Attractions in this category are notable for their natural surroundings or special focus on natural Florida, including native wildlife and botanical gardens. Some have been around for up to a century or more.
Unlike most parks, these attractions generally require an admission fee. Some former tourist attractions now run as state or county parks are included here.
Resources
Resources for exploring Florida’s natural attractions
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Disclosure: As authors and affiliates, we receive earnings when you buy these through our links. This helps us provide public information on this website.
Favorite Natural Attractions
Some of our very favorite natural attractions across Florida. Many we remember from our childhood travels in Florida have been preserved as Florida State Parks.
Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Set in a 60-acre cypress dome on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki is a museum of Seminole culture with an educational boardwalk loop.
Bok Tower Gardens Art, architecture, and nature intersect among fifty acres of gardens first planted a century ago atop Iron Mountain at Lake Wales.
Bonnet Springs Park Offering a bounty of outdoor and nature activities along with museums and public spaces, Bonnet Springs Park is an urban gem in the city of Lakeland, a top destination statewide for family nature fun.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary Weaving beneath a canopy knit by old-growth cypress trees in a majestic swamp forest, the boardwalk at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is one of Florida's best hikes.
Crane Point Hammock Part native, part cultivated, Crane Point Hammock is 63 acres of tropical hammock in the heart of Marathon, with one of the most extensive trail networks in the Florida Keys. 
De Leon Springs State Park While pancakes and De Leon Springs go hand-in-hand thanks to the popular Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant, the natural beauty of De Leon Springs is the reason to visit.
Edison & Ford Winter Estates Tropical gardens from the 1920s grow lavishly around the historic winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates in Fort Myers.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Established in 1938 as one of the world’s largest collections of tropical plants, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is an integral part of the history of Florida botany and of Coral Gables.
Florida Caverns State Park A dip into Florida’s only show cave brings on an instant sense of cool. But the cave tour isn't the only delight you'll find at Florida Caverns State Park.
Gatorland Gatorland is not just a historic Florida attraction but an immersion into what this part of Central Florida used to be, a cypress swamp full of critters.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park A former roadside attraction at the source of the Homosassa River, this Florida State Park showcases native Florida wildlife.
Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden Boardwalks and footpaths wind through curated plant collections against a backdrop of natural habitats at the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.
McKee Botanical Garden Established as McKee Jungle Gardens by local legend Waldo E. Sexton in 1929 with the guidance of landscape architect William Lyman Phillips, this carefully designed tropical garden is a Florida gem
Naples Botanical Garden At Naples Botanical Garden, buildings, landscaping, and nature live in harmony, with a delicate balance of natural spaces and lush gardens accented with art achieved.
Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens Established in 1919 by botanist Henry Nehrling, what is now the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens has improved over a century's worth of expansion into an accredited zoological park.
Pinecrest Gardens Established in the 1930s as a tropical tourist attraction, Parrot Jungle, this tropical forest in Pinecrest has deep roots, if you will, showcasing both native and exotic tropical species. 
Rainbow Springs State Park A botanical and a geological delight, Rainbow Springs wraps the beauty of a first-magnitude spring with gardens and waterfalls once part of a classic Florida attraction. 
Silver Springs State Park One of the world's largest and deepest springs, Silver Springs pours out more than 550 million gallons of water daily, forming the Silver River.
Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park At Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park, Florida pioneer crafts and Florida folk music are as important as the lovely setting on the Suwannee River.
Sunken Gardens One of Florida's oldest roadside attractions, Sunken Gardens is now a county park showing off more than a century's worth of botanical bounty in St. Petersburg.
Tallahassee Museum In a setting of natural beauty along Lake Bradford, the Tallahassee Museum is a largely outdoors educational center highlighting the natural and cultural history of the region. 
Wakulla Springs State Park A 1930s resort turned nature park surrounding one of the world's largest springs, Wakulla Springs State Park is a step back in time with a historic waterfront lodge.