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How To Prepare for Florida Hurricane Season

June 16, 2019

The start of Summer in Florida also means the start of a less-desirable season — Hurricane Season. While Florida natives will say most hurricanes are no big deal, its those few really bad ones that you must be prepared for. Hurricanes can bring high winds, intense rains and flooding, and power outages. The official Atlantic […]

How To Prepare for Florida Hurricane Season Read More »

Guide to Hillsborough River State Park

June 11, 2019

Hillsborough River State Park is just a few minutes outside of Tampa and offers a unique feature: the only Class II rapids in the state. The park has over seven miles of trails through oak hammocks and pine flatwoods, most with great views of the Hillsborough River. We love the solitude this park offers —

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Florida Summer Food Festivals 2019

June 9, 2019

It’s June in Florida which means it’s time for summer barbecues and cold drinks in the shade. Trying to escape the heat during the summer usually leads to hanging out at the pool, the beach or river. But Florida has a ton of great summer food festivals where you can cool off with tasty drinks

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Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

June 9, 2019

Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in central Florida is a unique state park full of native Florida animals. You’ll see alligators, otters, black bears, flamingos and more. The park is one of the best places in the state to view manatees up close. Homosassa Springs is a great place for those who love

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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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Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Boardwalk 🌳 This Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve Boardwalk 🌳

This is a stunning preserve in Fort Myers that winds through a cypress wetland. Despite its name, the whole stacked-loop boardwalk is about 1.2 miles. It’s an easy walk and would be accessible for strollers or wheelchairs (and I did it while 7 months pregnant). The scenery is beautiful, with lots of cypress trees, lush foliage, and opportunities to spot wildlife. 

The boardwalk has several overlooks and shelters along the way. These come in handy during Florida summer rains ☔️ We got to admire Pop Ash Pond for about 30 minutes while we waited out a rain storm 😅 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 stars from me!
As a self-proclaimed boardwalk lover, this is a fantastic boardwalk trail. If I lived nearby, I’d be visiting this one often. The wetland will change so much from season to season, meaning you’ll always get to see something new.

📌 Tips for Visiting
▫️Open daily from dawn to dusk. Free with parking fee of $1/hour. Dogs are not allowed.
▫️ This is a popular preserve with limited parking. During peak hours on the weekend it may be difficult to get a parking spot. Plan to arrive early or late if you can!
▫️ There’s an interpretive center open Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm. We visited after 4pm and missed it unfortunately!

❓What is a slough?  Pronounced “slew”, is a long, narrow, slow-moving wetland that usually drains into a larger river or lake. The Six Mile Cypress Slough filters rainwater and runoff before moving into Estero Bay.
Oscar Scherer State Park- home to the Florida Scru Oscar Scherer State Park- home to the Florida Scrub Jay 🐦🌳 

This state park protects the habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay, a species that’s endemic to Florida (not found anywhere else!)

The park offers over 15 miles of hiking trails, 12 miles of biking trails, camping & glamping, fishing & swimming in Lake Osprey, paddling on South Creek, and a nature center. 

The Lester Finley Nature Trail was a really nice shaded trail by the creek. We also hiked the Blue Trail, where we heard we’d have the best chance of spotting scrub jays. Unfortunately we didn’t see any, and the trail had very little shade and was very sandy. The walk around Osprey Lake was nice and leisurely and would be a nice spot for a picnic! 

Have you been to Oscar Scherer State Park yet, and have you ever seen a Florida Scrub Jay?
Meet Mara 🌼 Our sweet October girl 🎃 We’ve spent Meet Mara 🌼

Our sweet October girl 🎃 We’ve spent this month adjusting to life as a family of 3! I can’t wait to start taking her out on some adventures. Looking forward to baby’s first Florida State Park soon! Any guesses what it will be?

PS- I’ve been absent for a while during the last few months of pregnancy and life with a newborn. But I’m excited to get back to posting more regularly again over the coming weeks. Florida Lives content will mostly stay the same, but with the addition of some kid-friendly suggestions from time to time!
Just to name a few! What’s on your list? Just to name a few!

What’s on your list?
Adding a little moment of calm to your feed today Adding a little moment of calm to your feed today because it feels like we all could use it 🛶🌿☀️
Adventures in 2025 so far ☀️🌿🛶⛺️🏞️🥾 2025 has flow Adventures in 2025 so far ☀️🌿🛶⛺️🏞️🥾

2025 has flown by! I recently made a list of the state parks I visited so far this year, and it was… less than I would have liked. But I didn’t want to skip over the other adventures I’ve had this year! I included anything here that took me out of town. But remember, an adventure doesn’t always have to be big to count as an adventure! Exploring your local park or trail always counts in my book! 

🤿 Snorkeling with manatees in Crystal River- this was such a fun experience! In January we got to see so many manatees. I recommend renting kayaks and paddling over to Three Sisters Springs.

🏚️Jekyll Island State Park, GA- an entire island state park less than an hour north of Florida?! Sign me up. This park is full of history and is home to some stunning sights like Driftwood Beach! Staying at Jekyll Island Club Resort is a bit of a splurge, but worth it.

