This is a very tranquil place. The entrance is on a fast curve, so you have to be careful turning…read morein!! If you are on foot, or bike, you can enter from the sidewalk on 16th Ave, as you go down the hill past Colony Park. Colony Park is the subdivision with the curvy brick wall. As you go down the hill, on the right, you will see a small grassy area. There is no sign, so you'll have to be sharp!! This park is so very peaceful. There is a lazy creek that snakes though it. There are at least ten man-made bridges and decks that let you enjoy a nice stroll through nature. Lots and lots of birds will be sounding out, especially in the morning. You can walk your dog, bring some hot coffee, binoculars, camera, etc. You won't believe that you are in the middle of the city!! The word "enclave" comes to mind, as the mood in this park is almost magical and surprisingly isolated. You feel safe and peaceful. I am definitely going back. They even have doggy bag dispensers!!

Alfred A Ring Park is very close to town; it's a nice walk getting here :-)…read more Tip: The funds to preserve this small bit of greenery were donated by Mr. Alfred A. Ring, which is why the park bears his name There's bridge from the parking lot into the park proper which very much reminds me of Costa Rica; there are some pretty nice views to take in when you cross it.

Beautiful place! The springs were closed but we went to Poe springs 5 minutes away and have a…read morenatural pool and river current with stairs, restaurant and bathrooms

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.

Time travel back to 1857 and a real working farm…read more The parking area is out by the barn and kearning center theres a gift shop too! I bought a hand made bird house. The land is lovely, and Im sure the walk to the house is awesome but my knees werent up to it quite yet.

We were looking for an easy and close activity around Gainesville for our family. This working farm…read morewas perfect. We found easy parking under the shade of some trees and started at the visitors center where we learned about how the Dudley family donated their farm to the state to preserve it. We picked up a self-guided tour map and explored the farmstead. We enjoyed the turkeys the best. The Tom (also named Tom) was in full display. There is a little gift shop behind the visitors center and we had fun chatting with the staff. It was a delightful walk back in time.

I love this place. The change in temperature within the sinkhole is so fascinating, as is the…read morewildlife you find in the basin. A very beautiful place, I recommend it.

Such beautiful grounds hiding within Gainesville! We had a wonderful time taking advantage of the…read moretrails and stairs to the bottom of the sinkhole! It's a great spot for those who - Want a nice, but non strenuous walk (about a mile around in circle. The stairs are a bit more but there are stops between levels) Wonderful shading with a sweet bird filled environment. Non busy area out of the hustle of life

This is a historic CCC park! Lots of great trails and campgrounds. Close to many other springs and…read morewithin minutes to some places of interest outside the park!

I normally do beach camping but when your friends ask you to camp in the woods you gotta do what…read moreyou gotta do. It was so fun, though I miss my sunset/sunrise beach fun. O'leno state park is a big park 1.5 hours from Jacksonville's northside, so it's pretty close. The campsites are well maintained, big and pretty level for tents and RV camping. Plus they have water and electricity. One of my must haves when camping is a nice bathroom and good showers. Luckily every state park I've camped has had big, clean bathrooms with disability access showers and O'leno is no different. Winner winner chicken dinner. It's cool waking up in the morning to all the birds, several barn owls were heard too. The trails are varied, walk along the river or through the limestone scattered trails, it's all awesome! Oh and it's close to Ichetucknee so you can easily go do the springs too. O'leno's river is rusty looking because of the tanin but it's still good for swimming. If you like camping in the woods, seeing fireflies, millions of stars and a good hike among friendly campers this place is definitely worth visiting. The only downside is the ticks...had to throw that in for full disclosure.

A fave for sure! Although lately we've been wanting to get there right at opening (9am) and have…read morehad to wait an hour due to them doing maintenance. We thought it was the same day weekly but it was not. Other than that, it's a great springs to visit. We have littles and it's perfect for them as there's a spot with a beach like area to ease into the water and has a shallow area. When the tide is low and no boats around, it's absolutely clear and gorgeous but once that changes, the murky water can come in quick. There are a few areas to jump which is also nice. And you can float down to where the Santa Fe feeds in. Watch out for gators though. We've seen our fair share. Overall, I highly recommend this spring!

Hart springs is a beautiful park that has a glorious swimming area, a tall jump into the deeper…read morearea of the spring. The park offers many tables and walk ways to truly explore the property and get a great look at this little arm of the Suwanee River. Come out and experience old Florida

My phone directed us to an incorrect address first (off Millhopper onto nw 90th St) and we…read morethankfully poked around and ended up finding our way to the Millhopper Rd trailhead. We just hiked Moonshine Creek today because it was pretty wet on Creek Sink after the rain. We then did a tiny taste of Spring Grove across the street before driving around to the other addresses associated with the park to try and find the Ranger station. After receiving a Junior Ranger packer at Devil's Millhopper State Park awhile back, my son was excited to bring along his passport to get it stamped at San Felasco. Unfortunately we could not find a Ranger or ranger station on our visit today. Nevertheless, we had a beautiful little hike, worked on Junior Ranger activities, and had fun exploring a State Park that was new to us! Admin Offices (NO trail/pub access) 12720 NW 109 Ln Alachua, FL 32615 Biking/Equestrian Trail Head 13201 Progress Blvd Alachua, FL 32615 Hiking Trail Head 11101 Millhopper Rd Gainesville, FL 32653 $4 per vehicle. Please use the honor box to pay fees. Correct change is required. Limit 8 people per vehicle. $2 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers

