Highlands Hammock State Park, Sebring, Florida:
A great place for picnicking and nature trails. In the evening you may see armadillos, deer, squirrels, wild boars, rabbits, and of course alligators. If you came here and didn’t see an alligator, you don’t know where to look. I know this place better than the Park Rangers. Why? I lived 2 miles from it most of my life. Plenty of birds here, too. Oops, I forgot huge raccoons.
Koreshan State Park, Estero, Florida:
At one time this was thought to be the center of the earth. Here, there are old time museums and campgrounds. They have canoe trips down the Estero River.
Everglades National Park, Everglades, Florida:
This place is huge and extends from Fort Lauderdale, Parts of Miami up to Naples. There is plenty to see and plenty to do. You will need a few days for this one. There aren’t many local hotels and the ones that are can be tourist traps. You might want to email me on this one. You can be lost for days in the Everglades. Email me at info@thetravellingtravelagent.com or scott.short@cwcruises.com.
Ocala National Forest:
This is the southernmost forest in the United States. This forest will surprise you. One may see monkeys, panthers, bears, deer, armadillo, rabbits, hogs, alligators, loads of birds, and yes maybe even a ghost. Interested? Email me. Ocala also has crystal clear springs and cave diving and you’re not even near the ocean.
Ishnetucknee Springs State Park:
This place is out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a boyscout and 4-H haven. Interested in having your own business? Rent out tubes to people. You will make money. Anyway, there is a river called Ishetucknee River that is freezing cold year round that runs about 1 mile per hour. The river is filled with people in tubes down the river. It is a natural lazy river. A tram takes you and picks you up. It is actually really fun.
The one thing I don’t like about Florida parks is that you have to pay for all of them. In many states, you don’t have to pay for entrances like the following below:
Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia:
Very interesting display of history. Not much really to do unless you are a history buff. Actually, it is a nice and safe place to camp and picnic on a small mountain.
Smokey Mountain National Forest:
There are plenty of hiking trails here. The Smokeys have many campgrounds, cabins, lakes for boating and fishing, swimming, etc. There are various cities from Asheville, NC to Knoxville, TN and beyond where there are many things to do. Email me if you want more information at info@thetravellingtravelagent.com or scott.short@cwcruises.com.
Pine Mountain State Park, Pineville, KY:
This is a great place to picnic. There really isn’t much to do here, but the drive or hike up the mountain is very scenic. Near the top of the mountain is a huge rock and for some reason there is a chain around it. I think people thought it may eventually fall on the small city of Pineville. It is aptly named “Chain Rock.” Be careful at night here; these ghost stories are true.
Cumberland Gap National Park, Middlesboro, KY:
I used to hike on this mountain everyday. It is a great jogging or hiking trail and takes about 45 minutes to an hour. There is a river that runs through it that can make for awesome photography. I believe it’s the Cumberland River. Occassionally, there are educated tours.
Cumberland Falls State Park, Williamsburg and Corbin, KY:
This park makes up a very picturesque place. There are trails on both sides of the river where you can see the massive waterfalls. The trail across the river is longer and takes you to another skinnier waterfall. It looks like one of those waterfalls in a commercial or picture where you can stand under and look great. Cumberland Falls also has something called a moonbow, which is a rainbow at night. I have seen this natural phenomenon twice. It does exist and the Spring and Summer are the best times to go check it out. It doesn’t always show up, though. The only other moonbow in the world is in Zimbabwe, Africa at Victoria Falls. Oh yeah. There does need to be a full moon. There is plenty of ourdoorsy stuff to do here. This park is located in Daniel Boone National Forest. Would you like an escorted trip here? Email me at info@thetravellingtravelagent.com.
Bristol Caverns, Bristol, Tennesee:
It’s been years since I have been here, but I do remember seeing more stalactictes and stalagmites than anywhere else. I also remember them turning the lights off. Yes, pure darkness in these caves. I’ll be back.
When I visit more parks, I will post them individually and let you get a better feel about them. If you have any experiences at any of the above parks or any national or state park, please tell us your story.
