Oscar Scherer State Park, Florida

Mmm blueberries. Just one of the tasty treats that you’ll find among the scrubby flatwood pines at Oscar Scherer State Park. Other edible delights include wild grapes, persimmon and prickly pear cactus. Well, the last one might not taste quite as good, but you technically could eat it… provided you peel off all those pesky prickles. Plant delicacies aside, this 1,400-acre park laid out along South Creek, a blackwater stream feeding into the Gulf of Mexico, is a popular destination for canoers and kayakers. In the three-acre Lake Osprey, visitors will also get their fill of swimming or freshwater fishing, and be able to fry up their fresh catch on the grills set up along the banks of the creek. Park trails allow hikers and bikers the opportunity to uncover 15 miles of the bountiful, beautiful solitude that this park has to offer. Before heading out, stop by the butterfly observation area and check out the flashy designs on these winged wonders!