Whether you choose the indoor or outdoor tour, wrap up your day by exploring the Quarter and the Pier along St. Petersburg's waterfront. For fine Spanish cuisine, try the Columbia restaurant overlooking the bay. Today is your day to learn about Florida in its natural state. Head first to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, where visitors trace a drop of water from its source underground to the sea. Injured and sick manatees are nursed back to health at the zoo's Manatee and Aquatic Center.
Visitors are welcome to watch the odd-looking creatures move gracefully through the water.
Now that you've gotten a little background, it's time to explore nature on your own. Just outside Tampa, Canoe Escape takes you down the Hillsborough River through a cypress swamp filled with wildlife. Bird-watchers get a special treat. Other animals often spotted are otters, wild turkey, deer and alligators, though Faulk said the gators here still fear humans and don't bother the canoeists. If you'd rather explore the bay environment, head to Fort De Soto Park in St. Petersburg and take a kayak through a self-guided water trail past birds and mangroves.