Summer could be a great opportunity to get to know some of the best state parks located across Florida.
Here are some top destinations for you to visit with your family, significant other or alone to get some rest from a busy life.
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WATCH HERECayo Costa State Park: Campsite and Cabins
This island on Florida's Gulf Coast is accessible only by boat or kayak. It offers nine miles of undeveloped shoreline for swimming, snorkeling, shelling, fishing and birdwatching.
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Cayo Costa Island showcases shorebirds, manatees, porpoises and sea turtles offshore.
Campsites and cabins are available for overnight stays, and a ferry service runs to the island from several mainland locations.
Admission: $2 per person
Location: 4 Nautical Miles West of Pine Island
Collier-Seminole State Park: RV Campground
Local
Collier-Seminole State Park lies partly within the great mangrove swamp of South Florida, one of the largest mangrove swamps in the world.
Campground sites offer electricity, water, a grill and picnic tables. The restrooms have hot showers and there are laundry facilities available. A dump station is available for RV campers.
The park has canoe rentals along with a boat ramp that provides access to the Blackwater River. There are opportunities for bicycling, hiking and nature observation.
Location: 20200 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, FL 34114
Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
The park contains a collection of natural springs, including a large second-magnitude spring that produces an average of 44 million gallons of water per day.
Paddling, snorkeling and swimming are all popular at the park. Pavilions are available, and a concession stand provides food and beverage service, plus paddling equipment rentals.
Admission: $6 per vehicle
Location: 7450 N.E. 60th St. High Springs, FL 32643
Dudley Farm Historic State Park
Dudley Farm Historic State Park was designated as a National Historic Landmark on Jan. 13, 2021. The farm tells the history of owner-operator farms in the southern U.S. in the late 19th and 20th centuries.
This place is often used for tours, weddings, hiking and wildlife viewing.
Admission: $5 per vehicle
Location: 18730 W. Newberry Road, Newberry, FL 32669
Grayton Beach State Park: Cabins and Campgrounds at the Beach
Grayton Beach offers fishing and paddling and has 4 miles of trails to traverse through a coastal forest.
An overnight excursion is available with a stay in one of the cabins. Campgrounds are also available.
Admission: $5 per vehicle
Location: 357 Main Park Road, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Silver Springs State Park
Silver Springs State Park is surrounded by gardens and historic structures.
The park is the home of the annual Springsfest, which celebrates protection of all Florida springs and waterways.
The Silver River offers glass-bottom boat tours, campsites, cabins, historic sites, picnic pavilions, and RV campgrounds, among many others.
For more information, visit Floridastateparks.org
