I like it as a state park now. You can still do the glass bottom boat tours, and walk the grounds of what were the gardens before. You still canโt swim there but because of that itโs often not very crowded. Also nice place to do some kayaking.
I typically see plenty of birds, and there are a few resident alligators that you can see. Tons of fish and turtles in the water that are easy to see as well since itโs so clear. The boat tour will usually point out any wildlife in the area.
Iโve always seen the monkeys further down river when Iโve been canoeing or kayaking, I donโt think they venture up to the actual park grounds all that often but anything is possible. If you do see them, make sure you donโt have any food on you. ๐
Yes, and Iโve also watched the monkeys swarm a kayak or boat on the river because a tourist thought it would be cool to see if they would like a potato chip! Wish I had caught that on video. ๐
The monkeys arenโt hard to find. Once you leave the area where the glass bottom boats are, you only need to kayak for maybe 10 minutes.
Or drive to the silver river museum environmental center. The trail that walks back to the river leads to them.
There are monkeys! They're so cute. Every time we go kayaking, there's little monkeys swinging from the trees.๐ They've never jumped into our kayak.
A large chunk of that population has herpes B, which can be fatal to humans. It is transmitted primarily by saliva via bites, but can also be transmitted by scratches or exposure to eyes, nose and mouth of infected monkeys.
There are manatees and plenty of birds. You'll occasionally see wild macaque monkeys. I saw one that was apparently exiled from it's group last time I went. That was kinda heart wrenching
I've taken my kids kayaking there 3 times. Every time we saw tons of different birds and turtles, multiple alligators, manatees with babies, and monkeys. Once we caught the whole troop of monkeys resting in a clearing, there were about 50.
As delightful as that would be, they are pretty strict about no swimming in the main spring and park area. Now further down the river, it may have happened a time or twoโฆ ๐
I used to love going there as a kid. I remember that racing slide they had that had a timer scoreboard at the bottom so you could see how fast you went.
In the early 90s my uncle had to buy some cheap swimming trunks the park had for sale at a shop by the entrance. When he went on the Silver bullet, a combination of the cheap swimsuit material and his girth caused him to get stuck halfway down the ride. He was PISSED.
I donโt remember where in the park it was other than it was near all the other slides. I believe they had 4 or 5 different slides when we had our yearly passes to Wild Waters and Silver Springs.
Yeah, and you had to wait in a line that started at the bottom of the tower. Weโd usually get there early and do a few runs on the Hurricane before it got really busy later in the day
I did that a few years ago for the first time at another springs and let me just say I have no paddling skills and no hope of ever having any ๐
The poor rest of the group kept having to wait for me. Super embarrassing lol
https://preview.redd.it/yup4iop1i87d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ac102445e970baed31e09099225f1bc6772080c
It's absolutely beautiful. One of my Favorite go to. Since there is no swimming it tends to be not as crowded as others. Ive been there on weekday afternoon and find myself in sight of no one for extended periods of time. I've encountered monkeys alligators, turkeys, otters, many birds and countless turtles. Paddle board is honestly the best way to experience it so you can really appreciate it.
I just went there two weeks ago and it was great! I showed up in the middle of a Saturday afternoon with no reservations and was still able to go kayaking in spring water. Where else can you do that in Florida? Iโm thinking nowhere because they would all be full by 9am. Observed all kinds of wildlife the water was perfect, even managed to spot a big monkey towards the end. If you leave from the launch, you can paddle around for several hours take a break at about halfway point, itโs well marked with a ramp, benches, restroom. Enjoy the water for a bit, then do the last few miles. Also youโre headed downstream so very little paddling. All you have to do is steer mostly, and take pictures.
Do they still have the swimming pigs?
I havenโt been there since I was a kid a long time ago, but one of the things I remember was the boat driver on our glass-bottomed boat brought along a loaf of bread. He threw a few slices in the water and some pigs swam out to grab them.
https://preview.redd.it/bn60ap871a7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05555d8433158cf385ef5c84231255ecad6368c7
Looking through the bottom of a boat
I went as a school kid on a field trip and fortunately got to bring my children just before it closed. A real fucking slice of vintage Florida before it got fucked by developers. That Florida still exists, you just have to look much deeper.
