George Skene, Orlando SentinelAmong the 600 streams, springs, rivers and creeks in Ocala National Forest in north-central Florida is an unusual natural attraction. Salt Springs bubbles up from vertical fissures deep underground that produce water laced with potassium, magnesium and sodium. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelThe new Daytona International Speedway Motorsports Stadium is seen fully lighted on a rainy night, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016. The two-year, $400 million renovation of the speedway was completed in time for the 2016 Daytona 500. Read more.
Adrienne Cutway / Orlando SentinelSt. Armands Circle offers a little bit of everything that brings visitors to Sarasota: shopping, dining, art, culture and, of course, a waterfront view. The island shopping center boasts more than 100 stores and is located just a short walk away from the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. There's also a touch of art with several marble white statues around the circle. Read more.
Orlando SentinelThink of it as Florida's version of French Quarter in New Orleans. Ybor City (pronounced EE-bor) is a historic district just northeast of downtown that features brick streets and dozens of bars. Ybor can be quiet at times during the mornings and early afternoons, with modest traffic to an array of coffee shops, patio cafes and local shops. But as the day progresses is when the district wakes up. Read more.
Teresa Burney, Orlando SentinelYou can feed the tarpon for $3 at Robbie's in the Florida Keys. This popular tourist pit stop also has fishing, snorkeling, shopping and dining options. Read more.
Josh Ritchie, South Florida Sun SentinelThe casino floor at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood is for those 21 and older. You can play blackjack, buy an adult beverage and have a smoke. Read more.
George Skene, Orlando SentinelAt Jackson Blue Spring you can descend to a depth of more than 100 feet and explore the cavernous labyrinth from which the Floridan Aquifer shoots forth. Read moreMore Top Picks Best Weighted Blankets For Insomnia
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Tara Pia / Associated PressMore than 200 fruit bats at the Lubee Bat Conservancy in Gainesville will be on display during the annual Bat Festival on Saturday, Oct. 21. Read more.
Richard Tribou, Orlando SentinelGumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton features four aquariums, each one showing a different South Florida marine habitat. Read more.
Orlando Sentinel FileAn outing to Bok Tower Gardens has visitors dabbling in botany, history, architecture and music. Let's take it from the top. The centerpiece of the Lake Wales attraction is Singing Tower, which, in its belfry, sports 60 bells ranging from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons. Read more.
Richard Tribou, Orlando SentinelAs you pull into Dixie Crossroads restaurant, the first thing you'll notice are the giant Muppet-esque shrimp statues beckoning you into the parking lot. That's Mr. and Mrs. Rock, cartoonish rock shrimp that are the mascots for the restaurant that opened in 1983. Read more.
John Cutter, Orlando SentinelA short kayak trip from Islamorada on the Florida Keys to Indian Key State Historic Park takes you back more than 100 years. The island was part of the thriving ship wreck salvage trade until overrun by Seminole Indians in 1840. Read more.
Joe Burbank, Orlando SentinelLocated just north of High Springs, Fla., Ichetucknee Springs State Park offers a great combination of natural resources, with the remarkable Blue Hole and popular head spring that leads to a 6-mile run of good old-fashioned, summer swimming fun. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelFormerly a Ritz-Carlton property, this is the spa for those who don't take themselves so seriously. The spa touts itself as a 42,000-square-foot playground. Read more.
Rhonda Vanover, South Florida Sun SentinelWith cool water, majestic stone walls and seaside decor, a visit to the Venetian Pool in Coral Gables is like swimming through a backdrop from "The Little Mermaid." Read more.
Phil Coale, Associated PressThe renovated Cape St. George Lighhouse stands in the heart of St. George Island in the Florida Panhandle greeting visitors. Read more.
George Skene, Orlando SentinelWeeki Wachee Springs State Park opened in 1947 and features mermaid performances in the Mermaid Theater as well as live animal shows and river cruises plus a small water park with slides that send riders right into the springs. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelWith 88 pinball machines as well as two dozen arcade games, the attraction has been attracting the flipper-obsessed since it opened in 2016. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelOn the north side of Longboat Key is Joan M. Durante Park, which looks to be a simple city park wedged between restaurants alongGulf of Mexico Drive. But it's much, much more. Read more.
