Florida's Best Parks And Observatories For Stargazing And Meteor Showers, According To Amateur Astronomers

Florida is known for its gorgeous skies, but — let's be honest — the daytime scenery kind of steals the spotlight. Thanks to its cerulean afternoons and bright winters, Florida has earned the name "The Sunshine State." As the home to one of the best U.S. destinations to view the sunset, Florida attracts aspiring artists and painters from all over the world. Although the daylight hours in the region can be truly inspirational, many travelers forget that nighttime is also just as magical. In fact, contrary to what some visitors believe, the Sunshine State boasts some truly stunning spots for appreciating nature and stargazing.

As Florida locals and seasoned travel writers, we know a thing or two about finding the best locations to watch the night sky. To garner the opinions of amateur astronomers, we have parsed through hundreds of comments on sites like Reddit, Tripadvisor, and Google. By engaging with the experiences of these travelers and locals, our research has helped us to determine which Florida parks and observatories are worth a visit. We have also uncovered some hidden gems that will allow you to experience some of the best stargazing in Florida.

Imagine a remote village completely dedicated to combatting light pollution and ensuring an incredible night sky experience. If that sounds too good to be true, think again. Located just two hours from Orlando, Chiefland Astronomy Village attracts an enthusiastic community of stargazers committed to preserving the dark sky. Visitors can enjoy the full scope of the 5-acre destination by pitching a tent in the camping area or plugging into the RV outlets. Prepare your sleeping facilities and dinner, and get cozy for the night. As lights are not permitted in the village, you'll be able to enjoy one of the best stargazing experiences in Florida.

Amateur astronomers say that they enjoy the seriousness of the folks at Chiefland. Writing on the r/Astronomy subreddit of Reddit, one passionate stargazer shared, "Chiefland Astronomy village is a community that keeps strict dark sky rules ... The residents are very serious about astronomy. Many have their own private observatories in their backyards and there [are a] couple [of] very large domes. I am with the astronomy club in Gainesville and we have star parties there once a month." A Google reviewer echoed this sentiment following their trip to Chiefland Astronomy Village, writing, "Great people, facilities, dark skies, relaxing....FUN." Just don't forget to purchase your $30 membership before accessing the village. This will not only guarantee your entry but will also keep the project running.

If you're searching for some of Florida's most scenic nature preserves, look no further than Big Cypress National Preserve. Nestled into the wilderness just a stone's throw away from Everglades City, this park offers visitors the chance to experience the great outdoors at its finest. Of course, that doesn't just mean wild palms and alligators. Big Cypress National Preserve also provides sweeping views of the stars in a location with an official International Dark Sky designation. As such, travelers can take advantage of the park's free monthly astronomy programs. Organized by park rangers, these events allow visitors to admire our galaxy with telescopes and an educational explanation.

Previous visitors say that the stargazing events are fantastic. Writing on the r/Miami subreddit of Reddit, one astronomy fan recommended them fully. "You all should look into the Big Cypress Star Gazing events. I have gone a couple of times. Pretty cool night out with friends/family. They also have telescopes set up!" they wrote. Interestingly, some folks say some spots within the preserve are better for stargazing than others. As one amateur astronomer shared on r/florida, "You should be able to see the Milky Way from the visitor center ... Kirby Storter is where I've got some good pics since there is a prairie south of the parking lot." Just be sure to check the park's events schedule to ensure that you dress for the weather.

Florida offers some of the absolute best glamping destinations, but clear views of the night sky are far from guaranteed. Thanks to the light pollution in big cities like Miami, Tampa, and Tallahassee, it can be hard to find a place that's actually dark enough to allow you a good view of the stars. Enter Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park in Okeechobee. This majestic natural area is far enough from these urban centers to bear the official title of "Dark Sky Park." It not only includes a campground but also offers visitors the chance to reserve a private astronomy viewing pad from which they can observe the celestial night skies in peace. 

