Big Oak Dog and Horse Camping

If it's the horses that entice you to this spot, you'll definitely want to spend some time out on the trails of Goethe State Forest – the equestrian centre at Black Prong Resort (five minutes' drive) has trail rides for all abilities from beginners to experts, along with carriage rides that are particularly lovely for families with younger kids. You'll also want to see what's on at the World Equestrian Center (40 minutes) – show jumping and various performances are on the schedule alongside things like food and wine festivals. It can get pretty warm in Florida, so you may like to plan a couple of water activities too. There's some incredible snorkelling and diving in the underground caves at Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring (15 minutes) and cool spring water to swim in at Blue Springs Park (15 minutes). Rainbow Springs (35 minutes) has swimming and kayaking, and you can see coastal habitats at Crystal Rover Archaeological State Park (35 minutes). For a chilled outing, head to the colourful Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens (15 minutes); for something livelier see if you can catch a Florida Gators game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (45 minutes).