Best Natural Springs in Florida: Rating The Top 5

What is the best natural spring In Florida?

We’re rating our favorite top 5 natural springs in Florida based on 

• Uniqueness/Beauty
• Crowds
• Swimming
• Family-Friendly
• Wildlife

Best Florida Springs for couples

Ichetucknee Springs State Park, Fort White, Fl

Coming in at #5 on our list of top 5 natural springs in Florida is Ichetucknee Springs State Park, just under an hour away from Gainesville, FL. The north entrance, with the headspring and Blue Hole, has a north Florida feel surrounded by trees and vegetation. The river is beautiful and teal and has a similar lushness to Rainbow Springs State Park. Paddling or tube down the Ichetucknee is one of the best Florida Springs for couples because it allows you to escape crowds swimming at the headspring and Blue Hole off Elim Church Road. There are no resting spots or rocks to rest on in these springs. The headspring area reeks of pee, which definitely doesn’t fit into the category of best Florida springs for couples, so we encourage tubing or paddling the Ichetucknee River via the park’s south entrance instead. 

Paddle or Tube Down the Ichetucknee River

At the south entrance of Ichetucknee Springs State Park, you can take a tram or walk to Midpoint Launch (north launch) or Dampier’s Landing to launch from and then continue down the river until you reach the south takeout point. There is an optional tram to take you back to the parking lot, or you can walk. The river has a strong current that is difficult to paddle against to return upriver. If you paddle or tube south of the headsprings down the Ichetucknee River, ensure children wear life vests. The water current is fast, and the river depth average is 5ft, but deeper spots exist. We saw lots of fish, turtles, and birds, but there is the potential for you to see beavers, otters, alligators, and manatees!

Ichetucknee Springs at the North Entrance

We rated Ichetucknee Springs State Park a 3/5 for being family-friendly because although it has seven short hikes throughout the park, general store, cafe, and playground, the swimming areas are deep. There are a few feet of shallow water at the headspring, but it gets very crowded and drops below the head height of adults quickly. Blue Hole, about a 10-minute walk on a boardwalk through the trees, is also deep and has no shallow standable area. Thankfully, they have life vest rentals at the general store for $8/vest, which we highly encourage even if your child is known to be a good swimmer.

What is the most beautiful spring in Florida? 

Kelly Park Rock Springs, Apopka, Florida

At # 4 on our list of top 5 natural springs in Florida is Kelly Park Rock Springs, one of the many natural springs near Ocala, Florida. Rocks Springs Run is one of three main tributaries that feed the Wekiva River Basin. The headspring is a sight to behold, the most picturesque spot in Florida. Although it is a second-magnitude spring, it has that jungle essence full of rocks and rushing clear water surrounded by nothing but Florida nature. Except for a little bridge, a few small signs, and some railings, it is one of the most secluded springs in Florida.

No Paddling or Scuba Diving Allowed

It is a second-magnitude spring, too shallow for scuba divers, and paddling is prohibited. So it is exclusively a swimming and tubing spot, which makes for very few people in the first hour the spring is open. However, the cleared-out vegetation area is small. So the headspring, which serves as the tubing launch to enjoy the about 20-minute natural lazy rivers, becomes very crowded by 10 am but then dies down again in the evening, which is how we came to a swimming rating of 3/5. Kelly Park Rock Springs is one of the best Florida springs for couples if you go right when they open.

Natural Lazy River

Because this is one of the less crowded Florida springs and has a natural lazy river perfect for the entire family, it is one of the best springs in Florida for families, except for the danger of the rocks at the headspring! Teenagers and older kids will jump between the rocks into the deep spots around 8 feet deep. We have seen many people hit their heads on the rocks, especially when returning to the surface after the jump. The water current is powerful at the headspring. Swimming around the headspring and a small child swimming between the rocks and the current could lead to multiple head bump situations.

Thankfully, other than the few deep spots right at the headspring, the rest of the lazy river averages 1-4 feet deep. If you’re concerned with the rocks, enjoy tubing the lazy river. The end of the lazy river opens up to a swimming area right next to the bathrooms and a short walk back up to the in-view parking area, making it super easy to go down the lazy river section time and time again until everyone’s hearts are full. 

Emerald Cut and King’s Landing

We have never seen alligators or wildlife other than fish and a snake at the headspring. Still, alligator activity has closed down the park before when they enter the swimming area. Most alligator action is downstream near King’s Landing, where you can paddle the Emerald Cut Section or toward Wekiwa Springs State Park downstream. While paddling the Emerald Cut section of Rock Springs Run between Kelly Park and King’s Landing, we were lucky to see a black bear steal a box of a cabin porch! We only saw small alligators, but it is common for people to see 20+ alligators downstream from King’s Landing. 