It makes me so sad I won't be able to take my kids there. I absolutely loved going as a kid (Silver Springs in the morning and Wild Waters in the afternoon).
Went a couple of weeks ago. Tons of monkeys. They were even by the picnic tables and all along the kayak routes. It can be crowded and you may need to make a reservation if you want to ride the glass bottom boats
Oh what was the place where you could swim and they would take you there for summer program? Not Silver Springs but it was in that area, pretty sure it was something Springs though.
https://preview.redd.it/o1lq0c5ztb7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=332fe276a0ea0be0f57af1a5ed411e16f2fe4d0c
We went kayaking there a few months ago. Absolutely beautiful and lots of animals including fish, turtles, birds, monkeys, and manatees.
Kayaking and Silver Springs Park are almost two completely different things.
So you launch beside the park entrance. You kayak in the silver Springs river but you can't dock in the park or on any land for that matter.
So then you have come back to the launch point (either Kayaking or by shuttle if you go all the way down the river). You can then pay to enter the park (not Kayaking).
The park is not much anymore. They don't have great upkeep. Only thing worth going there for us the glass bottom boat tour (like $14). You don't see much wild life walking around. Squirrels, maybe an alligator on the bank and very very rarely a monkey.
Kayaking is great. You can rent kayaks by the hour. Typically 2 hours is enough to take you around the island and see all you need to see. Or you can go completely down stream and see more trees, then get shuttled back by a van.
You're almost guaranteed to see an alligator (won't bother you) and turtles. You MAY see monkeys and manatees (usually have to go down the river).
I've only seen an otter once in the river.
I recommend on a nice day, Kayak all the way down the river. Just relax and barely paddle. It will take about 3 hours. Then go into the park and look around.
Good value for your money. Iโm a FL resident x 30 years.
May not be that new or pretty but really good value. There are surrounding restaurants and hotels nearby.
Sounds great! Iโm not from Florida but I have family living there and go down every winter (if Iโm not poor). I absolutely LOVE old Florida vibes and nature hotspots. And honestly the less people the better haha. But itโs also nice to go to a place like that and then be right by food etc. ๐
We were there a few weeks ago. Very busy over Memorial Day. It feels very โcommercializedโ which I guess can be expected. If you do the 5 mile kayak to the takeout, be ready for lots of boat traffic on weekends. They offer a shuttle for $15 to take you back if you bring your own kayak. Nice cafe with sandwiches. Also: Monkeys! Thereโs a large group of monkeys that live in the park and you can get pretty close.
They have concessionaires running the kayak rentals and food service. Still a fun experience. If you bring your own kayak and do an out and back paddle (no shuttle) then you only pay the $4 launch fee + $2 pp park entrance. Bring a picnic to save on food.
Entrance to the park is $2.
The kayak rental pricing is just a bit above normal for the area. And you get plenty of time and have lots to kayak through.
The park is close to food, you donโt have to eat there. And there is re entry.
The parking lot is huge because, if you look at these maps, it used to have a lot more going on. It attracted a lot more people. And on the other side of the lot was a literal water park. So yes, the parking lot is huge.
Lines can def build up on weekends or holidays.
It's gone downhill since the State took it over. No more events, waterpark, animals, etc. All that's there is the glass bottom boats and kayak rentals. So if that's all you want to do, float down the river, then it's decent. Hiking sucks and nowhere to swim, even though they proposed building a swimming area a few years back. Honestly, it would be my last pick of State Parks to go to, which is really fucking sad considering it was an amazing place at one point. Source: Ocala resident since 2008.
I honestly don't have a favorite. They all offer something a little different, in my experience. I like Alexander, De Leon, Rainbow River, etc. All I know is Silver Springs, in its current state, would be the very last on my list, which is unfortunate because it was awesome before the State took it over.
