The Peace River in Arcadia has been a beloved paddling destination for decades. It’s an easy, tranquil paddle and it’s also outright gorgeous. It’s a great river for groups, families and beginners.
Canoe
A review: Flamingo Lodge has opened, and lives up to its magnificent location on Florida Bay in Everglades National Park. Many visitors will now explore this end-of-the-road spot.
Camp Venice was slammed by Hurricane Ian. A year later, the Myakka River has receded, and this private campground, a personal favorite, looks none the worse for wear.
Updated for 2024: If you have one day or its your first visit to the Everglades, this guide will help you see wildlife and experience the essence of Everglades National Park. We offer tips, too, for more in-depth Everglades experiences.
Flamingo is a long way from the entrance to Everglades National Park, but we love it for the wildlife — manatees, crocodiles and an osprey nest right in the marina. In 2024, with the addition of an excellent visitor center and a new lodge, there are more reasons to go to Flamingo.
Good news: One of Florida’s favorite kayak runs, Juniper Springs, is open again. It might be the most pristine spring-fed river in Florida. It’s stunningly beautiful, a narrow twisty stream, best for experienced paddlers. It had been closed since 2020.
The magic of manatees draws thousands to the Crystal River on the Gulf Coast each winter. Here’s a practical guide to manatee experiences in Three Sisters Springs and Kings Bay — kayaking with manatees, swimming with manatees or admiring them from a boardwalk.
Windswept beaches, pristine back country waterways, a mile-long fishing bridge, scenic campgrounds, and a lot of hands-on history.
This Miami state park is a remarkable island of green where you can kayak, mountain bike, picnic and enjoy a sandy beach. There are even rustic cabins to rent. It’s the largest urban park in Florida.
Florida’s northernmost state park campground will be the first to shed humidity and cool off in Fall. Book it now before anybody else reads this story.
Grayton Beach is consistently ranked among the Top 10 beaches in America, making it a prime candidate for your bucket list. This park and the whole region is worth make great fall and spring trips, but you have to plan early.
Kelly Park is best known as a summer destination for swimming its cool springs and for paddling scenic Rock Springs Run. We loved camping there.
Floridians survive the heat and humidity of our brutal summers by turning to the state’s wealth of cool, clear, refreshing springs. But you need to get to the best Florida springs early, especially on weekends.
You’ll discover a natural world without traffic and crowds when you’re kayaking Deer Prairie Creek in North Port. This tributary of the Myakka River is quiet, off-the-beaten track and not widely known outside its neighboring area.
This region may be known for its theme parks, but it should really be famous for its springs and rivers. If you like paddling, you’ll find some of the Florida’s best kayaking in Central Florida.
Between Lake Okeechobee and Fort Myers, a stretch of the Caloosahatchee River offers a taste of Old Florida — small towns, rivers ideal for kayaking and good public campgrounds.
The Withlacoochee River meanders through an unspoiled forest in rural Florida but still within an hour of Orlando and Tampa.
A canoe or kayak trail at Everglades National Park is a perfect way to surround yourself with the sights, sounds and creatures of the Everglades. On our trip, a 15-foot crocodile smiled as we paddled by.
Halfway Creek is a well-marked kayak trail just off the Tamiami Trail. It’s good for short or long paddles, taking you to a wild green world thick with airplants.
The Econlockhatchee — Econ for short — is close to Central Florida cities, yet it offers vast wild areas to kayak and even camp along a beautiful river not overrun with people.