The Sunshine State is full of scenic places, many of which are the beautiful state parks in Florida. Of the 175 Florida State Parks, I’ve been to a whopping 8 (Update: now 12!).
To give you a quick background, I moved to Miami (from Missouri) when I was 22 years old. I lived and worked there for 5 years before I started travel blogging and before documenting your every move was really a thing.
After 5 years, I left Florida and took off around the world. I moved to China, traveled Asia, fell in love, traveled Europe and a few other places, and got married. My husband and I briefly moved to Tallahassee and exactly 10 years after first moving to South Florida, we (I) returned. So, now that I’m back in South Florida, and here to stay, I’ll be exploring much more of the state. (And doing a much better job of documenting it!)
Here are some of the most beautiful places in Florida to visit:
State Parks in Florida 12/175:
Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park
Location: Tallahassee
The thing about Tallahassee is that it looks more like southern Georgia than it does Florida. There’s Spanish moss on a lot of the trees that gives it a really enchanting look. The Maclay Gardens has a beautiful walkway through moss covered trees. There’s a house on the grounds you can tour that belonged to the Maclay family and a lake on the grounds, but the highlight is definitely the giant trees with moss dangling down.
Bahia Honda State Park
Location: Florida Keys
One of the most beautiful places in the Florida Keys is Bahia Honda State Park. The Keys aren’t really known for their beaches (many are manmade) but this is one of the best places to go for a beach day. The water is turquoise and there is a great view of one of the beaches from the old Bahia Honda bridge. There are beaches on both sides of the park as well as places to camp (but places fill up extremely fast).
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
Location: Miami
The lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is definitely the main draw of the park. This park is located in Miami and is a great option to get away from the crowds of South Beach. On one side of the lighthouse is a rocky sea wall and the other, a sandy beach where beach goers can lay out. You can get a bird’s eye view by climbing up the lighthouse but it’s a very photogenic spot.
Fort Pierce Inlet State Park
Location: Fort Pierce
This state park is towards the top of South Florida, just above Port St. Lucie. Fort Pierce itself is a smaller town but the Fort Pierce Inlet State Park is a great place to hang out on the beach. Around the corner from the main beach is a smaller beach area that was less crowded and had calmer water.
Grayton Beach State Park
Location: Panhandle
It’s no surprise that Florida has many beautiful beaches but one of my favorites thus far is Grayton Beach. Granted, my paltry 8/175 parks means there’s a lot of room for contenders but this was a beautiful beach with some of the prettiest water I have seen so far.
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Right next to the ocean in Fort Lauderdale is where you can find Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. It’s a long, skinny park with a loop trail, a fresh water lake and plenty of picnic areas. Visit an old banyan tree, see live oaks or rent a water craft to get out on the lake. It also has a restaurant on the edge of the park that is right across the road from Fort Lauderdale Beach.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park
Location: North Palm Beach
In North Palm Beach lies another state park by the name of John D. MacArthur Beach. It has a long boardwalk that spans across ocean and mangroves and leads you to a beautiful long beach–a great place to relax and swim! It’s a calmer spot on the sand since most people don’t want to haul their things across the boardwalk nor pay to go to the beach. But if you travel light to the beach, this is a nice, quiet spot to enjoy.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Location: Key Largo, Florida Keys
John Pennekamp was the first underwater park in the US and is located in the Florida Keys. The water is a beautiful turquoise but the main draw is of course underwater. The park encompasses 70 nautical square miles and is a popular place for snorkeling and diving.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Location: Hobe Sound
If you love nature, you’ll love walking around Jonathan Dickinson State Park. There are lots of wide open areas and walking trails through the forest. You can also get out on the Loxahatchee River for some kayaking or paddling. Manatees can sometimes be seen here during the winter months!
Madison Blue Spring State Park
Location: Madison (between Tallahassee and Jacksonville)
Madison Blue Spring is one of Florida’s blue swimming holes. The main hole is a darker blue and if you float to the opening, the current takes you through sparkling clear water and then out to the Withlacoochee River. It’s a popular spot to bring floats and relax in the river. It’s also got an underwater cave system that experienced cave divers can explore.
St. George Island State Park
Location: Panhandle
St. George Island is a quaint little island on the Forgotten Coast (East of Panama City) that has colorful condos, a lighthouse and a beachside restaurant. At the end of the island is St. George Island State Park. It’s a protected beach area with trails along the shore. What we discovered is that you can actually camp near the shore if you want to do a little (maybe not so little with camping gear) hike out there.
Wakulla Springs State Park
Wakulla Springs State Park is only a short drive south of Tallahassee and it was a surprise for me. I didn’t expect to be that excited about it but you must, must, must take the boat ride. The boat takes you through the swampy springs while a guide points out alligators and wildlife. The trees are so beautifully strange and if you go on the right day, you may even see manatees swimming by your boat! This spot has even had several movies filmed here!
Florida seems to have endless places to explore and many beautiful springs throughout the state too! I’ll definitely be adding to this list as we explore more of Florida.
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