The Adventure Traveler's Guide To Florida

Florida: what a wonderful place for an adventurer. The Sunshine State, as it’s affectionately referred to, is full of contrasting images, diverse ecosystems and natural beauty. It’s one of the few places in America where you can drive for eight hours straight and still be in the same state. In many cases, though, it’s hard to imagine that due to the stark change in landscape, demographics, and wildlife as you travel from one end to the other. Imagine starting your trip in the Florida Keys, where blue waters and fishing boats dominate the scenic landscape, and then head north to Gainesville, where tall oaks and pines are home to wild buffalo, majestic alligators and raucous college students. It’s all here waiting for you — just get on a plane and visit it. Your adventure starts now!

Diving In The Treasure Coast

The name Treasure Coast has the ability to perk the interest of just about anybody with the slightest thirst for adventure, does it not? The region, whose name refers to the Spanish Treasure Fleet lost in a 1715 hurricane, is popular in the diving community for its shipwrecks, which make excellent artificial reefs for the diverse Atlantic Ocean ecosystem. For those of you who enjoy the thrill of spear fishing and lobster diving, there are plenty of charters for hire that will take you out all day and guide you through your adventure.

The Treasure Coast gets its name from the history of shipwrecks that draw in thousands of divers each year.

Ichetucknee River State Park

Be one with nature as you kayak down the serene and crystal clear fresh waters of the Ichetucknee river

1. Visit the Historic Castillo De San Marcos

Visit the Historic Castillo De San Marcos

St. Augustine, Florida is the sight of the oldest European settlement in the United States and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture and sandy beaches. The Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th-century Spanish stone fortress with views of the St. Augustine Inlet, attracts visitors from around the world. This type of impressive fortress is unique in the new world and has fascinating history; this is a must-visit place for the history buffs in your life. After touring the castle, continue your adventure by exploring the many fun things to do in the city.

Castillo De San Marcos, 1 S Castillo Dr, St Augustine, FL, USA +1 904 829 6506

The Castillo De San Marcos looks over the city of St. Augustine, the first Spanish city in the continental USA | Courtesy of Inazakira/Flickr

Calusa Blueway

The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail is an adventurer’s dream come true. You’ll definitely encounter some Instagram worthy moments along the 190-mile marked canoe and kayak trail that meanders through the coastal waters and inland tributaries of Lee County, Florida. The Calusa Blueway is great for first-time kayakers as well as advanced paddlers, and is home to abundant marine life, shore birds and crustaceans. If you’re lucky, you might even be greeted by a Florida manatee!

2. The Florida Everglades

The Florida Everglades

No adventure to Florida is complete without a trip to Everglades National Park, a 1.5-million-acre wetlands preserve on the southern tip of Florida. Often compared to a grassy, slow-moving river, the Everglades is made up of coastal mangroves, sawgrass marshes and pine flatwoods that are home to hundreds of animal species, included the endangered Florida panther and leatherback turtle. We recommend you visit Billie Swamp Safari, which is run by the Seminole Tribe of Florida that has been living off of this land for centuries. At Billie Swamp Safari, you can take air-boat and buggy rides through the jungles and swamps of the Everglades.

The Florida Everglades, 30000 Gator Tail Trl., Clewiston, FL, USA +1 863 983 6101

The Florida Aligator is the apex predator in the swampy wetlands of South East Florida | Courtesy of Rafal Prochniak/Flickr

3. The Florida Keys

Bridge

The Florida Keys

Finish off your epic Florida adventure by going to the southernmost point of the continental United States in Key West. Along the way, you will drive along the famous 7 mile bridge that links mainland Florida to the Keys. There are bountiful possibilities for the adventure traveler here; you can charter a fishing boat and head out to sea with professional fishermen. Be patient, the adrenaline kicks in when the first mate yells ‘fish on!’ If you prefer looking at the fishing rather than catching them, we’ve got you covered — for help planning your dive trip, click here.

Southern Most Point. Whitehead St & South St, Key West, FL, USA +1 305 809 3700

The Florida Keys offer beautiful sights, such as this majestic sunset | Courtesy of Thomas/Flickr

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.