Birding

Loxahatchee protects the northernmost remnant of the Everglades system, and it delivers the same wildlife as the national park without the two-hour drive from Palm Beach. The Cypress Swamp Boardwalk is a shaded half-mile loop through a genuine cypress dome, and the Marsh Trail runs out over impoundments where herons, egrets, purple gallinules and alligators are all routine sightings from the levee. A canoe trail runs through the marsh for those with their own boat. It is quiet, cheap and easy with young children, and the visitor centre is worth twenty minutes.

Guánica is the largest and best preserved subtropical dry forest anywhere, and it is a startling contrast to El Yunque three hours east: cactus, thorn scrub, bare limestone and relentless sun instead of rain and tree ferns. It holds bird species found nowhere else on the island. Several trails run from the road down to the coast, ending at small empty beaches; the Ballena trail is a straightforward option with children. There is no water and almost no shade on the trails, which is the thing to plan around - start early and carry more water than seems necessary.

Curry Hammock has the calmest paddling water in the Keys - a shallow protected bay where the bottom is visible the whole way and there is nowhere for a novice to get into trouble. Boats are available at the launch, but not from the park - a third-party self-serve kiosk runs on a QR code and a smartphone, so have signal and a card. The beach is small and rarely crowded, which is the trade for it being less spectacular than Bahia Honda. In autumn the park hosts a raptor migration count, and on a good October day thousands of hawks and falcons funnel down the Keys directly overhead. The campground is one of the harder Florida reservations to get.

Honeymoon Island is the accessible half of the pair - you drive straight onto it, park next to the sand, and the water is shallow and calm enough for small children. Shelling here is unusually good, especially after a winter front pushes material up the beach. The Osprey Trail runs through one of the last virgin slash pine stands on the coast and has active nests visible from the path most of the spring. There is a separate dog beach at the south end where dogs swim off-lead, which is rare in Florida state parks. The ferry to Caladesi leaves from here.

Ding Darling is a bird refuge you can experience from the car, which matters with young children or in August heat. Wildlife Drive runs four miles through mangrove wetland, and on a falling tide the mudflats fill with roseate spoonbills, wood storks, herons and hundreds of white ibis feeding within photographing distance of the pull-outs. Alligators and the occasional manatee turn up in the channels. Kayak trails run through the mangroves and a narrated tram covers the drive. The whole refuge - drive, Indigo Trail and centre - closes every Friday. Hurricane Ian recovery is still going: the Visitor and Education Center has been shut for construction since late July, so treat the drive itself as the visit.

Myakka has two things nowhere else in the state park system has. The first is a canopy walkway - a suspension bridge strung eighty-five feet up through oak and palm, with a tower above it that puts you over the treetops. The second is the lake, shallow and full of alligators, crossed by large flat-bottomed airboats that run as narrated tours. Around them are 37,000 acres of prairie and hammock, a birdwalk out over the marsh, kayak rentals and a campground. The weir at the lake outflow is a reliable spot to see a dozen alligators at once in the dry season.

The Anhinga Trail is the single best half mile of wildlife watching in Florida and it takes under an hour with a stroller. The boardwalk runs over Taylor Slough, a permanent water hole that in the dry season becomes the only water for miles - so alligators stack up in it, anhingas dry their wings on the rails, herons stalk the edges and soft-shell turtles cruise underneath. Everything is visible from a safe boardwalk at close range, which makes it work for toddlers who cannot walk far. Vultures are known for damaging car rubber in the lot; the park supplies tarps.

The eastern end of St. George Island is state park, which means nine miles of dune and beach with no buildings at all. Walk ten minutes from the parking area and you will have sand to yourself even in July, which is the opposite of most Florida beaches in summer. The Gulf side has gentle surf; the bay side is flat and warm and better for toddlers. Shelling is very good, particularly after a storm. Facilities are limited to a few pavilions and restrooms, and the nearest shop is back across the bridge, so this is a pack-everything destination.

A small first-come campground at 6,800 feet in Haleakala National Park, in an experimental forest planted with pine, cedar and eucalyptus that smells nothing like the rest of Maui. The practical reason families camp here is sunrise: you are already above 6,800 feet, so the 3am drive up from sea level in the dark becomes a fifteen-minute one. The nature trail behind the campground is one of the better spots on Maui to see native honeycreepers. Nights are near freezing, which catches most visitors off guard.

