When David Patrick Beston is out of the office, he invests in the sunshine.

The certified financial planner loves to explore the outdoors. Whether exercising in the park or riding his bike, David Patrick Beston creates time to escape the confines of his NYC high-rise. He’s worked for major firms on Wall Street and has held many different securities licenses. Yet travel is always at the top of his to-do list.

One of his favorite places to visit in Florida. After all, it’s called “The Sunshine State” for a reason. But David Patrick Beston also knows the state offers more than sandy beaches and crowded theme parks. Florida is overflowing with natural wonders, like springs, waterfalls, and coral reefs. These are genuinely must-see excursions.

With this in mind, David Patrick Beston shares six of the state’s most breathtaking natural beauties.

Devil’s Den

It sounds much more treacherous than it is. Yet Devil’s Den is both mysterious and mystifying. The awe-inspiring attraction is a geomorphic formation known as a karst window. It’s essentially a pre-historic underground river that collapsed. The result is an exposed spring. In addition to being a popular tourist destination, the privately-owned feature is used for scuba training.

Falling Waters State Park

Sitting in the Florida panhandle is the state’s most significant natural waterfall. The waterfall flows over 70 feet into a sinkhole. It’s impressive. Yet it’s also inconsistent. Depending on rainfall accumulation, there may be fluctuations. Dryer seasons reduce the gushing waterfall into a mere trickle. It’s important to plan to make the trip worthwhile.

Torreya State Park

Torreya State Park is an oasis. Named after the rare nutmeg trees that populate the area, the park doesn’t feel like Florida. Outside of the swampy riverbanks, the region is much more like a lush forest than you would anticipate. David Patrick Beston enjoys the high bluff and endless pinelands that litter the park. It’s a beautiful place to get off the beaten path for a hike.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

This attraction is renowned as the first underwater park in the U.S. Nestled in the Florida Keys. It provides unobstructed views of the coral reef. For this reason, it’s ideal for scuba or snorkeling. But you won’t need to get wet to enjoy the area. The park runs tours using boats with glass bottoms. Guests can experience picturesque scenery and explore marine wildlife at the same time.

Blowing Rocks Preserve

Blowing Rocks Preserve an outlier. While Florida’s claim to fame is white, powdery beaches, this rocky coastline stands in stark opposition. These massive, unique structures were formed by limestone jutted out into the ocean. Water crashing into these rocks can create 50-foot waves. Despite being a reasonably common feature along Florida’s east coast, the preserve here on Juniper Island is one of the largest.

Everglades National Park

No list is completed without paying homage to the Everglades. The national park sprawls across more than one million acres. This solidifies it as the largest tropical wilderness in the U.S. Teeming with ecological diversity, David Patrick Beston especially loves the serenity. He encourages others to bask in the stillness granted to its visitors.