Incredible State Parks To Add To Your Florida Bucket List
By SHANDLEY MCMURRAY
This historic park in Key West is open from 8 a.m. until its gorgeous sunset every day of the year to tour the 19th-century fort, bike, swim, or paddleboard.
Fort Zachary Taylor
The park is a fantastic place to snorkel (rentals available) for beginners and families with young kids, as you can wade in from the beach to the coral reef.
Admission is only $6 per vehicle for up to eight guests and a mere $2.50 if you're walking or biking in. Food is available from the Cayo Huseo Café.
A must-visit for water lovers, this coral reef park in Key Largo has 70 square nautical miles of tropical hammock forests, mangrove swamps, and open ocean.
John Pennekamp Reef
America's first undersea park, this is an ideal place to go snorkeling. Rental equipment is available for a reasonable price, and if you book a boat tour, it's even cheaper.
Enjoy canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, scuba tours, and the aquarium in the visitor's center, or book a tour on the glass-bottomed, high-speed catamaran.
From swimming to cycling to kayaking to fishing, there's no chance of getting bored at this Key West park. Three campgrounds make it easy to hunker down.
Bahia Honda
Boaters can rent an overnight slip at the marina, with showers, restrooms, water, and electricity. There are cabins with views, a concession stand, and snorkeling gear rentals.
You'll find an impeccably preserved Civil War fort and pristine beach on Amelia's Island's Fernandina Beach and plenty of fun things to do with the family.
Fort Clinch
Bring binoculars for the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, try surf fishing, or search for treasure geocaching. Cyclists will enjoy the six miles of off-road trails.
At this park in Fort Myers, a free tram transports visitors and their stuff within 800 feet of the sugar-white sands that hug the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico.
Lovers Key
Beach chairs, umbrellas, bikes, and canoes can be rented, and the gift shop sells cold drinks, snacks, and T-shirts. The Discovery Center is an exciting attraction for families.
Fishing, biking, shelling, swimming, hiking, and paddling are just a few things to do at this pretty park with wildlife like alligators, osprey, dolphins, and manatees.