My parents were reminiscing about when they were middle school aged and came here for field trips…read more I was surprised to find out that Silver Springs State Park and the glass bottom boat tours have been around for that long! It was about a 1.5 hour ride from Orlando. Woke up real early on a Saturday (on honestly one of the coldest days of the year) to arrive at the park around 8am. I highly suggest purchasing glass bottom boat tour tickets online about a week in advance atleast since time slots fill up! We purchased the 1.5 hour tour on the boats. Our tour guide was incredible and shared so much knowledge and facts about the wildlife and park. I got to see tons of manatees! Plus getting to see gators, turtles, birds, and even monkeys! The glass bottom gives such a cool perspective on viewing the wildlife and plants underwater. Aside from the tour, we walked several trails to enjoy the great outdoors. Also, we had coffee in the morning when we first got here and lunch after the tour. The food was pretty good and filling. At the gift shop I made sure to leave with a magnet and Christmas ornament to remember such a great day here.

What a breathtaking location! From the parking lot, it doesn't look like much. They are redoing the…read moreentrance sign, and from the outside, it seems like the place might be pretty rundown. However, once you walk through, you are quickly transported. The entrance to the park is only two dollars per person, and honestly, in my opinion, they could charge just a little bit more. The glass-bottom boat tours run faster than you might expect, so if you have the time (which we didn't during our visit), opt for the longer boat ride; it doesn't cost much more. They also have little shops to explore and plenty of outdoor seating so you can take in the beautiful surroundings. If you're a water lover, make sure to plan ahead and reserve a crystal-clear kayak or paddleboard to enjoy the water--it'll be worth every penny. The only hiccup in our plan was that we booked everything on the day of our visit, so we ended up with a shorter tour on the glass-bottom boats and got locked into the last kayaking time slot. The woman at the reservation desk for the kayaks was not very pleasant. She told us that despite showing a 5 o'clock slot, they were no longer taking reservations. I showed her the option on my phone, but she still refused to let us sign waivers. Luckily, we found the manager in charge of the rental hut, who advised that we could still make our reservation online. I showed him on my phone, and although we'd have to pay full price and probably have less than an hour, that was perfectly fine with us since we were in the last slot. The lake was practically empty, so we had the entire waterway to ourselves--so beautiful and peaceful. Honestly, it felt like we were in another country, surrounded by nature. If you don't have the chance to kayak, there's also a walking path where you can see monkeys left behind from one of the movies that was filmed on location. We walked part of the path, and it was just as beautiful. Any chance my kids and I get to be outside in nature, we gravitate towards it, putting away our phones to enjoy everything around us. What a great way to spend your day and your vacation!

Lake Wauburg is a cool lake that sits just south of Paynes Prairie and is located in Alachua…read moreCounty, Florida. It is a pleasant enough lake and while not big, it is a nice place to chill for a bit.

Lake was cool , there is a guy who can juggle so make sure to ask about that. Must see.read more

Nice park with a view of the lake and a few picnic tables. This is a nice place to come chill for a…read morebit.

If you are driving around the local state roads you could be completely oblivious the massive Santa…read moreFe Lake which is on the outskirts of Melrose. Santa Fe Lake Park allows free access to the lake, an area to picnic, playground, and restrooms. There is a channel that goes from the boat ramp to the lake. I highly recommend if you do access the lake to make a note of where the channel to the boat ramp is as it is easily lost due to the many cypress trees that can hide it. Parking is ample as well. The park itself does not offer a view of the lake or any water activities other than the boat launch, it is a nice place to have a picnic. I launched my kayak from the boat launch, and enjoyed the park especially since it is free.

Any day on the water is a good day. Got some good tips from deckhand as well as a nice clean boat …read more Enjoyed the day hope to be back soon.

