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There’s much more to Florida than stunning beaches and thrilling theme parks. Amazing Florida adventures await those who want to explore past the sunny surface.
To discover the depths of the real Florida, you need to dive into Florida’s natural springs and connect with its swampy heart. These unique Florida things to do in the outdoors will show you where the Sunshine State shines beyond the beach.
Top Florida Adventures to Experience in the Outdoors
1. Swim in a Florida Spring
Florida boasts more than 1,000 freshwater springs, and scientists believe this may be the largest concentration of freshwater springs on the planet. Most of the springs in Florida are located in the northern half of the state.
Florida springs were the state’s first real tourist attractions, alluring visitors to experience Florida adventures in a tropical oasis with crystal-clear waters that shine in shades of blue and green.
Many Florida springs allow swimming and with constant water temperatures of about 70-72 degrees, they are especially refreshing in the summer heat. Near Tampa, Lithia Springs is a popular summer swimming hole.
Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon is one of my favorite springs for a Florida paddling adventure. One of the largest springs in Central Florida, Rainbow Springs is popular for swimming, tubing and paddling. The blue-green water color of this spring is dazzling.
Rainbow Springs also captivates visitors with its man-made jungle waterfalls, which were originally part of a 1960s tropical tourist attraction.
For more Florida springs to visit near Tampa and Orlando, check out this list of beautiful springs in Central Florida you need to visit.
Old Florida Springs Attractions
Often surrounded by dense forests, Old Florida springs attractions in the mid-1900s enticed tourists to explore Florida’s jungle. Popular for its jungle cruise boat tours offering incredible Florida wildlife watching, Wakulla Springs near Tallahassee even provided a jungle backdrop for old Hollywood movies including “Tarzan’s Secret Treasure.”
At Wakulla Springs, you can also experience swimming in a sinkhole lake. A 1.4-mile trail inside the state park leads to Cherokee Sink, a water-filled limestone sinkhole that’s about 80-feet deep.
2. See a Florida Manatee in the Wild
While Florida springs are often full of humans seeking somewhere to cool off in the summertime, they provide essential warm-water refuges for Florida manatees in the winter. Manatees can’t survive in water temperatures colder than 68 degrees and Florida ocean temperatures often drop below that in the winter months.
Florida has a number of manatee sanctuary areas and springs state parks that welcome visitors to see how the loveable “chubby mermaids” huddle up to keep warm in winter.
The Crystal River manatee sanctuary at Three Sisters Springs, is one of the best places to see manatees in winter and experience Florida manatee adventures year-round. Three Sisters Springs and its surrounding waters are part of a national wildlife refuge dedicated to manatee protection.
Crystal River is only place in Florida where you can legally swim with manatees. Florida adventure tour operators with special permits from the wildlife refuge offer manatee swim and snorkel excursions where you can get up close with the gentle giants.
Keep in mind that even on a Crystal River manatee swim tour, touching manatees is prohibited by law. All swimmers must mind their manatee manners by following state and federal rules for passive observation of manatees.
3. Go Bioluminescent Kayaking
At certain times of year when the nighttime conditions are right, Florida waterways light up with a fascinating natural phenomenon – bioluminescence. Nature’s glow-in-the-dark show, bioluminescence is a bright blue light emitted from living organisms. In Florida, bioluminescence typically comes from microscopic plankton, or dinoflagellates.
Summer is peak season for Florida adventures with bioluminescence. The natural spectacle can be seen in many coastal areas of Florida but it’s most common in the lagoon waters of the Florida Space Coast where there’s less development and light pollution.
To get to the hot spots for glowing Florida adventures, guided bioluminescent kayaking tours are your best bet.
4. Glide Through the Swamp on a Florida Airboat Adventure
More than just a home for alligators and other wildlife, swamps are an important and beautiful part of Florida’s landscape. Florida swamps and other wetlands provide protection from flooding and improve the state’s water quality through natural filtration.
To truly appreciate the Florida swamp ecosystem, take an airboat ride into the heart of wild Florida. Whether you explore the Central Florida swamplands near Orlando or go on an exhilarating Everglades airboat tour from Fort Lauderdale, your Florida swamp adventure is sure to leave you in awe of nature.
5. Climb a Florida Lighthouse
If you’re a lighthouse lover living in or traveling to Florida, you’re in luck – 29 lighthouses shine around the state’s coastline. While many of them only allow people to admire them from below, several Florida lighthouses invite adventurers to climb to the top of their towers.
I’ve climbed a few lighthouses during my Florida adventures from St. Augustine to Jupiter Inlet and down to Key West. I promise you, the stunning coastal views from above are always worth the trek to the top!
Looking for more info on lighthouse adventures? Check out our guide to Old Florida lighthouses you can visit on the west coast.
6. Go Scalloping
Scalloping is one of our family’s favorite Florida adventures to experience during the summertime.
What is scalloping? Scalloping is snorkeling with a goal of spotting and catching bay scallops in shallow-water seagrass beds along the Florida Gulf Coast. Florida scallops are fun to catch and delicious to eat.
Florida scallop season runs from July – September in certain areas along the Florida Nature Coast. Pasco County in Tampa Bay has a shorter scallop season in July.
Top scalloping destinations include Crystal River, Homosassa and Steinhatchee. If you don’t have your own boat, you can book a scalloping charter in one of these areas to experience this Florida adventure. You’ll even find local restaurants that will cook your catch for you.
7. Take Your Florida Adventures Underground – Explore Florida Caverns
Besides being an amazing destination for Florida springs adventures, northwest Florida is also the place to go if you want to explore some of Florida’s caves.
In Marianna, you can venture into Florida’s eerily beautiful underground on a cave tour at Florida Caverns State Park. Florida Caverns is a large limestone cave system full of fascinating geological formations that have grown slowly over thousands of years.
As you follow a tour guide through narrow passageways and multiple cave rooms, you’ll learn about the history of the caverns and their unique formations, and maybe hear a ghost story or two. Some say these Florida caves are haunted.
Interested in exploring more haunted places in Florida? Check out our guide to eerie Florida adventures you can experience year round.
Near Florida Caverns State Park, you can also take a guided clear kayaking adventure tour that paddles near underwater caves.
8. Find a Florida Waterfall
About 30 minutes west of Florida Caverns State Park, you’ll find another North Florida natural wonder – a 73-foot waterfall. At Falling Waters State Park, a short hike alongside sinkholes will take you to Florida’s highest waterfall.
This Florida waterfall descends into a 100-foot-deep sinkhole and then disappears into an underground cave system. Created over thousands of years as limestone bedrock gets dissolved away by groundwater, Florida sinkholes can lead into a maze underground tunnels formed through the same geologic process.
Plan your Falling Waters adventure during a rainy season to see the most impressive flow of water from these Florida falls.
More Florida Hidden Gems and Bucket-List Adventures
Ready to explore even more Florida bucket-list adventures? Check out Adventure-Seeking Mom’s guide to summer adventures around Tampa Bay and more of our family adventure guides.
Want more recommendations for unique activities, tours and adventures to experience in Florida? Check out Adventure-Seeking Mom approved Florida travel experiences on Viator.
Follow along on Instagram for even more Florida hidden gems and bucket-list adventures.
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Great read as always. Love all the suggestions. I am yet to go to a Spring in Florida 😀
Thank you so much! You definitely need to experience the adventure of a Florida spring soon!
What a great list! I just visited my first spring in Florida and paddled with the manatees. Now I need to go back and try some of the other ideas on your list!
Paddling with the manatees is so special! I’m so glad you got to experience it!