Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Chiefland, FL

  • Published 2023/04/17

Chiefland, Florida, is another place that you will love to visit.

Chiefland, incorporated in 1929, considers itself the “Jewel of the Suwannee Valley.”

A Timucua town originally existed south of the present-day city and at Manatee Springs.

Chiefland’s economy has always relied on agriculture and other sectors such as logging.

The town is a fusion of old-fashioned charm and contemporary convenience.

Today, tourism is a significant contributor to Chiefland’s economy.

There are numerous activities to enjoy during your stay, such as riverside hiking routes.

Check out these popular things to do in Chiefland, FL:

Hike at Manatee Springs State Park

The waters of Manatee Springs State Park

davidiharris518 / Shutterstock.com

You’re likely already planning your next trip to the Sunshine State.

Have you considered visiting Manatee Springs State Park?

You can find Manatee Springs State Park in Chiefland, Florida.

It is an 8.5-mile nature route that traverses a range of habitats and provides stunning vistas of spring-fed water.

The grounds of Manatee Springs State Park

Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to other species such as birds, animals, and fish, you can also see manatees throughout the year.

There are also two hiking trails for people who desire more adventure than flat walking.

Manatee Springs State Park also provides hikers and cyclists with nature pathways while enjoying its sceneries.

The connection between the park and the 32-mile Nature Coast State Trail makes it feasible for visitors to explore all sides of this lovely area on foot.

Playground at Manatee Springs State Park

Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Learn about Chiefland’s Past at Levy County Quilt Museum

Visiting the Levy County Quilt Museum will surely be a delightful experience.

The museum has opened for over 20 years and is the only quilt museum in Florida.

It’s an excellent spot to go if you’re looking for something different to do while you’re on vacation.

However, it’s also a nice place to spend an afternoon with your family or friends.

Many things are on display at the museum, including the quilts Sieglinde Schoen Smith made.

Aside from these things, the museum has other items like vintage furniture and holiday decorations.

Stop by the museum’s gift shop, where they sell a variety of souvenirs.

Buy t-shirts and mugs with quotes from historical figures like Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln printed on them.

Appreciate Local Entertainment with the Suwannee Valley Players

Suwannee Valley Players is the best place if you’re looking to have some good old-fashioned fun.

A community theater has entirely developed out of what was once a modest theater in the middle of nowhere.

It offers a variety of shows that are appropriate for all ages and will keep you occupied for many hours.

There is no better way to fill up on family-friendly entertainment than to visit the Chief Theater and spend a few hours seeing a performance.

Bring your family and friends with you to Chiefland.

You’ll marvel at the talents showcased in this theatre and how much fun they have as a group.

See the Wildlife at Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge

Cormorants near the waters of Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge

Stacey Lynn Payne / Shutterstock.com

You’ve heard the expression, “the finest things in life are free.”

The Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge in Chiefland is roughly 50 miles southwest of Gainesville.

Find it between southeastern Dixie and northern Levy counties on the western coast of Florida.

This is your opportunity to get up and personal with all sorts of animals, including alligators, manatees, bald eagles, bobcats, and white-tailed deer.

You may also kayak or canoe along fairly incredible paths where you can witness spectacular scenery and take in breathtaking views.

A turtle at Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge

Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If hiking is more your style, you can choose from plenty of trails.

Pick the one that best suits your pace.

If photography is your preferred activity, then this place also got you covered.

There is also a designated space for photographers to snap the perfect shot without upsetting the other animals.

Tall trees at Lower Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge

Arkorn / Shutterstock.com

Fill Your Basket at Chiefland Farmers Flea Market

The Chiefland Farmers Association hosts this flea market.

This market is a lovely spot to spend some time outside while looking among the stalls and discovering new treasures.

Despite its modest size, the Farmer’s Flea Market in Chiefland has a great heart and a wide range of items for sale.

The farmer’s flea market offers vintage furniture and handmade crafts.

You can also buy many other household necessities.

Vendors arrange their booths like a yard sale, selling everything from toys and souvenirs to various meals.

Enjoy a Water Adventure with the Anderson Outdoor Adventures

Anyone who appreciates nature can tell you that one of the best parts of traveling is seeing the simple details of a particular place.

In Chiefland, you can see various animals, including bald eagles and alligators.

Anderson’s Outdoor Adventures is also a fantastic location where people can go canoeing and kayaking.

Additionally, they offer much more than simple water activities.

