FLORIDA: 10 Great Outdoor Adventures in the Sunshine State

kayaking in mangroves

FLORIDA: 10 Great Outdoor Adventures in the Sunshine State

Florida is a world-renowned holiday destination that’s most famous internationally for Disney World in Orlando, The Cape Canaveral Space Station and the state’s many sparkling beaches that offer the 3 S’s: Sun, Sea and Sand.

Relatively few people know about the Sunshine State’s other abundant natural habitats and its many ecological outdoor sports & activities. It’s a shame, really, because Florida is packed with all manner of great outdoor adventures, many of them found more readily in Florida than in any other part of the USA.

Here are 10 great outdoor sports & activities that outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy throughout sub-tropical Florida. Consider some of these next time you head to Florida for vacation.

sky diving in Florida

1. Sky Diving

Florida is one of the premier destinations in the USA for sky diving. Dozens of privately owned drop zones, located all over the state, offer sky diving to newbies, trainees and experienced sky divers. Divers can jump over Florida’s stunning beach-lined coast or even over NASA.

As a matter of fact, I went sky diving in Florida in 2011, fulfilling one of my very long-standing adventure dreams. If you’d like to hear my 1^st hand report of what’s it like to jump out of a plane, check out my sky diving story. 

`scuba diving at Blue Springs – Florida

2. Scuba Diving & snorkeling in fresh water springs

As Florida Springs website reports, Florida has over 300 natural springs, mostly located in the Panhandle, north and central areas of the state. They all bubble up from Florida’s massive underground aquifer. The springs range in size from small trickles to large pond-size bodies of water.

The springs’ super clear waters all have a constant temperature of about 72F year round. Their water clarity makes for great snorkeling and scuba diving. Depending on which springs you dive/snorkel at, you may see underwater caverns, fresh water fish and other fresh water creatures, perhaps even the elusive manatee if you’re lucky.

Florida also offers scuba diving in the sea at several locations in the Gulf of Mexico, on the Atlantic Coast and in the Florida Keys. 

Florida – Everglades National Park

3. Everglades National Park

Florida’s Everglades is America’s largest subtropical wilderness. Covering 1.5 million square miles, the Everglades a unique eco-system that’s home to thousands of birds and many rare and endangered species of animals.

The Everglades’ five different entrance points with visitors centers provide guests access to the vast park. Visitors can camp, hike, cycle, kayak, canoe, go bird-watching, join guided park tours and, in one location, ride the Everglades iconic air boats.

Check the US National Parks – Everglades website for full details on where & when to go, costs and weather conditions. 

4. Florida State Parks

Florida has a whopping 161 state parks. They’re set in a huge range of environments, including forests, beaches, barrier islands, swamps, mangrove forests and along rivers and lakes. Collectively they offer an astounding range of outdoor activities, many of which are not allowed at Everglades National Park. At least one state park or the other is sure to cater to any outdoor enthusiast’s interests.

For some quick stats: 50 parks offer camping, 41 have beaches, 48 allow boating, 110 allow fishing, over 140 have hiking/nature trails.. and the list goes on.

The mind boggling range of activities collectively available includes: hiking, nature trails, off-road cycling, rollerblading, horseback riding, fishing, boating, camping, staying in cabins, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, surfing, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, birding, wildlife viewing, picnicking, shelling, star gazing.

Visitors can also stroll through gardens, see historic sites, visit museums, learn about the great outdoors at nature exhibitions, on guided walks and at lectures. Some parks also have facilities for wedding, retreats, group camps, meetings & seminars and family reunions.

Visit Florida State Parks website for full details on each park.

St Petersburg Municipal Marina

5. Sailing

Florida is a major destination for sailing enthusiasts. Not surprising considering that Florida’s coastlines stretch along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, the Intracoastal Waterway runs just inland along both coasts. The state also boasts many inland lakes and rivers that flow into the sea.

The Florida Sailing Association and the American Sailing Association websites list member sailing clubs, marinas, yacht clubs, sailing schools, regattas and races. At least 45 member clubs and 40 schools are located in 24 cities and towns throughout the state. Many towns have municipal marinas which offer yacht anchorage to the public at quite reasonable rates.

