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Your Guide to Exploring the Sunshine State

Find your next adventure as we highlight Florida State Parks, share travel guides to some of Florida’s amazing cities, visit national parks, and find other outdoor adventures around Florida!

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@florida_lives on Instagram

happy place 🛶🌴 Are you still soaking up the

Spend a ☔️ rainy day with me at Homosassa Spri

Scenes from Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge 🌳🐊💫
We drove about 2 hours north to Georgia to stay at Stephen C. Foster State Park. We mainly wanted to go to this park because it’s a Certified Dark Sky Park and the Perseid Meteor Shower was happening! 🌌🔭💫
But besides the night sky, the park also has beautiful swamps to explore via boardwalks and boats. We really enjoyed the Trembling Earth Trail boardwalk and the boat tour! You can also rent your own motor boats or canoes/kayaks.

We stayed in a cabin because summer 🥵 and it was really lovely! It sleeps 8 people and was perfect for a long weekend with family. They do also have a campground but it’s currently under renovation.

This park is really out there— it’s about 20 miles from nearest town/gas station/store! But it’s very quiet and peaceful and you’ll definitely feel immersed in nature. I thought the park would be super busy for the best meteor shower of the year, but it really wasn’t! There was maybe 20 people at the nighttime ranger program, and I think we maybe ran into two other groups during the 3 days we were there.

The Okefenokee is huge and this is just one small part of it! Have you ever been here before?

This is what I want to see at Anastasia State Park

Flagler Beach Travel Guide 🐚🏝🛶🧭 ✨SA

State Parks I’ve Visited So Far in 2024 ✨🥾

Today’s #FloridaSPFriday is Ellie Schiller Homos

✨Budget✨Day Trips to take this Summer! 💸🏝️☀️

🔸Rainbow Springs State Park: Swim in Rainbow Springs, walk through lush gardens and explore the waterfalls, and bring a picnic lunch. [$2 per person]
🔸St. Augustine: Walk around the historic city, explore the outside of Castillo de San Marcos, take a free boat ride over to Fort Matanzas, do a rum or wine tasting, check out the Flagler College and Lightner Museum grounds. [just pay parking]
🔸Crystal River: Although summer isn’t manatee season, you might still see some! Swim at Hunter Springs Park, bring your own kayaks to launch (or rent them for a fee), take a hike at Crystal River Preserve State Park, or visit Crystal River Archaeological State Park. [$3 per vehicle]
🔸Anna Maria Island: Relax on the white sandy beaches, explore the quaint shops and cafes, visit the free Anna Maria Island Historical Museum. [just pay parking]
🔸Gainesville: Visit the free Florida Museum of Natural History, explore Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, climb down a sinkhole at Devil’s Den Geological State Park, and watch thousands of bats fly out of the UF bat houses at dusk. [$10 total per car for both state parks]
🔸Sanibel Island: Enjoy the beach, look for shells, and see the Sanibel Lighthouse(currently being restored). Drive, hike, or bike through the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and stop at the free education center. [just pay parking]
🔸Mount Dora: Stroll through the charming downtown area, visit Renninger’s Antique Center, visit the Mount Dora Lighthouse and Palm Island Park. [just pay parking]
🔸Tarpon Springs: Explore the historic Sponge Docks, taste authentic Greek cuisine, and shop for unique souvenirs. Then catch the sunset at Fred Howard Park. [just pay parking]
🔸Myakka River State Park: Hike or bike through several scenic trails, look for alligators and wildlife, walk the Canopy Walkway, enjoy a picnic lunch. [$6 per vehicle]
🔸Big Talbot Island State Park: Explore the unique Boneyard Beach, hike the trails, take a bike ride, and enjoy the beautiful beaches. [$3 per vehicle]

A Florida State Parks Annual Pass makes many of these activities free!
What other ideas do you have for budget day trips?

Feels like summer 🍉☀️🏖️🐚🐬

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