Not a whole lot going on this side of Florida so if you want low key, among the locals kind of vibe…read morethen this place is for you.

This place has everything you need for HSB... beer, bait, ice and Trump 2020 bumper stickers.read more

A very neat place to see. Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring is…read moretucked away beside Cedar Lakes Woods & Gardens in Williston, Florida. Both locations are literally right next to each other. The Devil's Den is a fascinating hidden gem that offers a true taste of Florida's unique geology. A cenote is a natural sinkhole formed when limestone bedrock collapses. Most are very unique and all share that they seem to have crystal-clear groundwater beneath and an opening above for sunlight to reach the water through a hole in the ceiling. It is essentially a window into an underground aquifer. The springs typically have 72-degree spring water making it cool and refreshing no matter how hot it is outside. The experience is especially rewarding if you're visiting a cenote for the first time. The entrance is easy to miss from the walkway. We walked right past it. Gear rentals are available on-site, making it accessible even for beginners. You check in at the office and pay your fee and sign the waivers and then you can enter and descend a set of stairs with a notably low ceiling. Watch your head!. It is a little bit dark on the first landing but it had plenty of light at the large landing by the water. Below, the cavern opens up to reveal the stunning underground spring, perfect for snorkeling. We did not go snorkeling this visit but may try it the next time. Right next to the cenote is a pleasant above-ground pool area with a beach area and chairs. Right next to the cenote entrance are several covered tables for groups.. It's a convenient spot to dry off, eat a snack, or simply enjoy the surroundings after your swim. Overall, Devil's Den is a neat and unique geological feature that's well worth the stop, especially if you're exploring central Florida's springs. It's not a large site, so you won't spend all day there, but the chance to snorkel inside a real cenote creates a memorable, bucket-list moment.

What a cool place this is! We're camping here and get to take advantage of all the amenities…read more Regarding the Den itself: There's a huge swimming pond. You can play volleyball in the water (or on the lawn), make your way to the middle island in the pond and relax on a hammock, or simply relax in the water. The spring itself is down some stairs. It costs $30 to snorkel and I think $50 to scuba. You have to have mask and fins on at all times - you can't just swim in the spring. We're here in the "off" season and it hasn't been crowded at all. If you want to enjoy just the swimming pond / Oasis it's $15 a day. It's free if you camp here. The campground itself is small, only 30 sites. Most have full hookups and 5-6 are electric only. It's shady and quiet in the campground. We will definitely stay here again!

I came across this park by chance. It's smaller compared to other well-known springs, but the water…read morewas beautifully clear. Alcohol is not allowed, and neither are diving, dogs, fishing, bicycles, or smoking. Parking costs $6 per vehicle. It was a quiet, peaceful spring where you can really enjoy nature.

Rangers and staff super friendly and knowledgeable…read more kayaking experience beautiful. Manatees amazing; just be patient and let them come to you.

This was our first time to scallop and it was an amazing experience. Bobbi and Mark are…read moreknowledgeable and helped us every step of the way. Such and enjoyable experience I cannot wait to book with them and go again!!

From the owner: Inshore fishing for redfish, trout, flounder and other species. Also offering Scallop charters.read more

Rum Island Springs County Park is located in the Fort White/High Springs area of North Central…read moreFlorida, 28-miles from Gainesville. It's $5 entry per vehicle and hours are 8am - 7pm daily. Rum Island is a tucked away natural springs pool that's catered towards younger crowds (imo) with mostly shallow waters. There's a row of buoys separating the springs from the Santa Fe River. Visits here can be real quick, under an hour unless you're launching kayaks or barbecuing with family for the day. The white sands of the springs are crystal-clear most times throughout the day and the waters showcase vibrant aquamarine colors when the sun breaks from the clouds. There's even a turquoise limestone cavity that pumps out the pool's 72-degree spring waters. There are some opportunistic moments for worthwhile picture takings and recordings, but...Rum Island is so small and shallow that it feels like standing in the center of the kiddie springs at a waterpark. As much as I enjoyed the views, I felt out of place. It wasn't my favorite Florida springs park to visit, but I still respect it for its scenic surroundings. Finally, there are plenty of kayakers and paddle boarders floating past the springs. Visitors can leave their belongings anywhere on the grass. Overall, I'm glad I got a glimpse into what Rum Island Springs Park is about, which has me motivated to visit the local gold standard benchmarks...Ichetucknee Springs, Ginnie Springs and Gilchrist Blue Springs.

