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.

Nice place to float down the river. Clear, beautiful water. Easy hiking trails. A great place for…read morefamilies.

Amazing adventure sliding along the river in a doughnut except your bottom in the water and I was…read morescared of alligators that was also scared of me))) anyways great experience definitely worth driving and we will be back. The only thing is not mentioned on the website you can't swim here it's in the other direction but again you can stop in the middle of the slide and dip in to cool off.

I booked a shuttle online because I brought my own kayak. The folks at the shop were very nice and…read moreextremely knowledgeable about the river. The shuttle driver was also very professional and knowledgeable about the river, the accesses, and the ecosystem. Would 100% recommend this shuttle service to anyone wanting to float the Santa Fe, especially if you want to get away from the crowds.

Rum 138 is a fun great place to visit, the 6 mile paddle that they scheduled us on was wonderful…read more Beautiful clear river with some gators, an otter and lots of beautiful water. They offer festival fun during off season time in the area as well.

Great hidden place for locals off the main road. Great for families. Sliding rock, jump off rock,…read moreand small pool for swimming.

Wow!! Small park. Big Fun!! If you are in the White Springs area you have to check this place out…read more About an hour and a half west and north of Jacksonville. Just a 1.5 mile trail. 3 miles in all. The scenery is amazing. Beautiful views of the historic Suwannee River all along the trail. Hike ends at the majestic Big Shoals. Your experience will depend on the water level of the river, but ours was pretty impressive. Park is pristine. Trails are well maintained and easily accessible. We went in the middle of the week and were the only people there. It's really hot in the summer,so make sure you have water available. Don't miss the bat house at the very beginning of the trail. If the bats hear your voice they will start moving around and making noise. Great old Florida experience.

Jennings State Forest is a gem in NE FL. I ventured out with a group yesterday to do the Dunn's…read moreFarm trail. I've also hiked much of the Pioneer Trail. The trails are well maintained and well marked with blazes. The trails take you through a wealth of biological diversity from pine forests to uplands that hug Black Creek and other smaller creeks. I haven't camped so can't speak to the campgrounds but the camp sites are well marked. Cost to visit is $2 pass that can be purchased online. The parking lot does not have good reception so better to purchase in advance. Parts of the trail is shaded but a lot of it is in the sun so be aware if visiting during the hotter months.

This was a stroller friendly trail. It was sandy, dirt, and gravel paths. You do have to pay a $2…read morefee to get in, and they only accept visa, MasterCard, and discover. The trail was partly shaded with lots of sunny parts. When you get to the pioneer trail and the waterfalls trails, it does start to get bumpy with roots, and there are stairs, which we turned the stroller around at because it would have been too hard to push a stroller down the stairs. There were cars in the parking lot but we didn't run into anyone until we came back and finished. There were benches and trail markers along the way, and there was plenty of signage to guide you. Overall, it was a nice quiet trail with lots of options.

Called ahead and checked hours for rental operations, return time,etc. when we arrived we were told…read morethat whoever we spoke with was incorrect and that they stopped renting at 2pm!? This wasn't what we were told nor is that posted on any website or anywhere. Very random and wanton hours that must depend on the day or whims of operators.

1. Took several phone calls from two of our staff to secure our reservation. We spent time on the…read morephone when we did get through to Jay explaining that we had a group of seniors and we wanted an easy kayak for them. 2. When we needed to alter reservations, we received no return phone call. 3. When we arrived and asked for a change to the reservation we were told absolutely not. We pointed out that we called the number given to us to try and do this in advance, but were told that didn't change anything as we left a message when the outfitter wasn't open. 4. When we launched, no one explained safety gear, paddling procedures, that the kayaks had foot pedals, or where we would take out. When we asked for a map or chart, we were told to find one on our phones. 5. When kayaker had medical issue (heat exhaustion, accelerated heartbeat, and leg cramping), which manifested in the 1/4 mile before the spring run at at Gilchrist Springs, Deacon (the bright spot of the entire trip) tried to get someone to pick him up and was told we should switch his kayak and that no one would come get the person. 6. Deacon (again, the bright spot, perhaps put this kid in charge) tried, without success, to fix the broken seat for the kayaker in distress. He also showed him how to use the foot pedals to help keep the seat from sliding. He did offer to switch kayaks, putting the distressed kayaker in a tandem with one of the group leaders. He clearly wanted to do more and had empathy, but anything else was clearly above his pay grade. This brought the total of boats on the water down by one (which will come into play in a moment) 7. No one mentioned the rapids. Fairly mild for seasoned and competent kayakers, but for a group of seniors who stated they were seeking an easy paddle, a mention of this when Jay told us which would work would have been advisable. 8. When we reach the take-out, one of the men working commented that he thought the seat of the kayak in question (distressed kayaker) might have been broken when he set out the boats at the launch that morning. If so, why did no one attempt to remedy this at the time? 9. In response to this, I explained we had switched two kayakers to a tandem at Gilchrist, (at this point, the trip is over) to which he replied, "Oh, so that's why there's one less kayak coming back. I wondered about that." So... he noticed we were short a boat but didn't wonder or question as to what happened to the boat? What if someone had gone missing? Does this outfitter have any sort of safety protocols in place? 10. We called after roughly 30 minutes waiting to get picked up at the end of the run. That appears to be when someone send the van to get us, even though staff assured us when we took out of the river someone was already on the way. We will not use any AOA services again.