Smartest thing we have ever done joining Freedom Boat Club. We enjoy boating on lakes when we are…read morehere in central Florida in the winter and early spring. Our membership entitles us to the use of any of their boats on the Harris Chain of Lakes for the cost of the gas. We have never had trouble reserving a boat and the dock masters at all locations are very helpful,friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoy all the advantages of boating without the hassle and expense of ownership.

Discovery Kayak is my go-to shuttle service whenever I paddle the Silver Springs Long Run. Over the…read moreyears, I've tried several different shuttle companies, but once I found Discovery Kayak, there was no reason to look elsewhere. Their service is consistently reliable, professional, and friendly. The shuttle is always clean, comfortable, and makes the quick ride back to Silver Springs State Park enjoyable after an amazing day on the water. As a fellow small business owner, I especially appreciate supporting another family-owned business that genuinely cares about providing a great experience for their customers. I highly recommend Discovery Kayak to anyone planning the Silver Springs Long Run. They are an important part of what makes the adventure so seamless and enjoyable.

Great staff. Friendly and knowledgeable…read more They gave information about where to look for Manatees, gators, monkeys and of course, the Spring. The shuttle pickup was comfortable and on time. They helped load our kayaks back onto our vehicles. Super trip.

Exceptional experience for our group of 9. The day was perfect and the boat was beautifully kept…read more Working with Mark was great. Would definitely recommend!

We rented a pontoon boat for the day. Mark is very friendly while also being very professional and…read moreforthright in dealing with his customers. We had a great day on the river. Our 5 year old granddaughter was with us and never got bored. We saw a number of alligators on the banks, and numerous herons and other wildlife. This trip was worth every penny!! Memories made! Thanks, Mark'

I rented 3 jet skis from Mystic Knot. The machines were all Yamaha Waverunners and were very stable…read more(fit up to 3) and plenty of power. The process to set up the rental was easy. The company treated us warmly and did not take a long time to fill out all the legal paperwork. They had us on the water in about 15 minutes. They treated us very well and we will be renting from them again when we are back in Flagler Beach. Thank you!!

They were excellent to communicate with. We booked on short notice. Our Captain Brian was the best…read more This is a great company. They are knowledgeable of the area, professional and friendly. He made our trip so enjoyable and a great value for the price

Had a great time on the river! Christian got us checked in…read moreand going! The river and the lake are beautiful. We visited Salt Springs and The Glen, beautiful cold clear water! The boats ran great and we had no issues. Highly recommend. We had two boats.

The super and service we received from Welaka Boat rental was excellent. The pontoon boat we rented…read morewas like new and was east to operate and very fuel efficient. Cody was very accommodating and quite helpful. Very pleased with our choice! Highly recommend.

Besides a private boat, there is no better way to explore the beautiful lakes and canals of Winter…read morePark! Here is what you need to know: - Time Investment: One Hour (In my opinion, the perfect amount of time) - Investment: $20 for adults, $10 for children. Truly a deal and enjoyable for all ages. - What you will see/learn: If you like history, nature, or just getting a really good tan you will not be disappointed. The true highlight was getting all the tea about the beautiful houses that line the canal and their owners. - Tips: Bring water, sunscreen, and a good hat. If you are hard of hearing, sit near the front. There is a bathroom right before you purchase the tickets and a small covered seated area if you come early. The ride is very gentle and my four year old took a nice little nap as soon as the motor started running. It can get really hot so I recommend booking an early or late afternoon tour if you are sensitive to the sun. We all had lots of fun.

My mom absolutely LOVED this! We brought her for her birthday and she had the best time!…read more Firstly, I recommend getting there with plenty of time to park and check-in. The tours are on a first come, first serve basis and leave every hour on the hour. One of the canals was closed for construction when we went but it was truly still so lovely. Our tour guide provided so much history and information! Pro-Tip: SUNSCREEN, handheld fans and water. The boats are not covered and it can get very hot. They do not allow umbrellas for cover. This tour has been around for a while and I can't believe this was my first time taking one. I absolutely had the best time. Looking forward to bringing more visitors to do something so very central Florida! It's grand!