Richard Tribou / Orlando SentinelWhat if you went to a swamp and there were no mosquitoes? That's what you get at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary near Naples. Even though it's on the western edges of the Everglades, there's rarely a mosquito problem. There is a serious plague of bird singing though. As you take the 2.5-mile walk along the boardwalk, birdsong is everywhere. Be sure to bring binoculars or rent a pair for $3 at the entrance. Read more.
Geisha Barazarte, Orlando SentinelThe twisted mind of Spanish surrealist painter Salvador Dalí comes to life at The Dalí Museum's new home in St. Petersburg. Read more.
Mack Goethe / AP FileGibsonton in Hillsborough County is the traditional wintering home for circus folk since the heyday of nomadic entertainment during the Great Depression. Gibtown, as locals call it, was once a haven for human oddities, as the performers often called themselves.Read more.
Phil Coale / Associated PressEdward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is home to one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. Located 14 miles south of Tallahassee at the crossroads of State Road 61 and State Road 267, it's a big draw for divers to its vast cave system that begins 180 feet down and is an exit point for the Floridan Aquifer. Read more.
Tod Caviness, Orlando SentinelCigar City has been the standard-bearer for craft beer in the Sunshine State since launching with Maduro Brown Ale in 2009, and visitors can lose several hours sampling the exclusive brews that can only be found in the taproom. Read more.
Tom Uhlenbrock / St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNSThe Great Calusa Blueway is a new 190-mile kayaking route through the mangrove islands off Fort Myers, in the southwest corner of Florida. Read more.
Orlando Sentinel FileThe Old Town Kissimmee tourist attraction features classic car shows and attractions like the Old Town Bull. Read more.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando SentinelThis park in Volusia County has nature trails through scrub forests that connect to a 1.5-mile-long raised boardwalk loop, allowing you to easily access all the habitats. Read more.
Samantha Feuss, TNSA couple of thoughts may come to mind when spotting for the first time a bay scallop nestled in lush grass of shallow waters along Florida's Gulf of Mexico coast. One impulse may be to grab it. Read more.
Richard Tribou / Orlando SentinelThere's one animal attraction in Florida unlike the others, and that's because you drive through it. Lion Country Safari in west Palm Beach County invites visitors to roll through a Safari from the comfort of your air conditioned car listening to a CD that narrates your self-guided tour through compounds that house all sorts of African animals. Read more.
Richard Tribou / Orlando SentinelC'mon. It's Florida. How can you not visit the Everglades? It covers the southern half of the state, so it's not hard to find them. The River of Grass is worth your time too, with one of the best opportunities to see Florida's vast array of wildlife including alligators, the American crocodile and hundreds of bird species. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelTurtles and a Disney treat on the cheap can be found at a small ice cream spot across from the beach in Brevard County. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelThe Ripley's Believe It Or Not! museum os among the most well-known of the family-friendly attractions in St. Augustine. Read more.
Ed Sackett / Orlando SentinelThis two-story oasis was built in 1925 to provide lonely, thirsty lumberjacks and cowboys a haven from the dangers of the palmetto wilderness. Today, the Desert Inn operates as a restaurant, roadside attraction and iconic tribute to the heyday of Florida exploration and industry. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelScenes from the first day of harvest of the Welder muscadine grapes at the Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards in Clermont, Fla., Tuesday, July 31, 2012. Lakeridge is the largest winery in the state, with 85 acres of planted vineyard. The winery's annual Harvest Grape Stomp is in August. Read more.
South Florida Sun-SentinelSloppy Joe's calls itself a Key West tradition, and those who have been there wouldn't dispute it. The bar and restaurant has been open at the corner of Greene Street and Duval Street since 1937 and fits seamlessly with the carefree, go-with-the-flow vibes of the island. Read more.
Rafael Palacio, Orlando SentinelTucked in wooded property off Sinclair Road in Kissimmee, Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park features zip lines, balance beams, Tarzan swings and other obstacles, all suspended above ground. Read more.
Richard Tribou, Orlando SentinelJust north of Sebastian Inlet is the Barrier Island Sanctuary along the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in Brevard County, which is dedicated to education about the plight of sea turtles. This skeleton is of a sea turtle named Stella. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelAlong South Patrick Drive in Indian Harbour Beach, Too Cool Cafe is a great option for breakfast, lunch or dinner that you can fit into a beach day visit to the quiet stretches of sand in the cities between Cocoa Beach and Melbourne. Read more.
