Lake Manatee State Park

There may not be any actual manatees at Lake Manatee State Park, but who needs manatees when you’re in a hot spot for buried treasure? Perhaps inspired by the pirates that once trolled the Florida shores, there are allegedly 40 caches of goodies hidden throughout the park’s trail system. If you’ve got a smartphone and some wits about you, the bounty can be yours. Not interested in geocaching? There’s tons of other stuff to do. Nature trails take you through terrain of hardwood forests, depression marsh, pine flatwoods, and sand pine scrub. Play spot the wildlife along the way. Bikers can cruise along a paved winding path or explore over two miles of off-road trails. There’s swimming, excellent fishing, and 2,400 acres of freshwater lake to see by boat, kayak, or canoe. We’re pretty sure you’ll find some treasure, no matter how you decide to spend your time here.