Gateway Park, Debary, FL,…read more This was actually my first time coming to Gateway park to see the Christmas lights, and I have to say, they are great. Nothing over the top, but wholesome, and geared towards families and the surrounding community. We loved how the city utilized the pavilions for photo op areas and the exercise paths as the walkway to view all the beautiful LED lit sculptures. What really makes this park stand out is that kids can still play on the playground while the event is going on. Im sure an evening here allows moms and dads to catch a good night sleep for once, lol! Something else to note is that there is free hot chocolate offered here and the volunteers are using a stainless steel percolator to brew it, nice! An additional note, entry is free to the public, there are restrooms on site, and plenty of parking available. The only downside is tonight, 12/17/23, is the last night for the lights. Staff begins breaking everything down tomorrow. All in all, this was a great experience, and I look forward to returning next year.

I'm just now getting the time to post my Christmas photos from Gateway Park…read more I have lived only 15 minutes from this park for over 20 years and never knew that they did Christmas lights. So I was excited to finally get to see them. I love how they had photo areas all around the park. They really did a good job of creating a perfect army creating a perfect ambience for families and couples. The night we were there they were giving away free hot chocolate. They also have a playground and the kids were enjoying themselves. Definitely going to put this on my list for next year! This park can also be rented for small birthday parties.

Nice park. There is playground equipment for children to climb on which appears to be popular in…read morethe mornings. There is one tennis court which has been available on most occasions when I come. There is a fishing pier over the lake also seems popular with a few fishermen. The only drawback there are no large trees to make shade over the tennis court and playground. On hot sunny days it is very hot and hard to use. Other parks have canopies over the playground which would be nice to have. Second it would be nice if park personnel would blow off the sand and gravel off the tennis court. Overall nice park.

I visit Campbell Park today. I enjoyed the docks on the lake. I liked seeing the ducks on the…read morewater. They have a nice path to follow around the park.

Really great place to spend a few hours. The trails are peaceful and it's a great spot to get…read moreoutside and relax. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!

Gemini Springs Park is located in DeBary, Florida, 25 miles north of Orlando…read more Since you can no longer swim here due to high concentrations of bacteria in the waters, visitor attendance can be quite low. And since there's alternative parks situated throughout Central Florida that are swimmable, not many people will make the effort to experience Gemini Springs. In fact, I'd categorize this place as a local town park more than anything. It's free to visit and hours are sunrise to sunset. There were no names or signs for the hiking trails, so at times it felt like I was wandering aimlessly. But, the trees decorated with Spanish Moss exuded southern charm and most corners I turned felt like strolling along a nature trail. There's a dual sided passageway that acts as the centerpiece to the park and is also a dam spillway which (I believe) separates the DeBary Creek waters and the Gemini Springs area. I did spot a gator which almost caught a fish right in front of my eyes. I also noticed a soft shell turtle who appeared to be laying her eggs in the sand and some birds doing fishing of their own. Gemini Springs has picnic pavilions, a playground, a dog park, a fishing pier, plenty of grass to play around, and even camping is permitted here. Lastly, I'd like to highlight a section of the park that turns colorfully vibrant when the sun is shining... - Follow the concrete walkway (which you can't miss). - Then...you'll approach a tucked away corner of the springs. This area can be a rewarding moment for admiring the great outdoors. If you just pause and absorb the surroundings, nature's beauty shines through. It's a refreshing reminder that just because a park isn't as accessible as it once was, doesn't mean it should go unnoticed. I believe Gemini Springs Park can be a worthwhile half day visit.

