Outdoors
Lakes, reservoirs and rivers near Orlando for boating, kayaking, canoeing and paddleboarding.
Good to know: Life jackets are required for children on most waters, and many lakes require an invasive-species inspection or a launch fee.
The refuge traces its beginnings to the development of the nation’s Space Program. In 1962, NASA acquired the lands and waters adjacent to Cape Canaveral to establish the John F. Kennedy Space Center.
Clearwater Lake Recreation Area offers a quiet getaway along the southeastern edge of the Ocala National Forest, just outside the community of Paisley, Florida.
Lake Dorr Cabin is set along the south shore of beautiful Lake Dorr, ideal for a family getaway. The cabin is open year-round and creates a great setting for plenty of outdoor water fun.
Discover a dynamic barrier island shaped by dunes, coastal hammocks, and Mosquito Lagoon. Walk among ancient Timucua shell mounds and connect with thousands of years of human history.
Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1964 as a migratory bird refuge to offset losses of wetland habitat that were occurring in central Florida.
Alexander Springs Recreation Area is located in the Ocala National Forest near the beautiful, turquoise waters of Alexander Springs.
Buck Lake is a group camping facility in the heart of Ocala National Forest in Florida. Great for family reunions and social gatherings, the campground can host a group of up to 50 guests along the shores of Buck Lake.
Juniper Springs Campground is one of the most popular campgrounds in the Ocala National Forest. The location offers deeply shaded sites within walking distance of some of Florida's most beautiful natural springs.
Salt Springs Recreation Area is one the recreational jewels of the Ocala National Forest, with a spectacular natural mineral spring that gives the area its name.
Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is situated in the Indian River Lagoon estuary, which runs 156 miles down Florida’s eastern coastline.
Chassahowitzka NWR was established in 1943 for waterfowl conservation. The refuge protects saltwater bays, estuaries, brackish marshes, and hardwood swamps in Homosassa, FL.
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1983, is the only refuge created specifically for the protection of the threatened Florida manatee, a subspecies of the West Indian manatee.
The Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve encompasses approximately 55,000 acres of salt marsh and mangrove tidal wetlands, oyster bars, estuarine lagoons, upland habitat and offshore seas in Northeast Florida.
In May 1539, Conquistador Hernando de Soto’s army of soldiers, hired mercenaries, craftsmen, and clergy made landfall in Tampa Bay. They were met with fierce resistance of indigenous people protecting their homelands.
Egmont Key NWR was designated as a national wildlife refuge in 1974. Egmont Key is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a national wildlife refuge to protect the island’s diverse natural, cultural, and historical features.
St. Lucie Campground provides a relaxing camping experience on the St. Lucie Canal, part of the 152 mile Okeechobee Waterway that spans South Florida from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.
Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover to protect a breeding ground for colonial nesting migratory birds during a time when market hunters, desiring feathers for the ladies' apparel…
As lake, waterway and surrounding countryside, Okeechobee shows the many faces of Florida. A canopy of moss-draped live oaks hides clusters of sabal palms. A tangle of water plants marks the boundary where wetland meets lakeshore.
The refuge is bisected by 20 miles of the famous Suwannee River and includes 30 miles of coastal marsh habitat along the Gulf of Mexico.
Visitors flock to W.P. Franklin Campground for its well-kept facilities and location on the Caloosahatchee River, where campers can fish, boat and take it easy in sunny southwest Florida.
WP Franklin South Recreation Area is a day use area located on the Caloosahatchee River adjacent to the WP Franklin Lock and Dam.
The refuge was established by President Woodrow Wilson on July 1, 1920, through Executive Order 3299 as a ". . . preserve and breeding ground for native birds" upon the recommendation of Thomas and Mina Edison.
On the refuge, beaches and shores of the refuge provide loafing and feeding sites for shorebirds, gulls, and terns. The surrounding shallow bays provide valuable feeding areas for the wading and water birds.
The Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area (ONA) is part of the Bureau of Land Management’s 27-million acre National Conservation Lands; and the only complete unit east of the Mississippi River.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Orlando. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (Fish and Wildlife Service), about 37 miles east of Orlando as the crow flies. Next are Clearwater Lake Rec Area (38 mi) and Lake Dorr Cabin (40 mi).
Based on Orlando’s average highs, all year. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.