On a slightly different side of sailing, Ft. Lauderdale is the prime location in the US for travelers looking to crew a sailboat. 

kayaking in mangroves

6. Kayaking & Canoeing

Florida’s abundant rivers, mangrove forests, lakes, springs, salt marshes, swamps, coastal areas and the intracoastal waterway make for great & diverse canoeing and kayaking. One special trail, the Florida Circumnavigation Saltwater Paddling Rail, runs the entire coast of Florida for 1515 miles, making it the longest paddling route in the USA.

The Florida Paddling Trails Association divides the state into 15 paddling regions. Their website lists all the routes in the state, complete with trail lengths, descriptions, directions to the sites and what paddlers can expect to see. Paddlers can visit historic sites, glide through unusual & unique habitats and spot wildlife & birds.

Some of the routes provide an added, unique experience for paddlers: alligators and/or crocodiles lurking in the waters. You want to be very careful not to go overboard while paddling certain Florida waters! 

7. Cycling

I would not recommend cycling on Florida’s highways and roads. Floridians, especially in the far south, have a well-deserved reputation as being very anti-cyclist to the point that Floridian drivers are sometimes known to intentionally drive cyclists off the roads! I kid you not.

However, Florida is packed with specially-designated cycling trails all over the state. Trail lengths range from just 1 mile to the 110-mile-long Trail. A majority of trails are about 10 miles in length. Several others range from 20- 60 miles.

The Florida Bicycle Association is attempting to create a ‘Cyclist Friendly Florida’ and details all the off-road cycling trails around the state.

I’m personally most familiar with the amazing Pinellas County Trail, which runs through the city of St Petersburg then northward 38.2 miles to Tarpon Springs , running the entire length of Pinellas County. The trail is well-paved, well maintained, and passes through a huge diversity of topographies and neighborhoods.

serene hiking trail

8. Hiking

When considering hiking in the USA, Florida is not the first destination that springs to mind. After all, the US has several famous & significant hiking trails, including the Appalachian Trail, John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and the many trails in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and other national parks around the country.

However, Florida should not be overlooked as a great hiking destination. As proof, in 2008 Florida was awarded ‘The Best Trails State’. That’s quite an accomplishment, especially considering its eminent competition.

As mentioned above, over 140 Florida state parks have hiking and/or nature trails. Collectively they total 1600 miles of trails. The Everglades also offers abundant hiking opportunities.

Besides the state and national parks, The Florida Trail Association develops, maintains, protects and promotes a network of hiking trails throughout the state, including the unique 1400-mile Florida National Scenic Trail. Their website details trails all over Florida, including trail lengths, locations, directions to trail heads, and trail status. 

pelicans

9. Bird Watching

With over 500 species of birds, Florida is home to the greatest diversity of birds east of the Mississippi. Not surprisingly, Florida is a prime state for bird lovers. In fact, birders flock there from all over the USA and the world hoping to site Florida’s birds, particularly 40 species that are most sought after by birders. Bird enthusiasts have a chance to watch birds at 514 designated birding sites.

Among those 500 species of birds, Florida is home to hundreds of waterbirds, thanks to its abundant and varied water environments. Birders will find sea birds, fresh water birds and those that prefer swamps or brackish water. In addition, 215 species of birds breed in the state.

The Great Florida Birding & Wildlife ‘Trail’ website identifies all of Florida’s birds, lists the 40 most sought after species, details the 514 birding sites located around the state, and provides educational information about birds, bird watching practices, conservation and other statistics relative to birds and birding.

For a quick sampling of Florida’s diverse water birds, check out my own photo gallery: Florida Water Birds to see over two dozen birds that I spotted in the St. Petersburg area recently.

camping in a pine forest overlooking a sandy beach

10. Camping

As mentioned above, 41 Florida State Parks and the Everglades allow camping. The state parks collectively have 3515 campsites. Those include full facility campgrounds, primitive camping, group camping, youth camping and even equestrian camping.

Like most other outdoor activities in Florida, camping can be enjoyed in forests, on beaches & islands, beside lakes & rivers, in mangrove forests & swamps, and at natural springs.

In addition to campgrounds located at state and national parks, hundreds of private commercial campgrounds are dotted around the state. 

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QUESTIONS:

Have you done any of these activities in Florida? If so, what and where? 

Do you have any other suggestions for outdoor fun in Florida? 

(* Flickr CC photo credits:  Bogeskov  /  dno1967b  / highlander411 *)

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