Park activities in Florida
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Oleta River State Park
- Miami, USA
- Activities › Park
Tequesta people were boating the Oleta River estuary as early as 500 BC, so you're just following in a long tradition if you canoe or kayak in this park. At almost 1000 acres, this is the largest urban park in the state and one of the best places in Miami to escape the maddening throng. Boat out to the local mangrove island, watch the eagles fly by, or just chill on the pretension-free beach. On-site Blue Moon Outdoor Center offers single kayaks ($18 per 1½ hours, $25 per three hours), tandem kayaks ($25.50 per 1½ hours, $40 per three hours) and bike rental ($18 per 1½ hours, $25 per three hours). The park is off 163rd St NE/FL-826 in Sunny Isles, about 8 miles north of…
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Biscayne National Park
The park itself offers canoe rentals, transportation to the offshore keys, snorkeling and scuba-diving trips, and glass-bottom boat viewing of the exceptional reefs. All tours require a minimum of six people, so call to make reservations. Three-hour glass-bottom boat trips ($45) depart at 10am and are very popular; if you're lucky you may spot some dolphins or manatees. Canoe rentals cost $12 per hour and kayaks $16; they're rented from 9am to 3pm. Three-hour snorkeling trips ($45) depart at 1:15pm daily; you'll have about 1½ hours in the water. Scuba trips depart at 8:30am Friday to Sunday ($99). You can also arrange a private charter boat tour around the park for $300.
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Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
- Miami, USA
- Activities › Park
If you don't make it to the Florida Keys, come to this park for a taste of their unique island ecosystems. The 494-acre space is a tangled clot of tropical fauna and dark mangroves – look for the 'snorkel' roots that provide air for half-submerged mangrove trees – all interconnected by sandy trails and wooden boardwalks, and surrounded by miles of pale ocean. A concession shack rents kayaks, bikes, in-line skates, beach chairs and umbrellas.
Cape Florida Lighthouse
At the state recreation area's southernmost tip, the 1845 brick lighthouse is the oldest structure in Florida (it replaced another lighthouse that was severely damaged in 1836 by during the Second Seminole…
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Anastasia State Recreation Area
Escape the tourist hordes at Anastasia Island's recreation area, boasting a stunning beach, vibrant dunes, bike trails, a tidal salt marsh–fringed lagoon and a campground. Inside the park, Anastasia Watersports rents kayaks, canoes and windsurfers.
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Sebastian Inlet State Park
- Florida, USA
- Activities › Park
Stretching along a narrow strip of the barrier island 18 miles south of Indialantic, with the Indian River Lagoon to one side and the Atlantic on the other, this busy park popular with fishermen, surfers, boaters and families is divided into two sections by the inlet bridge. On the north is child-safe swimming in the calm-water lagoon; on the south you'll find a marina with boat rental, a small fishing museum and an uninspiring campground ($25 per site).
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Gulf Coast Visitor Center
This is the northwestern-most ranger station for Everglades National Park, and provides access to the 10,000 Islands area. Boat tours depart from the downstairs marina into the mangrove flats and green islands – if you're lucky you may see dolphins springing up beside your craft. This tangled off-shore archipelago was a major smuggling point for drugs into the mainland USA during the late 1970s and early '80s; bales of marijuana were nicknamed 'square grouper' by local fishermen. It's great fun to go kayak-ing and canoeing around here; boats can be rented from the marina, but make sure to take a map with you (they're available for free in the visitor center).
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