Folks who have spent their evenings at Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park say it's one of the best places for stargazing in Florida. As one amateur astronomer wrote on Google, "Darkest place in FL. If you want to go stargazing, this is the place to be. Also, the amount of wildlife here is amazing. Bunnies, birds, butterflies, deer, snakes, alligators, etc." A second Google reviewer echoed this sentiment: "We had an absolutely amazing camping experience here. The sky was amazingly clear and we could just barely begin to see the color in the stars. By far the best star watching I've had in Florida." This is definitely a place every traveler should visit at least once.

Observing the night sky is one thing, but studying it is something else altogether. Folks who are interested in taking a deep dive into all things celestial should definitely stop by the Robinson Observatory at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Despite its location in a big city, this structure provides fantastic views of the night sky. Thanks to its high-powered telescopes, visitors can view stars that aren't necessarily visible to the naked eye. The best part is that the observatory organizes educational stargazing events for the public. Grab a light sweater, a blanket, and your learning cap. Robinson Observatory is one of the best places in Florida to stargaze and learn.

According to the amateur astronomers who have attended these events in the past, the experience provides a fantastic view of the skies. As one visitor gushed on Google, "UCF astronomy team had multiple telescopes set up to observe. Big close-up view of the moon – very high resolution. One telescope on Venus, another on Mars, and the Orion Cluster." A second Google reviewer recommended the events fully, sharing, "If you are a [stargazer] plan on attending their public events. We have been twice since we found it a few months ago and had a great time."

When tourists search for the best state parks in Florida, they often look for places that are beachy rather than rustic. However, folks looking for a combination of these factors will be thrilled to discover that St. George Island State Park has both. Situated just off the shore of Apalachicola National Forest, St. George Island is surrounded by enough natural wonders that it's protected from the bulk of pesky light pollution. In fact, its skies are so pure that — as of the publication of this article — the park is vying for a Dark Sky designation from the International Dark Sky Association. 

Beyond the park's awesome stargazing are its stunning natural beaches — which don't suffer from condominiums and tiki bars. This means you can observe the celestial world above as you enjoy the calming sounds of lapping waves. Set up camp on the island, head down to the beach, and watch as the night sky unfolds over the gulf. On a calm night, you may even see the stars reflected in the water below. Previous visitors say they've enjoyed the night sky programs occasionally offered by the state park. As one amateur astronomer shared on Tripadvisor, "Bonus while we were here – a volunteer astronomer. [Dropped] by in the day and look [through] his scope at sun spots. Nighttime we saw the moons of Jupiter and he pointed out visible constellations and major stars."

St. George Island State Park is not the only uncrowded Florida island where you can contemplate the cosmos. Home to Dry Tortugas National Park, Garden Key is an isolated island that offers plenty of reprieve from the light pollution in the mainland. Located 70 miles off of Key West, the national park is the perfect place to camp below truly dark skies. Pitch your tent on the park's cozy campground, make a round of s'mores, and stare into the sky. Not only will you be greeted with an unparalleled view of the Milky Way, but you might also wake up to the sight of a light-sensitive species, like sea turtles.

Amateur astronomers say that Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the best spots in Florida for stargazing. Some previous visitors consider it a once-in-a-lifetime destination, with one Google reviewer even raving, "Amazing place, a definite must see place to check off your bucket list. Highly recommend camping overnight, the stars out there are amazing." A second visitor took to Google to add, "Absolutely best trip ever. Beyond beautiful!! No service or electricity, unbelievable how peaceful and beautiful this place is!! ... Only a few camp sites there, so the moon and stars are fantastic!! I recommend 100 out of 100!! Best beaches with no one on them. Unimaginable." Some reviewers, however, warned that the camping spots book out well in advance, so plan ahead.

There are many reasons you need to visit Everglades National Park in Florida. The alligators are majestic, the flatlands are immense, and the airboat tours are unforgettable. That said, not everybody knows that Everglades National Park offers some of the best stargazing in the state. The park's Shark Valley Observation Tower is dedicated to viewing the night skies, and on a clear night, the view from the top is absolutely stunning. Arrive on-site late afternoon to climb the 70-foot tower during daylight hours. Marvel at the 360-degree views of the Everglades, which span 20 miles in all directions. Then, watch as the sun sinks over the horizon and the stars slowly emerge. The celestial views are marvelous.

