Throughout the Sunshine State, vast tracts of beautiful natural areas like pristine state parks that are just waiting to be explored are being set aside.
In Florida, a day at a park does not always mean spending time with the minions, Mickey or Big Bird, although this is often the case. No wonder, because the Sunshine State stands for popular theme and water parks. But Florida is also home to 175 state parks scattered from Panhandle to the Keys, each of which offers the opportunity to discover the countless natural and cultural treasures of the state, from streams and rivers flowing through a green landscape, a cave system strewn with stalactites, kilometers of sandy beaches, dense moss-dripping forests or historical fortresses and lighthouses. The entire compendium of state parks shows the great diversity of Florida’s ecosystems, from mangroves to pine forests to dunes, as well as the inhabitants and migratory creatures that inhabit these vast areas or visit for a season. A wide range of attractive landscapes and activities can be seen in the following six state parks.
1. Oleta River State Park
Just 30 minutes from downtown Miami, Oleta is considered Florida’s largest city park and offers many water and land activities. Inside the park, the BG oleta River rents canoes and kayaks outside so that visitors can paddle through dark green tunnels along the mangrove-lined river and then into tranquil Biscayne Bay and the Intercoastal Waterway to see river otters and sea turtles. And despite Miami’s perfectly flat topography, Oleta is considered one of the best mountain bikes in Florida with more than a dozen kilometers of unique, interconnected and hard-to-ride tracks next to the park’s waterways.
2. State Park-Bill Baggs Cape Florida State
On the southern tip of Key Biscayne, Bill Baggs is best known for his miles of beach – perfect for sunbathing and swimming-which is often named one of the 10 best beaches in the USA by Dr. Stephen Leatherman of Florida International University, also known as Dr. Beach. Birdwatchers are also attracted to this park, which is a stop on the Atlantic migration Trail for migratory species such as the Forest Ambassador and the Bay Breast Ambassador. Those who make their way to the southern tip of the Pond Trail are located near the Cape Florida Lighthouse, the oldest structure in South Florida, which offers stunning views of Biscayne Bay, Key Biscayne and South Beach.
3. Topsail Hill Reserve State Park
Named after the Gulf of Mexico’s tallest coastal dunes, which resemble a ship’s sail and are over 25 feet high, Topsail Hill in the Florida enclave preserves these white quartz dunes with lakes-a unique ecosystem – where fresh and salt water mix. Those who have a fishing license can try to catch catfish, bream or perch in one of these lakes, or throw from the beach for Spanish mackerel, pompano or goldfish. The paved bike path at Campbell Lake-named after this coastal dune lake, a popular picnic spot – shaded by tall, long-leaved pines appeals to cyclists.
4. Hillsborough River State Park
Just a few minutes north of Tampa, Hillsborough is one of the few places in Florida with whitewater rapids. Those who bring their own canoe will enjoy the small section of the Class II rapids.The park also rents canoes that can be placed directly under the rapids of this blackwater river, the color comes from the leaching of tannins from fallen leaves. Along the coast live oaks, magnolias and cypresses grow to paddle in the shade, with the possibility of seeing otters or alligators on the banks. History buffs often sign up for a guided tour of the reconstructed Fort Foster, a replica of the fort built around 1837 during the Second Seminole War.
5. Honeymoon Island State Park
This barrier island got its name after the construction of several dozen honeymoon cabins in the early 1940s and is still a nice day trip from Tampa for nature lovers. Although beach lovers flock with sand and shells /rivets, a wild landscape of ponds, sand dunes and salt marshes awaits you, driving past the last parking lot to the shady Osprey Trail. Hikers will find flying monarch butterflies and the ubiquitous smell of pine.
6. Caladesi Island State Park
Just a short ferry ride from Honeymoon Island, Caladesi was connected to its sister island before a major hurricane in 1921. Although Caladesi is now connected to Clearwater Beach after the formation of a land bridge, it feels like Florida from another time as soon as visitors walk past the ranger station/concession, with nothing but the sound of bird cries and the ripple of the tide on the powdery beach. In 2018, Dr. Beach ranked caladesis iridescent quartz sand among the top 10 in the country. A network of sandy paths winds through the heart of this island, where signs remind visitors that the dense interior is a snake area.