India, Dec. 27 -- Manatee Springs State Park feels like classic natural Florida-10,000 years of human history, winter-visiting manatees gliding up the Suwannee, and the steady rush of a first-magnitude spring releasing 100 million gallons of water each day. Set across 2,443 acres east of Chiefland, the park draws visitors for its clear swimming hole, cathedral-like cypress forest, and an 800-foot boardwalk overlooking the spring run.

"With opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, paddling, hiking, and biking, it's one of Florida's most activity-rich spring parks," says Catrina Sistrunk, tourism manager for the Levy County Visitors Bureau. "The well-marked trails and newly renovated bathhouses make exploring especially enjoya...