Whether you’re hoping to spot a black bear ambling through the woods, a great egret gliding over a cypress swamp, or a pod of dolphins playing in coastal waters, the South is teeming with wildlife. While you could spend a lifetime exploring all the South has to offer, we’re highlighting some standout destinations with stunning scenery and abundant wildlife-watching opportunities — organized by state!
ARKANSAS
With its vast network of rivers, lakes, and dense forests, Arkansas is a paradise for wildlife lovers. There are plenty of incredible spots to explore, but these destinations offer some of the best chances to see Arkansas’s wild side up close.
Renowned for its world-class trout fishing, Bull Shoals-White River State Park offers far more than angling opportunities. The area’s diverse habitats are the perfect sanctuary for various wildlife, including the dozens of bird and butterfly species found throughout this gem of a state park.
Cossatot River State Park provides a hands-on approach to wildlife appreciation. The park’s viewing area allows for close observation, while unique programs like critter feeding sessions (featuring snakes and frogs) offer educational and engaging experiences.
Crowley’s Ridge State Park offers fun programs that foster direct interaction with animals. From the popular “Feed the Snapping Turtles” to the educational “Do You Speak Frog?” you’ll find plenty of opportunities to connect with local wildlife. The park also provides excellent opportunities for traditional wildlife viewing, including bird watching and butterfly spotting.
In addition to incredible rock formations, a wide range of hiking trails, and some of the best views in the state, Petit Jean State Park offers opportunities to observe deer, wild turkeys, small mammals, and even a bear or two!
FLORIDA
From the Everglades to its coastal estuaries, Florida’s diverse ecosystems make it one of the most exciting places in the country for wildlife viewing. These locations are just a few of Florida’s must-visit hotspots.
Big Cypress National Preserve supports the rich marine estuaries along Florida’s southwest coast. It provides a protected habitat for diverse wildlife, including the endangered Florida panther, the Florida black bear, and the Florida Manatee. You’ll find snakes, fish, and birds galore on this exciting stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail.
No Florida wildlife-watching highlight list would be complete without Everglades National Park. In this lush, tropical environment, you’ll find rare and endangered species as well as favorites such as flamingos, egrets, and manatees.
One of the friendliest animals you’ll encounter, the manatee is also one of the Gulf’s most iconic creatures. At Manatee Park in Fort Myers, visitors can say hello from a boardwalk or rent a kayak, canoe, or paddle board to drift through mangrove estuaries alongside the gentle giants.
At the J.N “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, over 60 percent of the island is reserved for wildlife, including 51 types of reptiles and amphibians, 32 mammal species, and more than 245 species of birds, like the rare Roseate Spoonbill.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission maintains the state’s Wildlife Management Area system to protect fish and wildlife on over 6.1 million acres of public land! Some of the most popular sites include the Sandhill Trail at Bell Ridge Longleaf Wildlife and Environmental Area, the Guana River Wildlife Management Area, Hagen’s Cove at Big Bend Wildlife Management Area, and Watermelon Pond Wildlife and Environmental Area.
MISSISSIPPI
From the rich wetlands of the Gulf Coast to the rolling hills of the north, Mississippi is home to a remarkable variety of wildlife. If you’re looking for unforgettable encounters, these destinations should be at the top of your list.
Coastal Mississippi’s Gulf Islands National Seashore offers the chance to explore barrier islands, marshes, bayous, and more. Be on the lookout for birds, alligators, and marine life as you explore, swim, kayak, and hike in this sunny, friendly spot.
The scenic Natchez Trace Parkway winds through some of the most beautiful scenery in Mississippi. You can drive, but perhaps the best way to view wildlife is by hiking or biking. The abundant foliage is home to over 136 types of birds (from hummingbirds to turkeys), over 200 mammals (including deer and coyote), reptiles, and fish.
Mississippi is a bird-watcher’s paradise! With so many ideal locations, we couldn’t pick just one, so check out Visit Mississippi’s Birding in Mississippi and start planning your next trip to view migratory neotropical songbirds, waterfowl, birds of prey, and much more.
Located in the heart of the Delta, the Holt Collier National Wildlife Refuge was named for the legendary African-American hunting guide who led President Theodore Roosevelt on his famous Mississippi bear hunting trip. There’s no bear hunting these days, of course, but visitors can view American alligators, waterfowl and songbirds, white-tailed deer, rabbits, and many more species.
NORTH CAROLINA
From towering Appalachian peaks to windswept coastal plains, North Carolina’s diverse landscape provides a haven for all kinds of wildlife. These locations are just a few of the best places to witness North Carolina’s incredible biodiversity.
Shackleford Banks is home to over 110 wild horses, descended from Spanish mustangs that were brought in and abandoned by European settlers in the 1500s. They roam freely along the barrier island.
Accessible only by boat, the Rachel Carson Reserve is a complex of islands spanning 2,025 acres. This amazing coastal habitat is home to over 200 species of birds, 53 species of fish, 47 species of mollusks and worms, as well as wild horses.
Visit Grandfather Mountain to view cougars, black bears, bald eagles, river otters, and elk in wildlife habitats, which allow closer observation while keeping the animals in their native settings.
The 8,500-acre Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge is home to several distinct habitats, which means you’ll find wildlife galore, like white-tailed deer, bobcats, opossums, and raccoons throughout the entire refuge. You can also spot waterfowl in the wetlands, songbirds and birds of prey in the hardwood forests, and so much more!
SOUTH CAROLINA
With its marshy Lowcountry, vast national forests, and scenic coastline, South Carolina is a wildlife enthusiast’s dream. While there are plenty of places to explore, these spots are some of the best for up-close wildlife experiences:
Bulls Island is an uninhabited, 5,000-acre maritime forest and home to countless animals and endangered species. The island is known as a first-class destination for bird life, but you’ll also see bottlenose dolphins, turtles, deer, foxes, otters, bobcats, and alligators.
South Carolina boasts six wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The pristine areas offer fishing, boating, hunting, and hiking — but these refuges wouldn’t be on our list without premier opportunities for wildlife watching!
With more than 24,000 acres of marshes, wetlands, forests, and beaches, Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is a habitat for migratory birds, eagles, alligators, and other endangered species. The beaches are considered excellent nesting locations for the threatened loggerhead sea turtle.
The South is filled with the stunning plumage of birds, and South Carolina is no exception! Here are 10 places you won’t want to miss, including the colorful flocks of purple martins on Lake Murray and blue-winged teals in the Savannah Wildlife National Refuge.
TENNESSEE
Tennessee’s rolling hills and misty mountains are home to an abundance of animals, from black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains to river otters along the state’s winding waterways. These destinations are some of the best places to start your adventure.
The lovely, misty mountaintops give the Great Smoky Mountains its name, and the stunning scenery, awesome hikes, and historic sites merit a visit. Plus, the wildlife viewing is outstanding! If bears are what you’re after, the park is one of the largest protected areas in the Eastern U.S., where you’ll find black bears in the wild.
View the first wild elk herd to roam freely in Tennessee since the 1860s at the Hatfield Knob Elk Viewing Tower. Can’t make it? Check out this live cam: Elk in Tennessee.
For bird watching, Tennessee’s Birding Trails are a must. An extensive network of options means you can choose what species to observe by group, region, or season.
The 15,000-acre Reelfoot Lake State Park was created by a series of violent earthquakes in the 1800s, resulting in an ecosystem unlike any other in the state. It’s a flooded forest now home to wildlife that includes shore and wading birds, as well as golden and American bald eagles.
**********
Got the travel bug? Check out our travel archives to start planning your next Southern escape!
Your StyleBlueprint AI Companion
