Adventure in Deland, Florida

I love the outdoors in Florida. If you are into adventure Florida is definitely where it’s at! From hiking to surfing, there is something for everyone. People always say, “Florida is too flat to hike, where are the mountains, the elevation.” Well, you don’t need elevation to have a beautiful day out on the trail. Florida has one of the largest state park systems in the US with more than 170 state parks that range from prairie lands to beaches, springs to swamps, and amazing oak and pine forests.

There are a lot of places to explore but some days I want to stick close to home in Deland. Deland has it all street fairs, sky diving, escape rooms, and vintage record shops. For me though, I love all of the outdoor activity options.

One of my favorite places to visit is Blue Spring State park. Located in Orange City, Blue Spring has a lot of options for outdoor exploring. There is everything from camping, and boat rides to kayaking the springs.

You can take a hike on the trails and see wildlife such as deer, raccoon, black bear, and various birds like the red-shouldered hawk, great egrets, and if you are lucky the elusive Florida Scrub Jay. The scrub jays are the only endemic bird to the state of Florida. They live in scrub and sandy habitats and unfortunately are declining in numbers because of the loss of their natural habitat. You may spot the scrub jay following you, and since they are very curious and friendly birds one may even land on your head or daypack.

One of the stars of the show at the park is the manatees. These gentle creatures make their way from the ocean to the St. Johns river and into the springs run in the park.

Manatees are close descendants of elephants. They live in the oceans, rivers, and springs and originate from the warmer waters of the Caribbean. Their main food source is mainly seagrass and a manatee can eat more than a tenth of its weight each day.

The best time to see the manatees at the park is during the winter months when they gather in the springs run to keep warm in the constant 72-degree waters.

After a long day in the park I head to my favorite Thai restaurant in downtown Deland called Oudomon Thai and Sushi. It’s the best Thai in the area. My friend Jacqie (thanks lady!) brought me here and I fell in love. The spot is small and always crowded but you can call ahead for a reservation. Their menu has a wide variety of dishes but I usually order the pineapple fried rice with tofu or shrimp, medium spice. It actually comes in a half pineapple and is delicious! Another menu I enjoy is the sushi, I only eat cooked rolls and my recommendations are the Hercules or the Cajun roll and of course, the seaweed salad and spicy garlic edamame have to be the appetizers.

The atmosphere is nice and they have an extensive alcohol menu, I’d recommend a glass of sake!

Another place I truly love is Deleon Springs State Park. My favorite things to do are rent a kayak and explore the park via water. There are more than 22k acres to check out! The springs back up to the Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge which has numerous lakes, and creeks to explore. I keep to the shallow sections and look for alligators and turtles sunning on downed tree logs. I’m not sure when I became fascinated with birds (maybe because Florida has over 500 species) but I am always on the lookout for eagles, herons, kingfishers, ospreys, and so many others.

If kayaking isn’t your thing, you can take an eco/history boat ride, go fishing ( search for info on the license fees), hike on one of the trails, swim, and even scuba dive in the depths of the springs, yes I said scuba dive! There is no lack of adventure at this park.

Once I’ve been on the water for a while, I’m ready to eat! One of the unique experiences at DeLeon Springs is the Old Sugar Mill Pancake house. The restaurant is a replica of the original sugar mill from the 1830s. It is a great place to have breakfast with friends or family. You sit down at your table and there is an electric griddle for you to cook your buttermilk pancakes (all you can eat!). You have a variety of toppings to choose from and they are SO good! I do highly recommend checking first to see what the wait times are because the restaurant fills up fast.

Well, there you have it! Two of my favorite outdoor spots to hang out in Deland. There are so many great things to do in Florida and you don’t have to travel far from home to find adventure. It’s right in your backyard, so to speak. Where do you like to go for adventure? Wherever it is, I hope you’re making your way outside and breathing in some fresh air. Okay my beautiful friends, catch ya later! Be safe. Be free and remember you are loved!