You and your Toyota were never meant to sit around sticking to the 9-to-5 workday commute — you know the most satisfying thing you could do would be to hop behind the wheel and head off on an adventure.
It's understandable. A Toyota is a dependable, comfortable road trip companion like no other. And if you're in the mood for something a bit eccentric, there's far more to Florida than beaches and theme parks. The Sunshine State is full of off-the-beaten-path wonders that will captivate your mind and make you see the state in a whole new light.
Below are five places in Florida you and your Toyota can enjoy together.
Neptune Memorial Reef — Key Biscayne
If the phrase "underwater city for the dead" doesn't make you stroke your chin, what will? This underwater cemetery rests about three miles off the Key Biscayne coast and 40 feet down in the sparkling blue waters of the Atlantic. It contains massive gates, concrete "ruins," and old stone roads meant to emulate the lost city of Atlantis. Work on the reef was completed in 2007 and has become a favored diving destination.
Neptune Memorial Reef gives you the chance to explore underwater structures and hang out with dolphins and fish at the same time. (Image credit: AbhiSuryawanshi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
You can explore this 16-acre underwater city by signing up with a local dive boat. You'll notice the enormous diversity of marine life in this underwater treasure, and that's no accident; the cemetery was designed to double as a coral reef where ocean wildlife could thrive.
Dry Tortugas — Key West
If you and your Toyota are all the way down to the southern end of Florida, it would be a crying shame to miss the Dry Tortugas. These tiny islands sit around 70 miles west of Key West and were discovered by Ponce de Leon, who named them ("dry" because of the complete lack of freshwater and "tortugas" due to the high number of sea turtles inhabiting them).
There's far too much intrigue to go into here, but the following are some highlights of what you'll see in the Dry Tortugas:
- Hundreds of shipwrecks — the place was a magnet for tender ship hulls
- Tons of old maritime treasures like cannons, glassware, and more
- Fort Jefferson, a never-completed brick naval station built in the mid-1800s to fight pirates
- The story of Dr. Mudd, who was interned here after accusations as an accomplice in the assassination of Lincoln
Fort Jefferson at Dry Tortugas National Park is the largest brick masonry structure in the United States, stretching over 16 acres and made with more than 16 million bricks.
There's more, too — but why spoil the surprise? Come check out one of the country's least accessible and least visited national parks. Get here by driving to Key West, and then you'll need to take the ferry, book a seaplane, or charter a boat to get to the Dry Tortugas.
Manatee Springs — Chiefland
One of the most spectacular sights in the entire peninsula lies just west of the unassuming town of Chiefland. Here you'll find Manatee Springs, an inland clearwater spring off the Suwannee River where wild manatees come to keep warm during the winter. You'll experience crystal-clear waters that stay at 72°F year-round, though swimming is only allowed during the summertime to allow them space to feed.
Beneath this clear blue water, manatees bump into each other – and maybe even into you!
You'll likely spot alligators and bass poking around the waters. Rent a kayak, and you may even get a personal visit from a manatee — they're famously friendly with visitors and might be eager to be petted.
The Devil's Millhopper — Gainesville
Anyone in Florida will be no stranger to the mention of sinkholes. One of the most incredible examples to ever befall — or fall through — the Sunshine State is The Devil's Millhopper. This state park features a giant sinkhole 500 feet wide and a staggering 120 feet deep. A set of wooden steps leads visitors down to the bottom of it.
The staircase has 132 steps leading you down to the bottom of the sinkhole. (Image credit: Todd Van Hoosear, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr)
Here's where things get really strange. The temperature at the bottom of the pit is significantly cooler than the temperatures above, leading to an entirely different microclimate below. You will be descending into a rainforest where a cool misty atmosphere keeps the lush vegetation protected from the heat above. You'll also encounter a ton of old animal bones at the bottom of the pit — it seems they may have been unable to escape (though don't worry, you'll get out just fine).
Seacrest Wolf Preserve — Chipley
If the call of the wild is too much to resist, load up your Toyota and head to Chipley. Here rests the Seacrest Wolf Preserve, a 400-acre fenced-in haven for wolves. The wolves include large timber wolves and Arctic wolves, both of which move around in packs and hunt within the confines of the preserve.
Seacrest Wolf Preserve is one of the only places in the Southeast where you can learn about wolves hands-on instead of from a distance. (Image credit: Karsun Designs, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr)
A two-and-a-half-hour tour lets you interact with the wolves, and you'll come away with a whole new appreciation of why the environment needs these fantastic creatures to thrive. This preserve is one of the only places on Earth where you'll be allowed to pet a timber wolf — it's worth the admission fee and the drive!
Enjoy Florida in Your Toyota
No matter where you go, Florida's got something a little off-kilter to delight you. And your Toyota is waiting eagerly to join you on the journey — so buckle up and enjoy a smooth ride across the Sunshine State!