I woke up early and ready for a new day of exploration. I pulled up to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park as soon as the gate opened. The good thing about being at the park when it first opens is that no one else is really around so I had the park all to myself. The bad thing is that no one else is really around so most things are not opened.
There were three small nature trails at the park and I hiked each of them. I loved all of the natural landscapes and how many native plants were marked on all of the trails. I walked along the shoreline and realized I had been to the park once before, many years prior. It looked exactly the same. I played by the cannon and then I meandered over by the marina. I followed an unmarked path to the mangroves and hung out there for a while.
I walked towards the visitor center but found it was still closed. I was a little bummed out because I was very interested in taking the glass bottom boat tour but it was just too early in the day. You can also take a snorkeling or scuba tour and see all of the aquatic animals up close. If you don’t want to get in the water, you can always visit the aquarium in the visitor center.
Another great way to enjoy the park is on a kayak. I was not ready for that, just yet, so I went over to the docks and enjoyed watching a couple of people paddle in the mangroves. The park was very enjoyable and really does have something for everyone.
Before you visit, make sure you check out the parks website for all of the up-to-date park information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park
