Lake City Dive Center is an awesome place to get your open water certification. They had great…read moreequipment, they use incredible fresh-water facilities that set up for testing, and the certification dives went like clockwork. Barry and Ginna were wonderful hosts.

You don't often eat Chicken Parmesan and then meet a turtle. This happened to me recently, but it…read morewas a painted sea turtle on a wall who told me his name was Bob. Well .. I pretended he told me his name was Bob, and I pretended that Bob told me to enter the store. Pretend or not, that turtle drove me to the store. Fortunately, I listened to Bob. This is despite not being a diver. But I am a snorkeler! In fact, the next time someone asks me my hobby, I'm going to say, "I'm a snorkeler." I have never heard that before. I bought some snorkel equipment and headed to Florida Springs. You know what kind of fish I saw there? Me neither. I just know they were little colorful ones. I also saw many of Bob's friends, many of which said hello. As far as the shopping experience goes, A+. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended--even if you only snorkel.

We shopped around and settled on APD. Great selection, top-notch rental equipment, easygoing and…read moreexpert staff are interested in making sure everything is a perfect fit. No pressure or upsell. Regarding instruction, Matt is an exceptional instructor. You will be impressed.

This is a great dive shop!…read more After you are shown how to fill tanks you can fill your own! They have an easy payment system you just log in and put in how much gas your tanks started with and ended with, what type of gas you put in them and the size then it calculates the cost automatically! You can fill up anytime day or night just know where the light switches are! This shop also offers a wide range of rental gear from tanks, primary lights, to scooters! They also have a good selection of gear for sale including reels, finger spools, clips etc. The owner is knowledgeable and friendly, such a great guy to talk to and hang out with while you are filling up your tanks.

This place is awesome. Wane is one of the most down to earth people I've ever encountered. They…read morehave every type of gas you can think of. Sometimes you can even hear someone pass gas. I'll defiantly be back many more times to get air and oxygen.

Beautiful state park with access to florida springs for swimming, diving relaxing & might hiking in…read morethe area. Pets not allowed. It's nicer to enjoy when it's sunny as the water looks more beautiful & clear. On my visit it was cloudy, rainy, but we still got to enjoy the water. We saw many fish & turtles.

Wonderful and very deep spring. Just watch the steamship remains in the clear river bed going into…read morethe Suwannee River. Wonderful history as this ship supplied all of the pioneers along the riverside.

I was looking for someone to teach me how to swim which is no easy undertaking when you are 57…read moreyears old. The wonderful instructors at Scuba Monkey ( Amber and Tracy) helped me and guided me every step of the way. They are kind,patient,resourceful and can think outside the box which is exactly what I needed. Wonderful people and a beautiful state of the art facility! If you or your kids need swimming lessons, there is no better place. Thank you,Alex.

Friendly and knowledgeable instructors. They make you feel like family. Active dive club. Great…read moreplace to learn and meet dive buddies

Hi, I have dove with…read moreJosh and Deena on several trips to the florida keys. they are a great team and offer a very custom diving experience. Our dive party was able to video giant groupers off of Looe key. we were spontanious to the photo opportunity that was a pleasant departure from traditional dive trips.and they Love of the water! They know how to adapt to ever changing conditions! we felt safe and would send any family or friends to them for their next adventure. I want to dive with them in the crystal river basin next, manatee season. He knows of many local spots that you may not find on your own. LC oh yeah, If you get him to cook your fish you will be amazed~ They will be apart of our annual trip to the keys that we have

From the owner: Our business specializes in putting the customers needs first. Only the best dive training and dive…read moretours are provided here at Madman Moody's Scuba Diving Adventures. Here you will not be rushed and the memories and training you receive will last you a lifetime!

Since my last review was over a decade ago, probably time for an update. I don't come to Ginnie as…read moreoften as other area springs but it's worth a visit now and then--on weekday mornings ideally if you want to freedive, swim, and miss the crowds of the weekend. It's a good camping destination, too. For me, the main draw however is freediving and there's plenty here to see. You cannot and should not by any means enter caves as a freediver--it's forbidden and even for highly-experienced freedivers, dangerous. If we freedivers don't want to wear out our proverbial welcome, yes, we need to behave. Cave-certified SCUBA divers are the only ones to enter caves. I want to address some things which came up between my own observations and what I've read in other reviews here. For one, the food. This isn't a good place to get good food. If you want something nice, get it "in town" in High Springs or bring something to cook if camping. For that matter, bring your snacks and gear because expectedly things are a bit overpriced at the merch store here. If you don't what the place to be loud, busy, and long lines then don't come on weekends and holidays. It's that simple. This is a business and they'll let in as many people as they safely can let in. As far as loud music and uneven enforcement of rules, I think this just comes down to different employees acting their own way. Most summer help is students, they're not going to have the discernment and acumen of a veteran police officer in dealing with people. Most are nice, some are lax, some overzealous. About the bath houses and other facilities. I think things are in pretty good shape--on par with bath houses at campgrounds in the Ocala National Forest, in example. Nothing was horribly dirty any time I was there but folks--this is camping. Remember that. I don't see the need for tram or shuttle, either. Maybe for disabled or infirm folks but most of us can simply walk between springs and should. Overall I feel Ginnie is well-run for what it is, with your normal business caveats like they'll charge what they can get away with in their store which is exactly why you want to buy stuff at Walmart or whatever prior to coming here. It's a great place to camp and unique, beautiful, springs you'll remember your entire lifetime.

