National Parks in Florida

national park, off the beaten path, outdoors and adventure, biscayne national park, florida

Marine life thrives amid the ribs and coral encrusted structures of wooden and iron ships from the 1800s and early 1900s. Many of the remains lie in shallow water, allowing snorkelers to experience the thrill of wreck diving.

Photo by: By John Brooks, National Park Service photographer (http://www.nps.gov/bisc/images/20060905140916.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By John Brooks, National Park Service photographer (http://www.nps.gov/bisc/images/20060905140916.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Need ideas for your next vacation? Florida's National Parks offer a variety of fun-filled activities including snorkeling, boating, hiking, historic site-seeing and so much more!

Big Cypress

National Preserve, Ochopee, FL

Florida Trail, Suwannee

Alligators are among the wild critters that hikers can encounter along the Florida Trail. The 1,400-mile trail starts at Big Cypress National Preserve (about 45 miles west of Miami) and ends in the Pensacola, FL, area. And if you see a gator along the way? Give it space, circling around its tail end so it doesn’t feel threatened.

Best times to hike: Year-round.

Photo by: B A Bowen Photography, flickr

B A Bowen Photography, flickr

Learn more about Big Cypress National Preserve >>

Biscayne

National Park, Miami, Key Biscayne and Homestead, FL

Fowey Rocks Lighthouse, Biscayne National Park, Florida

Photo by: Ines Hegedus-Garcia via Flickr Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0

Ines Hegedus-Garcia via Flickr Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 2.0

Learn more about Biscayne National Park >>

Canaveral

National Seashore, Titusville and New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Learn more about Canaveral National Seashore >>

Castillo de San Marcos

National Monument, St. Augustine, FL

Learn more about Castillo de San Marcos National Monument >>

De Soto

National Memorial, Bradenton, FL

Learn more about De Soto National Memorial >>

Dry Tortugas

National Park, Key West, FL

Dry Tortugas National Park, Fort Jefferson, Key West, Florida

Photo by: NPS photo

NPS photo

Learn more about Dry Tortugas National Park >>

Everglades

National Park, Miami, Naples and Homestead, FL

Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park
When sea levels rose after the Ice Age, a rich natural wonderland was born: a subtropical wilderness home to freshwater marshes, pine rocklands, seagrass, birds, reptiles … all part of an intricate ecosystem whose future many preservationists now fear is uncertain.

Photo by: Thinkstock

Thinkstock

Learn more about Everglades National Park >>