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.

Great place to spend the day and have fun!!We go on the weekends with friends by boat and it's…read morelot's of fun!

After a week at theme parks suck as Hollywood Studios and Epic Universe - we tackled Spring break…read moreby adding nature and make it peaceful. Crystal-clear water, shady trails, and total calm at Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest. Skipping the crowds never felt so good.

What a gem of a campground. Immerse yourself in nature here with the family. Has something for…read moreeveryone. Well maintained trails, a beautiful turquoise water spring swimming hole with and old working water mill built in the 1930's. Bathrooms and showers available. Park was dog friendly as well. Kayak rentals available for a 7 mile paddle. All of the sites seemed nice and large. Easy to get in with a camper/rv. Quite at night for small camp fires in built in pits - picnic tables included. Honestly, this could be the nicest camp site I've ever been to.

First of all, huge shout out to Colleen at the front desk. She was amazing, and absolutely went…read moreabove and beyond to help me and my 3 year old son. She kept him calm and interacted with him while I filled out the canoe waiver. There was just way too many cool things to touch in that office for a kid. If Colleen had not helped me, I would have abandoned the whole idea. Seriously, this lady deserves a raise. Her good attitude is priceless A gentleman named Russell was also super helpful. You could tell the guy was happy with his job. We spent 4 days & 3 nights here with 2 small children (3 & 1) where the nights dipped down into the 40's. Anyone with children can understand that's a tough situation. That being said, this is the only place I will ever take my family camping again. It's perfect if you have small children or women in your group, the comfort level is sufficient for family settings. Over all it felt very safe, staff was helpful, and the spring is beautiful.

Can't rate it worse because the spring is beautiful but for whatever reason every national park…read morepass they will accept, unless it's a military one. Wasted 70 dollars because they don't accept my military park pass from the same provider of cards they do accept.

My family plans a vacation around the springs in Florida every year. So I have been to many of…read morethem. There are good and bad things about this spring, but I really would give it a 3.5 if I was able. Good: --- The staff is friendly and attentive. --- Picnic tables are plentiful, clean, and tucked under shade trees. --- Charcoal grills available --- Walkways are cement or wooden, making it easy on people with mobility issues. --- Restrooms on site (I thought they only had port-o-potties!) --- Trashcans are plentiful & not overflowing. --- Love being able to swim to the cave and crevices to see the spring boils --- Great for snorkeling, so many fish (not kinds of fish, but number of fish) Not so good: --- Price. $14.50 per person is absolutely ridiculous. --- Needs changing rooms. It's gross to change in a tiny bathroom stall. --- The water got pretty cloudy, and lots of debris near the walls. --- When I got out of the water I felt like the water had a smell and it was on me. Other springs I feel refreshed and clean. --- The steps are super slippery --- They make a big deal on signage not to bring oversized floats, yet said nothing the SUP that came in like the Titanic among fishing boats. Plenty of staff walking around to catch that. --- Lots of limestone rocks, but they are covered with mossy growth. In many places it is too shallow to swim over, but too slippery to walk to the deeper part. (I know it is a natural feature that can't be changed, but for the price...you need to know) All in all, we did have a fun day. This was our first day of vacation, so if all of the springs are cloudy for some natural reason, I'll come back and edit.

Disrespectful to Disabled Veterans - Very Disappointing…read more As a disabled veteran, I was appalled to find out that Salt Spring Recreation Area does not honor the America the Beautiful Disabled Veterans Pass. This pass is a nationally recognized symbol of appreciation for those who served and sacrificed, and the fact that it's not accepted here is both disappointing and disrespectful. Public lands across the country--national parks, forests, and recreation areas--accept this pass without issue. It's a small but meaningful gesture of gratitude. Instead of being free for me and 3 guest I was forces to pay $50. Salt Spring's refusal to do the same sends a clear message that veterans and their service aren't valued here. It's shameful. To make matters worse, the staff offered no explanation or empathy. Just a cold "we don't accept that here" with no alternative options or respect shown. It was disheartening, to say the least. You should be ashamed of yourself. If you're a veteran expecting the same treatment and respect you'd receive at any other federal recreation site, don't come here. I won't be back--and I'll be telling others to avoid it as well until they choose to do the right thing.

This place was amazing!! A true hidden gem, no reservation required, large spring area, a cute…read morelittle breakfast/sandwhich restaurant. The water was cold and it felt amazing! You should pack as you would for a beach day, a few snacks, some chairs, a pool noodle and couple towels. Get ready to lounge for the day in between refreshing spring waters and shady areas to chill out.