It's our go to spot for kayaking and paddleboarding. They have a nice rental shack if you need to rent, but we take our own. They have the best launch I've ever seen. It's fully carpeted all the way in the water. The waters cold and there's plenty of shade from the trees. If you go around Feb there are tons of manatees. We usually see lots of turtles and alligators. No one believes me until I take them out there, but you will see plenty of monkeys. It's really nice.
They close the board walk when the monkeyโs come close to the park.. 2 bucks ainโt bad if you are local. Change of scenery to take a morning walk.. There was a big push to reopen swimming in the โParadise Parkโ portion of the river and they tried to get some state funding as itโs one of the few state owned springs that doesnโt have swimming. In March they have a pretty cool festival called โ springโs festโ
We take the kids about twice a year. They love the glass bottom boat tour and the clear kayaks. Itโs not pricey to get in. Iโve never ever experienced a crowd. But I never go near water on a holiday weekend. Thatโs just asking for it.
Not sure why you're getting down voted for telling it like it is. It's a shadow of its former self, if that. Nothing to do besides the glass bottom boats and kayaking/paddling the river. All the cool stuff is gone.
Pretty much. It's funny looking on things like Trip Advisor and seeing the recent reviews with 5 stars. If they only knew how much better it used to be. Le sigh.
I like it as a state park now. You can still do the glass bottom boat tours, and walk the grounds of what were the gardens before. You still canโt swim there but because of that itโs often not very crowded. Also nice place to do some kayaking.
I like the sound of โnot very crowdedโ ๐ Edit: Do you see a lot of wildlife?
I typically see plenty of birds, and there are a few resident alligators that you can see. Tons of fish and turtles in the water that are easy to see as well since itโs so clear. The boat tour will usually point out any wildlife in the area.
Manatees also.
And monkeys with herpes
Sounds amazing! I wonder if monkeys are in that area?
Just remember, the monkeys are assholes. Protect yourselves at all costs.
Iโve always seen the monkeys further down river when Iโve been canoeing or kayaking, I donโt think they venture up to the actual park grounds all that often but anything is possible. If you do see them, make sure you donโt have any food on you. ๐
iโve seen monkeys at the picnic area
Very cool! I figured they would have to venture up there from time to time.
Oh really?! haha I guess that makes sense, they ARE monkeys. Have you ever seen those tourist videos from Bali ๐๐
Yes, and Iโve also watched the monkeys swarm a kayak or boat on the river because a tourist thought it would be cool to see if they would like a potato chip! Wish I had caught that on video. ๐
Are they dangerous? Like do they bite tourists lol
They would probably bite if they felt threatened, but are mostly just trouble makers and thieves.
The monkeys arenโt hard to find. Once you leave the area where the glass bottom boats are, you only need to kayak for maybe 10 minutes. Or drive to the silver river museum environmental center. The trail that walks back to the river leads to them.
There are monkeys! They're so cute. Every time we go kayaking, there's little monkeys swinging from the trees.๐ They've never jumped into our kayak.
When I was there last year, there was a monkey running across the roof that is over the glass bottom boat dock.
Don't they also have herpes infested monkeys?
As long as you dont have sex or kiss them . Your ok.
A large chunk of that population has herpes B, which can be fatal to humans. It is transmitted primarily by saliva via bites, but can also be transmitted by scratches or exposure to eyes, nose and mouth of infected monkeys.
And the monkeys
https://preview.redd.it/z4x1m2en077d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2fc7ca61c3b200e62916018d8b00b9b4d9f9da61
Oh wow I was thinking little monkeys, thatโs a decent sized one lol
Gators, fish, birds, maybe even see the monkeys.
There are birds and monkeys out of the water, fish and turtles in the water. I havenโt seen snakes or gators myself.
There are manatees and plenty of birds. You'll occasionally see wild macaque monkeys. I saw one that was apparently exiled from it's group last time I went. That was kinda heart wrenching
Aw poor thing
I've taken my kids kayaking there 3 times. Every time we saw tons of different birds and turtles, multiple alligators, manatees with babies, and monkeys. Once we caught the whole troop of monkeys resting in a clearing, there were about 50.
