I love me a good spring. At least once a year I try to get off my little island and go find a nice, cool Florida spring to swim in. This summer was closing to an end, and I hadn't make my spring run yet. We have a couple kids in college at USF, so I decided to try to find one to dive into on my way to the campus. My inter-web tube search came up with Lithia Springs. I hit it on the Friday before Labor Day. There were about 20 people in the park, and only 2 were in the water. Perfect. I had talked with a lifeguard during my visit, and he said on peak days they had 'thousands' of swimmers. This was based off gate entrances of 2 to 3 thousand people. Wow. I timed it perfect. The swim was nice, the 'boil' was gated over, which makes sense, but still provided for a nice, refreshing swim. I love swimming against a spring boil, so this kept me entertained for a while. It cost me $4 to get in and to swim, well worth the price. While I ABSOLUTELY wouldn't want to be here on a day with a thousand people, if you plan it right (school back, and on a weekday) this is a REALLY nice spot. It took me about 20 minutes off my usual run to get here, and 20 minutes to get back, but for me, it was worth it and on future campus runs, I'll be swinging through again. read more

This is absolutely one of my favorite places in Tampa Bay. I took my daughter there when she was tiny (she's 30 now) and my 11 year old loves it (especially for the fish like Emily K mentioned). My 30 year old is pregnant with my first granddaughter and I'll be bringing her here too. Pleaceful, quiet, especiall in the fall and winter. Even in the summer months, if you get there early enough, you can stake out a spot under the shady trees and make a day of it, but it does get crowded. Well worth the price to swim in the beautiful spring. read more

I'm very unsure if I want to come here, I just called to see information I was confused at with the 24$ camping , if it was per person or just per tent, I wasn't sore because I've only been camping once. The lady ( she sounded like an older lady) answered the phone and forgot where she was then said Lithia Springs , then I guess I asked her my dumb question and she straight up laughed. HORRIBLE customer service. I asked her what her name was twice but she didn't give it to me she just hung up right when I asked the third time. If she doesn't like her job I think she should get a new one that's not dealing with people. What a shame. First impression are the most important. read more

This was an amazing place to spend the day. They have areas to sit down and relax, area's to swim, changing rooms, food trucks, a play ground, a canoe dock, and a gigantic seashell pile, in which they use to create the walking paths within this park. It is $2 to enter and park your car, and $2 per person to swim; if you want to go into the swimming area and tan, you will be asked to pay the $2 fee to enter into the swimming area, but it is well worth it, even if you only have an hour to spend at this beautiful, tranquil location. And yes they do have life guards on site, to ensure that you and your loved ones are safe, while you enjoy your swimming experience. read more

Lithia Springs Park - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

It would have been AWESOME if they would have put it out somewhere that the swim beach was closed due to flooding. Nothing like spending money and time to get out there to discover it's closed. read more

Such a sweet, quiet park is well worth the drive from Tampa. Lithia Springs Park is packed to the brim during the summer, but if you go in the fall or spring, the water is still a nice temperature and the park is totally empty! Enjoy the beautiful, natural spring without the crowds of families and children that fill the crystal-clear water during the hotter months. During the off-season, the park is deserted. This is my favorite time to go. The Park Rangers often won't charge the extra $2 for swimming during this time, and you won't see a single other human anywhere in the park. It is simply the perfect place to go for a quiet, relaxing day with friends. The water is full of fish. Bring some bread or ham--the fish will swarm around it, and after a few times of this you can put the tip of your finger in the water and a whole school of fish will start biting at it. It's pretty fun. Large cranes and other fowl can be found in the water, and if you are lucky, you will catch a good show. The cranes love to catch all the little fishies! It's like watching a ninja (or the nature channel). read more

Expected it to be a bit clearer. Seems a bit murky and muddy but good for kids that want to splash around. Would like to see what the canoeing is like. Nice areas for families to grill and hang out. The park area is great for the kids too. But a couple to one and just hang out, not so much. read more

Lithia Springs Park - Lots of kids. If you're looking for peaceful this isn't the place but great for the kids to run wild. - Parks Near Me - Lithia, Florida

Pretty trails! The swimming area is always packed which makes it unenjoyable. Tons of kids splashing around that have no concept of personal space. read more

Won't go back very disappointing with smoking allowed on the beach and swimming areas. You pay just $2 each and now I know why. My children don't deserve to breath second hand smoke. Have a designated smoking areas to make it more pleasant for those that don't smoke. read more

