Day 1. First stop was Manatee Springs State Park on the Suwannee River, near Chiefland.
Currently, the Suwannee water is colder than Manatee Springs, so the manatees
are mostly hanging out in the springs. We did see one that was headed out to the
Suwannee, testing the waters, perhaps. We spent the night in Chiefland.
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Day 2a. We left Chiefland early in the morning. Our first stop was Wakulla Springs State Park,
where we took a tour boat ride. Saw several alligators and birds.
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Day 2b. We reached Marianna in the early afternoon, checked into a motel, then visited nearby
Florida Caverns State Park. We didn't do the caverns, but instead took a nature trail
that led us through woods filled with Appalachian wildflowers (trilliums, columbines, etc.).
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Day 3. Early in the morning, we visited Falling Waters State Park, about 10 miles west
of Marianna. The water was flowing in the 73-ft waterfall. A bit of water was also falling
from the sky. We then headed south and landed back in Chiefland for the night.
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Day 4. We drove through the Ocala National Forest on our way home. First stop was a boat ramp
on the south shore of big Lake George. Second and final stop was Alexander Springs.
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