A great wilderness area not at all far out from Gainesville itself to explore, offering a rare…read moreinsight into how this part of Florida looked before human intervention. The trails stretch through the southern portion and then the vast northern portion and these hiking trails can be accessed from the Millhopper Road trailhead while mountain biking and horseback trails can be accessed from a trailhead further north near Alachua. Note that horses and mountain bikes are not allowed on the trails from the Millhopper Road trailhead, though. Horses must carry proof of a negative Coggins test and otherwise be good horses, of course. Although archeological studies indicate there were Native American and early Spanish settlements and roads through this area, you don't really see any evidence of human intervention historical or otherwise here aside from the parking area and the trails (and service roads) as the State Parks have done a great job of keeping this a preserve for animals and as rustic as possible. You are not allowed to camp here, either, so it's really a matter of humans exploring during the day a haven for wildlife. I have seen deer, wild hogs, snakes, tortoises, many birds, lizards and other animals here and you're almost certain to see deer or a tortoise if you hike for more than an hour and spread out a little. Dogs on leashes are allowed on the hiking trails, but please remember to bring some water for your dog. The trails off Millhopper Road on the north side are vast and not well-shaded in places. Dogs have died from heatstroke out there, according to the Park Service. Also, check for ticks because they are legion in their numbers here.

One of our top 5 favorite springs to visit, perfect for the family and great spot to visit when you…read moretrying to cool down from the sun. You can rent kayaks here and go down the Santa Fe. Lots of parking but sometimes can reach capacity on the weekends. No inflatable floats in the spring is kind of lame but you can bring noodles.

This is a small and very accessible park that has one swimming hole open currently. It was quite…read morewarm the day we were there and don't was pretty crowded. Water is a bit chilly but you get used to it. The blue hole (spring source) is about 20-25 feet down - a pretty easy snorkel. Not a lot of current. Shallow areas are good for kids and there is kayak/canoe rentals to paddle downstream to the Santa Fe River. Bathrooms were a bit disgusting. Smelled of raw sewage. A good place to spend a few hours.

Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens is an absolutely beautiful place. It is two levels with swans,…read moreturtles, koi ponds, squirrels, waterfalls and birds. If you are lucky enough you will get to meet their onsite cats. Watch out for all the spiders that have created their webs throughout the park area though. Don't miss out on the hammocks!

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!

Been going here since I was in college and came back for the first time in years. The staff is…read morefriendly and accommodating. The springs are absolutely gorgeous! There are about 8 boils/spring openings. Easily walkable to float and walk back to your start. You can also do a short float with small children that lasts about 10 minutes and is a 5 minute walk back to your start (Devils Spring to Ginnie Spring). Great memories and a great place to cool off in the summer. You can rent tubes, snorkel equipment, and life vests.

We came out Ginnie Springs with a large group over the course of 4 days. Some stayed the whole time…read moreand others came for a night or two. We were celebrating several birthdays while we were out here, which made the overall camping trip a blast. When compared to another campsite's this one is a bit more expensive that what is typical. It's $25 just to enter the park for the day and $40 to stay the night in a basic tent. Fortunately, our friends who planned the whole trip brought their modified truck turned camper; three enclosed 20' x 10' and two 10' x 10' enclosed tents; and three portable AC units with a multitude of other electronics including a huge blowup screen and projector so we could rock out through the evening. I have no idea what they paid for the water and power site for four days but I'm sure it wasn't cheap, plus they rented three camp sites and a golf cart so we could all get around with our tubes. Some of the downsides were: this is a privately owned park so there are more stringent rules/regulations. They shut us down at 12am and basically told us we couldn't have any lights on or music playing and we would need to keep our voices down. Not like we were getting out-of-hand, but it put a damper on our party. The restrooms are not super clean and are not maintained really well. They had toilet paper, soap, and running water, but the toilets were not cleaned for days, and the shower drains were backing up. There were also dirty clothes and towels left in the men's shower for days. Be sure to bring plenty of toiletries, sanitary wipes, disposable gloves, and wear sandals in the showers. The tubing experience was fun. We brought our own tubes and it takes about an hour to ride start to finish. The water had a lot of algae bloom's floating around which is weird. We were covered in it on the first day and because of it, I declined going a second time. Regardless, the water was nice and cold and very refreshing on a hot July day. It rained several times during our visit. If you do decide to stay, here be prepared to clean dirt out of every crevice for the next week. It took me about 4 hours to clean my vehicle, shoes, and other odds and ends when we got home. Staff were overall friendly. Even though we were told to tone things down a bit they did it in a kind way. I don't know if I would come out here again to camp because it's 3-hours away from home and it's a lot of stuff to take when staying for just a night or two. I would still recommend them if you're looking for a fun spot to camp where tubing is offered.