What an absolute gorgeous park! The walk down to the edge of the watwr onnthe ramp is beautiful…read more Its close to home too!

This is a walking trail, kayak launch and you can fish on one side. There are gators! This is the…read moreplace where KP picks up tube floaters. There is no swimming, fishing or alcohol allowed. There are a few walking trails. One leads to a bridge(no fishing or swimming or diving) one leads to a ball park. And the other around a pond where there are gators and fishing areas. There are Porta potties. And dogs are allowed to walk on trails.

From Tampa, it took an hour and 30 minutes to get to the river. We first wanted to take a swim in…read morethe swimming area so we went there first before it got really crazy. The area is a bit small and there isn't really a lot of sun spots for you to chill at. It is cool to experience once but I think if you tube, you still will be able to get a swim in because parts of the river are pretty deep. After the swim area, we headed to the tubing section. It is a 15 minute drive from the main park entrance. The fee was 54 for two people that had an annual pass. Highly recommend bringing a small cooler with snacks and drinks and an extra tube for it. It took us about 2 hours to float back to our car and the river is very calm and relaxing. I've floated a river in San Antonio but wasn't as nice as Rainbow springs. Very clean and the water is sooo clear. Overall, really enjoyed our day visit to this state park!

Our tubing trip down the river was pretty, but it was quite boring. It took us two hours to float…read morefrom the entrance to exit, and it was extremely slow. We kept getting stuck in trees and bushes. The fun part was getting to swim in the clear water and passing off our tubes to a floating friend to hold onto. We also saw an otter. The lady at the rental station was very generous and let us borrow multiple pairs of goggles and masks. There were a bunch of motorboats passing by and blasting their music. They disturbed us with their waves and noise. It was around $27 per person in addition to $5 for one vehicle, and we paid all the fees upon entrance to the parking lot. They take you on a safari-like tram to get to the tubing entrance. I strongly recommend water shoes because my friends were suffering while barefoot on the hot ground. The walk was unexpectedly long and painful for my barefoot friends. They don't have showers or any sort of water spout/hose, so it was kind of gross to not be able to rinse the river gunk off then drive hours back to a major city. They have restrooms, but they were already closed when we walked from the river exit back to the tube station, even though the actual park wasn't closed yet, and there were still employees there. This was very inconvenient, and I wish they had at least told us in advance because we didn't have a place to change. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the restrooms to stay open while the park is open. Also, they have you sign a waiver that says you must wear a lifejacket at all times. They didn't even offer us one, so I was baffled why they made us sign a waiver that said that. Can't they get into legal trouble if they don't actually provide lifejackets? I was troubled by the fact that we had to sign something that wasn't in the slightest bit enforced.

Great little playground for the kids. Not many in this town, so I was super stoked to find one…read more There are basketball courts as well. Well kept and clean.

We arrived right when they opened and rented kayaks at the KP Hole so we could travel up river to…read morethe Indian Creek and then we floated back down and exited at Blue Run. There should be more signage along the river telling you how many minutes it is until you reach Blue Run. It took us longer than four hours from the KP Hole to Blue Run and we were paddling for part of the way. If you're floating on tubes, I'd give yourself a minimum of five hours. Make sure you bring non disposable goods! We brought a lunchbox with Tervis water bottles instead of plastic water bottles and Stasher silicone bags instead of Ziploc bags. Would highly recommend doing it on a weekday instead of weekend/holiday to avoid crowds.

Great adventure!…read more Was invited to visit with some friends. We purchased VIP parking (world recommend as it gets packed pretty quick) Never been to a springs before so wasn't really sure what to expect. KP Hole & Rainbow River is a beautiful springs. They do check bags to make sure food is stored in Tupperware and bottles for any alcohol as it is not permitted. We rented kayaks it was around $50 for the whole day and included a shuttle to bring the Kayak back & a life jacket. They also have tubing & lockers you can rent as well. Beautiful scenery. Saw fish & a baby alligator and a few beautiful birds. It was a hot day but was made up with the cool water. Really great experience to do with friends & family. Staff was really great in directing where to go & helping with any questions we had.

Hidden gem! We loved swimming and my boys enjoyed climbing the palm tree…read more We did a short trail and saw plants and bugs! We had a picnic at a table but moved to the sun because the boys were cold.

One of my favorite springs. All the wildlife, the 72 degree year round water. Feels so good on a…read morehot summer. Only bad thing is that they charge $15 a person. Used to be $5 a person. During the busy season you have to make reservations

What a gorgeous park for people to visit!…read more A former quarry, this is now a tierd garden of beautiful flora and fauna. The fountain at the bottom is truly the centerpiece. At Christmas they did a gorgeous job of lighting up in holiday lights. And if you're like me, You go looking for painted rocks ala the Kindness rocks project.

This was a fun walk around a garden that must have seen better days - or today was a dry day. We…read morehad fun, it was an old quarry where the owner envisioned and created a cool upper and lower path around and filled with some water, waterfalls, koi fish, swans, ducks, turtles, and oodles of plants: some unique some local- and even a Japanese stile garden with Tori gate et all. Today we didn't see the center fountain many admired, and sadly the water levels must have been low as the cascades were thin (at best). Nonetheless- we had a good time walking about and spotting an old bonsai tree, some Japanese-style bridges, and even a slithering water snake! How exciting!! In all it was a fun stop that broke our long drive from Tallahassee to Fort Lauderdale, so we had a good time. Entrance fee was a bit steep at $ 12 (for what was offered imho) and there is a veteran/military discounted admission ($6)but make sure you have your DD214 or Retired ID to show or else you will Not qualify. Enjoy!

