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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 emphasis has been on conservation.
The state park, located 12 miles south of Tallahassee, surrounds one of the world’s largest natural springs. The lodge overlooks an expansive lawn and swimming area, complete with a diving and observation platform.
The enormous spring covers three acres and fans out into a delightful garden of cypress trees that looks as though it was carefully planned at the beginning of time to serve a primarily decorative function. The spring is the source of the Wakulla River, which flows 9 miles before merging with the St. Marks River and emptying into the Gulf of Mexico.
The spring’s name comes from a Seminole word that most likely means, “Mysteries of Strange Water.” The place had been enjoyed by native Americans for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived.
Ponce De Leon twice visited the site, perhaps hoping it would prove to be the Fountain of Youth. On his second trip, in 1521, he discovered quite the opposite. A battle with the local Indians ensued, and De Leon was hit by an arrow that would cost him his life.
The park offers glass-bottom boat tours and scenic river tours. Along the way you’ll see an abundance of wildlife, including a host of birds and alligators. During the winter, the spring becomes a prime spot for bird watching as thousands of migrating species pass through.
Some of the scenery here will probably look familiar, since it was the backdrop for several movies. Wakulla was the other-worldly setting for “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” “Tarzan and the Leopard Lady” and even the underwater scenes of “Airport ’77.”The glass-bottom boat tour operates when the water is clear, and offers visitors a glimpse into the 185-foot depths of the spring. Wakulla is one of the world’s largest freshwater springs, and back in 1973 it produced more than a billion gallons of water a day. The glass bottom boat tours date back to 1875.
The network of caves here have been explored to depths of 300 feet and to a distance of almost a mile. Many Ice Age fossils have been found in the cavern, and mastodon bones can be seen from the glass bottom boat.
The popular diving platform offers a cheap thrill, and visitors line up to take the high jump into the deep spring water.After the boat ride, the park still offers many diversions. Though the water is a chilly 70 degrees, there is an excellent swimming area. If you’d like to wander the forest on foot, the park includes 9 miles of hiking trails as well as bird watching and bicycling. There are also ample picnic grounds.
The historic, 1930s-era Lodge at Wakulla Springs — a destination in itself — offers an unforgettable getaway, with 27 rooms overlooking the spring. The dining room boasts of the world’s longest marble soda foundation. The dining room, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, specializes in southern cuisine.Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
465 Wakulla Park Dr.
Wakulla Springs, FL 3237
Phone: (850) 561-7276
The park is open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset. The entrance fee is $6 per vehicle ($4 with single occupant). Glass bottom boat and river boat tours are $8 ages 13 and above and $5 for ages 3 to 12. Kids three and under ride free.
I hate to tell you this but Ponce de Leon was struck by the arrow of the Calusa Indians in SW Florida somewhere between Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay.
i visit wakulla sprs at least twice a year , this time , for the first time the sprs looked very bad. hydrilla was everywhere the water was very tainted. wildlife was scarce , it really needs help. what needs to be done to bring back this fla icon? has funding been cut? this is pristene fla at its best. lets not loose one of our best natural attractions.
The Wakulla Springs Lodge was taken over by Cape Leisure in July 2011 and it has greatly improved…the lodge is clean and has been repaired and restored to it’s natural spender, the springs are beautiful and the boat rides are wonderful…you should come back and see the difference.
Thanks for the update, Gloria!