Despite the urban mass in Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg, there are many wild places to explore. Some are tiny patches inside city limits, others expansive preserves on the outskirts of “civilization.” Thousands of lakes, dozens of rivers, and the vast expanse of Tampa Bay provide shorelines for hiking and launching a paddling trip.
Home of the Ocala National Forest, the Cross Florida Greenway, Canaveral National Seashore, and dozens of state parks, this region is prime for planning your next outdoor vacation.
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The Moon Tree Garden
Florida’s most unique arboretum features a circle of sycamores honoring the Apollo missions, all here thanks to an Apollo 14 project for the U.S. Forest Service to take tree seedings into orbit around the moon.
Ormond Memorial Gardens
Spilling across the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Ormond Memorial Gardens leads you into a contemplative world mere steps from a major highway
Sunflower Season at Cannon Farms
When a sea of sunflowers pops up along the Cross Florida Greenway, it’s an attention getter. Meet Cannon Farms, a family farm right along the Florida Trail in Dunnellon.
The Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail
If you’ve seen the prominent Trans-Florida Central Railroad Trail over Interstate 95 at Fellsmere, you’ve probably wondered about it. Here’s what we found when we stopped for a ride.
Destination: Adventure
Biking, paddling, and even a bit of hiking were in the plans as we explored Florida’s Adventure Coast – Hernando County – for activities we could enjoy during warm weather.
How to prepare for a backpacking trip
What does a hiker need to spend a week, or a month, or three months on the trail? Here are trail-tested suggestions for backpacking in Florida for trips of a week or more
A Paddle I Will Never Forget
Taking on a remote stretch of the Indian River Lagoon paralleling the wildest part of Canaveral National Seashore, our group of paddlers turns back until only two kayakers are left, fighting the wind to reach our goal.
Turkey Creek and the Space Coast Paddlers
A chance meeting of old friends leads to my first paddling trip down Turkey Creek and the opportunity to connect with our local paddling club, the Space Coast Paddlers, by talking about our most recent guidebook.
Bear season in Florida
As Florida black bears become active in late winter and spring, the chances of a bear encounter go up significantly if you leave food unsecured outdoors – whether in your campsite or at home.
Every Kid in a Park
Got kids? If any of them are in fourth grade, they can get a free pass to ALL Federal public lands good for the whole family through the end of August. Here’s how.
Biking the Good Neighbor Trail
A morning of exploration allowed us to experience the not-quite-open-yet Good Neighbor Trail and its historic context during our visit to Brooksville this September.
Biking around Osteen
Using Beck Ranch Park as our launch point for a cycling adventure in Osteen, we discovered how easy it was to stitch together the local network of bike paths into a pleasant ride, with the Osteen Diner right at hand for lunch.
