Largest artesian spring in the world and the site of the oldest commercial tourist attraction in Florida
General Information
Park open daily 8am to sundown
Glass Bottom Boat Tours:
30-Minute Tours: 10am to 5pm
Extended Tours: Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays, departures at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm
Canoe, Kayak and SUP Rentals:
Launch Ramp Hours, 8 am to 5 pm
Last Departure Downriver to Ray Wayside Park, 1 pm
Last Pickup at Ray Wayside Park, 5 pm
Last 2-hour rental, 3:00 pm
Last 1 hour rental, 4:00 pm
Children 6 and under: Free
Glass Bottom Boat 30 Minute Tour: Adults: $12.00 Seniors 55 and over: $11.00 Children 6-12: $11.00 Children 5 and under: Free
Glass Bottom Boat Extended Tours Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays: Adults: $25.00 Seniors 55 and over: $20.00 Children 6-12: $20.00 Children 5 and under: Free
How to Get There
From Orlando (84 miles): Get on FL-408 W. Take Florida's Turnpike and I-75 N to FL-40 E/W Silver Springs Blvd in Ocala. Take exit 352 from I-75 N. Merge onto FL-40 E/W Silver Springs Blvd.
Silver Springs State Park near Ocala surrounds one of the largest artesian spring systems in the world and is often called Florida's original tourist attraction. Its clear water and famous glass-bottom boat tours have drawn visitors since the 1870s, and the spring run flows into the scenic Silver River, home to manatees in cooler months, alligators, turtles, and a troop of wild rhesus macaque monkeys.
Steamboats brought Northern tourists after the Civil War, and the glass-bottom boat was invented here in the late 1870s. The springs were a Hollywood set for the 1930s Tarzan films with Johnny Weissmuller and for Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954). Florida took over the property in 2013 and merged it with Silver River State Park.
Things to Do
- Glass-bottom boat tour: the park's signature ride over the springs
- Paddle the Silver River: rent a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard, or launch your own on the designated paddle trail
- Visit the Silver River Museum: exhibits on Native American heritage, early tourism, and archaeology
- Hike, bike, or ride horses on more than 15 miles of multi-use trails
Top Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Trail | About 2 miles round trip | Easy | Silver River views through hardwood forest |
| Swamp Trail Boardwalk | About 1 mile round trip | Easy | Wetlands and aquatic vegetation |
| Sandhill Trail | About 4 miles round trip | Easy to Moderate | Longleaf pines and wildflowers |
This article uses material from the Wikipedia articles and official tourism pages for Silver Springs (attraction), released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
