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Help Preserve Florida's Beaches
Beach cleanups keep trash off our beaches – trash that is not only unsightly, but poses a danger to animal life. Beach cleanup days happen regularly all over Florida, and anyone can participate.
Tags: beaches, wildlife, sealife, Clearwater, Ponce_Inlet, Marathon, birding, Tampa, Green_Travel,
On the Trail of Florida's Birds
As the terrain under the boardwalk becomes swamp, we spot white ibis, anhingas, herons, egrets, a black-crowned night heron and several alligators.
Tags: birding, parks, wildlife, outdoors_and_nature, Naples, Estero, Boca_Grande, Fort_Myers_Beach, Punta_Gorda, Clewiston,
Kayaking in Southwest Florida
The Calusa Blueway has dozens of great day trips for paddlers with all levels of experience.
Tags: kayaking, birding, dolphins, Estero, fishing, outdoors_and_nature, wildlife, parks, Fort_Myers,
Nine Days, 109 Miles: Hiking the Big 'O'
When water levels are low, the western edge of Lake Okeechobee transforms into a grassy marsh that is perfect for birding. Herons, cranes and other wading birds are abundant near beautiful Indian Prairie Canal.
Tags: hiking, Okeechobee, birding, camping, Clewiston, adventure,
Take the Overseas Highway to Adventure
With inexpensive entrance fees and lengthy activity rosters at state parks along the Overseas Highway, it's possible to plan an action-packed itinerary of snorkeling, hiking, bird watching, kayaking, camping and fishing and still have cash left over for key lime pie!
Tags: Florida_Keys, Key_Largo, Key_West, Marathon, Big_Pine_Key, parks, snorkeling, birding, hiking, kayaking, camping, fishing, wildlife, Islamorada, historical_sites,
Pasco County: Hike, Paddle and Ride
Werner-Boyce Salt Springs State Park in Port Richey has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best sea kayaking areas on the west coast of Florida.
Tags: kayaking, biking, birding, trails, Dade_City, outdoors_and_nature, hiking, New_Port_Richey,
The Key to Having It All
The season brings some special reasons to luxuriate on Longboat Key.
Tags: Longboat_Key, beaches, boating, snorkeling, shelling, outdoors_and_nature, birding, biking, Anna_Maria_Island, resorts, hotels, shopping, dining, luxury, food_and_wine, Bradenton,
Find Your Beach
In 2008, Caladesi Island State Park with its fine white sand and gentle clear blue surf, beat out beaches in Hawaii and California for the No. 1 spot on Dr. Beach's 2008 Best Beaches in America list.
Tags: beaches, kayaking, Dunedin, St_Petersburg, Clearwater, parks, Egmont_Key, shelling, birding, camping, fishing, Caladesi_Island_State_Park, Honeymoon_Island,
Birding on the Beach
You can find Florida’s beautiful seabirds on any beach or bay shoreline, or in and around mangrove trees, seawalls and piers.
Tags: birding, outdoors_and_nature, beaches,
Nature Rules on St. George Island
St. George Island has been a favorite rest and recreation spot for humans for more than 5,000 years. Archaeologists estimate that pre-Columbian natives regularly visited to feast on the oysters that are so plentiful in Apalachicola Bay.
Tags: St_George_Island, camping, hiking, parks, outdoors_and_nature, canoeing, kayaking, birding, wildlife, Apalachicola,
Wild Wanderings in Sarasota
You'll spot plenty of other wildlife here, too, from bobcats to deer to wild turkeys. Birders can check more than 100 species off their life lists, especially along the birding trail boardwalk – known as the Birdwalk – that runs along Upper Myakka Lake.
Tags: Sarasota, wildlife, outdoors_and_nature, camping, aquariums, birding,
Live the Outdoor Life
Located on a peninsula with a string of barrier islands, the St. Petersburg/ Clearwater area is a sea-lover's fantasy. There are more than 35 miles of sandy beaches and 600 miles of shoreline.
Tags: St_Petersburg, Clearwater, outdoors_and_nature, water_sports, fishing, birding, boating,
Real Florida Natives
Sailing along in the Gulf, you’re apt to spot the gray Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Flipper was a bottlenose) as they frolic alongside. You can frolic with them yourself at numerous spots around the state, both in the wild and at aquariums and research centers.
Tags: snorkeling, wildlife, sealife, manatees, dolphins, birding, shelling, outdoors_and_nature,
Rails to Trails
The most rural of Florida's paved trails offers superb opportunities for bird watching and wildlife viewing, and covered benches or viewing stations occur every mile.
Tags: Apalachicola, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Tarpon_Springs, Wakulla_Springs, biking, outdoors_and_nature, trails, birding, St_Petersburg, equestrian, wildlife, parks,
Birds of a Feather
The unique refuge was established in 1931 to provide a wintering habitat for migratory waterfowl and is one of the oldest in the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Tags: Fernandina_Beach, Key_West, Merritt_Island, Micanopy, Orlando, Sanibel_Island, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Titusville, wildlife, trails, birding, St_Petersburg, parks, outdoors_and_nature, Homosassa,
Insider Tips to Florida's Beaches
And lest we forget, it's beautiful! It continually makes several of America's Top 10 lists of best beaches based on sand, water quality and facilities.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Beaches_of_South_Walton, Grayton_Beach, Key_West, Naples, Palm_Beach, Sarasota, Sebastian, South_Beach, Venice, Vero_Beach, beaches, shelling, water_sports, snorkeling, romance, historical_sites, family, wildlife, surfing, sunsets, New_Smyrna_Beach, Daytona_Beach, St_Pete_Beach, birding, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, equestrian, Sanibel_Island, Hollywood,
Natural Beaches
If you count all bays and inlets - where you'll find the "secret" sandy getaways usually known only to locals - Florida has nearly 8,500 miles of shoreline.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Apalachicola, Cape_San_Blas, Fernandina_Beach, Grayton_Beach, Key_West, Pensacola, Ponce_Inlet, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, beaches, outdoors_and_nature, wildlife, sealife, birding, camping, St_Augustine, parks, Florida_Keys, Tampa, New_Smyrna_Beach, Caladesi_Island_State_Park,
Island Hopping in the Charlotte Harbor Area
Accessible only by boat, this seemingly untouched island has more than a mile-long stretch of white-sand beach perfect for collecting seashells, fishing or soaking up the sun.
