Outdoors & Nature Insider

Divers at the Christ of the Abyss site Credit: Kevin Mims

Well, folks, as you well know, summer is in full swing, and Florida’s a great place to be right now!

The Florida Park Service just came out with its picks for the top five state parks where visitors can find loads of watery fun – and I quite agree with these choices! These are the perfect places to spend the dog days of summer. In fact, you can learn more about two of these locations, John Pennekamp and White
Springs, by watching my videos right here on VISITFLORIDA.com.

Here’s what the Park Service had to say:

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park—America's first underwater park, located off Key Largo, boasts 70 nautical square miles of beautiful coral reefs. During the summer, the water is calm and cool, and guests can take a boat trip to scuba dive or snorkel near the reefs. Nearby, guests can also dive down to see Christ of the Abyss, an 8.5 foot, 4,000 pound bronze sculpture of Jesus Christ that stands in 25 feet of water.

Sebastian Inlet State Park— Located in Melbourne Beach, Sebastian Inlet’s three miles of beaches provide opportunities for swimming, scuba diving, snorkeling, shelling, sunbathing and surfing. The park is a popular destination for saltwater fishing on Florida’s east coast and hosts several major surfing
competitions throughout the year.

Oscar Scherer State Park— Lake Osprey is a perfect place to cool off during the hot summer days in Osprey. This three-acre freshwater lake has a sandy beach front and is located at the Lake Osprey Picnic Area. The park also offers saltwater and freshwater fishing, and canoeing and kayaking are available in South Creek.

Suwannee River Wilderness Trail—Stretching from White Springs in North Florida, to the town of Suwannee on the Gulf Coast, the Suwannee River offers 170 miles of adventure perfect for canoeing, kayaking and camping along the way. The Suwannee River State Park in Live Oak offers a boat ramp for visitors to launch their journey along the river. The Suwannee River Wilderness Trail is a partnership program between DEP, the Suwannee River Water Management District and communities and local businesses along the river.

St. George Island State Park—Miles of undeveloped beach, with the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Apalachicola Bay on the other, provide many opportunities for cooling off on St. George Island, located just 75 miles southwest of Tallahassee. Swimming, canoeing, shelling, boating and fishing are some of the activities that make this park a North Florida summer favorite.

Now go out and get to one of these parks pronto! You won’t be disappointed.