You can eat a whole buffet of delectable BBQ inside the park.

While you eat, you can swim or play on the playground there.

You don’t need to go anywhere because they also serve beers.

Check out Anderson’s Outdoor Adventures for your next excursion if you’re seeking exciting things to do in Chiefland, Florida, especially during summer.

Try a Full Swing at Chiefland Golf & Country Club

The best thing about golf is that everybody can enjoy it regardless of age or ability level.

Chiefland Golf and Country Club should be your first pick if you’re seeking an exceptional venue to play your first round of golf.

The course is located within a few minutes of the city.

Enjoy the convenience of being close to your hotel while experiencing the beautiful outdoors.

The course also features a driving range, pro shop, and lounge, ideal locations to unwind after a hard day of golf.

If you are interested in playing golf at Chiefland Golf & Country Club, there are numerous ways to enhance your skill.

Beginners who need assistance understanding how to play the game can also enroll in classes.

Set up a Barbecue Party at Breezy Acres RV Park

If you’re craving a place to relax in quiet, rural Florida, look no further than Breezy Acres RV Park.

The park is just outside of Chiefland, Florida, near several local attractions, including Manatee Springs State Park and Fanning Springs State Park.

You can grill your favorite type of barbecue while enjoying a quiet atmosphere.

Breezy Acres RV Park is an adult-only park with a laid-back lifestyle.

The owners always welcome locals and tourists who want to enjoy their peaceful surroundings while enjoying all that Chiefland offers.

Learn Something from Luther Callaway Public Library

The Luther Callaway Public Library is a fantastic place to continue your journey.

The iconic attractions of Chiefland are just next door to this library’s location in the middle of town.

Borrow books, DVDs, or use public computers if you need to look for something important.

Even if you don’t want to leave town, this library is a great place to meet other bookworms and make new friends.

If you’re looking for something special, you’ll find it quickly and easily, thanks to the well-organized layout of the various rooms.

You can also enjoy plenty of other amenities in the library, including free wireless internet access throughout the building.

Play Pool at Chiefland Billiards & Sports Bar

You can’t beat the atmosphere at Chiefland Billiards.

Chiefland Billiards is a family-owned pool hall and sports bar.

The place has everything you need to enjoy a good time, like cold beer, plenty of TVs, and good food.

This smoke-free pool hall is the only one within 50 miles that doesn’t allow smoking.

Enjoy your meal without worrying about breathing in nasty tobacco smoke from other patrons.

With its vibrant arts community, Chiefland is a great place to visit even if you’re not a pool fan.

Every night, you may find live music in local bars and restaurants, or you can attend a show at one of the city’s many theaters.

Explore the City of Chiefland Eddie Buie Park

There are more fun and exciting things to do in Chiefland than you already know.

Eddie Buie Park is a cultural feature, which means it’s more than just a park.

It’s a place where people gather, learn, and play.

The City of Chiefland Eddie Buie Park gets its name in honor of the city founders, who lived over 100 years ago.

The park has many activities throughout the year, including art shows, festivals, concerts, and more.

If you love animals, you’ll love all the animals that live in Eddie Buie Park.

Likewise, if you need some coffee in the morning, there’s always a famous coffee shop around the corner!

You can also get tea if that’s what you want.

Camp Out at Strawberry Fields

What is the most compelling reason to visit Strawberry Fields RV Park?

It is the most beautiful RV Park experience available at an unbeatable price.

With nearly 50 years of experience, they have collaborated with one of Florida’s leading park designers to provide you with the most beautiful RV Park experience at an unbeatable price.

Strawberry Fields RV Park will seem like a home away from home once you arrive.

The park employs friendly staff ready to offer you coffee or tea before assisting you in navigating the stunning facility.

Dine at The Gathering Table

Treat yourself to authentic, delicious Southern food at The Gathering Table on North Main Street.

The restaurant is popular among locals and tourists for its mouthwatering home-cooked meals, including its famous fried chicken, cobbler, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and seafood.

There’s also a salad bar that everyone loves, and the breakfast buffet is to be had.

Eating here is like enjoying your gram’s home-cooked meals that she used to cook for you!

So, gather your family and friends at The Gathering Table and enjoy home-cooking meals in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Browse Unique Items at Jolly’s Antiques and Shabby Chics

Shopping couldn’t be any happier if you browse through the unique stuff at Jolly’s Antiques and Shabby Chics.

