Koreshan State Park

Koreshan State Park is one of Southwest Florida's most surprising places. In 1894 a physician named Cyrus Teed brought followers to the banks of the Estero River to build a utopian community based on his belief system, Koreshanity, which included the idea that the earth is hollow and that humanity lives on the inside. The group built a small settlement with a bakery, a printing house, a general store, a generator building and homes, and many of those structures survive in the park today. A visit combines historical interest with natural beauty, since the buildings sit among oak hammocks, pine flatwoods and the slow-moving Estero River. It is not a theme park or a polished museum, and part of its charm is that the buildings stand quietly in the landscape while rangers and signs fill in the background.

Begin with the settlement area, where ranger-led or self-guided walks lead past the community's restored buildings and explain their original uses. The Art Hall, the Planetary Court and the founder's home give a sense of the group's ambitions, and the story of how a small band of believers tried to build a perfect city on the edge of a swamp is memorable and sometimes strange. Allow time to read the interpretive signs and to wander among the garden remnants and old trees.

The river is the park's other great attraction. Canoes and kayaks can be rented or launched here, and the Estero River offers a calm, shaded paddle with a good chance of seeing herons, turtles, ospreys and perhaps an alligator or a manatee. Trails wind through the hammocks and pine woods for hiking and birdwatching, and the park has a campground and picnic areas, so you can stay overnight or spend the day. Insects can be active, so bring repellent, particularly in summer, and keep hydrated in the heat.

If you tire of beaches and boats, Koreshan offers a calm and thoughtful change of pace, with a story that you are unlikely to hear anywhere else in Florida and a river that feels a world away from the highway.

If you have time for only one activity, make it the guided or self-guided walk around the settlement, then add a short paddle if conditions are good. Early visits tend to be quiet, and the park feels especially atmospheric when mist hangs over the river or when late sun slants through the oaks. Bring a picnic, since there are tables in shaded areas, and take your trash with you.

Children often enjoy the idea of a hidden community, so tell them the story before you arrive. Rangers and volunteers are generous with stories, so ask questions, and check the schedule for evening programs that make good use of the dark skies away from the coast.