Fantastic state park. Lots of things in Florida have island in the name but this one means it…read more You'll need a boat or the ferry from the parking area to get to the actual park. Docks are free if you aren't staying overnight. There's a small museum, a store, and a Ranger Station that rents kayaks, canoes, and bikes. Hiking trails on an island? You bet. There is also a picnic area, playground, and bathrooms with showers.

The island is very busy around 11am but the island shop is nice, but it only has Dasani water…read more Fishing is fun but I would recommend to bring a fan but there are all sorts of species to catch. The pontoon ride is fun but can get crowded with wheelbarrows. Would recommend!

Interesting history here. I can't go somewhere without checking out some of the sites. There's not…read morea ton of things to do in Daytona but when I saw 'Lighthouse Park', I knew we had to go. One of the workers in the gift shop gave us an intro when we bought our tickets. You should definitely start across the street at the hotel/museum. That hotel/house has history all its own aside from the lighthouse. The family that lived there and ran it. I loved the house and it seems to have stayed in great condition after hundreds of years. In the hotel/house, you start with a short movie in the side room and then you can tour the house at your leisure. The house has multiple items displayed from over the years. There are also boards with a bit of history as you make your way through. Outside of the hotel/house is a relaxing area by the water. You could relax there or it'd be a perfect place for a wedding or special occasion. Once finished there, you can make your way back across the street to the lighthouse. On the lighthouse side, there are other buildings where people that took care of the place stayed. There's also a small storybook trail. It's not long at all but it has these storyboards around it talking about this cat named Nelly. That's all fun and stuff... but at the end of the trail, you see a little cat graveyard with cats that have been on the property over the years. When we walked up and I noticed Nelly was already buried! THE HORRRRRRRRRRORRRRRRR! On to the lighthouse; You can climb up to the top of the lighthouse. I think there is a sign that mentions 222 steps or something. It gets very steep near the top. Great exercise and it made me forget all about the cat graveyard. It's a cool place. I was intrigued by the Cincinnati Reds connection too. Other notables: Across the street is a restaurant and ice cream place. I don't think those two spots are related to the lighthouse itself but it's nice that they're there. We tried out both and they weren't bad at all. We didn't venture further down the road but we were told more restaurants/locations are further down. If you like history or inlets or just lighthouses, check out this place if you're in the area.

I visited the beach here one afternoon. It costs $10 to get in, so come prepared for that…read more There are bathroom facilities and outdoor showers, which I appreciate, though the bathrooms are pretty gnarly, so I'd avoid those if you can help it. The beach itself was pretty small, and it was crowded. The water wasn't too rough. There were a lot of kids and families, so clearly a good place for the kids to swim. My favorite part were all of the dogs. There were so many puppers on the beach! Overall, I'll give it a 3. It was fine, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go here for a beach day.

Had an awesome time bringing the dogs to the dog beach! It's a nice little strip of beach with…read moreshallow water under the fishing pier. Would recommend bringing some kind of shade covering for beach area but there's a covered picnic table area by the restrooms and hoses designated for the dogs to rinse off and community dog bowls for drinking in case you forget your own. Worthy to note- walking on The pier is not permitted for dogs after 10 am because apparently it gets too hot to walk on so there's alternate sand paths, you can definitely bring a wagon to help cart your stuff, an umbrella or shade to protect you from the sun might be needed since there's no natural shady areas, it's $11 to park all day with ability to go in & out throughout the day, and they have a hose to rinse down the dogs so WOULD RECOMMEND FOR A NICE DAY OUT IN NATURE, AT THE WATER WITH THE PUPS!!

