10 Nature & Parks in Florida That You Shouldn't Miss

Looe Key reef has been federally protected since 1981, first as a national marine sanctuary and now as an Existing Management Area* within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This area includes a Sanctuary Preservation Area* (SPA) that is a popular snorkelling and dive destination for new and experienced divers alike. A diversity of fish congregate here - parrots and surgeonfish on the north side; barracudas and jacks on top of the reef; grunts, butterflyfish, and angelfish on the reef crest. It is located approximately 5.5 nautical miles south of Ramrod Key and about eight nautical miles southwest of Bahia Honda State Park. *Special use regulations apply here.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! : Eight lush acres of endangered wildlife surrounded by a botanical garden situated in the palmetto and pine forest of West Palm Beach! Over 200 animals from White Tigers to African Lions, Black Leopards, Ligers, Lynx and Amur Leopards seen from just four feet away. You can't get any closer than this by law! Hands on experiences with alligators, snakes, tarantulas, and who knows what else. You will have to come by and experience it for yourself! We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit wildlife rescue facility that take in injured native wildlife, orphaned babies, and unwanted exotic pets! Your experience here helps us with the tremendous expense of caring for our animals. Price is $35.00 for adults and $25.00 for children (ages 5yrs.-15yrs).

A beautiful state park that features land and undersea adventures.

With hundreds of things to do on Clearwater Beach, the main attraction is still pretty much its near-perfect beach (USA Today readers voted Clearwater Beach "Best Beach Town in Florida" in 2013). Beautiful white sand and clear, shallow water make this beach an ideal playground for families.

Online reservations only. No walk-ins allowed. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,000 acre Preserve. The Sanctuary is open Tuesday-Sunday from 8:00am-3:00pm with last admission at 1:00 pm. Timed tickets are available for 8am-10am, 10:30am-12:30pm, 1pm-3pm. Visitors will find a gentle, pristine wilderness that dates back more than 500 years. A 2.25 mile boardwalk meanders through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, around a marsh and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America. These impressive trees, relatives of the redwood, tower 130 feet into the sky and have a girth of 25 feet. Their massive branches are draped with mosses, lichens, bromeliads and ferns. The forest is also home to alligators, otters, white-tailed deer and red-bellied turtles. A wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the fabulous Painted Bunting can be seen throughout the year. Photo opportunities are available at every turn of the boardwalk trail.

Do you see yourself looking over the vast Serengeti plains, searching the horizon for a glimpse of a pride of Lions, or a Leopard lounging in the trees? Do you imagine yourself in India, riding an elephant through the high grass with your eyes peeled for the elusive Tiger? Have you ever thought how great it would be to hike through the rainforest, listening to the tropical birds, ever on the lookout for a Leopard or an Ocelot high in the canopy? Have you ever been to the zoo and wanted to be closer to the exotic cats; so close you could almost touch them? You don't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to make these dreams come true. The world's largest accredited big cat rescue facility is right here in Tampa, Florida at Big Cat Rescue.

See our full modified operations plan here: https://zootampa.org/visitor-info/new-beginning-zootampa-reopens/ ZooTampa at Lowry Park is home to more than 1300 animals and famous for having one of the most beautiful, tropical zoological settings in the world. The Zoo brings together animals and visitors to create unforgettable, natural connections. Guests get closer to wildlife than ever before by touching a giant tortoise, feeding a giraffe, getting nose-to-horn with an Indian rhino, hand-to-fin with slippery stingrays and more! Families can also splash in water play areas, feel thrills on rides and take in educational shows. Love manatees? The Zoo is the only place in Tampa where guests can see Florida manatees year round. At the David A. Straz Jr. Manatee Hospital, the Zoo’s veterinary and animal-care staff treat sick, injured and orphaned manatees, and return them to the wild after rehabilitation.

This 73-acre park is the only zoo in Florida's northeast. With over 2000 animals and 1000 plants, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is 1 of only 7 zoos in the United States with an animal wellness team who help to provide the very best care for our animals.