I really enjoyed this Park. My girlfriend and I went on a Sunday as a day trip from Sarasota. Well worth the drive. Do get there early though as when the park is at capacity they stop letting people in unless someone leaves. There is a food truck there or you can bring food to grill yourself. No alcohol allowed, which isn't a bad thing as it cuts down on potential problems. They also have rules against blasting music which is nice keeps the spring relatively peaceful. Made a video of our visit here.... https://youtu.be/IMgIASsqWIw read more

Me and my kiddos went to the park and were surprised on how good this place was. If I could give it 6 stars I would. Watch out for fire ants on the picnic tables. Btw you can't bring in food or drinks. Water was pretty cold but we had a blast and saw some fish. I would come again. read more

We were excited as a family to swim. We came early and bought our tickets for the 2 pm slot. At 1:45 there was thunder from afar. Never once did the life guards talk to the people waiting to get in, they mumbled under their breath that they would have to wait at least 30 min. Sure enough the life guards retreated to the back of the spring and sat there for 3 hrs, under their shelter. My kids were so eager to swim, a life guard headed to the parking lot, my kids and others were like "Yay they are going to open." A kid asked if they were opening and the life guard just shook his head. There was no respect from the staff. They never made eye contact when talking to the general public. They like to get paid from the state by sitting on their butts. They have no integrity for the public or their jobs. Find another spring. When asked to speak to manager, they said he is gone for the day and we do not bother him with complaints. #Lithiaspringsnot read more

It was my first time going to this park and it was so relaxing. We couldn't find a nice trail to walk through, it kept leading us to a parking lot or a playground, but it was quiet and there were a lot of trees which I really like. The water in the springs was low but it's a nice park to have a little picnic at or just relax. It's $2 to enter. read more

This place deserves 0 stars. Unfriendly staff, incorrect information on the website, and stupid policies all around. I understand no alcohol, but the website doesn't mention it, then when you get there - if you are caught with it (even in your vehicle not consuming) they will expel you. Then when you walk to the swim area, you will discover that no food is allowed. They want you to leave it unattended outside the area. (What!? Leave family food unattended??). So if you go (which I recommend not going) just be ready for stupid rules and a bad experience. Unless you like stupid places, then go! read more

We love this park. Beautiful (cold) spring to swim in that's not too deep, not too shallow - just perfect for our 3 & 4 year old. Their favorite part - the hundreds of fish that swim right up to your toes. If you're not a fan of fish in the water, this is definitely not the place for you. We went late spring this year for the first time and the "shores" had tons of tadpoles! The boys spent more than half their time just putting tadpoles in the buckets. There are great picnic tables and plenty of grills when it's time to eat and a great 2-part playground to boot. There are also canoe rentals here but we haven't tried that out yet. Just a simple fun park to bring the kids to when you're looking for something different. Especially quiet during the week during the school year. You're likely to have it all to yourself! read more

If you're looking to do something fun and cheap to do this summer in Florida to beat the heat...why not plan a day trip to Lithia Springs? Lithia Springs is just a short drive from Tampa and offers camping, canoeing, hiking, area for picnicking and best of all...a natural spring. The water is so clear that it only looks a few feet deep until you get in and realize it's actually about 12 feet or more above the grated cave mouth of the spring feed. Be sure to take some goggles and an underwater cam to get a great view and pics of the fish. Entry into the park is $2.00. Swimming is $2.00 per person. Canoeing is 25.00 for 4 hrs. read more

A beautiful natural spring. Stays cool year round, can swim with the fishies. We saw some Sheep's head, some bass, among others. Lush surroundings. A very cool place to take a dip. Will check out canoe rentals next time I go. read more

To my surprise, this park not only has great playgrounds for the kids and plenty of open area for a soccer game, it also has a natural spring watering hole with lifeguards. :) I thoroughly enjoyed this park. There is a charge to get in and a charge for a swimming band, but the $ is worth it. It goes towards keeping the park in great shape. Heads up: if there is lightning in the area, the lifeguards and park ranger will close the spring area until the all clear is given. read more

Overall, this is a beautiful park to spend the day on a balmy spring day. It's natural beauty is nothing less than awesome and offers a unique setting in which to play, relax and make memories. There are two playgrounds, one for under 4, the other for ages 5-12, plenty of swings and a sand volleyball court. If canoeing is your thing, there is also an area to launch your own vessel. No rentals available. The spring was clear and clean and very refreshing. Yes, a little chilly upon your initial entry, but on a sunny day, you acclimate very quickly. The facilities are fairly well maintained, although it puzzles me why they wouldn't make the minimal effort it would take to bring it to 5 star quality. A twice daily beach raking and sidewalk sweeping would go a long way. One of the 2 showers for the swimming area was out on the day we visited...not a big deal for us since it wasn't a very busy day at the beach. In my opinion though, this is something that should be operational at the beginning of the spring season. To discourage swimmers from using the spring as a toilet, a restroom, rather than the Port a Potty, would be great addition. The camping area was quite charming...large wooded sites, lots of shade trees, each equipped with a picnic table, fire ring, water and up to 50amp hookup. We set up for the day, the daily rate was only $24.00, but we left at dusk as we had pretty much exhausted all the activities the park has to offer. This would be a nice place to have the full camping experience though if traveling with other families. read more

