Florida National Parks,
State Parks & Nature:
The Finest Florida Attractions!
Discover the extraordinary natural treasures of Southern Florida!
Florida national parks, Florida state parks, Florida wildlife & bird sanctuaries, nature reserves, and eco-destinations! These are among the ‘lesser known’, but the absolute best of the Florida attractions!
The allure and mystery of Florida’s environment and landscape, and the endless variety of beautiful Florida birds and wildlife, offers unparalleled opportunities to enjoy, learn and truly appreciate nature in the tropical ‘sunshine state’!
Southwest Florida is often thought of as one of the most affluent areas in all of the U.S. I was absolutely delighted and thrilled to discover, upon my first visit to this part of Florida many years ago, that this Florida environment, was also rich and abundant with natural wonders. 
It’s very impressive that this highly developed area has managed to maintain designated ‘green space’, for the preservation and protection of the Florida environment, Florida birds and Florida wildlife, and many of the precious endangered species of the area.
The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill:
Destruction Beyond Compare
On April 20, 2010, just off the Louisiana coast, an oil tanker, the Deepwater Horizon, exploded and sank in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The effects on some parts of the Gulf of Mexico and it's beaches, were devasting. The coastal beaches of the Gulf Coast, Naples and Marco Island area were not affected by the oil spill. No oil has every reached the Southwest Florida coast.
Should the oil have come ashore, the present and future of Southwest Florida would have changed. Forever.
Someone must have been watching over this beautiful tropical paradise.
Neither words nor pictures can truly express the stunning beauty and glory of the Florida environment and landscape, Florida wildlife and birds. If you plan to visit Florida or are a resident of the state, do take the time to visit at least of a few of these outstanding natural wonders of Florida.
South Florida National Parks
The following are Florida National Parks in Southern Florida:
Should you ever visit Florida or are a Florida resident, these Florida National Parks are natural delights that are not to be missed!
For more information on the National parks in Florida, visit their official website: .
South Florida State Parks Listings
This is a complete list of the state parks in Florida:
Collier-Seminole, Fakahatchee Strand, Delnor-Wiggins Pass, Lovers Key, Estero Bay Preserve, Alafia River, Anclote Key Preserve, Caladesi Island, Cayo Coast, Charlotte Harbor Preserve, Dade Battlefield, Don Pedro Island, Egmont Key, Fakahatchee Strand Preserve, Fort Foster, Gamble Plantation, Gasparilla Island, Highlands Hammock, Hillsborough River, Honeymoon Island, Koreshan, Lake June-in Winter Scrub, Lake Manatee, Little Manatee River, Madira Bickel Mound, Mound Key, Myakka River, Oscar Scherer, Paynes Creek, Skyway Fishing Pier, Stump Pass Beach, Weeki Wachee Springs, Werner-Boyce Salt Springs and Ybor City Museum.
There are also many gorgeous Florida state parks in Southeast Florida, which are relatively close to the Naples Florida area. These are the state parks which I would highly recommend taking the time to explore:
Bahia Honda State Park, Long Key, and
Fort Zachary Taylor.
Camping at a Florida state park is a smart and economical way for a family to enjoy the great outdoors of Florida, which I believe is the very best Florida has to offer!
For more information on FL state parks, visit their official website:
.
Naples Florida & Area Nature Preserves, Parks, Sanctuaries & Eco-Destinations
When visiting the Naples Florida and surrounding area, there are countless
parks, nature preserves, sanctuaries and eco-destinations for nature lovers. Just one of the many things to do in Naples! This is by no means a complete list.
These are just some of the beautiful Naples attractions and eco-destinations/Florida tourist attractions, that will simply take your breath away!
Tigertail Beach, Marco Island
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (also home to the ' Ghost Orchid')
Naples Botanical Garden The Conservancy of Southwest Florida
Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Naples Zoo at the Caribbean Gardens
CREW Marsh
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island
Babcock Ranch
Mote Aquarium
Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Collier County Museum
Picayune Strand State Preserve
Eagle Lakes Community Park
Freedom Park
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
Harn’s Marsh Preserve
Cayo Costa State Park
Manatee County Park
Peace River Wildlife Center
Clam Pass Beach Park
Sugden Regional Park
Museum of the Everglades
Immokalee Pioneer Museum
Historic Smallwood Store
Cocohatchee Creek Preserve
Logan Woods Preserve
Otter Mound Preserve
Pepper Ranch Preserve
Limpkin Marsh Preserve
Alligator Flag Preserve
Railhead Scrub Preserve
Florida Wildlife
About 100 different species of land mammals, some water mammals, and nearly 200 amphibians and reptiles reside in Florida. Unfortunately, over the years, due to rapid, intense development, over hunting, pesticide abuse and vehicle accidents, Florida has 111 endangered and threatened animal and plant species. These are some of the better known animal wildlife species, which appear on the endangered species list and can be found in the Florida national parks and state parks:
American Alligator
Florida Black Bear
Florida Panther
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
West Indian Manatee
On the bright side, nature conversation groups and the human population seem to be concerned with this issue, and are making positive steps toward a bright future for these endangered birds and animals.
Florida Birds
Florida is truly a bird lover’s paradise. There are hundreds of land and water Florida bird species which are native to Florida. 9 bird species in Florida are considered endangered, 11 are considered threatened and about 16 species are of special concern. These are a collection of some of the better known Florida birds, which appear on the above lists.
Wood Stork
Bald Eagle
Florida Sandhill Crane
Roseate tern
Brown Pelican
Roseate Spoonbill
Snowy Egret
White Ibis
The Best Florida Attractions: Nature’s Treasures!
Looking for things to do in Florida? Family things to do in Florida? Things to do in Florida for kids?
The best Florida attractions and often the least expensive, are the natural wonders of the state. The many Florida national parks, State parks, eco-destinations, wildlife preserves, bird sanctuaries and various eco-destinations, offer endless opportunities for the nature lover in you.
If you’re not much an outdoorsy type, who knows? Maybe the raw beauty and allure of the Florida landscape, will bring out the adventurer in you!
Enjoying the Florida outdoors is the most inexpensive way to experience Florida. Whether fishing, camping, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, birding, wildlife watching, stargazing, boating, nature photography or enjoying one of the many Florida national Parks or state parks, there’s something for everyone. The natural Florida attractions are the state's finest!
Learn More!
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