Village Pines Campground

Around 10 minutes' drive will take you to spectacular Goethe State Forest, covering over 53,000 acres just north of Dunnellon. Hiking's the main outdoor activity here – access four trailheads on County Road 337 – and equestrian trails meander through pine plantations and along floodplain forests. Look out too for the Goethe Giant, one of Florida’s largest cypress trees at over 105 feet tall (and over 900 years old); take the half-mile Big Cypress Trail for info on the trees all around. In the other direction from Village Pines, the Waccasassa Bay Preserve State Park is another excellent outdoorsy option in this part of Florida, covering nearly 31,000 acres of salt marsh that's only available by boat. Access it from  County Road 40 in Yankeetown (10 minutes), for boat trips to spot a splendid selection of species such as alligators, black bears and manatees. And speaking of manatees... a must while you're in these parts is a swim with manatees in Crystal River, 20 minutes' away with a river adventure company. Plot a full day here, as the company can also arrange dolphin spotting trips, kayak rental, boat tours and snorkelling and houseboat tours. An off-road driving centre is less than a mile from the park.