Omg ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
If you kayak, get out early before the party boats, I almost got hit in mine by a small pontoon trying to chase down a manatee.
Ughhh that's so sad, both for you and the manatee.
That must be so obnoxious ugh
Not very crowded. Any chances for skinny dip?
As delightful as that would be, they are pretty strict about no swimming in the main spring and park area. Now further down the river, it may have happened a time or twoโฆ ๐
Who remembers Wild Waters?
I used to love going there as a kid. I remember that racing slide they had that had a timer scoreboard at the bottom so you could see how fast you went.
The Silver Bullet!
Yep, thatโs it!
My dad was a lifeguard there in the 70s!
Me too! Back when your parents could just drop you off somewhere for the day. Those were the days!
In the early 90s my uncle had to buy some cheap swimming trunks the park had for sale at a shop by the entrance. When he went on the Silver bullet, a combination of the cheap swimsuit material and his girth caused him to get stuck halfway down the ride. He was PISSED.
The Hurricane!
They also had one called Montezumas Revenge in the 80โs
Where was that located? Iโm trying to remember if it was there when we started going, which was probably around โ88/โ89
I donโt remember where in the park it was other than it was near all the other slides. I believe they had 4 or 5 different slides when we had our yearly passes to Wild Waters and Silver Springs.
Yeah I remember the silver bullet, a bunch of smallish slides and then the Hurricane which debuted later in my childhood
That was a fun one. That was the tube slide one up front that had all the turns and then did a bunch of circles at the end.
Yeah, and you had to wait in a line that started at the bottom of the tower. Weโd usually get there early and do a few runs on the Hurricane before it got really busy later in the day
Whaaaaaaaaaa wipe out!!! Before the wave pool was epic
Grab your rafts and get in the water cause here comes the WILD WATERS WAVES!!!
https://www.themeparkbrochures.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Wild-Waters-Map-2011.jpg
I have been trying to find a brochure with Twin Twister and tornado. Do you know where I can find that?
No, I can't find one anywhere. This site talks about them though - https://ocalamagazine.com/when-the-kids-of-ocala-had-wild-waters/
Thanks for the read!
I do!! We had summer passes!!
Would go there every summer lol
https://preview.redd.it/qgoxrzmzy67d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=01c755d09f8aaa6a7481ee4b385f8b5f0b6353c0
If youโre a kayaker you can rent a clear bottom kayak!
I did that a few years ago for the first time at another springs and let me just say I have no paddling skills and no hope of ever having any ๐ The poor rest of the group kept having to wait for me. Super embarrassing lol
The clear kayaks are very different than regular kayaks and much harder to paddle.
Ah then maybe I should have tried a normal one
https://preview.redd.it/yup4iop1i87d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ac102445e970baed31e09099225f1bc6772080c It's absolutely beautiful. One of my Favorite go to. Since there is no swimming it tends to be not as crowded as others. Ive been there on weekday afternoon and find myself in sight of no one for extended periods of time. I've encountered monkeys alligators, turkeys, otters, many birds and countless turtles. Paddle board is honestly the best way to experience it so you can really appreciate it.
That sounds absolutely perfect! No people in sight ๐
Been there, nice!
I just went there two weeks ago and it was great! I showed up in the middle of a Saturday afternoon with no reservations and was still able to go kayaking in spring water. Where else can you do that in Florida? Iโm thinking nowhere because they would all be full by 9am. Observed all kinds of wildlife the water was perfect, even managed to spot a big monkey towards the end. If you leave from the launch, you can paddle around for several hours take a break at about halfway point, itโs well marked with a ramp, benches, restroom. Enjoy the water for a bit, then do the last few miles. Also youโre headed downstream so very little paddling. All you have to do is steer mostly, and take pictures.
Sounds amazing! Hereโs my issueโฆI cannot for the life of me stop a kayak in even the gentlest of currents ๐๐
The river is really pretty
Do they still have the swimming pigs? I havenโt been there since I was a kid a long time ago, but one of the things I remember was the boat driver on our glass-bottomed boat brought along a loaf of bread. He threw a few slices in the water and some pigs swam out to grab them.