Green Springs Park is 31 acres of natural land located on the north shore of Lake Monroe. The green…read morehued sulfur spring supplies fresh water to Lake Monroe from the Florida aquifer. It is one of the few green springs in Florida. Green Springs Park is a significant archaeological and historical site. Six thousand years ago Green Springs was once an important site for Native Americans such as the Mayaca. Later the Seminoles favored the supposed healing properties of the sulfur water. The Green Springs Midden, a huge shell midden once existed near where the spring run empties into Lake Monroe. Middens are a type of ancient garbage dump that can tell a lot about the people who once lived there. Primitive tools, pottery sherds, as well as remains of humans and animals were found here before the midden was destroyed for road building and fertilizer prior to 1885. Later Enterprise became the final destination on the St. Johns River for the area steamboats. The area near the spring was first settled in 1841 by Cornelius Taylor, a Seminole War veteran, former timber agent, and first cousin to General Zachary Taylor. He was nicknamed the Thunder of Enterprise for his hot temper. In 1842 Taylor constructed a hotel on the midden to attract steamboat passengers. He promoted his hotel as one of Florida's first health spas. The spring was marketed as having restorative powers for people with illnesses. By 1883, the spring was on property owned by wealthy New York wine importer Frederic DeBary, whose guests used the spring recreationally. Today the spring is supposed to be closed to swimmers but there were local kids jumping from the trees into the clear water when I visited. Pretty cool to think they are enjoying the same swimming hole used by the ancient people who once lived here. In the 1980's the spring and surrounding natural land was in danger of being turned into a condo development. After more than 20 years of effort to acquire and develop the site and $1 million investment in land acquisition and improvements, the park finally opened in September 27, 2008. Today the park has restrooms, a large picnic pavilion with tables, a playground, nature trails under the shade of oak, pine and cedar trees, interpretive signs, and scenic overlooks. This park is also where the Spring-to-Spring Trail and the East Central Regional Rail Trail connect. The East Central Regional Rail Trail begins at Green Springs and travels 5.7 miles to State Road 415 in Osteen.

What an amazing oasis this place is. There's so many hiking trails. I wouldn't even know where to…read morebegin. My visit was brief, but beautiful. I would have to take a whole day to even begin to remotely explore this springs Park. I was hoping to see the fluorescent green water, but it wasn't that way this time of year. Either due to the weather or the time of year, I'm not sure. But I will be back. I will see that water yet!

Just off the Spring to Spring Trail in Deltona which extends from Green Spring Park to De Leon…read moreSprings State Park, lies Thornby Park, a 38 acre natural area where the 1916 Thornby homestead once stood. Historically this area on Deltona's southern shore of Lake Monroe has been home to both native tribes and early Volusia County pioneers. During the Second Seminole War, the US Army built Fort Kingsbury named after a soldier who died of a fever in nearby Ft. Mellon. It was a defense stockade built here in response to the Seminoles burning Palaka in 1835 which was a major port on the St. John's River and a critical entrance point into Central Florida. The last residents on this land were Dr. James H. Glass and his wife Anna Wells Glass who built a two-story house. It was one of the finest residences in the area and it stood until teen-aged vandals burned on September 15, 2003. In the 1990's the land was at the center of a preservation battle between residents and developers. The community successfully advocated for the city to purchase the land, leading to the land being acquired by Volusia Forever and the city of Deltona. A public park was established in 2011 but unfortunately it was too late to preserve the Glass House like nearby DeBary Hall. While the Glass House is long gone, Thornby Park does have a large play area for all abilities and which is ADA compliant. It is called the Inspiration Playground and it was completed in 2012 with swings, monkey bars, and slides. In this area there are also restrooms, benches, picnic tables, and a gazebo donated by the Friends of Thornby in honor of Dr. Glass. Near the playground you will find the entrance to the boardwalk that takes you to the Thornby Trail, a half mile, loop nature trail. This area is a haven for wildlife and it contains several interpretive signs along with an outdoor classroom. Halfway through the trail is the remains of a piece of old narrow gauge railroad trestle that was used by mules to haul citrus to the docks of Lake Monroe. I had enjoyable stroll along Thornby Trail taking in the nature and history of this peaceful preserve. Thornby Park is a testament to the tenacity of the activists who fought long and hard to keep this pristine area from being turned into another development.

Well there is not much to do at this park in terms of walking trails, there is a cool remnant of a…read morerailroad trestle that probably was mule driven and used to haul citrus and other produce to the docks on Lake Monroe. Now, this park does have a pretty cool kids playground, so if you have young children, this is a great place to head towards. On the path, you can definitely feel it's age. You know that this area has seen time since the dawn of time and the railroad trestle alone proves that this area was an integral part of early Florida life. I do not see myself returning here, but I am happy that I stumbled across this small park. Again, if you have small children, I would definitely recommend coming here to the children's play area. On that aspect, I would give here five stars. While the walking path is by no means impressive, I am glad that I saw the railroad trestle and that I took the time to see this part of unspoiled Florida.

Great walking trails through the forest, & paved biking trails. Saw lots of friendly bicyclists…read more Air pump & bicycle tools available for bicyclists near the restrooms. Parking gets full, but there's additional parking north on Fatio. Saw small wild blueberries. A tiny red tick dropped from the trees & landed dangling in my hair. Only saw that one. Great shade & lots of plant diversity. Fun seeing the different trees & plants. Saw a Giant Leopard Moth caterpillar also.

