Your 2025 Wild Florida Bucket List

2025 is your year to connect with nature, rediscover adventure, and explore the wilds of Florida. From crystal-clear springs to sun-kissed beaches, remote prairies to winding bike trails, wild Florida is calling YOU!

Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a birdwatcher, or a family looking to explore great outdoors, this bucket list is your treasure map to unforgettable experiences. Get ready to jump in, because we are wild Florida—and this year, so are you.

Discover the 2025 Wild Florida Bucket List

Think of the 2025 wild Florida bucket list as your personal treasure hunt into the heart of nature. It’s about trading screens for sunshine, and office chairs for bird calls. This guide will take you across the state, offering opportunities to explore the best of wild Florida.

1. Swim in a Spring

Florida boasts over 700 crystal-clear freshwater springs, perfect for cooling off in the summer and spotting wildlife in the winter. Jump into the crystal waters, float beneath the canopy of trees, and experience one of Florida’s most iconic outdoor adventures.

Find inspiration at:

• Ichetucknee Springs State Park: Known for its spring-fed river, this is a perfect tubing spot!
• Rainbow Springs State Park: A paradise for swimmer, kayakers, and campers.
• Morrison Springs County Park: Swim in pristine waters surrounded by forest views.

2. Bike on a Rail Trail

Explore Florida’s wild on two wheels by hitting one of its scenic rail trails. These flat, paved paths are perfect for riders and families of all skill levels and feature pretty views, wildlife sightings, and historical landmarks.

Check out:

• Withlacoochee State Trail: A 46-mile trail lined with trees and wildlife (you don’t have to do all 46 miles!).
• Legacy Trail: Ride from Sarasota to Venice for ocean views.
• Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail: A wooded, nature-filled escape just outside the city.

3. Fish Wild Waters

Get your line ready! Enjoy an afternoon of casting a line in Florida’s rivers, lakes, or coastal waters. From freshwater bass to sea trout, fishing offers endless opportunities to engage with wild Florida.

Test your meddle at:

• Everglades National Park: A rich habitat where freshwater meets saltwater—find snook, redfish, and tarpon.
• Lake Kissimmee State Park: Ideal for the bass fishing enthusiast.
• St. Joseph Peninsula State Park: A surf-fishing paradise on white sand beaches.

4. Spot Florida’s Gentle Giants

Winter is the perfect time to see Florida’s warm-water-loving manatees in springs and along the coasts. These gentle creatures will inspire awe as you spot them gliding gracefully underwater.

Manatee hotspots:

• Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge: A haven where you can paddle and swim alongside manatees.
• Blue Spring State Park: A winter gathering spot for hundreds – sometimes thousands! – of manatees.
• Manatee Lagoon: An eco-discovery center with great manatee sightings.

5. Camp Under the Stars

There’s nothing like a night under the starry skies, especially in Florida’s award-winning state parks! Bonus points if you wake up for sunrise…one of our favorite parts of the day.

Check out the camping, glamping, and cabins at:

• Myakka River State Park: Camp alongside one of Florida’s oldest rivers.
• Jonathan Dickinson State Park: Sand dunes, rivers, and pine forest surround your tent.
• Cayo Costa State Park: A remote island destination where you can camp beachfront.

6. Witness a Florida Sunrise or Sunset

Few things are as inspiring as seeing the skies light up at the day’s beginning or end. Florida offers some of the most breathtaking sunrises and sunsets in the world.

Find your golden hour at:

• Canaveral National Seashore: Head here for an unforgettable sunrise over the Atlantic.
• Boca Grande: Known for its serene sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico.
• Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park: Watch the sun dip below the prairie’s wetlands and spot grazing bison.

Share Your Wild Florida Adventure

We’d love to see where the 2024 wild Florida bucket list takes you! Tag your adventures with #livewildlyfl for a chance to be featured on our social media and inspire others to explore wild Florida