Tags: Charlotte_Harbor, Englewood, Punta_Gorda, kayaking, beaches, fishing, parks, birding, shelling, outdoors_and_nature, wildlife, geocaching,
Treasure Hunt
The islands above Sanibel also hold treasure troves but are less accessible due to a lack of bridges. Good news: that makes their shell hoards less plundered.
Tags: Captiva_Island, Fort_Myers, Sanibel_Island, outdoors_and_nature, beaches, shelling, tours, birding, wildlife, family, lehigh_acres,
Great Florida Birding Trail
Comprised of 564,961 acres, the Apalachicola National Forest was established in 1936 and hosts the largest red-cockaded woodpecker population in the world.
Tags: Apalachicola, Gulf_Breeze, Marianna, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Wakulla_Springs, birding, outdoors_and_nature, driving_tours, parks,
Winged Imaginations
. . . there's that certain something about flight that puts our collective imagination in a tailspin and ends us up landing on Florida's Space Coast. Not only because it's home to Kennedy Space Center, but because of the depth of winged things one can experience in this one-of-a-kind environment of aeronautical and natural wonders - from butterflies and bald eagles to space shuttles and Flying Tigers.
Tags: Cocoa, Merritt_Island, Titusville, family, Kennedy_Space_Center, outdoors_and_nature, birding, Melbourne,
One if By Land, Two if By Sea
We peddle along an old railroad trail through lush greenery. The trail circles around the tip of the island and gives us beautiful views of Placida Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico.
Tags: Charlotte_Harbor, Englewood, Punta_Gorda, hiking, birding, biking, outdoors_and_nature, canoeing, fishing, sailing,
Space Coast: A Bird and Nature Watcher's Paradise
Canaveral is also one of only two spots in Florida where the reddish egret is known to breed. Another rare species, the endangered wood stork, comes to feed when the fry, or tiny minnows, first hatch.
Tags: Merritt_Island, birding, outdoors_and_nature, Ponce_Inlet, sealife,
Hushed Sweet Charlotte
Here along Charlotte Harbor, backroads take you behind the hypertensive scenes to a place where the slap of oars replaces the race of engines and eyes are focused on bird wings, not car bumpers.
Tags: Charlotte_Harbor, Punta_Gorda, beaches, outdoors_and_nature, birding, wildlife,
Birding in Northeast Florida
Belted kingfishers, brown pelicans, double-crested cormorants and a variety of herons and egrets live in nearby marshes and are regularly spotted.
Tags: Amelia_Island, Fernandina_Beach, Melbourne, Merritt_Island, Ponte_Vedra_Beach, Sebastian, Tallahassee, Titusville, Vero_Beach, birding, wildlife, parks, driving_tours,
The Great Florida Birding Trail
From beautiful beaches to lost-in-time wetlands, birders of all levels can experience Florida's diverse habitat, wildlife and local flavor while engaging in ornithological pursuits.
Tags: Apalachicola, Crystal_River, Fernandina_Beach, Lake_Wales, Merritt_Island, Seaside, Suwannee, Titusville, birding, parks, outdoors_and_nature, wildlife, tours, hiking,
Florida Birder's List
The marsh wren inhabits salt marshes on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in the northern two-thirds of the state year 'round.
Tags: Cedar_Key, Fernandina_Beach, Fort_Myers, Merritt_Island, Ocala, outdoors_and_nature, wildlife, birding, Okeechobee,
Flagler Beach/Palm Coast Area
River tours and houseboat rentals are a popular way to explore this historic waterway where steamboats once plied their cargo of oranges to return with tourists adventuring into this wilderness paradise.
Tags: Flagler_Beach, Palatka, Palm_Coast, tours, outdoors_and_nature, history, beaches, birding, parks,
Little-Known Cycling Trails
Largely shaded by the mixed hardwood and pine forests, the trail is of particular interest to birding enthusiasts, who will enjoy spotting more than 40 species that call the forested hills home.
Tags: Beaches_of_South_Walton, Clewiston, Key_Largo, Key_West, Kissimmee, Okeechobee, Seaside, Tallahassee, biking, trails, Grayton_Beach, birding, wildlife, Boca_Grande, Florida_Keys,
Florida Insiders
FamilyFamily
Jill Martin
Beaches & AdventureBeaches & Adventure
Lauren Tjaden
Shopping, Arts & EntertainmentShopping, Arts & Entertainment
Kanika Jelks
GolfGolf
Tim McDonald
Boating and FishingBoating & Fishing
Terry Tomalin
Off the Beaten PathOff the Beaten Path
Hilda Mitrani
Outdoors & NatureOutdoors & Nature
Kevin Mims
LuxuryLuxury
Terry Ward
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