| What to do in Florida this Year | | | | range of bikes including tandems and |
| | | | accessories for children. Fort de Soto Park |
| Golf | | | | on the Pinellas Peninsula has a 7 mile |
| | | | recreation trail where visitors may run, |
| Florida is almost as well known for its golf | | | | bike, rollerblade or walk The Pinellas Trail |
| courses as it is theme parks and enthusiasts | | | | is a unique linear park covering 50 miles |
| will not be disappointed along the Gulf Coast | | | | from St Petersburg to Tarpon Spring with |
| - Florida boasts over 1,000 courses and there | | | | cycle and hiking paths Caloosahatchee |
| are over 80 in the Naples area alone! Many | | | | Regional Park, Alva offers a 10 mile looped |
| hotels have their own courses and there are | | | | mountain bike trail over rolling terrain with |
| numerous golfing communities where you'll | | | | the opportunity of spotting wild boar, deer |
| find private villas to rent. The courses are | | | | and gopher tortoises. Bike hire is available |
| open year-round but quietest during the | | | | in the park. Myakka River is one of Florida's |
| summer months from May through to October. | | | | largest State Parks with ample facilities for |
| | | | walking and cycling. There are seven miles of |
| Fishing | | | | flat, paved roads for cyclists as well as |
| | | | back-country dirt roads (depending on the |
| The beaches of Fort Myers and Sanibel are | | | | weather). Cycles can be hired in the park. |
| known as the "Tarpon capital of the world" | | | | Many of the parks which offer cycle tracks |
| and fisherman flock here every spring to fish | | | | have daylight hours of opening and |
| the Boca Grande Pass. The name of the game | | | | regulations including wearing a helmet so it |
| however is "Catch and Release" as there is a | | | | is always worth checking any local |
| 50$ state permit fee to kill a Tarpon. For | | | | restrictions at the park information centres |
| those interested in sea-fishing, there are | | | | or cycle hire shops before you set off. |
| many charters and fishing trips for all | | | | |
| levels of angler - these are available from | | | | Bird watching |
| all along the coast, including Marco Island, | | | | |
| Sarasota, Fort Myers Beach, Clearwater and | | | | Florida attracts "twitchers" from all over |
| Tarpon Springs. Try your hand at hooking | | | | the world, drawn by the vast array of |
| shark, barracuda, black fin tuna and Spanish | | | | migratory and resident birdlife.The South |
| and king mackerel. There are also miles of | | | | West Florida Birding Festival takes place on |
| shoreline, countless oyster bars and acres of | | | | the 19-21 January 2007 providing an excellent |
| sea grass beds that attract an abundance of | | | | opportunity to learn about the rich bird life |
| salt water fish. For the fresh water angler, | | | | of this region. There will be guided trips |
| Rotonda has miles of canals and numerous golf | | | | and expert presentations. Full details can be |
| course lakes offering some excellent bass and | | | | found on the Rookery Bay website (see below). |
| catfish. Other popular areas include the | | | | The estuaries, inlets, back-waters and |
| freshwater canals in Cape Coral and the | | | | country parks provide many bird-watching |
| Caloosahatchee River. Local freshwater fish | | | | opportunities along the Gulf Coast some of |
| include bass, crappie, blue gill and catfish. | | | | the most popular locations are listed here. |
| If you don't fancy bobbing about on the | | | | Pelican Man's Bird Sanctuary in Sarasota is |
| water, there are ample fishing opportunities | | | | one of the largest Wildlife Rescue & |
| from the piers and bridges. Popular spots in | | | | Rehabilitation Centers in the U.S., and home |
| the St Petersburg/Clearwater area include | | | | to over 70 species of Florida's native and |
| Long Pier at Redington Beach, Pier60, St | | | | migratory birds. The Rookery Bay mangrove |
| Petersburg Pier, Fort De Soto Park and The | | | | estuary, just south of Naples, is home to |
| Friendship Trail Park at Gandy Bridge for | | | | over 150species of birds including bald |
| Spanish mackerel, red drum, speckled trout | | | | eagles, ospreys, roseate spoonbills, black |
| and snook. | | | | skimmers, and least terns. The Sanibel |
| | | | Lighthouse at the eastern tip of the island |
| Canoeing & Kayaking | | | | is a prime viewing spot, particularly during |
| | | | the October migration. Birds spotted here |
| Many enthusiasts head for Rookery Bay | | | | include warblers and Peregrine falcons. The |
| National Estuarine Research Reserve, which | | | | Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve near Fort |
| encompasses 110,000 acres of uplands, | | | | Myers has a boardwalk trail and observation |
| islands, and estuaries from Gordon Pass at | | | | decks for visitors, where you can spy wild |
| Naples to Everglades National Park. There is | | | | turkeys, blue jay, herons and woodpeckers as |
| a visitor centre between Marco and Naples, | | | | well as a variety of other wildlife. Other |
| south of US 41 on Tower Road. Fort Myers | | | | visitors include bobcats, raccoons,deer and |
| Beach & Sanibel are also known for good | | | | squirrel. The "Ding" Darling National |
| kayaking - paddle through Pine Island's | | | | Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island is a |
| aquatic preserves for a good look at the | | | | hotspot for migratory bird populations and |
| local birdlife | | | | serves as a stopover for a number of species, |
| | | | including egrets and night herons. The |
| Cycling | | | | riverfront at Caloosahatchee Regional Park, |
| | | | Alva is home to blue egrets and great blue |
| Boca Ciega Millennium Park in Seminole, | | | | herons as well as a vast array of other local |
| Pinellas County has nature trails as well as | | | | wildlife and plant species. Honeymoon Island |
| pedestrian and cycle paths. Sanibel island | | | | State Recreation Area, Dunedin has an Osprey |
| offers 17 miles of protected cycle paths, | | | | trail for a rare glimpse of these magnificent |
| ideal for families. Local companies hire a | | | | birds in their natural habitat. |