This Natural Wonders Road Trip Will Show You Florida Like You’ve Never Seen It Before
As you probably already know, Florida is full of natural wonders, some of which can not be found anywhere else in the world. We’ve given you many road trips that included a few natural wonders, along with awesome restaurants and attractions. But for the folks who want to see as much of Florida’s unique natural beauty as possible in one go, we’ve put together a road trip that included as many of our natural wonders as possible. Of course, it’s a pretty long trip, and we not possibly include everything Florida has to offer. Instead of just featuring a dozen beautiful beaches, we tried to include as many of Florida’s lesser-known and most impressive natural wonders as possible.
We hope this trip will take you back in time to ancient Florida and show you a side of our state you’ve never seen before. Note: We know that Florida’s west coast has natural wonders as well, but this route was chosen due to time limitations. Feel free to drive up the west coast on your way back for the ultimate Florida road trip.
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life as we all practice social and physical distancing. While we’re continuing to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, we don’t expect or encourage you to go check them out immediately. We believe that supporting local attractions is important now more than ever and we hope our articles inspire your future adventures! And on that note, please nominate your favorite local business that could use some love right now: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nominate/
We'll begin in Northwest Florida, at the site of Florida's largest and most impressive natural waterfall, which rushes more than 70 feet down a massive sinkhole. The impressiveness of the waterfall depends heavily on factors like recent rainfall. It can vary from a rushing stream to a tiny trickle, so visitors should call ahead to avoid visiting on a dry day.
The next stop on our trip is a real wonder because air-filled caves of this size are not something you'd expect to find in Florida. Most of our caves must be explored underwater, which can be very dangerous and requires special training. The caverns at this park are the only air-filled caves in Florida offering tours to the public.
If you were dropped off at Torreya State Park without any idea where you were, you would probably never guess it was in Florida. This park features 150-foot high bluffs, challenging hiking trails, and the rare tree for which the park is named. The views looking out over the Apalachicola River are some of the most beautiful in the state.
Our next stop is a breathtaking natural feature in North Central Florida called Devil's Den. It looks as mysterious as it sounds, but it's actually a karst window ( a collapsed cave over an underground spring). You must either snorkel or scuba dive to enter the cave, so plan accordingly. This spot is very popular in the summer, so call ahead to plan out the perfect time to visit.
Some of Florida's most treasured wilderness and unique wildlife can be found within the Ocala National Forest. This gem in Central Florida offers endless opportunities for hiking, camping, and all kinds of water activities.
Florida is known more for its fine white sand than rocky coastline, but there are actually some lovely beaches with limestone outcropping in the Sunshine State. The large formations at this preserve on Jupiter Island are the biggest on Florida's east coast. When ocean spray hits the rocks, water can shoot up to 50 feet in the air. This effect occurs most often after stormy weather.
The Everglades is the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S., stretching more than one million acres. This park will take you back to a Florida before theme parks and high-rises, which somehow teems with activity and holds a meditative stillness at the same time. The delciate balance of the biological diversity and natural beauty at this park will leave you in awe.
8. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (Key Largo)
This park in the Keys was actually the first underwater park in the country. It's popular for snorkeling and scuba diving, but you don't have to be an expert swimmer to see Florida's coral reef. In fact, you don't even have to get wet. The park offers glass-bottom boat rides with stunning views of the local marine life. It's one of the most popular parks in the state.
