Homosassa Springs has been drawing people to its crystal‑clear waters for more than a century.
In the 1940s, the site became a small roadside attraction, later expanding in 1964 as Homosassa Springs: Nature’s Own Attraction. Some of the first residents of the park were trained animals from TV and film, including Lu the hippo.
Since becoming a state park, the site has served as a conservation hub and a refuge for imperiled and indigenous species.
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📍: Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
📸: Courtesy of Florida Memory, circa 1983,1964
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@America250FL
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#FLStateParks #HomosassaSprings #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #America250FL
The General James A. Van Fleet State Trail is one of Florida’s most peaceful paved trails. 🦉
Trekking the trail means passing through river swamp, pine flatwoods and open ranchland, with abundant wildlife along the way.
Stretching 29 miles straight through the heart of the Green Swamp, this trail is a quiet, scenic escape into #TheRealFlorida.
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📍: General James A. Van Fleet State Trail
📸: IG Id4shows
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #GeneralJamesAVanFleet #LoveFL #StateTrail
Florida Caverns State Park is one of the most unique places you can explore in Florida.
These limestone caverns formed as acidic groundwater dissolved the ancient seabed, carving out winding passageways and vaulted rooms beneath the surface.
Above ground, the park offers miles of multi‑use trails winding through hardwood forest and floodplain habitats, giving visitors a chance to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds the cave system.
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📍: Florida Caverns State Park
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #FloridaCaverns #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
Now is a beautiful time to explore Washington Oaks Gardens State Park. 🌳
The formal gardens, home to azaleas, camellias, birds‑of‑paradise and the park’s beloved reflection ponds, are especially peaceful this time of year.
Shaded by the park’s picturesque oak hammock, the garden paths offer a cool, quiet escape as spring shifts toward summer.
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📍: Washington Oaks Gardens State Park
📸: IG Alwayskul
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #WashingtonOaksGardens #LoveFL #TheRealFlorida
Crystal River Archaeological State Park is one of Florida’s most remarkable ancient sites with a 61‑acre complex of temple mounds, burial mounds and plazas built by Native Americans more than 2,500 years ago.
It’s a quiet, powerful place offering sweeping views of the Crystal River and a rare window into Florida’s deep Indigenous past.
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📍: Crystal River Archaeological State Park
📸: IG melissabyous_photography
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@America250FL
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#FLStateParks #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
Lake Kissimmee State Park is rooted in Florida’s cattle‑ranching past. During the Civil War, the land around the lakes supported herds that supplied war efforts and fueled early trade with Cuba.
The park preserves the legacy of Florida’s early “cow hunters” with the 1876-era Cow Camp, a living‑history exhibit that shows how frontier cattlemen lived and worked as they moved herds across the state.
This tradition reflects a cattle culture that predates even Texas, rooted in the wild cracker cattle descended from Spanish herds brought to Florida in the 1500s.
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Lake Kissimmee State Park
Photo: Courtesy of Florida Memory, circa 1950
Plan your historic encounter at https://t.co/3wIX9pkSGj.
Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@FLStateParks
At Silver Springs State Park, bird‑watching is one of the most rewarding ways to experience the beauty of #TheRealFlorida.
Visitors can often spot limpkin and a variety of wading birds along the river.
In the park's upland habitats, you may also see wild turkey, bobwhite quail, hairy woodpeckers, American kestrels and seasonal migrating songbirds.
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📍: Silver Springs State Park
📸: IG https://t.co/CJRSgREMd8.karl
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #SilverSprings #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
This Memorial Day, Florida State Parks honors the service members who gave their lives in defense of our nation.
Across our parks, visitors can find quiet, beautiful spaces to reflect, remember and appreciate the sacrifices made to protect our nation and the natural spaces within.
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📍: Fort Clinch State Park
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#FLStateParks #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #America250FL
The 74th annual Florida Folk Festival is underway at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs!
Experience live performances, demonstrations and a three-day celebration of Florida's rich music, art, food and culture:
🎟️https://t.co/YcdJtFHqlM
It’s the unofficial start to summer, so Florida State Parks will be bustling with activity this weekend.
When parking lots become full, some parks may temporarily close to vehicle traffic. But you can usually still enter the park on a bicycle or by foot. If you plan to visit a park that’s usually very busy, consider walking or biking in, if possible.