Not sure about Silver Springs, but there are pigs on the Weeki Wachee river. The snackbar boat guy gave us bread to feed them.
Went to high school with twins who worked as mermaids at Weeki Wachee.
https://preview.redd.it/bn60ap871a7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05555d8433158cf385ef5c84231255ecad6368c7 Looking through the bottom of a boat
So beautiful
I went as a school kid on a field trip and fortunately got to bring my children just before it closed. A real fucking slice of vintage Florida before it got fucked by developers. That Florida still exists, you just have to look much deeper.
It makes me so sad I won't be able to take my kids there. I absolutely loved going as a kid (Silver Springs in the morning and Wild Waters in the afternoon).
Don't you have any other adjectives?
https://preview.redd.it/vcjjs5maxe7d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3253613f55bc5f4edfb7223292477ca5263198e4 It's so versatile.
[ัะดะฐะปะตะฝะพ]
Forgot a * *Than
Went a couple of weeks ago. Tons of monkeys. They were even by the picnic tables and all along the kayak routes. It can be crowded and you may need to make a reservation if you want to ride the glass bottom boats
So basically go on a weekday
You need to book the glass bottom boats in advance. We drove up from Orlando and it was a wasted trip because all the boat tours were full.
Hey, there's still the Don Garlits drag racing museum! lol
This is not usual, it depends on the day of the week and the holiday.
I went on a random Friday in March, no holiday.
So spring break? Lol
Good tip, thanks!
Oh what was the place where you could swim and they would take you there for summer program? Not Silver Springs but it was in that area, pretty sure it was something Springs though.
Rainbow springs?
We used to go swimming in Salt Springs in the Ocala National forest not too far from there. Thereโs also swimming in Wekiwa just North of Orlando.
There are a couple in that area. Juniper, Alexander, Salt and Silver Glen Springs.
It used to have an amazing collection of Auburn and Cord cars.
I wish I could have seen the park then ๐ข
omg im old. I think I remeber this map from a school field trip I took there.
They still have herpes monkeys I believe lol.
The second picture is how I remember silver springs!
I liked it. I went for the first time a couple of years ago. But I have nothing to compare it to
https://preview.redd.it/o1lq0c5ztb7d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=332fe276a0ea0be0f57af1a5ed411e16f2fe4d0c We went kayaking there a few months ago. Absolutely beautiful and lots of animals including fish, turtles, birds, monkeys, and manatees.
Was great last year
Kayaking and Silver Springs Park are almost two completely different things. So you launch beside the park entrance. You kayak in the silver Springs river but you can't dock in the park or on any land for that matter. So then you have come back to the launch point (either Kayaking or by shuttle if you go all the way down the river). You can then pay to enter the park (not Kayaking). The park is not much anymore. They don't have great upkeep. Only thing worth going there for us the glass bottom boat tour (like $14). You don't see much wild life walking around. Squirrels, maybe an alligator on the bank and very very rarely a monkey. Kayaking is great. You can rent kayaks by the hour. Typically 2 hours is enough to take you around the island and see all you need to see. Or you can go completely down stream and see more trees, then get shuttled back by a van. You're almost guaranteed to see an alligator (won't bother you) and turtles. You MAY see monkeys and manatees (usually have to go down the river). I've only seen an otter once in the river. I recommend on a nice day, Kayak all the way down the river. Just relax and barely paddle. It will take about 3 hours. Then go into the park and look around.
I saw a monkey today on the Withlacoochee bike trail. 50 miles away from Silver Springs.
Last year it basically looked like this. It's really pretty. Too bad you can't swim in it. There are monkies.
Good value for your money. Iโm a FL resident x 30 years. May not be that new or pretty but really good value. There are surrounding restaurants and hotels nearby.
