National Parks in Florida are proof of the state’s wealthy biodiversity and pure magnificence, providing a variety of outside experiences past its well-known points of interest. Florida, typically dubbed the Sunshine State, has gained fame for its vibrant Miami nightlife, theme parks, and pristine seashores. However, past the bustling city scenes lies a realm of distinctive alternatives for out of doors fanatics.
Florida’s distinct tropical ecosystem is a haven for wildlife, showcasing a spectrum of species from black bears to tropical sea turtles, pelicans, manatees, alligators, dolphins, and even whales. This wealthy biodiversity units the stage for the Florida’s 3 nationwide parks, every contributing to preserving Florida’s extraordinary pure heritage.
In addition to those nationwide parks, Florida hosts 8 protected areas managed by the National Park Services. These embody National Monuments, Historic Preserves, Ecological and Historic Preserves, National Seashores, and National Memorials. This broad spectrum of conservation areas caters to varied pursuits, making Florida a chief vacation spot for nature lovers and historical past fanatics.
Join our exploration as we journey by means of finest nationwide parks in Florida. Each park unfolds a singular story, offering an outline of one of the best issues to see and do, making certain that your go to to those pure wonders is unforgettable.
National Parks in Florida
1. Biscayne National Park
- Year Established: 1980
- Annual Visitors: 705,655
- Area: 173,000 acres
- Best Time to Visit: December – March
Biscayne National Park is an underwater wonderland with round 95% of the park underwater. For this cause, one of the best methods to expertise the park are boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, and swimming. The park’s largest attraction is the world’s third largest coral reef, which is dwelling to vibrant fish, colourful coral, and even just a few shipwrecks.
What units Biscayne National Park aside is that there aren’t any roads resulting in the park, and there’s solely a 1 mile stretch of highway throughout the park. Another nice strategy to see the park is snorkeling and scuba diving to find the underwater world that makes Biscayne so distinctive.
2. Dry Tortugas National Park
- Year Established: 1992
- Annual Visitors: 83,817
- Area: 47,125 acres (100 sq. miles)
- Best Time to Visit: December – February, September
Another water wonderland, Dry Tortugas National Park, is situated on an island roughly 70 miles from Key West. This park is 99% water and is made up of seven small islands. Visitors can get to the island by ferry, flight, or non-public boat rent.
There are primitive campsites at Dry Tortugas however these will must be booked nicely earlier than a visit to the park as they’ll promote out 9-12 months upfront. On one of many bigger islands park guests can discover Fort Jefferson, which was constructed within the mid to late 1800s. The fort was used throughout the Civil War to accommodate prisoners and Union deserters.
3. Everglades National Park
As the most important tropical wilderness park within the United States, Everglades National Park affords what you’d anticipate of a Florida park: swamps and alligators. However, there’s a lot extra to the park together with seven distinct ecosystems and wildlife.
The finest strategy to discover Everglades National Park is climbing and kayaking by means of the park. Visitors can kayak by means of mangrove forests whereas ensuring to maintain a watch out for manatees surfacing throughout the winter months. Or spot some birds on the park’s well-known Anhinga Trail. Looking for alligators? Head to the Shark Valley space of Everglades National Park.
Other Areas of Florida Maintained by National Park Services
- Big Cypress National Preserve
- Canaveral National Seashore
- Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
- De Soto National Memorial
- Fort Caroline National Memorial
- Fort Matanzas National Monument
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve