🇺🇸 Orlando 🌊 Kelly Park Rock Spring — A Must-Visit Hidden Gem!

On my first day in Orlando, I randomly chose Kelly Park Rock Spring since it was the closest to my hotel — and it turned out to be one of the most unforgettable experiences of my life! I went kayaking and tubing (note: the two activities have different entrances, but they’re very close to each other). 📍 Kayaking: Get Up & Go Kayaking 5722 Baptist Camp Rd, Apopka, FL 32712 📍 Tubing: Kelly Park Rock Spring 400 E Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712 Since we knew we’d get wet, we rented a car — way more convenient than Uber for storing towels and dry clothes. We didn’t book the clear kayak in advance but still had an amazing time with a regular one! 👙 Wear your swimsuit — the seats can get muddy and wet. The rental office provides a map with two routes: one with 🐊 alligators and one without. I chickened out and skipped the gator route 😅 The water is unbelievably clear — you can see straight to the white sandy bottom! Even if you flip over (which you probably won’t), you can just stand up. Small fish swim by, and I even spotted a baby gator (harmless!). The whole area is a natural paradise with beautiful birds and lush greenery — pure therapy for the soul 🍃🦜. The kayaking loop takes about 2 hours. After kayaking, we rented tubes ($7 each) and drove to the main entrance of Kelly Park to go tubing. You start from the upstream and float down — so relaxing! The water is deeper here but still crystal clear and very kid-friendly. You’ll get completely soaked, but there are showers and restrooms available 🚿. I loved it so much I went twice! 📅 Highly recommend visiting now — it’s not rainy season yet, and the weather is perfect. It gets super hot and sunny later in the summer! 🚫 AVOID Wekiwa Springs State Park 🚫 I went there and saw a missing person sign — someone disappeared two months ago on a paddleboard 😱. The water is full of creepy black weeds, and the atmosphere is straight out of Silent Hill. I was too scared to move in my kayak — even water droplets from the paddle gave me chills. Few visitors, eerie silence… I rushed back and was so relieved to be back on land. Do NOT go there! #Orlando #KellyPark #FloridaTravel #HiddenGems #Kayaking #Tubing #TravelUSA