ECOTOURISM 101 Experience the Natural Beauty of the First Coast and Learn Something Along the Way .
by David Rivera , Jr ., PhD
For years individual families would gather their belongings , get in the family car , head toward the highway , and make their way to Florida for an unforgettable fun family vacation . Children would constantly ask their parents along the way , “ are we there yet ?!” Most likely , these families were heading toward one of the traditional theme parks associated with summer family fun in Florida ! That picture changed drastically in March of 2020 when theme parks and other attractions in Florida were forced to shut down due to a global pandemic .
With theme parks and other entertainment venues shutting down for weeks , and in some cases months , many families were left wondering what they could do to pass the time and have some family vacation fun . The answer to that question was , ECOTOURISM !
What is ECOTOURISM , you ask ? Well , according to The International Ecotourism Society ( TIES ), ecotourism is often defined as responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment , sustains the well-being of the local people and involves interpretation and education .
With ecotourism now on the mind of so many families as a fun vacation option , the trip down the interstate to Florida offered a much different type of vacation destination . Vacation destinations such as St . Augustine and Palm Coast were now being populated by tourists looking for the enriching experience of ecotourism since many of the traditional tourism attractions were closed .
Join me as I head south on I-95 and discuss unique ecotourism destinations in northeast Florida .
Our first stop on our ecotourism adventure after entering the great state of Florida is St . Augustine , located in St . John ’ s County . St . Augustine , known as the nation ’ s oldest city , offers a beautiful , picturesque view of the world-renowned Historic Coast . When visiting St . Augustine , many visitors may not even realize that they are close to such a variety of ecotourism attractions and activities . One would be hard-pressed to find an ecotourism attraction more impactful to the St . Augustine area than the St . Augustine Eco Tours .
St . Augustine Eco Tours is locally owned and operated by Captain Zach McKenna , a Flagler College alumnus . St . Augustine Eco Tours
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