“For a stroll into one of Florida's primordial landscapes,” says Lonely Planet, head to the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, around 14 miles northeast of Fort Myers Beach. “This wildlife-filled preserve has a 1.2-mile boardwalk that runs past creeks and bayous, with cypress trees towering overhead and sun-dappled ferns flickering in the breeze.” And keep an eye out for great blue herons, redheaded woodpeckers and snowy white egrets, while “in the water you might also see turtles, otters and alligators, with iridescent dragonflies zigzagging past.”
The slough is “a means of north-south travel for panthers and bears,” notes Ann Martin at Matador Network. And for adventurous wanderers, reserve a spot on one of the preserve’s summer wet walks, “which take hikers off the boardwalk and into the slough itself. You’ll need balance, along with long pants and shoes that tie up tight.” It’s an “accessible and family-friendly option for nature exploration,” recommends Claire Bullen at Virgin Atlantic.