Page 78 - Travel Guide to Florida 2020

CENTRAL FLORIDA

In Polk County, the Allen David Broussard
Catfish Creek Preserve State Park covers
more than 8,000 acres of scrub, sandhill and
flatwoods land.
Like fishing? In Osceola County, Lake
Tohopekaliga, known as Lake Toho, covers
22,700 acres, spans 42 miles in circumfer-
ence, and is a hotbed for bass.
Take the family waterskiing, wakeboarding,
wakeskating, wakesurfing and kneeboarding
at the Orlando Watersports Complex. A
short drive west, Lake Louisa in Clermont is
the largest in a chain of 13 lakes and is
designated an Outstanding Florida Water
Way. Grab a pole or canoe and relish in the
beauty of Lake County.
Excellent outdoor activities await north of
Orlando, including the Lake Apopka Loop
Trail, offering 15 miles of family biking where
the odds of seeing a ‘gator are fantastic. Want
to tube down a crystal-clear river fed by
natural springs? Located in Apopka, local
BOK TOWER GARDENS, LAKE WALES • VISIT CENTRAL FLORIDA
favorite Rock Springs Run at Kelly Park offers
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS panther. An elevated boardwalk traverses swimming, hiking trails, picnicking and
Whether nature-made or artificial, the cypress swamp where you may observe concessions.
Central Florida region is home to plenty of alligators, birds and other wildlife. Cycle the Visit Blue Spring State Park, home to
options for the family to cool off or explore. scenic three-mile loop drive or hike the hundreds of manatees, where the clear,
Sebring is home to 95 crystal-clear lakes park’s nine nature trails. Picnicking, 73-degree waters welcome swimmers,
and the Highlands Hammock State Park, one birdwatching, catch-and-release fishing and snorkelers and scuba divers. Picnic on the
of Florida’s oldest parks and a gem you must ranger-guided tours are other popular activi- beach or stay the night at the campground.
not miss. The park is renowned for its ties and a fully accessible tram tour allows In the Ocala National Forest, the southern-
beautiful old-growth hammock and visitors to view wildlife relatively up close. most forest in the United States, dozens of
thousand-year-old oaks. You may catch a Campers should check out the full-facility campgrounds and 600 lakes, rivers and
glimpse of a black bear and the Florida and the youth/group campgrounds. springs welcome visitors year-round.

5 MUST-SEE

ATTRACTIONS

1 HIGHLANDS HAMMOCK STATE PARK:
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/
Highlands-Hammock-state-park

2 LEGOLAND:
legoland.com/florida
3 SEAWORLD ORLANDO:
seaworld.com/orlando
4 UNIVERSAL ORLANDO RESORT:
universalorlando.com

5 WALT DISNEY WORLD:
disneyworld.disney.go.com

76 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA