Ocala National Forest, Florida

We’re hikers, we’re campers, we’re never leaving the Ocala National Forest! Okay, maybe that’s not exactly how the old camp song goes, but that’s definitely how we feel about the 400K acres of recreational paradise in central Florida. Over 100 miles of nature trails twist through the forest, and depending on where you choose to hike you could be getting friendly with palmettos and pines, majestic old oak trees, or the sandy shores of sparkling lakes. If you’re ready to take it up a notch — or perhaps more accurately, a gear — speed on over to Ocala Forest’s OHV trails, where you can swerve your dirt bike or ATV through 100 miles of dusty paths. Rinse off in one of the forest’s crystal clear springs; you have four to choose from. We’re partial to Juniper Springs, who’s hundreds of tiny springs bubbling up through the crevasses below guarantee it’s the freshest of the fresh — but on a sweaty Florida day any spring will feel ahh-mazing. There’s also opportunities for biking, canoeing, fishing, stargazing … we could go on, but honestly? You should probably just check out this frickin’ fantastic forest for yourself.