Central Florida is home to many fine state parks more than 100 hiking trails and some of the best camping and fishing spots around. In a tough economy, many families are turning to the outdoors for active family bonding time without the accompanying expenses that vacations can rack up. Additionally, many parks have great discounts online as well as offer many membership discounts. Most campgrounds will allow you to reserve a spot online or via phone so that you can ensure that your family vacation goes as planned.
Wekiwa Springs State Park
With beautiful vistas and cool springs, guests have the chance to relax in nature, picnic, or swim. For those more active its 13 miles of hiking trails provide great views and are popular for walkers, horseback riders, and bicyclers alike. Just an hour from the Orlando theme parks, Wekiwa Springs has a full-facility campground and offers canoe and kayak rentals.
Blue Spring State Park
Covering more than 2,600 acres, this state park is a Manatee Refuge and home to the nearly extinct West Indian Manatee. The park is closed e closed mid-November through March during Manatee season and swimming with the manatees is strictly forbidden. The spring waters are crystal clear and 75 degrees which make it ideal for swimmers, snorkelers, and scuba divers. It’s also popular for other water sports such as fishing, canoeing, and boating. The park offers a full-facility campground as well as air-conditioned cabins. With plenty of picnic areas and a hiking trail, it is a very popular spot during weekends, especially 3-day holiday weekends. Get there early as spots fill up quickly.
Rock Springs Run State Reserve
With miles of unspoiled shoreline, this state reserve is a beautiful refuge of nature where guests can enjoy horseback riding, hiking, or bicycling along 17 miles of trails. Horse rentals and guided trail rides are readily available. In the fall, parts of the reserve are closed for hunts. The park boasts equestrian camping and primitive campsites along the river that are accessible by canoe.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1963 as part of John F. Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island consists of 140,000 acres providing a wide variety of habitats including coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, scrub, and pine woods providing habitat for more than 1,500 plant and animal species. Popular activities here include bird watching. wildlife observation, including a manatee observation deck as well as fishing, boating, and hunting.
If you are looking for a way to get your kids out from in front of the TV or off the computer, the great outdoors is the way to go. These Central Florida excursions will not only bring your family closer together but will show your children that you value activities that work the brain and body, not just the thumbs from the TV remote, PSP, or iPod. No more than an hour’s drive from Orlando, Central Florida State Parks are a cost-effective way to have a vacation they’ll never forget.