Florida
has over 200 state parks and trails, recreation areas, historic and cultural
sites occupying over 785,000 acres - and this doesn't include those provided by local counties and cities! It has received the
National State Parks Gold Medal as America's best. We love our outdoors!
Many of these 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 locations making these excellent side trips for any vacation. Additionally, there are 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.
Locations vary from coastal and oceanic to inland forest to those featuring crystal clear natural springs to those with winding, lazy rivers. There is even one, the Florida Caverns, that features underground natural caverns - rather surprising considering the geology makeup of sand and limestone!
There
are also a number of National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges. Unquestionably, the best known of these is the Everglades. For
a unique vacation, consider trekking 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 the past.
There has been a resurgence in popularity as interest in
nature-based and heritage tourism have grown rapidly in the U.S. and
worldwide. Millions of visitors enjoy our system every year, and these are
now a significant destination for our vacation visitors.
Florida State Park Resources
- StateParks web site.
- StateParks Map by region.
- All State Parks - full list with links to website for detail.
- Statewide Brochures - has some nice regional maps and trails brochures.
- Brochures - complete list of available brochures.
- Greenways and Trails Brochures
- One Tank Adventures - select city to get a list of candidates for a day of adventure!