Enjoy the outdoors this summer at a state park for free by checking out a Real Florida Reader Day Pass with your standard library card. A total of 23 passes were given to Alachua County Library District by Florida State Parks to distribute to all 12 locations, so you'll want to act quickly before they're all checked out. You can view our catalog to see if any are left at your local library, but they cannot be reserved ahead of time. A pass will provide Alachua County residents with free access to almost 200 state parks in Florida.
Not sure where to go? Check out our travel guides further below and don't forget to checkout additional books and materials for your trip or download from our digital collection ahead of time!
Here are the highlights of the Real Florida Reader Day Pass:
- Only Alachua County residents are eligible
- Only one may be checked out at a time, cannot be reserved/placed on hold
- Checkout out period is 7 days, no renewals allowed
- Must be returned to the same checkout location
- Good for one vehicle, up to 8 people
- For day use access only
- Valid through Sept. 12, 2022
- Does not include:
- Camping or any other fees
- Entry to federal parks, national forests or national wildlife refuges
- Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife, Skyway Pier, and Weeki Wachee Springs state parks
The Real Florida Reader is a statewide collaboration between Florida State Parks and the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services to encourage visitation to libraries and parks this summer.
Florida : off the beaten path : discover your fun
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"Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different, Florida Off the Beaten Path shows you the Sunshine State with new perspectives on timeless destinations and introduces you to those you never knew existed--from the best in local dining to quirky cultural tidbits to hidden attractions, unique finds, and unusual locales. So if you've "been there, done that" one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path."
50 hikes in central Florida : walks, hikes, and backpacking trips in the heart of the Florida peninsula
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"Florida’s landscape is a marvel of diversity, and Central Florida is its pinnacle. Footpaths range throughsalt marshes, river floodplains, and along coastaldunes and beaches. Trails pass through desert-likescrub islands, jungle-like hydric hammocks, anddeep, dark bayous. There’s no better way to take inthis natural world than by walking it.Ranging from 1 to 43 miles in length, each hikeincludes mile-by-mile directions, a topographic map,and information on hike duration, mileage, and trailconditions. This new edition includes 20 new placesto explore, from hidden urban gems like the CircleBar B Ranch in Lakeland and Ponce Preserve in Daytona Beach to the quiet rural landscapes of CatfishCreek State Park and Chinsegut Hill. Old standardslike Tenoroc, Disney Wilderness Preserve, and SilverRiver State Park have been revisited and updated tokeep you informed of changes in their trail systems." - (Norton Pub)
Backroads & byways of Florida : drives, day trips & weekend excursions
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"For those who enjoy the journey as much as the destination, this book is organized into chapters that range from day trips to weeklong excursions. Exploring Florida's less traveled regions, this guide has something of interest for everyone—the historian, the naturalist, the scientist, the mystic, the beach-lover, the gourmand, and the child in all of us. Traveler's tips provide expert insight into the state's true must-sees.Backroads & Byways of Florida is the shortest route a visitor can take to exploring like a native and for natives to delve more deeply into the history and magic of their home state." - (WW Norton)
Canoeing & kayaking Florida
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"Completely updated yet again, the latest edition of Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is the most comprehensive guide to the best of Florida's unique streams, springs, creeks, and rivers. Engaging and concise, yet filled with carefully selected details vital to any successful Florida paddling adventure, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida spares readers encyclopedic fluff in favor of practical, no-nonsense information. With expanded regional maps and revised river maps, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida is simply the best and most informative Florida paddling guide available.
Several new paddling destinations have been added to this latest edition, including waterways like Shingle Creek, where a swift stream swishes through a cypress forest. Then there's quiet coastal Shell Creek and the mighty Apalachicola River, a big water destination with big sandbars, big hills, and a fast current compared to more intimate Florida waterways. Still other new streams await your arrival.
For over 30 years, Canoeing & Kayaking Florida has provided the essential information needed to paddle the waterways of Florida. Paddling has grown steadily in Florida due in part to this excellent guidebook, the establishment of paddling clubs, the positioning of outfitters on rivers, and population growth. The rise in the use of recreational kayaks has also led to the rebirth of paddling's popularity. Let Canoeing & Kayaking Florida be your guide to the paddling possibilities in the Sunshine State."
- (Perseus Publishing)