Florida is a big state with a lot to offer. There’s the spring break rituals in Ft. Lauderdale, Daytona and Panama Beach. The beautiful people and art deco masterpieces in South Beach. Disney’s megaplex in Orlando. The artists and writers of The Conch Republic, also known as Key West.

One often overlooked aspect of the state I make sure to enjoy is the bounty of nature. Bald eagles, egrets, herons, alligators, manatee, dolphins and panthers make Florida their home. For sure, increasing human population is a dangerous threat to pristine nature. Which makes it all the sweeter to visit places in the state that are hard to reach and therefore relatively untouched. The Ten Thousand Islands are such a place, as is Keewaydin, a barrier island between Naples and Marco Island. Keewaydin is accessible only by boat. There are homes, but very few. You can walk the beach and see no one. That’s a true joy in modern times.