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
Haw Creek Preserve State Park
Haw Creek Preserve State Park was only about 40 minutes from the house so after I got off of work, Quin and I headed over to our friend Bobby's and found the truck loaded up with kayaks. There was also another Bobby waiting in the truck, he was visiting from New York....
Egmont Key State Park
I love lighthouses so I was pretty excited to visit Egmont Key State Park. You can only get to the park by your own personal boat or a ferry. I went to Fort De Soto and purchased a ticket for a ferry ride to the key. I arrived a little early because I wasn't sure what...
Primitive Camping on Anclote Key
Quin and I had been talking about camping on Anclote Key for over a year and we finally made a date to do it. We decided to make this a group event for many reasons. One, we were not in the best place in our relationship so company was needed and two, we wanted to...