Clipless pedals are the way to go, other than keeping more power on the crank, they also keep your feet in the same correct position, and you won’t slip off them. I have a set of Shimano PD-T780 pedals on both my bikes, and I like them a lot. Shimano has some nice MTB shoes that look like regular shoes with cleats that don’t make noise when you walk in them.
If you ever get down to the St. Petersburg area shoot me a PM and we can meet on the trail somewhere.