Hillsborough River State Park, Florida

Spend a day on the Hillsborough River and you’ll probably see more gators than people. Not that that’s a bad thing -- have you ever seen a baby gator? So cute. If you get your fill of ogling at the reptiles while cruising through class I and II rapids on the river, no worries, there’s plenty else to do at this state park. Hike or bike through more than seven miles of trails that wind through moss-fringed oaks, pines, and palmettos. If the weather’s hot enough (and this is Florida, so most of the time it is), check out the park’s pool and recharge with a hot dog at the nearby Pool Side Cafe (psst -- there’s free wifi at the cafe, so it’s a great chance to post your selfies from paddling the river). At the park concession, you can rent canoes, bikes, golf carts, and surreys -- old-timey four-wheeled bicycles built for two or four people. Some even come with canopies, so you’ll keep cool as you pedal beneath the hot Florida sun. And a visit to this park isn’t complete without a ranger-led tour of Fort Foster State Historic Site, a cool reconstructed fort from the Second Seminole War. Like we said, playing on the river itself is only the beginning at Hillsborough River State Park.