Natural springs near Ocala, Florida

Silver Springs State Park, Silver Springs, Fl

What springs in Florida can you swim in? Not at Silver Springs State Park or the Silver River because the state has decided to protect it since it acquired the park and springs in 1993. Before then, the park had experienced immense activity since the 1820s and had felt the weight from humans from glass-bottom boat tours offered since the late 1870s and an amusement park in the 1900s.

Clear-bottom glass boat tours are still run today and offer great accessibility for those who may not want to get too close to alligator waters. The downside to paddling the river and springs is being unable to swim to relieve yourself. The rangers are always within sight, so pulling off on the bank to do your business in the woods will likely put you in a confrontation. So, the trails and glass bottom boat tour may be more family-friendly options. 

The Clearest Water and an Abundance of Wildlife

Because the source of water for each vent/vent cluster is different, water quality varies among springs. Silver Springs has some of the clearest water, comprised of over 30 individual known spring vents that are breathtaking to stare to the bottoms of. Hands down, Silver Springs State Park offers the most diverse wildlife viewing in Florida, with alligators, resident manatees, and monkeys! Yes, the monkeys are wild and descendants of escaped monkeys from the amusement park in the 1900s. There is also great fish, turtle, and bird viewing. 

The glass-bottom boat tours are always full. However, the parking lot never gets too full, and the river is vast, so people, even though they will be within the site, are usually very spread and spaced out. When the boats come through or when everyone groups gather around manatees is the only time it can feel overwhelming. Nevertheless, people come and go, so if you are patient, you will be able to enjoy the wildlife to yourself in peace. We recommend paddleboarding to spot the manatees easier than kayakers! Paddleboarding on our Bote boards has given us a unique opportunity to hang out with a mom and baby manatee in a cove, all to ourselves, without others realizing what we were looking at.

Best Florida springs for swimming

Weeki Wachee

Springs State Park, Fl

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park secures the #2 spot on our favorite natural springs in Florida list with one of the most beautiful rivers throughout the state. This is one of the best natural springs in Florida to swim and best Florida springs for couples. You can have two completely different experiences at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, depending on whether you paddle or enjoy the spring, slides, and mermaid show at the headspring.

Paddle Weeki Wachee River

Most of the paddle is a lazy river, just navigating the winding turns. There are many shallow spots for swimming, and the current is not very strong, even in the deeper places. An abundance of wildlife calls Weeki Wachee home, including any fish species, including huge snook, dolphins, deer, raccoons, turtles, and manatees! It is a 2.8-mile paddle that takes 2 hours. If you rent a kayak or paddleboard from the park and the shuttle takes you back, or if you have a personal vessel, you can pay additional for the shuttle back, and you will exit here as well.

Taking out at our retrieval ramp with a personal vehicle is not allowed, as there is no public vehicle access to the takeout point. If you have a personal paddle vessel, the shuttle service is unavailable for reservations after 1 pm. 

5.5-mile paddle to Rogers Park

The paddle down Weeki Wachee River is one of the best Florida springs for couples as an activity which then I recommend the even more awesome 5.5-mile paddle from the state park down the Weeki Wachee River to the ending point at Rogers Park, but you will be responsible for your transportation back to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Returning to the launch ramp by water is not permitted. The paddle to Rogers Park takes around 4 hours, depending on how many times you stop and if you have to paddle against the tide. For kayakers, this usually is not a problem. Still, about 30 minutes from Rogers Park, I have struggled with the current on my paddleboard. The water turns from clear to brown/red from the tannins near Rogers Park. 

Buccaneer Bay and Famous Mermaid Show

The other way to enjoy Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, a perfect family adventure, is at the entrance, at the headspring. They call it Buccaneer Bay, and you can enjoy the water or the famous mermaid show! The two water slides into the natural Weeki Wachee Springs and the kiddie pool are only open on Saturdays and Sundays, and slide riders have to be 42 inches or taller for one and 48 inches for the other.

There is a sandy white beach on the crystal-clear spring waters where the whole family can cool off and relax with an option to float down the lazy river that flows around the swimming area. Lil’ Mates Caribbean Cove is a water play area and wading pool for children under six. Lifeguards are on duty, making this an ideal family activity and one of the best springs in Florida for families. There is a concession stand and a seasonal restaurant. 

Weeki Wachee Gets Very Crowded!

The only downside of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is that it does get crowded. Even with capacity limits, the paddling always books out. Even though it is a long river that allows people to space out to swim, you will be paddling next to others or with others within sight for most of the paddle. Buccaneer Bay also gets packed, and especially at the peak of the day, it may be challenging for adults to relax. 

Best Florida  springs for families

Blue springs state park, Orange City, Fl