Alan Diaz / Associated PressUsed until 1979, the site features 22 buildings, including three missile barns. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004, the site was opened to tours in 2009. Read more.
Roberto Gonzalez, Orlando SentinelGold bars, disc, and chain from the vault at the Mel Fisher museum, the items are a few of the treasures recovered from the spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Atocha. Read more.
John Raoux, Orlando SentinelThe World Hall of Fame has grown in popularity as it attracts golf enthusiasts to the museum and to its two championship golf courses along with hotel accommodations and other amenities. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelRight across State Road A1A in Delray Beach is a quaint looking two-story house with a wraparound porch and pool out back. It could be any beachside house, except there are sharks in the pool, turtles on the porch and the house is crawling with snakes, frogs and even an owl. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelA trio of storks at sunset at Sebastian Inlet State Park in Melbourne Beach. Established in 1970, the inlet is highly known for its abundance in saltwater fishing but there is also an excellent campground for RVs and tents along the a 3-mile stretch on the Indian River Lagoon. Read more.
Orlando Sentinel, Andrew GibsonA six-toed cat naps at The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West. Read more.
Eileen Marie Simoneau / Orlando SentinelThe Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail in Volusia County includes 30 miles of roads that go deep into the natural no-man's land between Ormond Beach and Flagler Beach. Read more.
Rick Loomis / Los Angeles TimesThe Christ of the Abyss is an 8 1/2-foot, 4000-pound bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ in 25 feet of water off of Key Largo, Florida. It was installed in 1965 as tourist attraction in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelJuan Ponce de León Landing in Melbourne Beachis where the famous Spanish explorer made his first step on Florida's shore. Perhaps. Read more.
J. Pat Carter / Associated PressTrailing off the end of the Florida Keys sit the Dry Tortugas, seven small keys named by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1513, all chock full of history and natural wonders. Read more.
Tiffini Theisen / Orlando SentinelA tourist attraction since 1935, Sunken Gardens is so named because it was originally formed by draining a sinkhole. It's one of the nation's oldest roadside attractions and was named a historic landmark in 1998. Read more.
Matt Mauney, Orlando SentinelPhotos of the USA Water Ski Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum in Polk City. The facility houses the national offices of USA Water Ski and includes artifacts going back to the beginning of the sport. Read more.
Joshua C. Cruey, Orlando SentinelCommonly called "Bird Island," this island is overnight home to flocks of pelican, herons, blackbirds and other birds, which all arrive at scheduled times just before the sun sets. Each species has its designated resting area. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelCousteau's Waffleand Milkshake Barin downtown St. Augustine serves up its two edible offerings seriously, and all with homage to the late Jacques Cousteau. Read more.
Denis Horgan / The Hartford CourantOchopee in Collier County is home to the Skunk-Ape Research Headquarters, the premier (read: only) location to learn all the "facts" about this malodorous monkey man of lore.If you do find evidence of a skunk ape, get your picture developed and mail it from the smallest post office in the United States right there in Ochopee. Read more.
Jacob Langston, Orlando SentinelEscape the hustle and bustle of the mainland by relaxing at Canaveral National Seashore — a serene sanctuary of natural beauty along a 24-mile stretch of undeveloped beach between Titusville and New Smyrna Beach. Read more.
Chris O'Meara / Associated PressThough the 2011 film "Dolphin Tale" put this place on the map, it has been rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing sick and injured animals since 1972 when it was known as Clearwater Marine Science Center. Winter, the tailless dolphin, rests on her mat in this 2007 file photo. Read more.
Mike Stocker / Sun SentinelIncorporating themes from Polynesia, waterfalls and Tiki statues greet customers as they enter the restaurant. Past the tropical gardens that surround the Mai-Kai restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, firelight reflects off dancers as they make their way through the crowd and onto the stage. Read more.
Carrie Alexander, Special to the Orlando SentinelCa' d'Zan, the winter home of John and Mable Ringling, cost $1.5 million to build in the 1920s, and $400,000 was spent to furnish its 22,000 square feet of living space. Read more.
Lola Gomez, Orlando SentinelHead to Daytona Beach's entertainment district on Main Street, and you'll find biker bars galore. Read more.
Richard Tribou / Orlando SentinelThe Mad Hatter restaurant on Sanibel Island serves new American cuisine amid the whimsy of Lewis Carroll and fantastic views of the Gulf of Mexico. Read more.
