Florida · best-of list
The 16 Best Outdoor Spots in Florida
All 16 outdoor spots our route editors picked in Florida, across 9 destinations, gathered in one list. Expect trails, beaches, parks and viewpoints, with Everglades contributing the most (3).
Our curated picks
16 outdoor spots in Florida, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Everglades 3 picks
Anhinga Trail
Everglades · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Short boardwalk at Royal Palm where alligators, anhingas and herons are often a few feet away.
Tip: Dry season (Dec–Apr) is best. Cover your car with a tarp; vultures pick at rubber.
Photo: Fredlyfish4 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gumbo Limbo Trail
Everglades · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Shaded loop through a hardwood hammock next to the Anhinga Trail.
Tip: Bring bug spray, especially in summer.
Photo: John L · Google
Pa-hay-okee Overlook
Everglades · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Raised boardwalk over the river of grass with wide sawgrass views.
Tip: Good for late-day light on the drive back from Flamingo.
Photo: Cameron Skaggs · Google
Amelia Island 2 picks
Egans Creek Greenway
Amelia Island · On our St. Augustine & Amelia Island route
About 300 acres of salt marsh and trails through the middle of the island, good for walking, cycling and wading birds.
Tip: Watch for alligators sunning on the banks on mild winter days.
Main Beach Park
Amelia Island · On our St. Augustine & Amelia Island route
Fernandina Beach's main public beach on the Atlantic, with a long boardwalk and wide, firm sand.
Tip: In winter the beach is nearly empty; good for long walks and shark-tooth hunting at low tide.
Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Downtown St. Petersburg 2 picks
Fort De Soto Park
Downtown St. Petersburg · On our Tampa New Year's Eve route
County park on five keys at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with white-sand beaches, a 1898 fort and fishing piers.
Tip: North Beach is the best for a first walk of the year; bring cash or a card for the toll and parking.
Photo: Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0Sunken Gardens
Downtown St. Petersburg · On our Tampa New Year's Eve route
Century-old botanical garden in a sinkhole, with waterfalls, flamingos and thousands of tropical plants.
Tip: Check holiday hours before going on Jan 1.
Jacksonville Beach 2 picks
Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park
Jacksonville Beach · On our Jacksonville New Year's Eve route
City park north of Atlantic Beach with about a mile and a half of beach, a freshwater lake and wooded trails.
Tip: There's a small entry fee at the gate.
Little Talbot Island State Park
Jacksonville Beach · On our Jacksonville New Year's Eve route
Undeveloped barrier island with miles of beach, dunes and a trail through maritime forest.
Tip: The north end of the beach is the quietest.
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0
Key Largo 2 picks
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
Key Largo · On our Florida Keys Adventure route
Largest tract of tropical hardwood hammock in the U.S., with easy trails.
Tip: Bring bug spray; trails are short and flat.
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 3.0
Florida Keys Wild Bird Center
Key Largo · On our Florida Keys Adventure route
Free sanctuary for injured pelicans, hawks and herons with a boardwalk to Florida Bay.
Tip: Open sunrise to sunset; donations welcome.
Photo: Wild Bird Sanctuary - Florida Keys Wild Bird Center · Google
South Beach 2 picks
South Pointe Park
South Beach · On our Miami Beach Getaway route + 1 more
Oceanfront park with a pier and lawns at the quieter southern tip, watching cruise ships leave Government Cut.
Tip: Come around 4–5pm to see ships sail out.
Photo: M McBey · CC BY 2.0
Lummus Park
South Beach · On our Miami New Year's Eve route
Palm-lined park and wide public beach between Ocean Drive and the Atlantic, with the pastel lifeguard towers.
Tip: The water is usually in the mid-70s F on Jan 1, warm enough for a first swim of the year.
Photo: P. Hughes · CC BY-SA 4.0
Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank 1 pick
Southbank Riverwalk
Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank · On our Jacksonville New Year's Eve route
Boardwalk along the south bank of the St. Johns with a straight-on view of the downtown skyline and Main Street Bridge.
Tip: Some sections can close for construction, so check before you settle in.
Photo: PicoOrdinalo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Key West 1 pick
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Key West · On our Miami Beach Getaway route + 1 more
Civil War fort with the best swimming beach in town and shade under pine trees.
Tip: Bring water shoes; the beach is rocky.
Photo: Josh Shelton · Google
Miami 1 pick
Lummus Park Beach
Miami · On our Florida Keys Adventure route
South Beach's main stretch of sand, backed by Ocean Drive's Art Deco hotels.
Tip: Swim early; lifeguard towers mark the safest zones.
Photo: Daniel di Palma · CC BY-SA 2.5
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the outdoor spots in Florida?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 16 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Florida has the most outdoor spots on this list?
Everglades has the most (3 of 16), followed by Amelia Island (2) and Downtown St. Petersburg (2).
Are any of these free?
10 picks on this list are marked free in our route notes: South Pointe Park, Anhinga Trail, Egans Creek Greenway, Lummus Park, Southbank Riverwalk, and more. Check ahead, since parking or special exhibits can cost extra.
More lists for Florida
Best outdoor spots nearby
Destinations on this list
- Everglades 3 on this list
- Amelia Island 2 on this list
- Downtown St. Petersburg 2 on this list
- Jacksonville Beach 2 on this list
- Key Largo 2 on this list
- South Beach 2 on this list
- Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank 1 on this list
- Key West 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.