Decided to check out Deleon springs, it wasn't too busy for a Friday thankfully we got a spot close…read moreto the spring which was nice, your allowed to bring a small pop up tent or a small umbrella. They have a gift shop and bathrooms very close to the spring and on the opposite side is the pancake house and gril where you can order from a window for take away small bites and drinks, only alcohol sells inside the restaurant, The inside of the pancake house was so hot, I felt for the employees!!! as much as we wanted to experience cooking your own pancakes it was too hot that day. The spring was a nice experience but this one was to small for me. Great for families and a close drive from Orlando.

Such a beautiful place to spend a day with endless activities! You can walk the boardwalk, swim,…read moresnorkel, scuba, tube, kayak, or paddleboard down the spring. Fishing is permitted from the fishing dock on the St. Johns River. There is also camping, cabins for rent, hiking, and manatee viewing. You can even rent an all-terrain tracked wheelchair for accesible hiking! You can find a gift shop and a concession stand inside the park. Follow the Blue Spring State Park Facebook page to stay up to date on fun activities and events like Manatee Bingo, Meditate & Move with the Manatees, guided moonlight hikes, and the Junior Ranger Program. My favorite event of the year is Firefly Nights from around mid March to mid April. You get to walk the boardwalk after the park closes to see thousands of Florida fireflies! It is absolutely magical, and a little surreal. Weekdays are less crowded, but honestly if you can only go on a weekend it's worth braving the crowd. It's a separately-ticketed event, and it does sell out some nights so make sure to get your tickets in advance!

Who doesn't want to swim with the manatees! Driving to the state park, you would never think this…read morebeautiful place, this wonderful gem, is nestled back in a residential area. WOW! When we arrived and set up chairs, etc. we walked down the path to the St John's river where we first saw the gentle giants gliding through the water. The water is crystal clear and is slightly chilly when first getting in but this is what you expect from a spring fed river. Tubing down the river and then just hanging out was amazing but was highlighted by a manatee swimming directly under me. So Cool! Please remember, do not to touch them. This is a must do if time allows. You must make a reservation online but the price is per car and was crazy reasonable. Just go, enjoy!

The Welaka mud is soooo amazing!.. You can walk, run and do…read moreexercise, bike and walk dog around there.. The pool is very cold omg and your body feel nice when you get out of the water.

Absolutely beautiful spring. A short mile and a half hike to the beautiful spring. Well worth the…read moretrip

This Spring is incredible for swimming, hiking and paddle boarding. They don't allow bicycles in…read morethe park at all, they don't even have bike racks, but they let us lock them up by reception while we spent the day inside the park. Awesome areas to picnic or grill and boats are docked where you launch kayaks. One even was selling hotdogs and soft drinks. Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful spring head. The staff are amazing. Especially Virginia who does an amazing job keeping the grounds clean. This is my favorite spring in close proximity to Orlando. Can't wait to go back!

Beautiful spot for swimming, bird watching, picnicking. Not so great for kayaking because there is…read morea very challenging 200 yard portage from the parking lot. Glenn is a staffer and he was very friendly and helpful. Don't miss the Boils trail. Come for the day but avoid the weekend

I found this park and boat launch while camping in the area while out exploring. At the very end of…read moreShell Harbor Road in an area known as Havana, Florida on the shores of Lake George stands this beautiful park, looking around the property it appears to be fairly new and everything is still pristine and show little signs of much use. That maybe due to the area is just beginning to develop for residential use and being it's fairly remote. There seems to be plenty of amenities for such a remote park including a very large parking area with lots of boat trailer parking, a few benches and charcoal grills, one covered picnic table and a very nice restroom facility and of course a very nice boat launch complete with a floating dock. The boat launching is located inside a protected cove and a short distance to Lake George. I was surprised to find Lake George is the second-largest freshwater lake in Florida, only world-famous Lake Okeechobee is larger and this lake covers 46,000 acres or 11 miles long by 6 miles wide. This nine-acre park provides free boat and kayak access to Lake George oddly enough airboat may not be launched from this location if you hangout long enough you may see a few alligators and at the right time of the year a few manatees, I didn't see either during my visit but did see lot of native birds but unfortunately no bald eagles...

What an amazing oasis this place is. There's so many hiking trails. I wouldn't even know where to…read morebegin. My visit was brief, but beautiful. I would have to take a whole day to even begin to remotely explore this springs Park. I was hoping to see the fluorescent green water, but it wasn't that way this time of year. Either due to the weather or the time of year, I'm not sure. But I will be back. I will see that water yet!

Such a beautiful Florida hidden gem! Green Springs is a small, easy hike that's perfect when you…read morewant to get outside without committing to anything too long. The spot where the river and spring meet is pretty cool, and the water is the prettiest turquoise blue -- absolutely unreal. Definitely worth checking out!