Places to Shoot: Over 100 Miles

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

Black Point Wildlife Drive provides the opportunity to photograph many shore birds, water birds and other local bird species. The habits of the refuge include wetlands (both salt and fresh water), upland shrubland, wetland forest, mesic and upland forest, and beach and dune. There is also a visitor’s center.
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Viera Wetlands

Similar to the Black Point Wildlife Drive, the berms created to support the Viera Wetlands are unpaved and one-way with a posted speed limit of 10 mph. Unlike Black Point Wildlife Drive, this area consists of only approximately 200 acres and can be toured by automobile in less than 30 minutes. Within this relatively small area, you will encounter a collection of birds and other wildlife which would require hours of travel along the Black Point Wildlife Drive.
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Tallahassee

• Florida Historic Capitol Museum

• Florida State Capitol

• Florida Supreme Court

• Museum of Florida History

• Tallahassee Museum

Fort De Soto Park (St. Petersburg)

Fort De Soto is located in the southwest corner of Mullet Key, at the entrance to Tampa Bay. The entire island is now Fort De Soto Park, a Pinellas county park which offers fine beaches, fishing, nature trails, camping, boating, and much more.

Many photography opportunities including shore birds, the fort and nature.
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J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island)

Open every day but CLOSED FRIDAYS, come drive, hike, or bike through the 4-mile Wildlife Drive. There are three trails that can be accessed from Wildlife Drive: Indigo Trail and the Wildlife Education Boardwalk (4 miles round trip), Shellmound Trail, and Wulfert Keys Trail. Common sightings include a large variety of waterbirds and shorebirds especially during the winter months, as well as raccoons, alligators, marsh rabbits and occasionally otters and bobcats. Fees apply to Wildlife Drive and the Indigo Trail.
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Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve (Fort Myers)

The Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve is over 3,500 acres of wetland ecosystem with a Boardwalk trail and Interpretive Center. The cypress slough catches and slowly filters rainwater on its way towards Estero Bay. A myriad of animals like otters, alligators, turtles, wading birds, and more live at the Slough year-round. Others, like migrating birds and butterflies, use the Slough as a feeding area or a winter home.
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The Ringling (Sarasota)

The circus museum has a 44,000 piece circus model and a the Greatest Show on Earth Mural. The Museum of Art has an extraordinary collection of art and beautiful courtyard. The Ca’d’Zan mansion was the home of the circus king and his wife. The Bayfront Gardens has majestic Banyan trees.
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Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (Naples)

Located about 30 minutes east of Naples, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is home to hundreds of alligators, otters, white-tailed deer, and red-bellied turtles. A wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the fabulous Painted Bunting can be seen throughout the year. Photo opportunities are available at every turn of the boardwalk trail. (Near Bird Rookery Swamp)
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Bird Rookery Swamp - Crew Land & Water Trust (Naples)

The CREW Bird Rookery Swamp provides a place for hikers to immerse themselves in the Big Cypress Swamp without getting their feet wet. Just in a visit to the trailhead you’ll see abundant wildlife in the surrounding waterways, from ibis and wood storks to green herons and the ubiquitous alligators. Near Corkscrew Swamp.
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White Oak (Yulee)

Located on the banks of the St. Marys River, 30 miles north of Jacksonville, Florida, White Oak encompasses more than 17,000 acres of hardwood hammocks, pine forest, and tidal wetlands. White Oak is well known in the conservation and zoo communities for their rhinoceros, cheetah, antelope, and okapi (a rare giraffe relative) programs, and for their support of conservation in Africa, Asia, and the United States.
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Butterfly World (Coconut Creek)

The world’s largest butterfly park, home to more than 20,000 live butterflies from every corner of the globe. Hundreds of exotic birds in the 6 Free-Flight Aviaries. Waterfalls, botanical gardens, passion vines, and roses complete the natural habitat.
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Wakodahatchee Wetlands and Green Cay (Del Ray)

The Wakodahatchee Wetlands is located in Del Ray, FL. The 3/4 mile boardwalk has interpretive signage as well as gazebos with benches along the way. This site offers many opportunities to observe birds in their natural habitats. Over 178 bird species have been identified there, along with turtles, alligators, rabbits, fish, frogs and raccoons.

It took a few years for Green Cay to catch up with Wakodahatchee, but now its 1.5-mile boardwalk also attracts an impressive variety of birds and other wildlife. 
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Wynwood Walls (Miami)

The Wynwood Walls has brought the world’s greatest artists working in the graffiti and street art genre on over 80,000 square feet of walls.
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Art Deco District (Miami South Beach)

The one-mile-square Art Deco District has more than 400 restored Art Deco buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places–most of them hotels, retro bars, cafes, apartment buildings and galleries.
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Lion Country Safari (near West Palm Beach)

Florida’s largest drive-through safari and walk-through amusement park has over 1000 animals. Animal displays and encounters, animal feeding experiences, 5 rides, water sprayground, food, shopping and more.
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Monkey Jungle (Miami)

Monkey Jungle is a unique wildlife park and discovery center established in 1935 in a natural subtropical forest in southern Miami-Dade County. The Jungle wildlife live here much as they would in their native habitats. Visitors, students and scientists experience up close animal encounters with these amazing creatures in Miami’s natural 30-acre Jungle park.
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Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory

Walk through a magical and inviting environment filled with hundreds of the most beautiful winged creatures in nature. During your breathtaking journey you will experience an impressive collection of flowering plants, colorful birds, cascading waterfalls and trees that set the stage for the “flowers of the sky.” Witness a variety of some 50 to 60 butterfly species from around the world, along with over 20 exotic bird species, all under a climate- controlled, glass enclosed habitat.
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