Silver Springs State Park — Attraction in Ocala

Where can you show up in the middle of a Saturday afternoon with no reservations, at a spring no less and still be able to kayak? This place!!! helpful staff and close by parking enables you to either bring your own kayak or canoe from home or rent from park. Grabbed a two person on top for under $80 for the day. The park itself is gorgeous you begin your adventure surrounded by trees on both sides of the river the water so clear you can see the bottom (where the sea grass hasn’t filled in). It’s nice and shady in there so you can take your time paddling and observing various turtles, fish swimming right by your vessel. Shortly you’ll find yourself emerging out in the open portion of the river. You can hang a left back towards the boardwalk, visitors center etc. or let the water itself push you along eastward. Going this direction you rarely need to exert much just steer. Theres plenty of wildlife to observe most of the birds seen used to visitors and barely budge from the various perches. Literally a dozen plus different fish to see as well the water stays perfectly clear all the way to the end. There’s a spot with a small ramp where you can pull off get out and stretch a bit even enjoy the cool water for a bit. Well marked with benches & restrooms. Then you settle back in and ride the currents for a few more miles til you reach the sign for Ray Wayside park. Hang a left hop on out and their shuttle will return you back to the park to finish your day. One last note - yes there are monkeys roaming the grounds. Mostly active during the cooler times so be sure to look up. This was a great way to spend a hot summer day. Lots of natural Florida beauty and a few odds n ends as well....

This is a beautiful, well-maintained state park. All of the staff we encountered were extremely friendly and helpful.

We did the extended (1.5 hour) glass boat tour. I think this is a bit of a gamble. When you do this, you have greater chances of seeing things like manatees, monkeys, gators, etc because it’s longer and travels further down the river. However, when you don’t encounter those animals (I know they’re wild animals and there’s no control of them) it’s a bit of a struggle because it’s hard to justify the extra time/money. Also, all of the boats are enclosed aside from one, and for some reason that is the boat used for the extended tour. They also make you board last if you have children because of the life jacket placement on the boats. I was prepared to be under cover the whole time, but because we were squished into the tail end of the boat I ended up being in the sun for 90% of the 90 minute boat ride which was a bit frustrating. Boarding last we also ended up in a corner seat which means I didn’t have a good view of the glass and it was difficult to turn around and see anything behind me. Again, it also felt very cramped and for 90 minutes this was a struggle for me personally. I am sure that this is an extremely rare experience for most people, but it was definitely frustrating as we arrived at the park over an hour before our boat tour time and went to line up at the dock early as well. It was a bit...

We love Silver Springs! We've gone for several years and always have a great time. We have rented clear kayaks, rented cabins, hiked, did some sight seeing, and ridden the glass bottom boats. We are a family of 4 and there is always lots to do while there. They have firewood and ice for purchase. Our favorite time to go is in the Fall when manatee are in the Springs! Plus, less biting bugs! This trip (last week) we saw turtles, squirrels, monkeys, birds, fish, and alligators. We highly recommend the place as an enjoyable family spot. We brought lots of board and card games to play since they don't have internet or TV (naturally) in the cabins. It was a great time to unplug and reconnect with loved ones. I would recommend bringing your own fitted sheets as the ones provided are pretty awful. They come off with any turning at all, lol. Anyway, the cabins are comfortable with AC, a full kitchen, big shared 2 sink bathroom, 2 bedroom, living room, dining room, and wrap-around screened-in porch. It's always a highlight for us remembering the fun we have here. Book your cabins well in advance (up to one year) to get in on them. You won't be...