Tallahassee’s Best Outdoors Activities – and Where to Store Your Gear

Florida’s capital, Tallahassee, might not be the largest city in the state, but it surely provides great quality of life. With around 200,000 residents, the city is big enough to have all the conveniences and the amenities we expect from a well-developed urban center. However, Tallahassee is still a world away from the noise and chaos of large metros – and it provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor fun.

If you just moved to the area, or you’re a more seasoned resident but didn’t have the time to explore its attractions so far, here are seven of the best outdoor activities you can enjoy around Tallahassee this summer.

1. Tallahassee – St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail

This 16-mile historic railroad corridor, no longer in use, has been paved and designated a National Recreation Trail. Running, walking, skating or biking on this trail allows visitors to appreciate the scenic beauty of the area. The trail also offers access to the exciting Munson Hills/Twilight Mountain Bike trails in the Apalachicola National Forest. Adjacent to the paved trail, there’s an unpaved one that allows horseback riding.

The terminus point of the trail is another treat – the coastal city of St. Marks awaits travelers with delicious seafood and opportunities for fishing.

2. Leon Sinks Geological Area

The Leon Sinks Geological Area, located just south of the Apalachicola National Forest, is a spectacular limestone karst landscape enhanced by water flowing in and out of the Swiss cheese holes formed in the soft rock. The area contains five miles of trails, allowing visitors to observe wet sinkholes, depressions, disappearing streams, caverns and natural bridges. It’s a great activity for a hot summer day, as you’ll mostly be in forested areas.

4. Capital Cascades Trail

This 6-mile-long urban greenway follows the course of a small creek called the St. Augustine Branch and it’s ideal for biking and walking. The adjacent Cascade Park features an amphitheater, children’s play areas, fountains, gathering spaces and art installations.

5. Elinor Klapp-Phipps Park

This 670-acre wild urban park provides a wide range of activities suitable for all group ages. It contains separate trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, with different degrees of difficulty. The park also contains ancient magnolia trees, huge tulip poplars and loblolly pines, and it’s carpeted with trillium plants that bloom spectacularly in late winter to early spring.

6. St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

This 68,000-acre refuge located just 20 miles from Tallahassee was established in 1931, making it one of the oldest wildlife refuges in the country. Here you can visit different types of coastal habitats, like saltwater marshes, estuaries and islands. It’s a hotspot for birding, as migratory birds fly here for wintering, but the area is also a habitat for many other animal species, including otters, racoons, black bears, amphibians, alligators and snakes. The wildlife refuge has numerous trails where visitors can admire the flora and the fauna, and it’s also open to both fresh and saltwater fishing all year long.

6. Hilaman Golf Course

Tallahassee is a well-known golfing destination, so residents have a wide range of options when it comes to golf courses. Among the most affordable and convenient ones is the municipal Hilaman Golf Course, located right in the heart of the city. The 18-hole course is suitable for all golfers, beginners or experienced.

7. Apalachicola National Forest

Apalachicola Forest, sprawling over almost 633,000 acres, is home to longleaf pine and wiregrass habitats that were otherwise wiped out from most of the Southeast due to human activities. The area offers access to numerous outdoor activities, from hiking, biking, boating and swimming to hunting, fishing and off-road ATV driving. You can also go camping if you want to truly immerse yourself in nature.

Here’s Where to Store Your Outdoor Sports Gear

Biking, boating, fishing, golfing, camping – there are so many exciting outdoor activities you can do around Tallahassee! However, how do you deal with all the gear? Storing your bikes, golf clubs, kayak, tent, climbing equipment, and so on, at home, all year round…. it’s impractical. All those items take up a lot of space. A better option is to rent a self storage unit in Tallahassee. To help you find the storage facility that suits all your needs, we selected some of the best ones in the city:

• Fort Knox Storage, 3244-A North Monroe Street

The storage facility offers a variety of unit sizes, starting with 5×5 lockers and going up to 10×50 and 20×30 ones. You can opt for climate-controlled or standard units. The facility is gated, and the security cameras help ensure that your items will be perfectly safe. The onsite manager can help you with all your storage needs. The facility also offers parking spots for customers and long-term RV parking. Prices start at around $40 for the small units and go up to $220 for large ones.

• Capital Business Center, 1851 South Monroe Street

This facility excels when it comes to unit sizes – you can pick between 30 different sizes, starting with the 5×5, 5×10 and 5×14 ones and going up to 18×20 and 20×30 spaces. The units can be climate-controlled or standard, and the prices start at $40 per month for a small unit and go up to $318 for large, 600-square-foot units. The onsite manager is available during business hours, should you need more information. The facility is gated and features security cameras.

• A Storage Solution – 2454 Centerville Road

You can opt between climate-controlled and standard storage units of various sizes, including 5×5, 5×10, 10×10, 10×20 and 10×30. The facility offers 24-hour access and drive-up access. There’s an onsite manager who can provide information and help. Prices start at around $40 per month and go up to $200 per month for larger, climate-controlled units.