Had a great time kayaking with Lars, yes like Mars but with an L…read more I was apprehensive at first as to how it was going to go since I have a very limited experience with kayaking. A few times in the past two decades with a few friends who knew what they were doing. It was going to be 4 hours or so on the river. The weather was beautiful and it was so wonderful to soak in all the greens surrounding us. Quite a few herons, osprey, and some kind of warbler. Very nice distance to drive from Gainesville and everyone in there kayak trip today was from Gainesville and they were all very nice. The drive to kayak destination and back in itself was a nice trip with change of scenery and getting out of town on a weekend to avoid the hussles and bussles of every weekend stuff with groceries and errands. Some people saw some alligators and were trying to point them out hiding but we didn't see any on the same trip! We are told that they don't bother people much in general:) When I expreeesed the concern about not being able to keep up with all other kayakers, my husband said that he would leave me behind and if an alligator has not gotten to me on the way back, he will bring me back home if I fall behind. Yes, he is the perfect picture of support!!!! Lars is very laid back and knowledgeable and easy to talk to and we learned a lot during this trip and would love to come back for more. It was such a fun great nature trip!!!!!

The place is long gone and shut down, he was a nice person , then the guy got caught up with the…read morepeople causing overtourism on our river which has contributed to the decline of the river and the area, so good luck with the one guy.

Rum Island Springs County Park is located in the Fort White/High Springs area of North Central…read moreFlorida, 28-miles from Gainesville. It's $5 entry per vehicle and hours are 8am - 7pm daily. Rum Island is a tucked away natural springs pool that's catered towards younger crowds (imo) with mostly shallow waters. There's a row of buoys separating the springs from the Santa Fe River. Visits here can be real quick, under an hour unless you're launching kayaks or barbecuing with family for the day. The white sands of the springs are crystal-clear most times throughout the day and the waters showcase vibrant aquamarine colors when the sun breaks from the clouds. There's even a turquoise limestone cavity that pumps out the pool's 72-degree spring waters. There are some opportunistic moments for worthwhile picture takings and recordings, but...Rum Island is so small and shallow that it feels like standing in the center of the kiddie springs at a waterpark. As much as I enjoyed the views, I felt out of place. It wasn't my favorite Florida springs park to visit, but I still respect it for its scenic surroundings. Finally, there are plenty of kayakers and paddle boarders floating past the springs. Visitors can leave their belongings anywhere on the grass. Overall, I'm glad I got a glimpse into what Rum Island Springs Park is about, which has me motivated to visit the local gold standard benchmarks...Ichetucknee Springs, Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.

Although the spring is nice, parking is horrible. The park has no one enforcing proper parking and…read morepeople will block you in, block the road. It is a nightmare. Definitely need some regulation here.

GREAT place to take the family! This is our favorite springs…read moreto go to. We try not to go on days we know its going to be super crowded because we like to use our snorkels and a look in the little cave at the bottom and the water is just way less murky. There is a lot of spots to hang out and a have lunch or a little party. We had a small BBQ there for a graduation party.

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.

We had such good time perfect weather warm water beautiful views I am sure there is a second time…read morefee was $5 USD per car. They had portable restroom.

There's nothing wrong with the park as far as management, but we just went and the parking…read moreattendant let us know the spring has stopped flowing. The water was very low and it was green (maybe an algae bloom from stagnant water?). We drove quite far to visit the spring and the website said nothing about this issue so i wanted to spread the word.