Skip to content
BusinessesGrow
Silver Springs State Park, Silver Springs, FL

Photo: Jackdude101, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Silver Springs State Park

5656 E Silver Springs Blvd · Silver Springs, FL

Why you should go…

Silver Springs is one of the largest artesian spring systems in the world, and glass-bottom boats have run over its clear water since the 1870s. Standard boat tours last about 30 minutes, with 90-minute extended tours also offered. You can rent a kayak, canoe or paddleboard, hike, camp, and watch for wildlife, including a colony of rhesus monkeys introduced in 1938. Swimming is not permitted. Creature from the Black Lagoon and several Tarzan films were shot here.

  • #state park
  • #glass-bottom boats
  • #kayaking
  • #florida springs
  • #camping

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Silver Springs State Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Blue Spring State Park

    Under $25

    Watch hundreds of manatees gather in a clear 72-degree spring run in winter, then swim, snorkel and paddle it in summer.

    47 mi awayMore like this

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    4 Rivers Smokehouse

    Under $25

    Central Florida's home-grown BBQ chain, famous for brisket and banana pudding, started right here in Winter Park.

    59 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    Daytona International Speedway

    $25–$50

    Ride an open-air tram around the 2.5-mile home of the Daytona 500 and visit the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

    59 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Tours
    Local Gem

    Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour

    Under $25

    A one-hour pontoon ride through Winter Park's chain of lakes, past mansions and moss-draped canals.

    60 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    Harry P. Leu Gardens

    Under $25

    Fifty acres of camellias, roses, and shaded oak canopy on the shore of Lake Rowena.

    61 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Local Gem

    Lake Eola Park

    Free

    Downtown Orlando's signature park, ringed by a walking path and dotted with resident swan boats.

    61 mi awayMore like this