Myriame’s Florida Gems

Are you familiar with the term “Hidden Gems”? This expression is used to designate places, often little-known or little-visited, but which are particularly beautiful or worthy of interest. So it was with a view to finding hidden gems that we set off for Florida one fine January morning.

Parenthesis: Jean-François and I work in biology with wildlife, more specifically amphibians and reptiles. Our work is a real passion, and it follows us on all our travels. So it’s no surprise that for us, the best hidden gems are those that involve natural spaces where wildlife thrives.

Our trip to Florida lasted a month. We slept in our Toyota Sienna, fitted out with the Roadloft kit. It was a month rich in emotions and wildlife discoveries. But I know the question on everyone’s lips is: did we find our hidden gems in Florida? A state that’s best known for its influx of heat-seekers, crowded cities and beaches. The answer is YES.

We soon noticed the high population density concentrated on the coasts. This made it hard to find natural spots and, above all, places to sleep for free. But there’s so much more to Florida than the coasts! It’s mainly inland that we found our gems, and we’d like to introduce you to two of them:

1- KISSIMMEE PRAIRIE PRESERVE STATE PARK
This park is a prime location for birdwatching. The scenery is breathtaking, and the tall grasses give the impression of an African savannah. What’s more, the sunsets are magnificent and you can even see the Milky Way, as there is no light pollution in the meadow.

2- LAKE WOODRUFF NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
We weren’t expecting anything from this place, but what a surprise! Walking along the water’s edge, you can see turtles, alligators and several species of birds. But the stars are undoubtedly the otters! You can see them moving in the water and even crossing the paths.

In fact, we’ve devoted an entire episode of our Vanlife in Florida series to these two locations. Check out the other episodes in the series for more “Hidden Gems” in Florida!

Myriame Tanguay, Roadlofter