Ginnie springs is an amazing private property camping spot for trails, swimming in the springs and…read morea great weekend camping. Highly recommend not coming on the holidays. You get this mix of ghetto hick thugs speeding through the park flashing whatever bs they think is cool. They are trying to crack down but the park is big and there's always someone has to ruin it for visitors. Great spot on week days. One of the few places you can drink and float down the river and hit some springs. I've had many great times

Want to learn to Scuba Dive? Need a Refresher Course? This…read moreis the only place I recommend. Fintastic Diving Adventures is an amazing Scuba Diving company that specializes in classes, certifications and trips for the whole family. I highly recommend them. Though based in Jacksonville, FL, they regularly hold classes in Atlanta. I've been scuba certified for over 30 years but I took a refresher course with Fintastic after being away from the sport for a while. The owner, Saffron, also taught my children to dive and we have traveled with her on more than 10 trips. Each one was organized, professionally done and tons of FUN. You can rent her gear for classes and trips or she can hook you up with your own gear at reasonable prices. Well known and respected in the diving industry, Saffron is a wonderful teacher with over 6,000 dives. Sitting on multiple Scuba Safety Councils, she is the person that professional divers recommend when asked for the name of a scuba instructor. Saffron's background in marine biology is a great help in identifying wildlife above and below the water. To top it all off.. Saffron is a nice person and I think nice matters. Apart from the group trips she arranges, she often accompanies private groups who want their own dive master with them on their trip. Check out their website !

Saffron is wonderful teaching kids and adults about marine life. Her background in marine life is…read morejust an add on bonus to your whole diving experience. Friendly service, very convenient and great pricing! Would recommend to all my family and friends.

We were so impressed with our scuba cert program through SpringAdventures!…read more Honestly, when we hit the targeted ads, we were a little dubious because of some of the web design choices, and how low the prices were. SO GLAD we took a chance. It's a one-man operation, and he's incredible. His prices are all in, and he really does knock it out in just 2 days with great flexible local dives near the High Springs area. If you have a special request, just call him - he was able to add our NitrOx cert as well on the fly. I was blown away watching this man transition from charismatic comedy, making learning fun but still hitting all the key points, right into suddenly supportive teacher mode when we were in the practical portions and he was helping a student who was struggling, using a disarming compassionate demeanor. At least in our session, class sizes were very small, and he not only equipped us mentally for our scuba expeditions, but he gave us incredible insight and recommendations beyond the certification on what kind of gear to look for, good habits, inside tips for the industry. Just 11/10. He also does have gear available for sale, customized to the diver, which is I assume how he keeps his prices so low, but he wasn't pushy at all and advised us for what we NEEDED not what he sold. I was actively trying to buy gear from him, and he advised me that I might need something special and that also some other websites unrelated to him are having a pretty good sale right now so he chose our equipment and savings over his own revenue. Just couldn't be more impressed. (Also, if you come down here for just the class from out of town, I highly recommend the "getaway" tiny home cabins nearby for lodging. They're clean, super cheap, nice close by, and easy. Including two nights lodging, you could get your scuba cert here for like a thousand or $1,200 cheaper than you can in most major cities.)

From the owner: Providing 2-Day PADI eLearning Open Water Certification in our North Florida springs. We use…read morebetter training gear and have smaller class sizes than our local competitors. Come "Spring into Diving" with us! We are the most economical choice at $385 for full certification!

A very neat place to see. Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring is…read moretucked away beside Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens in Williston, Florida. Both locations are literally right next to each other. The Devil's Den is a fascinating hidden gem that offers a true taste of Florida's unique geology. A cenote is a natural sinkhole formed when limestone bedrock collapses. Most are very unique and all share that they seem to have crystal-clear groundwater beneath and an opening above for sunlight to reach the water through a hole in the ceiling. It is essentially a window into an underground aquifer. The springs typically have 72-degree spring water making it cool and refreshing no matter how hot it is outside. The experience is especially rewarding if you're visiting a cenote for the first time. The entrance is easy to miss from the walkway. We walked right past it. Gear rentals are available on-site, making it accessible even for beginners. You check in at the office and pay your fee and sign the waivers and then you can enter and descend a set of stairs with a notably low ceiling. Watch your head!. It is a little bit dark on the first landing but it had plenty of light at the large landing by the water. Below, the cavern opens up to reveal the stunning underground spring, perfect for snorkeling. We did not go snorkeling this visit but may try it the next time. Right next to the cenote is a pleasant above-ground pool area with a beach area and chairs. Right next to the cenote entrance are several covered tables for groups.. It's a convenient spot to dry off, eat a snack, or simply enjoy the surroundings after your swim. Overall, Devil's Den is a neat and unique geological feature that's well worth the stop, especially if you're exploring central Florida's springs. It's not a large site, so you won't spend all day there, but the chance to snorkel inside a real cenote creates a memorable, bucket-list moment.

What a cool place this is! We're camping here and get to take advantage of all the amenities…read more Regarding the Den itself: There's a huge swimming pond. You can play volleyball in the water (or on the lawn), make your way to the middle island in the pond and relax on a hammock, or simply relax in the water. The spring itself is down some stairs. It costs $30 to snorkel and I think $50 to scuba. You have to have mask and fins on at all times - you can't just swim in the spring. We're here in the "off" season and it hasn't been crowded at all. If you want to enjoy just the swimming pond / Oasis it's $15 a day. It's free if you camp here. The campground itself is small, only 30 sites. Most have full hookups and 5-6 are electric only. It's shady and quiet in the campground. We will definitely stay here again!