Florida Adventures Span Wildlife, Springs, Coast

Florida offers visitors more than theme parks, from the historic freshwater springs that once anchored the state’s tourism industry to the wildlife-rich Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, where manatees, alligators and birds share a landscape with nearby space-launch facilities. A separate boating adventure follows a 300-mile Northeast Florida loop, highlighting small-boat camping, coastal navigation, wildlife and practical onboard skills. In Big Cypress National Preserve, swamp-buggy tours near Ochopee take visitors across muddy backcountry terrain with local guides and opportunities to spot wildlife. The Treasure Coast also makes for a road trip, with stops along the Indian River Lagoon and Atlantic shore and a history tied to a 1715 Spanish treasure fleet wrecked off the coast.