I can honestly say that visiting this place and riding an airboat were among the most enjoyable…read morethings I have done in many years. Wow! My family, friends, and I had such a great time and wish that we could have remained on the airboat much longer. This place is located at the end of a very long road. The drive to the property is very quiet and relaxing. The property itself was well-maintained, everything was clearly marked, and the venue itself was fun. There is a gift shop, a snack shop, a food trailer offering hot food, a beverage hit, clean bathrooms, gold mining, and so much more. The employees went out of their way to make everyone feel welcome and comfortable. The real reason why you would visit this place is the airboats. Each guest boards the large boats, which can seat 12-15 people at a time. To the rear of the boat sits this huge fan, which controls the boat. Each guest is required to grab a headset or ear protection, as the boats are noisy and loud, and I mean LOUD once they get going. The purpose of the boats is to have fun, of course, but the objective is to look for alligators as you speed through the swamps. During our visit, we spotted nine alligators, and the boat operator stopped so guests could see and experience them up close. The alligators are never disturbed, and they do not seem to mind being watched. Back to the airboats, these things are FAST! The boat operator will have you going so fast on the water, then pull into a complete 360-degree turn when you least expect it. The first time the boat operator sped away from the dock at the start of the tour, you were a tad nervous, similar to riding a roller coaster. After this initial nervousness, you could not get enough of this airboat and only wanted to go fast on the water. I might add that there was a group seated in front of us with a boy between 8 and 10 years old and a young tween girl, and they appeared to enjoy the airboat ride just as much as we adults. This is definitely a fun place for all ages

The place itself was clean and organized, and the airboat ride was okay overall, but we were still…read moredisappointed with the experience. We were a group of 7 people, and unfortunately it did not meet our expectations. We only saw one alligator swimming in the water during the entire tour. Instead of wildlife, the driver mostly showed us horses and cows from a farm across the resort, which was not what we came for. What made the experience worse was that the driver kept intentionally driving us into thick grass areas several times. He also stopped the boat in an area full of mosquitoes/gnats, and we kept getting bitten until we asked him to move immediately. Unfortunately, he repeated this more than once, which made the ride very uncomfortable. Overall, the experience was not worth the money for us. We would not return and would not recommend it.

What a wonderful evening! We did the sunset cruise to celebrate my 50th birthday, and it was one of…read morethe highlights of our girls weekend in Mount Dora. The captain and crew were welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable, making the experience both relaxing and enjoyable. The boat was comfortable, the scenery was beautiful, and watching the sun set over Lake Dora was absolutely breathtaking. We loved learning a little about the area while simply sitting back and taking it all in. If you're visiting Mount Dora or celebrating a special occasion, I highly recommend adding this cruise to your itinerary. It's peaceful, beautiful, and a perfect way to end the day. We made wonderful memories and would absolutely do it again!

Captain Felix and Guide Mr Run were great. Sharing fun and interesting information. We saw baby…read moregators, a big Mama gator laying nearby, lots of birds and a few turtles! Also got to wave at some "canal" locals. It was the 2 hr canal tour and was a great deal. We also were able to bring our leashed Pomeranian Daisy May

The café and museum are both amazing! Our tour guide Dave was very informative and cracked some…read moregreat jokes! Learning about the history of chocolate was very interesting and the chocolate statues are incredible! The tasting at the end of the tour is the cherry on top! Definitely recommend!!

The cafe has a nice atmosphere, rare chocolates, and very accommodating staff members. The tour was…read morea fun and detailed experience that I may do again next time I come to Florida. Also Dave was great :)

I had a wonderful tour March 8. Melony was very informative and a wonderful tour guide. This part…read moreof the Suwannee is protected from development, so very peaceful and beautiful. I hope to visit again next year and take a longer tour.

This is hands down one of the best Florida tours we have taken. we have taken this river boat trip…read moretwice now and would do it again without hesitation. The couple that run this tour are wonderful people, super friendly and have a lot of historical knowledge of the area. They know this area inside and out! Such a beautiful day on the water, lots of wildlife and their boat is so well kept. Don't miss this your!

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!

One of the most beautiful parks I love coming here even just for a walk.Workers there always…read morefriendly

Had a beautiful day! Got to see turtles and alligators and even the monkeys! Worth our time and…read moremoney for sure! My 11 yr old had an awesome time and was happy to have gone! She asked the boat man 100 questions and he politely answered them all .. which was super nice. Also he informed us about the museum that was close but not in the property and it was very informative for our visit and homeschool information! Definitely go there too if your visiting

This isn't just a beach ride--it's a beautiful, ethical experience with rescue horses who truly…read morelove what they do. We had an absolutely incredible experience with C Ponies, and I can't recommend them enough--especially if you're looking for something unique, meaningful, and truly unforgettable. What makes this experience so special goes far beyond just "riding horses on the beach." These are rescue horses--many of them coming from difficult or neglectful situations--and C Ponies has created something really beautiful by giving them a second chance at life. You can feel how deeply loved and well cared for these horses are. They are healthy, happy, and genuinely seem to enjoy their work. One of the most fascinating parts was learning that the water is actually healing for them. Being in the ocean supports their joints and overall wellness, so this experience isn't just fun for us--it's beneficial for them, too. That alignment made the entire experience feel even more special and ethical. Our guide, Raina, was fantastic. She had the perfect mix of humor (yes, some delightfully corny jokes), warmth, and knowledge. More importantly, you could tell she truly loves these horses and what she does. She made everyone feel comfortable, safe, and engaged the entire time. Walking the horses into the water--and even getting to experience them swimming--was surreal. Each horse had its own personality, which made it even more fun. You could tell they were relaxed, confident, and happy to be there. It didn't feel forced or transactional--it felt like a partnership between humans and animals. Living in Sarasota, it also meant a lot to support a business that is doing such meaningful work in our own SW Florida community. C Ponies is not only creating unforgettable experiences, but they are actively rescuing, rehabilitating, and giving these horses a life filled with purpose and care. If you're on the fence--book it. It's one of those rare experiences that stays with you long after it's over.

Absolutely exceeded our expectations! Raina was an amazing guide, full of tons of information…read moreabout the bay, history of the ponies and nuances of each pony to better assist each rider. Would highly recommend! This is an experience you'll never forget. Thanks to Raina, Coral, Dori and Snooki.

Absolutely loved this place! Had an amazing experience with the manatee, and the our guide person…read morewas awesome!!! Highly recommend

Garrett was a blast! We are just coming into the warm season and most manatees are back in the…read moregulf, he still got us to 7 manatees, 2 gators, and we caught a dolphin in kings bay towards the end. He gave us plenty of time to look for things to come up out of the water which was great for my 2 year old. Boat was shaded and was enjoyable even with a small child. Other tours wouldn't let me book because she was under 3- we brought our own lifevest but they did also have some on board that were her size.

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!