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!

I almost lost my life at Rainbow River, and I feel like I need to share this for anyone considering…read moretubing there. I came expecting a peaceful, relaxing experience because that's what you see in the pictures and reviews. Instead, I ended up in one of the scariest moments of my life. I fell out of my tube and got stuck in deep mud. My water shoe was literally sucked into the mud, and I couldn't push myself up from the bottom. I couldn't get back on my tube because my legs were stuck, and I had already gone underwater and was coughing. What made it even worse was that my daughter, who cannot swim, had drifted away and I couldn't see her. I truly thought I might drown and that something could happen to my daughter. I was panicking, crying, and shaking. By the grace of God, I saw the only boat nearby and flagged them down. They went back and picked up me and my daughter too. I will never forget the people who helped us. I truly believe they prevented a tragedy that day. Another important thing to mention is that this happened toward the evening on a weekday, and there were almost no people left on the river. We were some of the last people out there. I got incredibly lucky that there happened to be a boat nearby because otherwise, I don't know what would have happened to me or my daughter. What upsets me the most is that there was no real safety briefing or warning about the risks. We were given tubes and sent off. No one explained the currents, deep areas, muddy bottoms, or what to do in an emergency. No one recommended life jackets to us, even though not everyone in our group could swim. Please understand that there are no lifeguards. Depending on the time of day, you may find yourself with very few people around to help in an emergency. If I hadn't been able to flag down that boat, this story could have ended very differently. I later learned that other people have had similar frightening experiences here, and I understand why. Please, if you decide to go: * Wear a life jacket, especially if you are not a strong swimmer. * Do not assume the water is shallow because it's a spring. * Do not bring children or adults who cannot swim without extra precautions. * Understand that there are no lifeguards and you are responsible for your own safety. This experience was so traumatic for me that I still have flashbacks and cannot imagine ever returning. A beautiful place can still be dangerous, and I wish I had known that before I went. Please stay safe.

I really love this park!…read more I saw the signs for it & just decided to check it out as I love to visit the Nature parks. This park is exceptionally beautiful. It has an old vintage Florida feel with gorgeous old moss covered trees, kids play areas, an old vintage railroad, tons of biking & walking/hiking trails & a giant Lilly covered pond/lake. I had such a great time the first time I went. There was wildlife everywhere & I got to video some very friendly birds. I went back again & it was even more beautiful the second time, than the first time as it had just rained & all the flowers were blooming. They have a little garden there. It's just so precious. This place is so very beautiful. I keep finding all these different trails, they are obviously working on it & making it bigger with more trails. It's a very peaceful place, Like a forgotten tropical wilderness stuck in time. I have not seen more than 5 people here at once. I love all the Nature Parks for hiking but I have to admit. This one is very special & very unique. I can't wait to return. Highly recommended.

Crews Lake Wilderness Park has beautiful and well maintained grounds. No fee to enter like some…read moreother wilderness parks. I attended a wedding here and it was a peaceful and serene experience. There is a boardwalk and pavilions for events. The restrooms were also nice and clean. Actually better than some restaurants.

Great place to enjoy in family, different opinions, horse riding, hiking, biking or just walkingread more

Beautiful area for camping, fishing, hiking, and enjoying outdoors. Has plenty of tent sites w…read morequick access to water for fishing or trails for hiking.

Went on a wander and came across the Weeki Wachee preserve…read more Free parking and a nice long paved walking trail. I didnt go far, i was trying to get the sunset and I was too late. I still got some very nice shots.

I was looking for a local place to get a few steps in. I've been here now, three times in one…read moreweek. I've rarely seen other people. Beautiful place to walk, and watch the sun set. Plenty of parking. A picnic table here or there.

I love the flat, shaded trails. There's always plenty of parking. Everyone I've met there are…read morefriendly and kind.

(This review is only for the haunted drive-through event held at the park on October 26, 2024)…read more Cons: Very long waits. Over an hour in line in the car without a bathroom in sight. Might have needed a flashing light warning for epileptics. Pros: Nice people, and good that it was done for charity (Hurricane relief). Good costumes, especially toward the end by the tree service folks. I should have got pictures of that but I was giggling and jump-scaring by then.

Kicking off the new year on a new trail - and it was a great one! This trail is part of the Majorie…read moreHarris Carr Cross Florida Greenway that stretches from the Gulf to the St Johns River, the Greenway is a Florida State Park. This address takes you to the Landbridge Trailhead (approximately 1.4 miles NE of the actual I-75 Landbridge) and has separate parking and trails for equestrians -vs- hikers and bikers which is nice. There are bathrooms, a water bottle filler, a bike wash station, a few picnic tables, a bike tool station (although the air hose was cut) and all of it very well maintained given the impressive number of acres. The mountain bike trail intersected the paved trail so when we had enough bumps (hello, beginner here?!) we could take the paved trail a little while longer and all the back, thank goodness.

Came here for the first time this past weekend and really enjoyed it. We will definitely be coming…read moreback. At this trailhead, there is PLENTY of parking (when you pull in go to the right - it goes around a corner and there is where you'll see a couple of parking lots). There are bathrooms, a water fountain, and trail map here at the trailhead. You can choose a couple different trails - going to the right is a 3.5 mile hike (one way - so there and back is 7 total) that goes over to the 49th ave trailhead or to the left goes to Santos (7 mile one way). We went with Santos. Things were pretty clearly marked; however we somehow ended up on the bike trail at some point (there were 4 of us and we were busy in conversation so ya know, it happens lol), but was easy enough to make our way back so our 7 miles turned in to about 8-8.5. Worked out great because we ended up coming out where Santos Bike Shop is and took a Lyft/Uber back to our car at the trailhead. The bike shop was great, super nice people, plenty of knowledge in there. The trail itself is shaded for the most part, sun creeps in, but it's definitely shaded with all the trees. We saw a LOT of cool looking trees. I'm a big fan of being able to explore Florida (free is even better) so it's nice to be able to go out on the trails without having to pay to get in to parks or for parking or what not. If you have bikes, this is a GREAT trail to come to - the trails are separate as far as bike friendly and people hiking friendly which is nice for both parties. We really enjoyed and can't wait to visit again.

I love camping here! It is magical. We just don't love that the trails are closed off. So far we've…read morecamped here twice using the electric and water. In the summer we were in loop 1 and recently we grabbed a last minute spot in loop 2. Even though there were so many folks we still had a great experience. The dogs love that park. There is a 13 mile trail that is in and out and that would take us way too long especially with the heat. We adore this spot and will be back!!!

I love going to Hillsborough River State Park in Thonotosassa. We regurlarly enjoy its hiking…read moretrails, (we usually combined them all for a good for a 7 miles haul). The trails are tranquil and vary in difficulty from easy to somewhat hard. Along the way there are plenty of opportunities to watch the animal life of the area and capture them in photographs. There a plenty of benches and little nooks where to rest along the way, some good enough to enjoy a picnic! Besides hiking this park offers all kinds of amenities such as camping- (all, including glamping), biciclying, horseback riding, fishing, and canoe/kayak launching. There is a historical fort and grounds within but currently close for renovations, (I believe it is scheduled to open in November). At Hillsborough River State Park there is plenty to do to enjoy a great day outdoors!