The shop features a bit of everything for all ages, which are all perfect for gifts and souvenirs for yourself and your loved ones back home.

From vintage home decor, clothing, handmade jewelry, accessories, glassware, collectibles, furniture, and many more.

Jolly’s Antiques and Shabby Chics also offers art lessons, including hand metal embossing and screen painting.

Also, look out for its regular sale for great discounts on select items!

You can find Jolly’s Antiques and Shabby Chics off on North Main Street.

Attend the Annual Chiefland Watermelon Festival

Since 1954, the Chiefland Watermelon Festival has drawn thousands of visitors from around the country to join this fun and family-friendly festival.

Happening in June every year, this one-day festival celebrates and honors the city’s watermelon farmers; bringing people together.

There will be fun and exciting activities, including a grand parade, a beauty pageant, arts & crafts, food and drinks, games, live music, and the popular watermelon seed-spitting contest.

Local watermelon farmers will also give out fresh slices of watermelons to visitors for free!

Chiefland Watermelon Festival is held at Northeast 2nd Avenue

Grab Your Breakfast at the Huddle House

For the Huddle House, breakfast is one big important meal of the day, which is why it serves breakfast all day!

It’s popular for its delicious American fare—breakfast for instance such as waffles, hash browns, omelets, biscuits, grits, pancakes, and many more.

And of course, what’s breakfast without coffee?

The Huddle House also serves delicious, fresh coffee to start your day.

But even if you’re not here for breakfast, the restaurant also serves lunch and dinner.

Also, don’t miss out on its mouthwatering appetizers, including its jalapeno popper basket and chicken wings.

Drop by The Huddle House at North Young Boulevard.

Bring a Picnic to Charles Strickland Recreational Park

Picnics are always fun, especially when shared with loved ones, and in Chiefland, the best place to do it is Charles Strickland Recreational Park.

The park features plenty of picnic tables to use for lunch or snacks with your family and friends.

Shady trees also make a great canopy for picnic tables, so they don’t get too hot during the summer season.

If you have little children, they can have their time of life at the park’s playground, which features climbing structures, slides, and swings.

You can find Charles Strickland Recreational Park at Old Fannin Road.

Other Things to Do Nearby

Walk around the Harper Family Farm

The Harper Family Farm is a lovely location to visit.

It has raised crops and livestock between Chiefland and Trenton in Levy County, Florida, for over 150 years.

Find them at Trenton, Florida, ten minutes from Chiefland.

You and your significant other might enjoy spending an hour or two together strolling through the gorgeous farm while harvesting the seasoned crops.

You can visit its market and buy items like melons, mugs, T-shirts, freshly baked goods, and many other things.

Take in the tranquility of seeing hundreds of grazing cattle.

You can also experience hands-on farming, just like how they do it, and learn something.

Spend a Family Vacation at Yellow Jacket RV Resort

Florida is an excellent place for vacation.

With Yellow Jacket RV Resort, you can spend your vacation with the whole family and their friends.

Find this resort in Old Town, Florida, 30 minutes from Chiefland.

Yellow Jacket RV Resort is next to the Suwannee River, with thousands of acres of wildlife refuge surrounding the area.

Enjoy nature at its wildest for your family getaway.

The resort also offers waterfront sites and cottages if you don’t want to bring your own “home.”

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, try out fishing or just strolling around the ponds.

For the more adventurous, you can go to the excellent scuba diving and snorkeling spots just outside the town.

See Rare Turtles at Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge

The Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge is a great site to visit if you’re searching for something more unusual than the usual tourist attractions.

You can find it in Cedar Keys, Florida, 30 minutes from Chiefland.

The refuge is home to many species, from pelicans to eagles.

You can observe Oystershell turtles and otters in the mudflats as they go about their daily routines.

Embrace the possibility of stumbling into a nesting ground for a rare endangered sea turtle on one of the islands in the area.

Looking at one of the endangered sea turtles that call the beaches of Florida home is a treat in and of itself.

The refuge’s many hiking routes allow visitors to get as close to nature as possible without abandoning civilization.

The 891-acre general area of this refuge comprises 379 acres of wilderness, marshes, and a canal system.

You can hike through an old-growth forest on one of the many routes available here.

Final Thoughts

Chiefland, Florida, is a hidden gem with many fascinating attractions.

There are so many stores and restaurants in town that you are sure to find something that suits your preferences.

For your next family holiday, put Chiefland on the top of your list of destinations.

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