Silver Springs?

[scan_man]

My Girlfriend wants to ride a Glass bottem boat while we are in Florida, the only place that I see online offering that options is a Place called Silver Springs about 2 hours from Disney.
I am woundering if any one has been there, and if they enjoyed the Park?
Thank you.

 

[markymark]

This is a place I've been meaning to go to for awhile now. A friend of mine went and said it was great for a relaxing day away from the hustle of the parks.

 

[The Mom]

I've been to Silver Springs a few times. It's a standard field trip for my children's school. It is a very small park, and consists of various types (including glass-bottomed) of boats which bring you out on the river & over the springs. If you have never seen a rock-type spring, it is impressive. People routinely dive (and ocassionally die) in similar springs.There are also animals & animal shows. You can see everything in less than a day. It's an old-fashioned attraction, and I feel it's overpriced.(around $30,last time I went) Again, it may be worth one visit, but not anywhere near Disney in scope.(what is?!!!)

 

[scan_man]

From their website, it's about 1 1/2 hours from Disney about the same as from Disney to Busch Garden in Tampa. I have found coupons on their web site. Thank you for the information. I know she is going to enjoy it.
If any one knows of other places that have glass bottom boats Please let us know. I would like to see where else they can be riden on while we are down there.

 

[The Mom]

You're welcome, scan_man. If you're going in hot weather, there is a small water park next door: you can purchase a combo ticket. The slides aren't "extreme" but OK. It is nice and shady, which is a relief in the summer. Ocala is a nice little town, and the trip gives you an idea of what Florida was like BD(Before Disney), both good & bad.

 

[scan_man]

that would be nice. thank you. I don't know if she would want to go to the Water park there, she wants to go to Typhoon Lagon (Wave Pool with White Sand) but will be taking her to the Atlantic Ocean too
The Water looks better than ours here, we have so much Alge up here when the Weather is nice right away. But other than that the Water looks a little green in the Pacific.

 

[woofboy111]

Your girlfriend might not want to go there, but it's worth it. They have some pretty good slides, and the best part is that its only 2 BUCKS more for a combo ticket. How could you say no to that?

 

[scan_man]

Thank you Wolfboy.
I hope she likes Silver Springs, she wants to ride the glass bottom boat, is why we are driving up to Silver Springs. That and it does sound interesting to me, just wish I owned my own scuba gear, I would check out if they allow divers to use the spring too.

 

[woofboy111]

If you would like to swim in the springs, I know they have a little pool section opened on weekends, but it's not really enough to swim in but let me tell you about some of the other springs in the area. First of all, there is Wekiva Springs. this one has a large spring with a big swimming area, and 12 miles of hiking trails. I know there are signs for this one off of I-4. I'm not sure about the ones I'm going to tell you about now.

There is Rock Springs. Here, you can swim in part of the river. (where at Wekiva, you can swim at the source) In the winter, due to the warm water, you can see manatees swimming here in the wild. It's pretty cool.

Here's one of my favorites. Kelly Springs. Outside of the park you rent inner tubes, and then ride them down a two mile river. Also, if you have snorkeling equipment, you can just float down the river, going through rocks, watching the wildlife, etc. This is like a natural lazy river!

Finally, there is Delieon springs (I probably spelled it wrong). Here you can rent boats, swim, and eat in their resturant. With this resturant, you enter an old sugar mill, and you have tables with a grill in the middle. (Picture a smaller version of a Japanese Steakhouse table). You get pankake batter, and then you cook your own pankakes. Thery charge per picture of batter, and they last a while, so it's a big meal for cheap!

There are many other springs in the area, but these are my favorties. I'm sure there's someone you can write away so you can get get directions to all of them.

Hope this helped a little more!

 

[scan_man]

It does thank you Wolfboy. I will look into the one about the lazy river and snorkling. that sounds like fun. we should be able to do the Glass bottem boats, and the snorkling all the same day. if you can please let me know the exact area you are refering to on the river, and if any wild like weither Friendly or deadly that needs to be watched for there.
Always nice when you can find local ppl to help when you are planning a trip to parts that you don't know. Thank you once again.

 

[woofboy111]

The one that you are talking about, the "lazy river" is called Kelly Springs. I'll try to find you some directions to the place, and if I can't, remember that it's by rock springs. If you tell someone that, they could probably direct you to the place.

On weekends, the place gets really crouded, but during the week it's not too bad. Not much wildlife that you have to look out for, with the crouds, they mostly hide (unless you're snorkeling...you may see some pretty large fish, and probably some turtles.

 

[scan_man]

Good, I am deathly afraid of Snakes. More so Poisonious Snakes. please let me know, but I will make a note to try to find Kelly Springs when we go down, might move Silver Springs to a Monday rather than Sunday for that then.
and Try the Atlantic on Sunday.
She also wants to play in the Atlantic Ocean, and the White Sand.

 

[MrPromey]

If you're going to Silver Springs you might want to think about the Gulf Of Mexico. Although the atlantic side is closer to Orlando, Silver Springs closer to the gulf. The water there is much warmer and the waves are calmer which (unless you are a surfer) usually makes for a more enjoyable experience. Also, since the waves aren't as strong, there's a lot less in the way of things like sea weed and jelly fish washing up. Sand on the gulf side is also white. Just an idea anyway.

 

[woofboy111]

Just letting you know, the waves aren't huge in the Atlantic either. They are really quite small.

 

[MrPromey]

No, I guess they really aren't but compared to the gulf they are pretty big and pretty rough. I grew up on the gulf side and I remember the first time I went to Coco Beach I got sick in the water from the up and downs of the waves out there. Mind you, I was like 10 at the time but there is still a dramatic difference. I say this as someone coming from the gulf side who is used to it being much calmer. The Ocean side is not by any mean a place for really big waves but as an indication of the difference, we don't even really have surf shops over here because the only times the waves ever get big enough to ride on anything bigger than a boogie board is during hurricane and tropical storm weather. (and people actually brave flooding streets to get out there on the beach to do it in that weather too) The water on the gulf side is just calmer, warmer and has less stuff washing up on shore(I mean like seaweed and other aquatic life, not garbage which I have never really seen on either side)

 

[woofboy111]

Yeah. I guess you're right, but I look at the waves in the gulf as ripples in a lake they are so little. I remember one time, ecause of the litle waves, I drove up to the oppsite side of the island I was staying at, and got on my inflateable raft, and using a kite, I was pulled all the way back to my hotel with getting washed up on shore only 1 or 2 thimes turing that 3 mile trip. I would never have been able to do that in the Atlantic, even with the 2 foot waves that they get normally. Id be on shore in a second.