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Great place for a family outing. Really enjoyed the family friendly atmosphere. The park is clean. The play equipment is in excellent condition. Close to supermarkets and restaurants. The spring is so refreshing. read more

Worker called me an asshole for going 5 over the speed limit. He stopped in the middle of the road and made me roll down the window to yell at me. Very rude and unprofessional. Besides that the park is nice but that experience just ruined my day. read more

This is a wonderful park...I only give it for stars because it does not compare to some of the other springs in Florida....However...For being close to Tampa it is an amazing neighborhood swimming hole...There is a beach that circles the spring...Inside it descends to around 12 ft to a small cave that is blocked by a grate....Also!!! you can find TONS of shark teeth!!! no lie!!!! They are black and fossilized from long ago but they are all around the edges...Just search the black rocks that are at waters edge....trust me...they are there...Look near both lifeguard towers and anywhere in the "deep" end....Oh....although there's tons of fish to see...Dont worry...no actual sharks!! read more

It was absolutely awesome! Are nine month old enjoyed his first taste of sand ! I recommend bringing goggles as the fists are cool to look at. We might be going back tomorrow. read more

We camped last night. The spring is closed due to high water. It was very disappointing. Bugs are real bad. For some reason this camp site attracts a lot of shady people who have a lot of drama with fighting, drinking, and being onnoxious. Looks like quite a few of the campers actually live on the grounds. Water in bathrooms and spicketts outside eject cloudy white water. Bathrooms facilities were in need of cleaning attention. Canoes were not out for rentals. All in all pretty boring camping trip due to no canoes and no spring. read more

Great place and beautiful scenery! Water temp is 72 degrees year round with a little beach area. It's also separated by low and deep end. There's a campground so you can stay overnight with electric and water. Clean bathrooms and showers. Lots of fun and definitely a place I'll go back to! read more

The staff are very nice and friendly. If you have small kids this is a great place to take them due to the abundance of lifeguards and shallowness of the water. The area is very clean. The size of the spring is small and it can get very busy as the day wears on. The other issue I had with the park was that on the Hillsborough County website it lists the park as being open at 8:00 AM. The signs at the front list it as opening at 8:00. However, they will not let you enter the spring area until 10:00. Fortunately, it was nearly 10:00 when I arrived so I didn't have to wait too long. I double checked the signage when I left and checked the website. There was no mention of the different time for access to the spring. That should really be updated because had I arrived at 8:00 am I would have felt really frustrated. That being said. This is a great place to take a family, the cost of entry is very cheap, and it is a nice way to spend some time in nature on a hot day. The park is well-maintained by the city. read more

Very cool spring with fish all around. Bring a mask and snorkel! Could improve parking and area within near the spring. Definitely check it out read more

I got there and it was absolutely packed. My boyfriend set up our beach chairs and watched everything around us, which felt like we were at a zoo. It is a beautiful spring that is ruined by the abundance of children and dirty people. I left after 15 minutes. read more

Worst place ever! Not only was the pictures deceiving, but we were lied too! When we paid to get in. The person who took our money said that if we did not like it or unable to find a handicap parking spot close that he would give us our money back. I had to walk way too long to find out how bad this place was. We emmediatly went back to car. On the way out, a different person was at gate and refused to return our money! Trust me when I say. Don't go here! read more

recently camped there, drove around campsites and found a site only to be told that that site was taken, ranger gave me a map of everything open , drove around again chose a site and paid for camping. 30 minutes later while unpacking gear , ranger pulls up and tells us that site was also taken, wtf ...these people running park are very unorganized. Also while your expecting peace and quiet , expect and interrogation by a camp host who claims to be welcoming you but really is there to tell you they are watching you , nice ...i will definitley think twice about camping here again read more

Great park. Nice camping sites. They need to put trash cans at dump station. They need to fix the screens in the restrooms. They were full of bugs and not that clean. read more

we drove 2 hours to spring and got all the way to gate and they then decide to tell us no swimmig we were very upset that they didnt even post anything on website letting people know so that was a disapointment me our my family will not ever be going back!!!! read more

loved the water and the looks of the park except a real shame that you can not take even a bottle of water into the fenced area but people can sit there and smoke up a storm throwing cigs all over. other issues are no benches or places to sit inside fenced area read more