Things to Do in Fellsmere and Blue Cypress Lake
Frog legs, bass fishing and a cypress-ringed lake full of ospreys.
See top-rated activities »About Fellsmere
Fellsmere is a small town a few miles west of I-95, on the edge of the marshes that feed the St. Johns River. It was laid out in the land boom of the 1910s as an agricultural colony on drained marsh, and it is often credited as the first place in Florida where a woman cast a vote, in 1915. Today it is a quiet, largely Hispanic farm town with a historic school complex and a few blocks of older buildings around Broadway.
Most visitors come for one of two things. In January, the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival takes over the old school grounds with fried frog legs, gator tail, carnival rides and music, and it is one of the best-known small festivals in the state. The rest of the year, the draw is Marsh Landing, a family-run restaurant in a restored land-boom building on Broadway that serves catfish, frog legs and Southern cooking.
West of town, the land opens into some of the wildest country in South Florida. Blue Cypress Lake, at the end of a long road through pasture and marsh, is ringed by cypress trees that hold one of the densest concentrations of nesting ospreys in the country. Middleton’s Fish Camp, on the lakeshore, has a boat ramp, bait, guides and pontoon tours. Anglers also head to the Stick Marsh and Farm 13 reservoir, a catch-and-release bass fishery run by the St. Johns River Water Management District.
Closer to the coast, St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park protects pine flatwoods along the river, where red-cockaded woodpeckers nest and manatees gather in the river in winter. Come prepared for this part of the county: it has few services, strong sun and plenty of mosquitoes in summer. Fill the tank before leaving I-95, carry water and insect repellent, and allow extra time on the long, straight county roads, which are shared with farm trucks and the occasional cattle crossing.
Don’t Miss
A remote cypress-ringed lake known for nesting ospreys and bass, with a fish camp offering pontoon tours and guides.
Southern cooking, catfish and frog legs in a restored early 20th-century building on Broadway.
The Old School complex where the town’s January festival is held each year.
A 10,000-acre water district reservoir in the upper St. Johns basin, with the Stick Marsh ramp and well-known catch-and-release bass fishing.
Pine flatwoods and river habitat with trails, horse paths and winter manatee viewing.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Fellsmere
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Get free trip quotes »Fellsmere — FAQ
When is the Fellsmere Frog Leg Festival?
Usually over a long weekend in mid to late January. Check the festival site for this year’s dates, hours and parking.
How do I see the ospreys at Blue Cypress Lake?
Rent a boat or join a pontoon tour from Middleton’s Fish Camp. Nesting season runs through late winter and spring, when the cypress tops are busiest.
