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.

Great family friendly location. It's not to crazy with parking. You basically become immersed in…read morethe wild life. Activities was so much fun because they have so many.

Me and my dog Pixie stopped by here yesterday. August 2025…read more I didn't know there was a dog park here. They have a very nice large and small dog park with a pavilion. No one was there so she was able to run both. I then took her over to the playground area because she likes to slide down the slide. So she ran around there and then two kids showed up and we played for about 30 minutes. Nice Park It has the dog park, basketball and a kids playground. Today I went it was very clean and well kept. Plenty of parking. Bathrooms were clean.

This park offers a lot of activities such as baseball, basketball, tennis courts, shuffleboard and…read moremore. They have a kids playground and even a small lake on the property, though swimming is prohibited. There is adequate parking and they have rest rooms on the property. They also have a couple of pavilions to hang out either after you play a sports or if you just want to chill for a bit. This park offers a lot of tranquillity and I enjoyed my time here. The park is decently maintains and while I was here on a Monday afternoon, there were quite a few people here with me. The park is a bit off of the beaten path, so you will have to go down a few back roads to get here. Perhaps that is part of its charm up here. It is definitely a place for the neighborhood. It would be worth your time to come check here out, enjoy a minute or two. Be advised that I did not see any walking path, but there were people with dogs walking across the sport fields. Come check out out yourself.

This playground is incredible! A community funded project, this playground is not to be missed - it…read morehas designs and features I haven't seen anywhere else! We love stopping to play here if we are in the Deland area. Freedom Playground has plenty of parking, bathrooms, pavilions with picnic tables, and playground equipment that can be used by a wide range of ages and body abilities. I love that the park has one main entrance gate to keep kids contained and also has the little kid area separate from the big kid area. There are accessibility features like wheelchair accessible ramps for the playground equipment and a ground level merry-go-round. There's plenty of slides, climbing and obstacles, a zip line, pirate ships, pretend play houses, and all the features you would want in a playground. I love the nods to Florida with multiple gators throughout! Freedom Park is a Florida gem!

From what I've read online, DeLand faced the exact same issue that so many municipalities around…read morethe country have faced and continue to face regarding what to do with their playgrounds. At one point in time it was a thing to build these large destination playgrounds made out of wood. While a nice idea on paper, eventually the upkeep proves to be problematic and expensive. Eventually the municipality is faced with the hard choice of costly renovations that will need to be redone in the not too distant future, demolishing the structure or trying to replace it with something more modern/contemporary. Either way it equals a lot of money that usually is nowhere to be found. Thankfully a few years ago DeLand along with residents, area companies, school children and a newly formed non-profit committee figured out how to replace the original wooden structure. Amazingly over 300K in private donations were raised along with DeLand kicking in the rest and what you have today is an amazing structure/facility. In my own area there have a been a few success stories with places like this: www.savekidscastle.org/ But there have also been a few mismanaged disasters with places like this: articles.mcall.com/2004-11-19/news/3571642_1_playground-jungle-gym-time-capsule What works here: * Lots of parking * Solidly clean bathrooms * Lots of shaded areas * Super safe recycled rubber ground which means no tracking mulch into the car * A very needed water fountain * Lots of different structures/play areas/misters that offer a ton of diversity What doesn't work: * At least when we were here the zipline was in sad shape. It needs to be raised up or just gotten rid of it because it was way too low to be enjoyable. I don't want to lay on the hyperbole but honestly aside one other park (Kids Castle in Doylestown, PA) this place is the nicest that I've ever seen and even though my kids are arguably a bit on the too old side to be enjoying a place like this, they still did. Great job DeLand! What an awesome place for the community!

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.

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.

The Baseline: For a park/monument the site must be informative, have great attraction, and have a…read morepark rangers that are knowledgeable of one of the park we are visiting. Park: This was one of the cleanest and best organized state parks I have ever visited. The parking was easy and the access to the main attraction was easy to get to. The walkway trail along the spring was well taken care of and safe. There is no graffiti or vandalized buildings in the park. Thank you State of Florida and California you should take notes. Attraction: The Springs are the main attraction with options to swim, tube, snorkel, and scuba dive in the spring in the summer. When we visited that was all restricted because the manatees were here to nest in the winter. This was awesome and it was great to see these amazing creatures in their winter respite. This is a must if you are visiting the Orlando area in the winter. Cost: Six dollars to come into the park with up to 8 people in the vehicle. Great price for an unforgettable experience.

Great park a lot of parking. Nice and clean grass a lot of tree around awesome Orlando Soccer staff…read moreteam

Sylvan Lake Park in Heathrow is one of those rare finds that perfectly balances nature, recreation,…read moreand community. My kid plays soccer here with Seminole Youth Soccer, and it's easily one of our favorite spots for practice and weekend games! The soccer fields are well maintained, and the sidelines have plenty of space for families to relax and cheer on their teams. Between matches, it's not unusual to spot a few deer wandering through the trails, which always feels like a little dose of magic in the middle of a busy day. Beyond soccer, the park offers a small playground, tennis courts, and beautiful walking and biking trails shaded by trees -- perfect for getting some steps in while the kids play. There's ample parking, clean facilities, and it always feels safe and family-friendly. Whether you're here for youth sports, a morning jog, or just some quiet time in nature, Sylvan Lake Park is a true Heathrow treasure.

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.

What a fantastic park. It had everything, a nice path encircling the lake, a little water feature…read moreour daughter danced and played in and wonderful trees and foliage that pleased the eye. Maybe it's just my Las Vegas sensibility, but the lake and green and water and humidity feel so foreign and nice and such a welcome contrast to the burnt over rock we are surrounded with, that I feel like little places like this don't get the love they deserve. I noticed it all and just felt like I was not only safe here, and welcomed by the other visitors, but as though a block party was on the verge of breaking out had I stayed an hour or so more. What a fun time. High marks, and highly recommend this place. no need for speed here, just a breezy and inviting place to take a stroll and take a deep breath and relax.

Mill Lake Park is a small, but nicely planned out pork in Orange City, Florida. It is on the corner…read moreof East Blue Spring Avenue and South Holly Street and is across the street from the Veterans Memorial Park. According to one sign that I had seen, Mill Lake actually a drainage basin. It was converted into this wet retention area in the late 1960s. It has a nice walkway around the lake that has a few pavilions with picnic tables underneath them at park benches spread throughout. The pavilions also have little grills on their sides. While I was here, there was a group of people enjoying a party of some sort under one of the pavilions. It also appears that they have a little splash park for kids here, but on the day I was here the temperature was in the fifties so no one was there. There are also restrooms at the park. All in all, this is a great little park and I am sure it is embraced by the community. I am going to give this park five stars.

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.