Collier-Seminole State Park, Florida

Take in all the swampy South Florida glory of Collier-Seminole State Park, perched on the edge of the Everglades. Glide beneath dense mangrove forests in your canoe (being careful not to bump into gators, of course), or take your bike for an off-road spin on the 3.5-mile bike trail. Pitch your tent beneath the glossy green leaves of royal palm trees -- rare in Florida, these trees are abundant in the park. And get a dose of history while hiking the park’s trails, where you’ll encounter one of the walking dredges used in the 1920s to construct the Tamiami Trail, a major highway that stretches from Miami to Tampa and opened up South Florida to visitors from farther north (so, basically, the rest of the U.S.). History, nature, and the occasional ice cream social hosted by park rangers? Collier-Seminole has got it all.