Richard Tribou, Orlando SentinelRon Jon Surf Shop is a must-see destination in Central Florida. No doubt you have seen the billboards dotting Florida's highways large and colorful, featuring happy people frolicking in the Florida surf. Read more.
Mark Randall / Sun SentinelVisitor tour the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum in Palm Beach during the Founder's Day open house Friday. Henry Flagler built the mansion know as Whitehall in 1902 as a wedding present for his wife Mary Lily Kenan. It was converted into a hotel in 1925 and then into a museum in 1959. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelFarms abound in the Redlands, and there are several farm and fruit stands throughout the area, but two stand out for their tasty offerings: KnausBerry Farm and Robert Is Here. Read more.
Tiffini Theisen / Orlando SentinelSt. Petersburg has a reputation as a laid-back beach town with a hipster flair. Few know it's also the home of one of the largest Holocaust museums in the country, The Florida Holocaust Museum. Read more.
Adrienne Cutway / Orlando SentinelThe Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg displays 20,000 works of art dating back 5,000 years to present day. Featured artists include Claude Monet, Georgia O'Keeffe and Pierre-Auguste. Read moreMore Top Picks Best Floor Lamps For Reading
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Richard Tribou, Orlando SentinelThe 45-minute Thriller Miami Speedboat Tour hits speeds of up to 50 mph. Read more.
Sara A. Fajardo, Orlando SentinelThe Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing features the King of the Dragsters' prized racing machines, including the Swamp Rat XIV dragster, classic cars, trophies and memorabilia displayed in two buildings. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelIf there is one destination in Florida that encompasses the rich tapestry of the Sunshine State's 503 years, the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument --the iconic fortress in St. Augustine-- is it. Read more.
Joe Burbank / Orlando SentinelOne of the mastodon skeletons at the Florida Museum of Natural History in Gainesville. Florida's official state-sponsored and chartered natural history museum is located on the campus of the University of Florida. Read more.
Jacob Langston, Orlando SentinelThe Last Resort bar in Port Orange is a popular biker bar and used to be a hangout for serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Read more.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda, Orlando SentinelThe eco-tourism attraction Forever Florida, located in rural Osceola County, bills its Rattlesnake as a "roller-coaster zip line." The ride, which debuted in 2012, features sharp turns and a bit of weightlessness as visitors dangle below a meandering 1,000-foot rail through the treetops. Read more.
Orlando SentinelEvery one of NASA's manned missions, from the moon to the International Space Station, has come through Kennedy Space Center, and the Visitor Complex, pictured here, there pays tribute to that. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelFor those looking for some elevation in flat Florida, just north of Jupiter is some unusually hilly terrain and Jonathan Dickinson State Park, which locals refer to as "JD Park." Read more.
Steve Helber, Associated PressA memorial of flowers candles and papers grace the steps in front of the mansion of fashion designer Gianni Versace in Miami Beach, Fl., on Wednesday July 16, 1997. The mansion has since been transformed into a luxury hotel. Read more.
Tiffini Theisen / Orlando SentinelThe historic Tampa Theatre has spent the past several decades offering crowd-pleasing fare — including first-run and classic movies of all types, concerts, comedians and community events. Read more.
Melissa Nelson-Gabriel / APYour chances of seeing a wild wolf in Florida are slim to none.Thanks to the Seacrest Wolf Preserve in Chipley, just north of Panama City, you can interact with packs of wolves in a natural environment. Read more.
Tiffini Theisen / Orlando SentinelThe Linger Lodge Restaurant and Campground offers road kill alongside mainstream fare, along with a quiet riverside location in Bradenton, in a slice of Old Florida whose days may be numbered. Read more.
Tiffini Theisen / Orlando SentinelIn St. Petersburg, you can now experience museum yoga: a 10:30 a.m. class nearly every Sunday at The Dali Museum. Read more.
Rick Tribou / Orlando SentinelJust north of Naples are two of Florida's best beaches that fall north and south of the Cocohatchee River inlet: Barefoot Beach and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. Read more.
Bill Keogh / Associated PressThere's music in the ocean in the Florida Keys. At least scuba divers do their best to pretend to play music during the annual Underwater Music Festival, held in July at Looe Key Reef. Read more.
Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda / Orlando SentinelEntrance to Black Hammock Adventures in Oviedo. The Black Hammock Adventures bar and restaurant, tucked on a southern shore of Lake Jesup, has been a popular watering hole for decades in rural east Seminole County. Read more.
Sun-SentinelSawgrass Mills may be second largest mall in Florida and eighth largest mall in the United States, but it's the only one shaped like a giant alligator. Read more.
Stephen M. Dowell / Orlando SentinelRainbow Springs in Dunnellon is Florida's fourth largest spring, but what sets it apart are its waterfalls. Three man-made waterfalls come from when the park was a privately owned attraction. Read more.
Michael Francis McElroy, South Florida Sun SentinelJungle Queen Riverboat tours in Fort Lauderdale takes guests on a variety of cruises down New River. Read more.
Chris O'Meara / Associated PressFrom its humble beginnings as a sandwich shop in 1905, Columbia Restaurant in Tampa's Ybor City now boasts the honor of being the oldest eatery in the state and the largest Spanish restaurant in the world. Read more.
Jim Abbott / Orlando SentinelAntique glassware is among the shopping attractions in Micanopy, a short drive south of Gainesville. Read more.
Phil Marty for Tribune Newspapers, baiduhaiThe National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola has an impressive collection of aircraft and is free. Read more.
George Skene, Orlando Sentinel
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Among the 600 streams, springs, rivers and creeks in Ocala National Forest in north-central Florida is an unusual natural attraction. Salt Springs bubbles up from vertical fissures deep underground that produce water laced with potassium, magnesium and sodium. <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/os-exfl-central-outdoors-ocala-20150517-story.html" target="_blank">Read more</a>.
ExpandBy Amy Aumick
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Blackwater River State Park boasts the blackest waters with the whitest sand bottom in the world, making it a favorite for kayakers and snorkelers.
Canoe, tube, and kayak rentals are available from area outfitters, as well as pick-up and drop-off services. The camp is best known for its majestic Atlantic white cedar trees, including one of the largest and oldest that was recognized as a Florida Champion tree in 1982.
This park is truly family (and pet) friendly with plenty of places for picnics, level gravel roads with wheelchair access and a playground for the little ones among its 590 acres. All of the restrooms were recently updated, making them modern, bright and clean.
Fishing is also a popular activity on Blackwater River. Anglers can expect to catch largemouth bass, panfish, and catfish. Check with staff to find the best places to cast off by season.
The park features three trail walking opportunities totaling almost 4.5 miles. The Chain of Lakes Nature Trail is a 1.75-mile loop trail that begins at the Blackwater River floodplain forest that goes through lakes that mark the former route of the river. The Juniper Creek trail passes through the park and is 7.5 miles through the floodplains. The least challenging hike is along the Juniper Lake Trail, which is less than a mile long. While on the trails during the summer months, keep an eye out for the endangered Panhandle Lily.
Blackwater is one of many Florida State Parks that participates in geo-caching, an outdoor game using hand-held global positioning systems (GPS) devices that encourages users to seek and identify local flora and fauna.
Each campsite has 20-, 30-, and 50-amp electric service, potable water connections, RV sewer hookup, picnic table, fire ring and grill. The sites can accommodate all types of tent camping and up to 50-foot RVs. The park is open year-round, and reservations may be made up to 11 months in advance.
If you go
Blackwater River State Park
7720 Deaton Bridge Rd, Milton
850-983-5363
ww.floridastateparks.org/park/Blackwater-River
ABOUT SANTA ROSA COUNTY
Population (as of 2015): 170,497
Major cities: Gulf Breeze, Milton
Tourism bureau website: getrelaxing.com
Top restaurants:
La Brisa Restaurant: labrisa.net
Papa Nalu Aloha Grill: papanalu.com
Milton Quality Bakery: miltonqualitybakery.com
Top bars:
Bridge Bar & Sunset Lounge: bridge-bar.com
Choppers Tavern: facebook.com/chopperstavern16
Top attractions:
More Top Picks Roccat Kain 120 Aimo
Gulf Breeze Zoo: gbzoo.com
Adventures Unlimited Outdoor Center: adventuresunlimited.com
Blackwater River: floridastateparks.org/park/Blackwater-River
Top hotels:
Red Roof Inn & Suites Pensacola East: Visit website
Hampton Inn & Suites Pensacola/Gulf Breeze: Visit website