“Perfect to have in the home for budding animal enthusiasts, ideal for armchair adventurers and great for Florida transplants who are experiencing a whole new range of wildlife, [Florida Animals for Everyday Naturalists] will help readers appreciate the abundance of life right outside their doors.”
Believe it or not, Ocoee does not have any nature preserves (yet), so there are only about two options available for anyone seeking out wildlife in the city: hit the West Orange Trail or visit 200-acre Starke Lake, which features an impressive variety of bird species, as well as a boat ramp and fishing pier. Check it out!
Ideally located in the MetroWest area of Orlando and adjacent to Eagle Nest Elementary, small but charming Eagle Nest Park offers the perfect locale for an afternoon stroll. Best of all, we spotted plenty of wildlife, including wading birds and turtles sunning (unfortunately, no eagle sightings this time out!). In addition, Eagle Nest Park serves as a trailhead for the Shingle Creek Trail.
I spent a perfect Friday afternoon strolling the scenic boardwalks of Lake Lotus Park in Altamonte Springs and enjoying some rare Florida fall colors. I didn’t view much wildlife, but – just as I was wrapping up my hike – I spotted this beautiful alligator grabbing some sun on a log along the creek. What a treat!
Just minutes from downtown Winter Garden lies Newton Park, a scenic lakefront park overlooking Lake Apopka that offers the perfect locale for Florida wildlife viewing such as alligators, turtles and a wide variety of bird species. In fact, we visit Newton Park a couple of times a week and have never been disappointed when it comes to viewing Florida wildlife in its natural habitat. Newton Park features a fishing pier, boat launch, playground and covered pavilion. Check it out!
If you want to view Florida wildlife and social distance with little effort at the same time, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is the perfect choice! More than 360 bird species have been observed here and you are almost guaranteed to see at least a couple of alligators along the way as well. Note that the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive is open only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 7 AM and 3 PM. In addition, the Wildlife Drive gets crowded during this time of year, so budget at least 1 to 3 hours for your outdoor adventure.
As soon as we left the parking lot and made our way through the entrance of 130-acre Turkey Creek Sanctuary and walked as far as the boardwalk, a light drizzle turned into a significant downpour and unfortunately we had to abort our hike. However, this well-maintained sanctuary looks like an amazing spot in Palm Bay to enjoy the great Florida outdoors and we will return soon! By the way, Turkey Creek Sanctuary was established in 1981 and features not only the 1.85-mile boardwalk, but 1.5 miles of jogging trails, a one-mile mountain bike trail, the Margaret Hines Nature Center and more. It is part of the East Florida section of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Wildlife that call Turkey Creek Sanctuary home include Florida cooters, manatees, alligators, otters, ospreys and owls.
Ideally located along the scenic St. Johns River, Lake Harney Wilderness Area is the perfect spot to get some exercise, view wildlife (I almost always see deer out here in the early morning) and social distance (I hardly ever run across anyone else out here during my hikes). There’s even an observation deck for a sweeping view of Lake Harney itself and the surrounding area. So, what are you waiting for? Mark Lake Harney Wilderness Area down on your calendar and get out in the great outdoors!
Part of the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the 7-mile, one-way Black Point Wildlife Drive allows you to view wildlife in its natural habitat such as alligators, snakes, river otters, bobcats, wading birds, waterfowl (in season), raptors and shorebirds without exactly roughing it. The cost is $10 per vehicle and the drive takes approximately 40 minutes (there are frequent stops along the way). Don’t miss it!
Nestled between Lake Beauclair and Lake Carlton, scenic Trimble Park never fails when it comes to wildlife viewing. The past two times I have viewed two different alligators sunning on the same log (see above). Also, if you are going for a hike, make sure you visit the boardwalk toward the back of the park. Very cool!
Wandering Florida 