Such a fun park! We made the mistake of walking a little too far instead of stopping at the initial…read moredog beach area but that ended up giving us a really nice spaced out area for our whole family! Beautiful calm water and very pet friendly

I found Gemini Springs Park in DeBary on Google Maps for a discover a new park day, so stopped in…read more It's huge, with 212 acres and 2 springs! You can hike the trails, kayak on the St. John's River, or fish in Lake Monroe or off the pier. Plenty of parking, picnic tables, BBQ grills, and a cool playground for the kids. Even dogs have their own park! Plus, there are primitive camping sites available. It felt super clean and safe, and parking was easy.

Gemini Springs Park is located in DeBary, Florida, 25 miles north of Orlando…read more Since you can no longer swim here due to high concentrations of bacteria in the waters, visitor attendance can be quite low. And since there's alternative parks situated throughout Central Florida that are swimmable, not many people will make the effort to experience Gemini Springs. In fact, I'd categorize this place as a local town park more than anything. It's free to visit and hours are sunrise to sunset. There were no names or signs for the hiking trails, so at times it felt like I was wandering aimlessly. But, the trees decorated with Spanish Moss exuded southern charm and most corners I turned felt like strolling along a nature trail. There's a dual sided passageway that acts as the centerpiece to the park and is also a dam spillway which (I believe) separates the DeBary Creek waters and the Gemini Springs area. I did spot a gator which almost caught a fish right in front of my eyes. I also noticed a soft shell turtle who appeared to be laying her eggs in the sand and some birds doing fishing of their own. Gemini Springs has picnic pavilions, a playground, a dog park, a fishing pier, plenty of grass to play around, and even camping is permitted here. Lastly, I'd like to highlight a section of the park that turns colorfully vibrant when the sun is shining... - Follow the concrete walkway (which you can't miss). - Then...you'll approach a tucked away corner of the springs. This area can be a rewarding moment for admiring the great outdoors. If you just pause and absorb the surroundings, nature's beauty shines through. It's a refreshing reminder that just because a park isn't as accessible as it once was, doesn't mean it should go unnoticed. I believe Gemini Springs Park can be a worthwhile half day visit.

Breathtaking views. From old beautiful trees to highways w covered green branches for miles to a…read morespectacular ocean view. The whole loop is longer than 10 miles and several people will probably try to zoom past, I suggest pulling over and letting them pass so you can enjoy all it has to offer. Also some amazing houses both on the ocean and the Halifax river to see. Overall it's a good day. And there are more than 1 state parks you can detour off on if you like.

Live this scenic drive. It went through a lot water front parks and ended at a trees lining road…read more Very beautiful

This is how easy it is for a riverfront to make the most of the holidays. We explored the holiday…read morelights with our pups on this misty night. Would love to see this back home in Jacksonville.

Pleasant place to take kids and relax. Security patrols area , and plenty of shops nearby.read more

I have been coming here for 10 years, 3 different times. Each time has been better than the last…read more The facility is super rustic and authentic. Great bait and great rates on rental of various boats and fishing gear. Where can u rent a pontoon boat for under $150 for half a day fishing in a wildlife refuge full of fish and wildlife? We catch fish, see gators, birds and manatees amongst other native wildlife. Come fishing here, you will not regret it. They have a sweet bait and tackle shop, everything you need! Highly, highly recommended!! 5 star

The people who run the place are nice, friendly service. Got a tent site, comes with power hookup…read moreand water. Only negatives I'd say is at our site, the valve for the water was broken off, had to use the site next to us for water. The shower there could use a good cleaning. I understand it's a fish camp but you have guests and bathrooms, showers should be cleaned Atleast somewhat regularly. Other than that very nice park . There's a pond as well they stock for catch and release, which is nice for the family fishing experience.

This is an absolutely great place to launch a kayak from. Easy access to spruce creek--a beautiful…read morepaddle with a view of a lot of interesting houses. We always see a huge alligator when we're out. There are also mountain bike, hiking, and equestrian trails. Last time I was there, they had taken away all the port a potties, so there was no where in the whole park to go.

Nice nature reserve and park. Has trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Disc golf course…read moreand fenced dog park. Picnic pavilion and port a potty.