On the way along the Florida panhandle, I got a great recommendation to visit Seaside, Florida, where The Truman Show was filmed. The beaches were gorgeous and the town looked right out of a movie set!
I stayed at Wright Lake Campsite in Apalachicola National Forest. There were alligators in the lake!!
Hiking through the pine trees and ferns was incredible. I even saw an otter run across the trail!
I spent an afternoon reading on the beach at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park!
This is the southern most point for pine trees in the continental United States.
I went on a great 25 mile bike ride along scenic route 65 and enjoyed seeing snakes along the roadside!
The centuries old cypress trees in Tate’s Hell State Park were nearly all cut down except for this small grove. A highway was built through it, cutting off vital water flows within the park. Recognizing this challenge, park managers replaced the road with a boardwalk in 1999 to restore these flows. You can still see where the road cut through the forest. New trees are growing now, a great sign for the park!