Take a dip in the cool, clear water of Alexander Springs, or kayak down the wild and scenic spring run, and you’ll get a taste of why this swimming hole has been popular for at least 10,000 years. The ancient Timucuan Indians enjoyed the springs for the same reason people go today: “It was a […]
Florida Springs
Silver Glen Springs: A Scenic Jewel of Ocala National Forest
SILVER GLEN SPRINGS STATE PARK, FL — If you can manage to visit on a quiet day — and it is possible, but not on busy weekends or holidays — there are few better places to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of Ocala National Forest than Silver Glen Springs. “People tend to think there isn’t much […]
DeLeon Springs: Pancake Breakfast at the Fountain of Youth
Not sure if this is how it worked for Ponce De Leon, but here’s another refreshing and youthful way to enjoy a hot summer day in central Florida: Start off the morning with hot pancakes at the Old Spanish Sugar Mill at DeLeon Springs State Park in Deland, Florida. The kids (and the kid in […]
Blue Spring State Park: A Winter Haven for Manatees
The earliest review of Blue Spring gave the place an 18th-century version of thumbs down. Naturalist John Bartram visited Blue Spring in January of 1766, and found a “surprising fountain … the colour of the sea, [that] smelled like bilge water, tasting sweetish and loathsome.” Fortunately for modern travelers, the chemistry of the spring has changed […]
Wakulla Springs – Nature & History Preserved in Tallahassee
At Wakulla Springs, Florida’s mysterious, primordial beauty has been preserved in a rustic, 1940s-era setting. The place has always been a tourist attraction, but commercialism is kept a minimum. Financier Edward Ball built a Spanish-style lodge and resort here in 1937, and it’s now operated as Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. All along, the […]
Where to Swim with Manatees
CRYSTAL RIVER, FL — Florida’s manatees may be endangered, but they’re not difficult to find. There are several ways to see a sea cow in central Florida. Crystal River Manatee Swimming Tours About 200 manatees (about 10 percent of the total manatee population) spend the winter in Crystal River. Here you will find the largest […]