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📍: Amelia Island State Park
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #AmeliaIsland #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
Tomoka State Park is a beautiful place to spot butterflies, thanks to its rich mix of habitats and local fauna. Butterfly
The park’s winding trails and quiet natural areas create ideal conditions for flowering plants, shady understory and sunny openings that butterflies need for nectar and shelter.
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📍: Tomoka State Park
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #Tomoka #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
Dudley Farm Historic State Park preserves the story of three generations of a Florida farming family.
The park features a 19th century farmhouse, kitchen, general store, post office and more.
The farmstead is surrounded by gardens, grape arbors, pecan and fruit trees, fields, pinewoods and croplands, all arranged much as they were in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
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📍: Dudley Farm Historic State Park
📸: Courtesy of Florida Memory, circa 1910
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@America250FL
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#FLStateParks #DudleyFarm #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #America250FL
Florida State Parks are free during Memorial Day Weekend!
Florida State Parks will offer free admission for most parks from May 23-25, inviting visitors to enjoy the outdoors while honoring those who gave their lives in service to the United States as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
Free admission applies to day-use only and excludes Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife, Skyway Fishing Pier, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center and Weeki Wachee Springs state parks.
For more information: https://t.co/95FoJF7pNw
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📍: Bahia Honda State Park
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #America250FL
It’s almost time for the 74th annual Florida Folk Festival!
From May 22-24, visitors can explore Florida’s cultural roots through live performances, hands‑on demonstrations, food, folk art and family‑friendly activities at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park.
From bluegrass and blues to Caribbean rhythms, the festival showcases the voices and traditions that make Florida unique.
Get your tickets today!
https://t.co/hCGAq00cge
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📍: Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#FLStateParks #StephenFoster #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #FloridaFolkFestival
We 🫶our volunteers!
As Volunteer Appreciation Month comes to a close, enjoy this video of our incredible volunteers receiving the recognition that they've earned through hard work protecting #TheRealFlorida.
Let us know your favorite ways to get involved with #FLStateParks!
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💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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#LoveFL #Volunteers
Rainbow Springs State Park will implement a day-use reservation system on April 29. Whether you’re looking to sit in nature or swim in the clear waters, day-use reservations will make park entry short and sweet.
Starting today you can make day-use reservations for up to 60 days in advance, and reservations will be required to enter the park beginning April 29.
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💡: Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
📍: Rainbow Springs State Park
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#FLStateParks #RainbowSprings #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL
Collier‑Seminole State Park protects one of the three original stands of royal palms in Florida.
This rare grove was first set aside in the 1920s by Barron Collier, who wanted to preserve the unique landscape of Southwest Florida.
Collier dedicated this land to all who fought in the Seminole Wars, the event that led to the first documentation of the palm grove.
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📍: Collier-Seminole State Park
���: Plan your historic encounter at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@America250FL
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#FLStateParks #CollierSeminole #TheRealFlorida #LoveFL #America250FL
We’re proud to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Discovery Center & Aquarium at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park opening in 2028! 🐠
Learn more 👉 https://t.co/uzB4VSAj4T
Be a part of Earth Day at #FLStateParks! 🌍 🍃
From lush hammocks to sparkling springs, these parks protect some of the most beautiful natural spaces in the state.
Earth Day was first celebrated over 55 years ago and continues to serve as a reminder to celebrate these landscapes and to give back to the places that give us so much.
If you’re looking to make a real impact, consider volunteering with your local state park and help keep Florida wild and thriving.
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📍: Jonathan Dickinson State Park
📸: IG rvagogo
💡: Plan your adventure at https://t.co/YhnWcMz9Bl. Before you visit, check the KNOW BEFORE YOU GO section on the park’s webpage for real-time updates and helpful information.
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@America250FL
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#FLStateParks #EarthDay #LoveFL
Join us on Earth Day! 🌎🌳
Celebrate Earth Day, April 22, by visiting select #FLStateParks to participate in a reusable water bottle giveaway.
When you commit to #MakeTheSwitch to a reusable water bottle, you reduce waste and become a solution to pollution.
Giveaways are located at the following parks:
-T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
-Fort Clinch State Park
-Blue Spring State Park
-Lake Louisa State Park
-Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
-Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
-St. Andrews State Park
-Oleta River State Park
-Jonathan Dickinson State Park
-Lovers Key State Park
For more info: https://t.co/vEiWAi8hdx
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#LoveFL #TheRealFlorida #FortClinch #BlueSpring #LakeLouisa #HughTaylorBirch #TopsailHill #StAndrews #OletaRiver #JonathanDickinson #LoversKey #StJosephPeninsula