I love Lake Beresford. My favorite place to get my outdoor time in. I love how quiet and shady this…read moreplace is. A paved 1.8 mile path to run and even have the option to try the spring to spring trail if you dare. Can't wait for the expansion that's coming.

This is one of my favorite places in Florida to see manatees . And I mean hundreds of manatees …read more Big manatees , baby manatees, playful manatees , sleeping manatees .... If you are a sea potato fan , this is gonna be your jam . Make sure you go in the winter months to see the most manatees ! Their website also has a real time chubby mermaid live webcam ! When you go to enter the park there's also a manatee counter so you know how many are currently inside the park ! And there's also a Manatee festival! I've attended it and it's a must visit if you can. There's lots of vendors selling manatee items. When I went, I also got a chance to listen to the manatee sounds in real time because they were able to put a microphone underwater hooked up to headphones and you could listen to them. Very cool. If you want to learn the history of the park and the land, there is an original house on the property that inside features the story of the original family that lived here and how it came to be what it is today. It's very interesting stuff and it's worth a stop inside. Now it's actually a park as well as just a manatee hang out so if you want to kayak there are rentals available. There's a Gift Shop and several restrooms on site. There's also a boat tour that goes out a few times a day. Now I will say that if you're coming for the manatees, you need to make a plan because you are going to likely have to wait in line. The line can be up to 45 minutes to an hour sometimes to get into the park during Manatee season, so be mindful of that when making your plans for the day. Other tips : As of December 2025 , the entry fee is $6. There's a pressed penny machine inside the gift shop . If you have a Florida parks passport , get your stamp at the main entrance where you pay entry fee .

It's a small state park but very worth a visit. I went in September, fully expecting to see zero…read moremanatees, so I was thrilled to see three. The amount of manatees in winter looks crazy. I'm glad I was researching a few days in advance and saw a reservation system was implemented earlier this year. A tricky balance as always, but would have been a shame to get out here a be turned away for capacity. For a summer visit, it was fun to swim from one platform to the other, going with the current makes it easy, though many people choose to float on tubes or noodles. Not the warmest spring but it's consistent! The relatively narrow creek and dense trees make it reasonably shaded.

We visited Hontoon Island State Park on Saturday morning, 9/25, for a hike with some friends and…read moreour girl Lulu. This was my second time visiting, and it was just as enjoyable as the first! One of my favorite parts has to be the little ferry ride over to the island. Lulu was NOT convinced she wanted to get on , but the captain reassured us that lots of dogs get nervous about the ferry, so I scooped her up and carried her aboard. Once we got across, we started our walk and immediately enjoyed all the shaded areas along the trails. The park is HUGE and there is so much to see and explore. Honestly, one day doesn't feel like enough time to really experience everything, and we're already considering coming back to camp! We didn't come across any major wildlife this time, but we saw plenty of birds and heard something scrambling around in the trees that we never managed to spot -- which honestly just added to the adventure. It was another beautiful day surrounded by nature, good company, and my favorite four-legged adventure buddy. Definitely looking forward to coming back and exploring more of Hontoon Island!

Every Florida State Park has a unique feature that it offers. This one is very quaint, small and…read moreoffers some simple amenities. The quick boat ride was cool. They also have cabins and the grounds are well maintained by the staff. If you have a boat, this would be a great place to dock from if that is acceptable. I had a great time here, my first time.

This little park is great. I love that it's fenced in. You have plenty of room to run and play. No…read morepets allowed. There's a small track traversing the edge of the park for parents and others to walk/jog. A little playground good for anyone 2-12. Splash park open until 6 pm and an even larger one in Mill Park that is just next door. Waterfountains, benches, a few tables. Perfect little place to get the kids a day outside without being to overcrowded. Bathrooms are a little below par but good enough to relieve a little.

This is a twenty acre park that is a pleasant respite from the grind of the modern world. I would…read moredefinitely recommend this park to go chill oh, maybe grab some lunch and eat it there.

This is a 20 acre park located in Orange City. It's amenities include picnic pavilions, a play…read moreground, athletic fields, and a tennis court. I visited on Sunday because the park was used as the staging area for the Manatee Festival. For a $8 cash only entrance fee the festival had bounce houses, small rides, vendors, exhibitors, food booths, and a dog show. Valentine Park provided parking so you could board the bus that took you to nearby Blue Springs to see the manatees. From what I saw this was a nice park that locals would enjoy.