Although the spring is nice, parking is horrible. The park has no one enforcing proper parking and…read morepeople will block you in, block the road. It is a nightmare. Definitely need some regulation here.

My wife and I, along with a few others, booked our campsites online. The cost was $30 per night,…read morebut there are discounts for senior citizens and those with disabilities. Our campsite had running water and electric hookups, but the space was relatively small, accommodating two decent-sized tents, a trailer, and a vehicle. We weren't sure about overflow parking, but they didn't mind when I parked my truck near an unmarked site. There was a dump station on the other side for RVs. The bathhouse was centrally located and clean, stocked with hand soap and toilet paper, although it lacked shampoo in the showers. We observed a variety of wildlife, including deer, otters, turtles, a snake, and squirrels. A raccoon, which I affectionately named "Gangster," rummaged through our belongings at night, even opening a cooler without a latch - amusing yet slightly concerning. A nice walking path leads to the boat dock, and there's a boat ramp for kayaks and canoes, but remember it's a walking path, not accessible by vehicle. The spring itself was spacious and not overly crowded, much better than Ginnie Springs, though there was a noticeable amount of algae on the surface. The store nearby offered snacks, food, and ice cream at reasonable prices, which the kids loved. We saw many dog owners, and it seemed dogs were prohibited only in or near the spring, although some were swimming near the boat ramp. Overall, it's a pleasant campsite, but there are a few drawbacks: numerous ticks and horseflies were present, and the area is very dark at night. There are no trash cans at the sites, so you'll need to bring your own container and take your trash to the dumpster. Lastly, the check-in process was slow due to limited staff.

I am so sick of places saying they are dog friendly when they aren't. We came here specifically…read morebecause they said this park was dog friendly and we don't want to have to leave our dog behind ever. It cost us $6 to drive in and find that, while you can take your dog on the grassy "park" area, dogs are not allowed on any of the boardwalk walkways or in or even near the water. I can take my dog to much nicer parks for free. My husband and I tried taking turns sitting with the dog while the other went looking for manatees or wildlife. All we saw was dirty water crowded with people. We did not see a single animal besides a squirrel. Then, while I was waiting for my husband to do one of the longer boardwalks, my dog started yelping and jolting from side to side. I looked does to see she was being absolutely swarmed by mosquitoes. I took her back to the car immediately and she had at least 8 visible bites and was shaken. I noticed later that I had three bites on my legs as well and I had made sure to put on sunscreen and bug spray. A majority of the people I personally encountered were definitely tourists, and those that seemed like locals were mostly sitting on their phones while their kids were swimming. We did not have a good experience here and I wouldn't recommend it unless you fall into one of those two groups and think you'll enjoy it. There are so many other great ways to spend a day in this area.

Poe Springs Park is located in High Springs, Florida, 25 miles northwest of Gainesville. This is…read morejust one of a bunch of swimmable springs in the area making it a hassle-free visit. For $6 per passenger vehicle (cash only), hike 1/4 of a mile on a boardwalk pathway to reach a natural oasis of crystal-clear, 72 degree waters. When the sun is shining, Poe Springs lights up like out of a storybook moment from paradise. The olive waters can appear so strikingly translucent, I was deeply thinking how lucky I felt to be surrounded by it all. Next to Poe Springs is the Santa Fe River where you can continue swimming or get out on kayaks and paddle boards. There's even a tree with rope for swinging into the river. Near the front entrance are all-day tube rentals for $10. They have a concession stand to buy lunch or guests can bring their own food and barbecue underneath picnic pavilions. Overall, if you visit Poe Springs in the middle of the day when the sun is shining brightly, I believe you will be mighty impressed. Getting to swim among sparkling clear green waters makes for a rewarding experience within the heart of nature.