Lovely park in Inverness, Florida! Parking was easy and we…read morewere in search of geocaches. We completed an adventure lab ( free app) walking tour of the park and one conventional geocache. The views were gorgeous, real Florida views. We saw one gator but no cooters( turtles). We even saw a water bulldozer type thing for clearing out weeds in the pond.

Water looked terrible, walked all the way around to see a couple of turtles and 1 gatorread more

County-owned and run park with a beautiful natural spring. There is a "dive platform", which I put…read morein quotes because as a platform diver myself, it's not high enough to be a proper dive platform but still you can do basic stuff or just jump off. Most of our state parks sadly have removed their dive platforms (Fanning, Madison Blue, Gilchrist Blue) so it's nice to find one. There are picnic tables and a I think a playground for little kids plus a sand volleyball court which gets very popular on weekends. Actually, the entire place gets very popular on weekends and I'd advise going on a weekday if possible. Otherwise, it's super-crowded and mostly rowdy teens. There are a lot of fish in the springs but if you want to freedive or snorkel and see them, come on a weekday, ideally in the morning. Once kids come around after school, the dive platform is the highlight and there's enough kids jumping off it to make the water very murky so you won't see anything then underwater. Tips: --It's cash-only, $2 admission for adults, not sure what for little ones. --No footballs: volleyballs are allowed, but no footballs! I asked why and was told by the girl at the concession stand "two boys playing football trampled a Karen who complained". So yeah, that. --The focus is very much on family fun: again, if coming to see nature come on a weekday, ideally early. --If you dive/jump off the platform, swim clear off it immediately. There's likely a middle schooler jumping right after you. Some run, jump, and don't look down and I've been hit before by flying tweens. --The road leading to the park is pretty long and paved. People drive like proverbial bats out of hell on it, 60 MPH or more. Be careful.

The good is it is a nice family swimming hole. With extras like volleyball ball, play ground and a…read moredock the kids jump off of. So many here is supposed to be another her so here goes. Police were there a lot so they have security law enforcement to keep the peace there.

Wow! WoW! Wow! I think this park is profoundly under the radar and simply not well known enough…read more This isn't just some playground with a path. In fact, there is no playground equipment at all. What it does offer, though, is everything one could want in a natural setting. You can walk for a little while or lose yourself in it for much longer. The paths are easy, accessible, and thoughtfully laid out, with enough variation to keep things interesting from start to finish. It never feels repetitive, which is rare. The labyrinth was genuinely enjoyable, with multiple points of interest throughout. Subtle shifts in sound and visual texture keep you engaged, yet everything remains grounded in simple nature, shaped by the hands of men.. nothing artificial or forced, just an intentional design that draws you in. The crowning glory moment for me was the Zen garden. I cannot remember the last time I felt that level of calm and stillness. It has a way of centering you almost immediately. I would have stayed longer, but I needed a restroom, which unfortunately was closed at the time. This is a place I will return to without hesitation. My mother has yet to see it, and I already know she is going to love it.

What an astoundingly beautiful park near On top of the world in Ocala…read more The long, winding drive to the parking area is absolutely beautiful. And the parking area is the hub. Theres a gated park that has a fountain, walking thru that, you get to walk the labyrinth in contemplation. It truly is a spiritually refreshing walk. The Zen garden is simply a work of art. They maintain it as a meditation garden, so its a quiet zone. There is a large open space, perfect for gatherings and picnics. Theres a great big walking trail with shady benches ever 20 feet or so. The pomd with the koi is nice, the fish are large, but the water is stagnant and smells bad. Those fish are HUGE! I LOVE THIS PARK

A great place to start your adventure and exploration of the Prarie…read more I recently stopped by the Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park Visitor Center in Micanopy, Florida, and it was a fantastic experience! Yes, you do pay the $6 per vehicle entrance fee to enter the state park, and it's a bit of a drive from the main gate along the park road to reach the parking lot. From there, you walk a short distance to the center itself. But once you arrive, it's absolutely worth it. The Visitor Center is very nice and modern building with large floor-to-ceiling windows directly across from teh entrance offering great views of the prairie itself. The staff, specifically Brad, was very helpful, The sets of displays provide an good overview of the prairie's natural and cultural history through interactive exhibits. There is also a short film in the theater room about the location. I really liked the observation area and spotting scopes. One scope was perfectly trained on a bald eagle perched about two miles away. I thought that was an incredible sight! It made the whole prairie feel alive and gave us a real sense of the wildlife that calls this special place home (wild horses and bison live here too). There is a small gift shop, restrooms, and the building provides easy access to trails and an observation tower nearby. It's a perfect starting point to understand and appreciate this unique place. If you're in the Gainesville area, make time for Payne's Prairie. The Visitor Center is a hidden gem that turns a simple stop into a memorable visit. I highly recommended it.

We took advantage of our Florida State Park Pass (saved us the $6 entrance fee) and took a drive to…read morethe park. This is a beautiful park to drive or hike. The drive in and to the visitor center is so pretty! The trees make a nice, shady canopy. You can see various animals from the observation tower, open range or hiking. It was late afternoon and hot when we were there so we didn't see much (one deer!) and I'm sure the animals were in the shade somewhere.