☀️Road trippin’ to South Florida- we visited Miami, Biscayne & Everglades National Parks. Along the way, we also checked out a few new parks including Big Cypress National Preserve.

🏝️Biscayne National Park- our first time visiting this park! We took a boat tour out to Boca Chita Key which has stunning shorelines, a lighthouse, and plenty of wildlife sightings (starfish, sea turtles, dolphins, oh my!)

🐊Everglades National Park- glamping, exploring, and kayaking in the Flamingo area! Glamping was such a cool experience! I definitely recommend it during the winter season. It’s all the best things about camping but with some added comforts!

🛶Camping at Juniper Springs in the Ocala National Forest- this was my first time camping in bear country, but it was totally fine! We got to paddle the famed Juniper Run which was incredible and moved up to be my favorite paddle spot ever.

⛴️Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour- looking for a nature-y activity to beat the heat in the Orlando area? This boat tour checks all the boxes! The canals are beautiful and your guide will talk about the history of the area.

⛺️Camping at Silver Springs State Park- an iconic park and river with lots to see and do. Don’t miss paddling here, it’s one of the best! We also love the trails and boardwalks.
State Parks I’ve Visited So Far in 2025 🌳🥾 2025 h State Parks I’ve Visited So Far in 2025 🌳🥾

2025 has been such a special year✨ With being pregnant since January, exploring has looked a little bit different (but also not so different at the same time). I visited fewer state parks in the last 6 months than I have in probably the last 7 years since starting Florida Lives. 

But, I’ve been on plenty of other non-state park adventures this year that I feel like deserve to be highlighted too, so I’m going to share those in a separate post!

So far in 2025, I’ve been to: 

▫️Devils Millhopper Geological State Park
▫️Collier-Seminole State Park
▫️Fakahatchee Strand State Park
▫️Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park
▫Silver Springs State Park

2025 Current Total: 5
New to me: 2
Lifetime total: 74/175

How’s your state park count going for this year?
Looking for summer adventure ideas around Florida? Looking for summer adventure ideas around Florida? ☀️ From crystal-clear springs to scenic trails, here are 16 places to add to your Florida summer bucket list:

☀️ Ichetucknee River: Tube or paddle this stunning spring-fed river.
☀️ Sunken Gardens: A lush oasis in St. Pete filled with tropical plants, flamingos, and waterfalls.
☀️ Fort de Soto Park: A beautiful beach park with trails plus a 125-year-old fort to explore.
☀️ O’Leno State Park: Hike shady riverside trails, cross the suspension bridge, and see where the river disappears underground.
☀️ Gamble Rogers Memorial State Park: Camp or relax at this quiet Flagler Beach park nestled between ocean and river.
☀️ Fort Matanzas National Monument: Take the free ferry to this historic Spanish fort and explore the surrounding area.
☀️ Shark Valley: Spot wildlife on a bike or tram ride through the heart of the Everglades, with amazing views from the observation tower.
☀️ John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Snorkel coral reefs, kayak mangrove tunnels, or take a glass-bottom boat tour over turquoise water.
☀️ Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park: See manatees, panthers, black bears, and more at this classic Florida wildlife park.
☀️ Boca Chita Key: An island day trip in Biscayne NP with a lighthouse, picnic spots, and clear water for swimming.
☀️ Winter Park Canals: Take a boat tour through scenic canals lined with historic mansions, lush greenery, and old-growth trees.
☀️ St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge: Visit one of the oldest refuges in the U.S. with coastal trails, wetlands, and a lighthouse.
☀️ Falling Waters State Park: Hike through forest and sinkholes to Florida’s tallest waterfall, especially pretty after summer rain.
☀️ Boneyard Beach: Walk a stunning shoreline full of driftwood “skeleton trees”.
☀️ Myakka River State Park: Spot gators, hike wetland trails, take a boat tour, and walk the canopy bridge through the treetops.
☀️ Wakulla Springs State Park: Ride the boat or swim in one of the world’s deepest freshwater springs.

Which one’s at the top of your list this summer?
This is what we want to see in Big Cypress Nationa This is what we want to see in Big Cypress National Preserve & the Everglades. 

These are important public lands full of plant and animal life found nowhere else in the world and shouldn’t be developed or compromised. 

The Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport, the sight of the proposed “Alligator Alcatraz” detention facility, is located less than 10 miles from the Big Cypress Oasis Visitors Center. It’s only 6 miles from the boundary of Everglades National Park.

In the 1960s, this site was slated for development into the Everglades Jetport, the world’s largest airport. Construction began but was halted after public outcry, including by activist Marjory Stoneman Douglas.

An environmental impact report on the jetport released in 1969 stated: “Development of the proposed jetport and its attendant facilities will lead to land drainage and development for agriculture, transportation, and services in the Big Cypress Swamp which will inexorably destroy the south Florida ecosystem and thus the Everglades National Park.”

Developing this site was a bad idea then, and a bad idea now. We need to protect wild spaces in Florida.

@friendsoftheeverglades has lots of information and resources on making your voice heard.

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