Nighttime travelers say that the experience of visiting the Shark Valley Observation Tower after dark is more than worth it. Some amateur stargazers even recommend biking to the viewing point. Writing about their experience on Google reviews, one such visitor reported, "Did a ranger led night ride on this trip. Nice sunset. The bird calls at night were loud and wonderful to hear. The stars shown bright." A second traveler took to the r/Miami subreddit of Reddit to share, "Shark valley is amazing. On night rides, you can watch the stars from the tower, and it's a lot cooler out; also there are fireflies in the summer ... Shark valley is also great for [sunset] rides ..."

Finding a place to stargaze near Tallahassee, Florida, is no easy task. Yet, one gorgeous Leon County park provides the perfect place to enjoy the night sky at a relatively short distance from town. Located just 30 minutes from central Tallahassee, Cypress Landing Astronomical Park provides visitors with dark skies and sweeping views of the stars. Amateur astronomers have been known to head to this destination in the evenings to get a glimpse of the planets or the full moon. However, folks serious about stargazing are welcome to attend one of the on-site Tallahassee Astronomical Society (TAS) events, as these usually include educational information and actual telescopes.

Folks who have stargazed at TAS in the past say that the experience was incredibly enjoyable. As one amateur astronomer put it on Google reviews, "Beautiful place. Very peaceful. We went for a star-gazing event with TAS. It is a great place for this, as it's away from city lights and they have a large permanent telescope for viewing." A second visitor applauded the infrastructure available at the park at night. "The stars are so pretty here! There is a parking lot and a porta-potty. Park, turn off all lights and get your night vision. Then look up," they wrote on Google. Overall, this is definitely one of the best places to stargaze in Florida without driving far away from a city.

While some stargazers want to observe the skies without driving too far into the wilderness, others value a more isolated viewing experience. If you find yourself in this second category of travelers, fear not — there is one place in Florida where you can venture into the great outdoors to gaze at the stars. Located in Osceola National Forest, the Sanderson Astronomy Lookout Point is surrounded by towering trees. Far from the light pollution of big cities, visitors drive to this location with the sole intention of bundling up and watching the stars sparkle above.

Previous visitors enjoy this location for its remoteness. That being said, they definitely recommend traveling in a group for safety purposes. Commenting on this reality, one amateur astronomer wrote on Google, "This is a great place to see the nighttime sky away from city lights. There is no cell phone coverage here so make sure you go with other people." Another Google reviewer seemed to agree with this assessment, sharing, "We enjoyed the constellations and hope to come out during meteor showers. My grandson thought it was a little creepy out there in the dark with frogs croaking. It was just our family at the time but we saw another car as we were leaving." The Sanderson Astronomy Lookout Point is an awesome place to enjoy the night sky far away from the city lights — as long as you travel in a group.

In recent years, there has been an increase in light pollution all around the world. This surge in light use has a detrimental impact on our environment and can make it nearly impossible to view our night skies. For this reason, it was not always easy to create this list of the best places to go stargazing in Florida. That being said, after consulting amateur astronomers on sites like Reddit and Google, we came up with 10 parks and observatories that still offer visitors the chance to experience our night skies at their best and brightest.

Given that Florida is a large state, we did our best to include locations from different regions. While Big Cypress National Preserve and the Shark Valley Observation Tower are easily accessible from most of South Florida, Kissimmee Prairie Reserve State Park and the Robinson Observatory represent Central Florida. The Sanderson Astronomy Lookout Point is perfect for people in Northeastern Florida. St. George Island State Park is ideal for folks in the Northwestern part of the state.

Of course, we struggled to include good spots close to the light pollution in the massive city of Miami. However, we were thrilled to find Cypress Landing Astronomical Park near the more mid-sized urban center of Tallahassee. Chiefland Astronomy Village and Dry Tortugas National Park, meanwhile, are isolated enough from most light sources that they offer fantastic views to those willing to travel a bit farther.