Fodor's Expert Review Wekiwa Springs State Park

Wekiva is a Creek word meaning "flowing water," and wekiwa means "spring of water," so the different spellings you might see are both correct. Regardless, this 7,000-acre state park is, indeed, well suited to swimming, canoeing, and fishing (license required), as well as hiking, cycling, riding, picnicking, and camping. The area is also full of Florida wildlife: otters, raccoons, alligators, bobcats, deer, turtles, birds, and bears.

Park canoe or kayak rentals cost $35 for two hours, and trips can range from a simple paddle around a lagoon where you can observe a colony of water turtles to a full-day excursion through less-congested stretches of the river. Some of the park's 60 campsites are "canoe sites" accessible only via the river; others are "trail sites," that require hiking a good bit of the park's 13½-mile trail to reach them. Most sites, however, are for the less hardy—you can drive right up to them, and they have electric and water hookups.