On day 42 of “The Ultimate USA Road Trip” we drive through the state of Florida from Jacksonville to Okefenokee in the state of Georgia. We leave Jacksonville via the John T Alsop Jr Bridge (or Main Bridge) and then drive towards the coast where we visit the Kingsley Plantation. This plantation belonged to Zephaniah Kingsley, a well-read plantation owner, slave trader, merchant, and philosopher.

Many people came to Florida in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Some, like Zephaniah Kingsley, tried to make their fortunes by acquiring land and establishing plantations. Others were forced to come to Florida to work as slaves on those plantations, their labor providing wealth to the people who owned them. The Kingsley Plantation home on Fort George Island was built in 1798, making it the oldest surviving plantation home in the state of Florida. Some slaves would later become free landowners, struggling to survive in a perilous time of shifting alliances and politics. All of these people played a part in the history of Kingsley Plantation.

We drive through the Little Talbot Island State Park with beautiful maritime forests, dunes and salt marshes on the west side of the island. Wildlife is plentiful, including river otters, swamp rabbits, bobcats, and a variety of native and migratory birds. In the park you can practice several activities such as camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, canoeing, nature study and surfing. The park also has campgrounds, bathhouses, a small boat ramp, a nature trail, and a playground. Bicycles and canoes can be rented at the campsite.

The next park we drive through is Big Talbot Island State Park, located on one of Northeast Florida's unique sea islands, it is primarily a wildlife preserve and provides an excellent location for wildlife study, bird watching and photography. The park offers other activities such as hiking, biking, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and picnicking. Amenities include picnic pavilions, nature trails, a fishing pier, boat ramp, bike paths, and beaches.

Along the coast of Big Talbot Island State Park is a mile-long beach called Boneyard Beach, so named for the bleached skeletons of oak trees that line the beach. Stop at one of the parking lots and stroll down to the beach to take photos. It is a very special almost alien picture.

We cross over to Amelia Island to visit Fort Clinch. This is a 19th century masonry fort for defense of the Florida coast, built as part of the United States' Third System of seacoastal defenses. It is located on a peninsula near the northernmost point of Amelia Island in Nassau County, Florida. The fort is located northeast of Fernandina Beach at the entrance to the Cumberland Sound, in the northeastern part of the state. Today it falls within the boundaries of Fort Clinch State Park.

In addition to exploring Fort Clinch, the park offers multiple activities including fishing, hiking, surfcasting, camping, picnicking, swimming, biking, beachcombing, and wildlife viewing. Park staff re-enact military life in the fort. Wildlife in the park includes the rare purple sandpiper, alligators, white-tailed deer, and other birds. You can also see dolphins and manatees along the coastline.
Amenities include a visitor information center, boardwalks with access to the beach with cold showers, as well as restrooms, changing cabins, miles of beach, a 10km walking trail. The park has two campgrounds, one on the Amelia River, the other on Atlantic Beach. The Amelia River Campground has two toilets and shower facilities. The Atlantic Beach campsite has a toilet with shower facilities. For nature lovers it is an option to plan an extra day in this park.

After a delicious lunch in Fernandina Beach we drive to the end point of the day, the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. This is a 1,627 km2 (402,000 acre) nature reserve in Charlton, Ware and Clinch Counties of Georgia, and Baker County in Florida. The reservation was established in 1937 to protect a majority of the Okefenokee Swamp. The name "Okefenokee" is a Native American word meaning "quivering earth".

Nearly 400,000 people visit the reserve each year, making it the 16th most visited reserve in the National Wildlife Refuge System. The swamp has a rich history, including Native American settlements, explorations by Europeans, a massive reclamation effort, and intensive timber harvesting. Many native animal species still live here in the wild, such as alligators, white ibises, storks and many more animal and bird species.

The “land of the trembling earth” as the Indians called it, its landscape is constantly changing. From the open, wet prairies of the east side to the wooded cypress swamps of the west, Okefenokee is a mosaic of habitats, plants, and wildlife.

The pine islands and highlands surrounding the marsh are home to species such as the gopher tortoise, red woodpecker and indigo snake. The swamp's thick layer of peat is covered by slow-moving, reflective black water. Floating peat allows grasses and flowers to grow, eventually forming tree islands. Whether you only have a few hours or several days to visit the refuge, you will be overwhelmed by the mystery and beauty of the Okefenokee.

You can spend the night at the nearby Okefenokee Pastimes Camping. They have a few cabins and caravans for rent to stay overnight. There are also places to pitch tents and a small shop. Book in advance and if possible stay a few days to explore this beautiful Wildlife Refuge.