Nice local park near the big springs. It is a short walk to the spring area. I'm bias because not…read morethe biggest fan of any park with a walk to the water since I always bring a paddle board, but it's not a crazy walk. The springs area is small, and the water is not as clear as most of the springs are. In general it is nice park to do a bbq in. Entry fee: $6 per car Bbq grills: yes Must be out of the water by 7:30pm Park closes at 8pm

The Pier is a beautiful relaxing place to go cast a rod and fish. There are bathrooms on the Pier…read morethat are fairly clean. Benches that you can sit in the center of the Pier. People are pretty friendly in this fishing atmosphere. Bring a chair if you'd like and a cold drink. Spend a short time or stay a while. There is usually parking not too far. Every time I go it's always a great day! Wheelchair accessible!

Don't expect a big beach or anything but a cute coastal, quiet fishing town. Most places were off…read moreseason closed when I visited but it is a quaint place. Also it is a short trip from my Dad's house in Ocala. We took a boat ride to visit the neighboring by boat only islands. It is such an interesting place with an intriguing, dark history. The whole bird and snake island mystery was a bit freaky. So the pier is very lovely. I did not go fishing since I just wanted a day trip to the water, but you should. I had a nice walk up and down the pier. It has a bathroom and a great view. Lots of people out enjoying the nice weather trying to catch some fish. The pier is up against a bunch of shops and eateries. Take a walk around town too. My soul craves the water.

A fave for sure! Although lately we've been wanting to get there right at opening (9am) and have…read morehad to wait an hour due to them doing maintenance. We thought it was the same day weekly but it was not. Other than that, it's a great springs to visit. We have littles and it's perfect for them as there's a spot with a beach like area to ease into the water and has a shallow area. When the tide is low and no boats around, it's absolutely clear and gorgeous but once that changes, the murky water can come in quick. There are a few areas to jump which is also nice. And you can float down to where the Santa Fe feeds in. Watch out for gators though. We've seen our fair share. Overall, I highly recommend this spring!

Hart springs is a beautiful park that has a glorious swimming area, a tall jump into the deeper…read morearea of the spring. The park offers many tables and walk ways to truly explore the property and get a great look at this little arm of the Suwanee River. Come out and experience old Florida

Beautiful place! The springs were closed but we went to Poe springs 5 minutes away and have a…read morenatural pool and river current with stairs, restaurant and bathrooms

County-owned and run park with a beautiful natural spring. There is a "dive platform", which I put…read morein quotes because as a platform diver myself, it's not high enough to be a proper dive platform but still you can do basic stuff or just jump off. Most of our state parks sadly have removed their dive platforms (Fanning, Madison Blue, Gilchrist Blue) so it's nice to find one. There are picnic tables and a I think a playground for little kids plus a sand volleyball court which gets very popular on weekends. Actually, the entire place gets very popular on weekends and I'd advise going on a weekday if possible. Otherwise, it's super-crowded and mostly rowdy teens. There are a lot of fish in the springs but if you want to freedive or snorkel and see them, come on a weekday, ideally in the morning. Once kids come around after school, the dive platform is the highlight and there's enough kids jumping off it to make the water very murky so you won't see anything then underwater. Tips: --It's cash-only, $2 admission for adults, not sure what for little ones. --No footballs: volleyballs are allowed, but no footballs! I asked why and was told by the girl at the concession stand "two boys playing football trampled a Karen who complained". So yeah, that. --The focus is very much on family fun: again, if coming to see nature come on a weekday, ideally early. --If you dive/jump off the platform, swim clear off it immediately. There's likely a middle schooler jumping right after you. Some run, jump, and don't look down and I've been hit before by flying tweens. --The road leading to the park is pretty long and paved. People drive like proverbial bats out of hell on it, 60 MPH or more. Be careful.