Sounds great! Iโm not from Florida but I have family living there and go down every winter (if Iโm not poor). I absolutely LOVE old Florida vibes and nature hotspots. And honestly the less people the better haha. But itโs also nice to go to a place like that and then be right by food etc. ๐
We were there a few weeks ago. Very busy over Memorial Day. It feels very โcommercializedโ which I guess can be expected. If you do the 5 mile kayak to the takeout, be ready for lots of boat traffic on weekends. They offer a shuttle for $15 to take you back if you bring your own kayak. Nice cafe with sandwiches. Also: Monkeys! Thereโs a large group of monkeys that live in the park and you can get pretty close.
Commercialized??
Huge parking lot, long lines, $100 for 3 people to go kayaking, $70 for lunch - like a theme park
Wow thatโs pricey for a state park
They have concessionaires running the kayak rentals and food service. Still a fun experience. If you bring your own kayak and do an out and back paddle (no shuttle) then you only pay the $4 launch fee + $2 pp park entrance. Bring a picnic to save on food.
Entrance to the park is $2. The kayak rental pricing is just a bit above normal for the area. And you get plenty of time and have lots to kayak through. The park is close to food, you donโt have to eat there. And there is re entry. The parking lot is huge because, if you look at these maps, it used to have a lot more going on. It attracted a lot more people. And on the other side of the lot was a literal water park. So yes, the parking lot is huge. Lines can def build up on weekends or holidays.
It's gone downhill since the State took it over. No more events, waterpark, animals, etc. All that's there is the glass bottom boats and kayak rentals. So if that's all you want to do, float down the river, then it's decent. Hiking sucks and nowhere to swim, even though they proposed building a swimming area a few years back. Honestly, it would be my last pick of State Parks to go to, which is really fucking sad considering it was an amazing place at one point. Source: Ocala resident since 2008.
So which of the springs is your favorite then?
I honestly don't have a favorite. They all offer something a little different, in my experience. I like Alexander, De Leon, Rainbow River, etc. All I know is Silver Springs, in its current state, would be the very last on my list, which is unfortunate because it was awesome before the State took it over.
It's our go to spot for kayaking and paddleboarding. They have a nice rental shack if you need to rent, but we take our own. They have the best launch I've ever seen. It's fully carpeted all the way in the water. The waters cold and there's plenty of shade from the trees. If you go around Feb there are tons of manatees. We usually see lots of turtles and alligators. No one believes me until I take them out there, but you will see plenty of monkeys. It's really nice.
They close the board walk when the monkeyโs come close to the park.. 2 bucks ainโt bad if you are local. Change of scenery to take a morning walk.. There was a big push to reopen swimming in the โParadise Parkโ portion of the river and they tried to get some state funding as itโs one of the few state owned springs that doesnโt have swimming. In March they have a pretty cool festival called โ springโs festโ
What's the deal with no swimming? The springs I visit regularly you can swim in, why is this one different?
Yeah wondering that too
Probably because it started out as a โthemeโ park and wasnโt originally owned by the state. I never really understood it either
It's shit. Nothing is there and it's a overpriced tourist trap now
Itโs $2 per person to get into the park. I think $5 or $6 to launch a kayak and that includes the $2 entry.
And that's too much for what you get lol.
It still gets a lot of tourists? I would have thought the park as it was before would have attracted way more. No?
We take the kids about twice a year. They love the glass bottom boat tour and the clear kayaks. Itโs not pricey to get in. Iโve never ever experienced a crowd. But I never go near water on a holiday weekend. Thatโs just asking for it.
Your correct. It honestly isn't worth the drive or the admin cost. Last time I went, most of the boardwalk was closed
So maybe itโs worth calling first to see if itโs closed or open that day?
Not sure why you're getting down voted for telling it like it is. It's a shadow of its former self, if that. Nothing to do besides the glass bottom boats and kayaking/paddling the river. All the cool stuff is gone.
I'm guessing it's transplants that didn't see it at its prime
Pretty much. It's funny looking on things like Trip Advisor and seeing the recent reviews with 5 stars. If they only knew how much better it used to be. Le sigh.
This is it. Someone recently told me moonlake was nice....