#camping

We spent two days at the campgrounds at Hillsborough State Park. This involved close encounters with armadillos and alligators. We also got the opportunity to get up and close to the beautiful and gentle manatees.

Established in 1963, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first undersea park in the United States. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, cover approximately 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. We had the chance to spend a couple of days exploring this wonderful place in winter (a good time to go!)