A quieter western Hill Country park where the spring-fed South Llano runs clear and shallow enough for young kids to wade across most of the year. The campground has water-and-electric sites plus walk-in tent sites, and four bird blinds make it one of the best beginner birding parks in Texas. An old-growth pecan bottom along the river closes seasonally as a wild turkey roost, which is exactly the kind of detail kids remember. It is far enough west to be a genuine dark-sky destination.

An easy half-mile loop trail through a unique forest of native and non-native trees inside Haleakala National Park at 6,800 feet elevation. The shady trail is perfect for families with young kids and the interpretive signs teach about the different tree species planted here as a reforestation experiment in the early 1900s. Native birds including the endangered Hawaiian goose (nene) are often spotted. The adjacent campground is free and a great base for exploring the summit. The cooler mountain air is a refreshing change from the coast.

A federal wildlife refuge protecting endangered golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos where a morning hike during spring is one of the genuinely magical free experiences near Austin. Kids can pick up a Junior Ranger booklet at the Doeskin Ranch visitor center and work through wildlife observation challenges on the trail. The 0.4-mile Pond and Prairie trail is flat and manageable for very young children with excellent butterfly and wildflower sightings in spring. Warbler Vista adds another easy loop where older kids can scan the cedar-juniper hillsides for the distinctive black-and-yellow warbler with binoculars.

The winter home of the endangered whooping crane and one of the most important wildlife refuges on the Texas coast. The 16-mile auto loop lets families drive through diverse coastal habitats spotting deer and javelinas along the way. The observation tower at the end of the Heron Flats Trail gives sweeping views over the salt marsh where whooping cranes feed. Inside the visitor center kids can earn Junior Refuge Manager badges.

A 44,000-acre coastal prairie refuge south of Houston that is one of the best birding spots in the country. The auto tour loop lets families spot hundreds of bird species from the car which is perfect for younger kids with short attention spans. Alligators are commonly seen basking alongside the road and the observation platforms give elevated views over freshwater marshes. The annual Christmas Bird Count here is legendary.

Galveston Island State Park offers a rare two-in-one coastal experience: the Gulf side gives you classic beach camping and swimming, while the bay side opens up a world of kayak trails, birding, and coastal wetland exploration. It’s one of the most family-friendly beach camping destinations on the Texas coast. Beach side (Gulf): The beach-side campground puts your tent or RV steps from the sand. Kids can swim, build sandcastles, and hunt for shells without crossing any roads. The beach is wide and relatively uncrowded compared to Galveston’s commercial beaches. Dawn and dusk are the best times for spotting dolphins offshore. ...

A coastal state park on Aransas Bay famous for the Big Tree, a live oak estimated to be over 1,000 years old that kids find genuinely impressive. The bay side offers excellent wade fishing in warm shallow water and the park is a prime launch point for birding boat tours to see endangered whooping cranes in winter. Waterfront campsites with bay views and constant sea breezes make summer camping more comfortable than inland parks.

A beautifully designed wetland preserve southeast of Dallas where kids can walk boardwalks over marshes teeming with herons and turtles. The visitor center has interactive exhibits about wetland ecology and water conservation. Guided bird walks and nature programs rotate seasonally and the staff is excellent at engaging younger visitors.

A charming CCC-era park with a small lake surrounded by limestone bluffs and juniper forest. Kids can fish from the shore or rent paddleboats and the Bosque Trail loops through varied terrain with creek crossings that are fun to navigate. The screened shelters are a comfortable camping option for families not ready for full tent camping. Birders come here specifically for the endangered golden-cheeked warbler in spring.

The tilted limestone slabs of the Pedernales River falls create a landscape that looks like another planet and kids are mesmerized by the rushing water carving through layered rock. A designated swimming area downstream offers safe wading and splashing when water levels cooperate. Over 10 miles of trails wind through Hill Country terrain and the bird creek trail is excellent for wildlife viewing.

A unique coastal park where Gulf beach meets freshwater marsh creating one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the Texas coast. The Gambusia Nature Trail is a boardwalk through the marsh where kids can spot alligators and dozens of bird species. The beach side offers open Gulf swimming and the marsh unit has a 4.5-mile paddling trail through channels teeming with wildlife. It is one of the least visited state parks which means you often have the beach to yourself.