Camping on the Gulf Coast

Many of the less-developed beaches on the Gulf Coast can be found along its northern reaches, and much of this part of the state is preserved and protected by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's wildlife management area program. The area is also a great place to spot manatees, especially in spots such as the aptly named Manatee Springs State Park.

The central part of the Gulf Coast gets plenty of tourists, particularly in popular cities such as Tampa and Sarasota. Fort Myers is another hot spot, providing easy access to beautiful natural areas such as the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge.

You'll find some of the prettiest natural areas in the state at the southern end of Florida’s Gulf Coast, from the Cape Romano - Ten Thousand Islands Aquatic Preserve near Naples to the massive Everglades National Park. At the far end of the state, the Florida Keys feature a mix of developed areas and protected natural spots, including the Great Heron National Wildlife Reserve, where sea birds and turtles flock en masse, to the National Key Deer Refuge which, as the name suggests, protects endemic Key deer.