Jenna’s Journey: From Parks to Purpose
Born and raised in Orlando, Florida, Jenna Workman has spent most of her life exploring the beauty and diversity of the Sunshine State. What began as a personal challenge in 2016 — to visit every Florida State Park in one year — soon became the adventure that changed her life.
Using her birthday money to purchase an annual park pass, Jenna set out on a mission to experience all the parks within 365 days. Along the way, she began documenting her travels through a blog, Jenna’s Journeys, capturing the stunning landscapes, wildlife, and hidden treasures of Florida’s natural spaces. What started as a simple goal turned into something much more meaningful — a journey of transformation, self-discovery, and a deep connection with nature.
Most of her explorations were solo or shared with her loyal travel companion, Casey. Weekends, vacations, and every bit of PTO were spent chasing trails, rivers, and coastlines across the state. In the process, Jenna not only accomplished her goal but also found a new calling — to inspire others to get outside, connect with nature, and experience the joy and peace it brings.
Her blog eventually inspired a book, Florida State Parking: A City Girl’s Exploration of the Great Outdoors, which chronicles her adventures and the lessons she learned along the way. The project, years in the making, celebrates how one woman’s quest to see it all became a story of courage, growth, and gratitude.
When she’s not exploring Florida’s great outdoors, Jenna pours her love of nature into her business, Fairy Tale Gardens, where she helps take the fear out of gardening. Through her popular Container Garden Classes, hosted at local businesses and community events, she shows others how rewarding it can be to grow their own little piece of paradise. She also designs and maintains gardens throughout DeLand and the surrounding Central Florida area.
Whether through her gardening workshops or her travel storytelling, Jenna’s mission remains the same — to help others reconnect with the natural world and discover just how life-changing that connection can be.
Follow her adventures at jennaworkman.com and learn more about her gardening journey at fairytalegardensbyjenna.com.
Florida State Parking
A City Girl’s Exploration of the Great Outdoors
Check out Jenna’s Latest Blog Posts
Ybor City Museum State Park
Ybor was a city I had been to a few times before; once for the night life and one other time in the day. It just so happened Saturday was a great day to visit there. I arrived right when the museum opened so I gave them some time to settle in as I looked around the...
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park
Heading to Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, I was expecting to find a place in water but it was the opposite. The nice looking ranger handed me a guide and I went on my way, touring all over the quarry, learning about all of the events that use to took...
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park
Wes Skiles Peacock State Park had 2 springs and many sinkholes. In fact, that whole region of the state had many sinkholes! When Andrew & I arrived, we drove to the furthest spot back and figured we would just work our way up to the front. We walked to Peacock...