Bairs Cove
A go-to location for spotting manatees at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Bairs Cove off Haulover Canal is also a launch point for bioluminescence.

Parks and other public lands where you can launch your own canoe, kayak, or paddleboard. These locations may or may not have rentals available.

A go-to location for spotting manatees at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Bairs Cove off Haulover Canal is also a launch point for bioluminescence.

Circling the largest body of water in Bald Point State Park, the Tucker Lake Trail showcases a blend of dry upland ecosystems and expansive marshlands.

In a hidden corner of Collier County, Barefoot Beach Preserve provides immersion in nature at a beauty spot along two miles of natural shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico just north of Wiggins Pass.

Along the St. Johns River at Lake Beresford, discover the river anew through William Bartram's eyes as he recorded his observations of alligators, fish, and flora in 1774.

Where the highway ends, Bayport Park begins. Perched on the edge of the estuary where the Weeki Wachee River meets the Gulf of Mexico, it offers spectacular sunset views along with its water access.

With nearly 40,000 acres along the Florida-Georgia border, John M. Bethea State Forest provides an important corridor for wildlife migrating between the Okefenokee Swamp and Osceola National Forest.

On a peninsula where the Timucua used the surrounding estuary for sustenance, Betz-Tiger Point Preserve provides more than six miles of breezy trails.

Explore a sweep of coastal forest and wetlands along one of Florida's largest lagoons, with panoramas that stretch to Perdido Key and the Gulf of Mexico.

Florida's largest series of rapids churn the Suwannee River into Class III whitewater along the stretch of river bounded by Big Shoals State Park.

Florida's largest offshore park, Biscayne National Park protects living coral reefs and islands that are the northernmost part of the Florida Keys

Enjoy a gentle family-friendly hike along the Rainbow River at Blue Run of Dunnellon Park, where woodland footpaths and paved trails keep you mostly in the shade with dry feet as you explore the river floodplain.

With a developed swimming area surrounding a first-magnitude spring, Blue Springs Recreation Area is a liquid playground in hues of blue, a broad open basin pouring forth a major spring run.
