Unquestionably, the best known of these parks is the Everglades. For
a unique vacation, consider treking through the Everglades!
Fort
De Soto park is a natural beauty with magnificent beaches and recreational
facilities. It was name North America's best beach by "Dr.
Beach" in 2005.
Florida's
state park system, which received the National State Parks Gold Medal
as America's best, has enjoyed increasing popularity as interest in
nature-based and heritage tourism have grown rapidly in the U.S. and
worldwide. Millions of visitors enjoy Florida's
state park system every year, and Florida's parks and preserves are
now a significant destination for our vacation visitors to the state.
Florida State Parks and facilities by region (click region or use map below) |
|
| Northwest Florida | Northeast Florida |
| West Central Florida | East Central Florida |
| Southwest Florida | Southeast Florida |
| Parks by City | |