Silver Springs State Park
Robert has seen videos on tiktok all about boating in a beautiful area with a glass bottom kayak (is plastic, but completely transparent). We spend the night nearby at Boondockers host Glen (from 82 and don't see you, must be because of the three husbands and the Florida sunshine....) and therefore can be at the Springs as early as 8:30 the next day. These are one of the largest and most popular springs in America, so early attendance is recommended.
What will it cost?
- You pay $8 admission for your RV or car and the price includes 2-8 people
- There are boat tours, you can camp and rent a cottage. Prices are listed on this website
- We pay $78.90 including tax for 3 hours with a see-through canoe. Three hours is fine to make a nice lap
What a beautiful trip!
Because we are so early, we feel like we are sailing alone through this jungle-like area. You hear all kinds of bird sounds and from the start you see fish swimming right under and past your canoe. Very quietly we paddle and see one bird after another. The tree stumps also look beautiful. Later in the picture we see all kinds of faces in them.
This area is also known for the many manatees that reside there. Of course we hope to spot them, but you have no guarantee if this will succeed. Suddenly a gentleman speaks to us and tells us that a pregnant female is swimming next to our canoe. After that, we see more. As we paddle on, we come to a spot where they are courting each other. They chase each other and dive under our canoe to flirt with each other.
Suddenly a gentleman with a canoe says very dryly, "Hey, there's an alligator swimming there." Really right in front of our noses! Because of the current, our canoe drifted toward the alligator and we were so close to it. It's like a floating log, drifting by. We also see many people on a sup-board, which seems a little less "safe" to us.
Difference between crocodiles and alligators
According to the Internet, in addition to external differences, there are also differences in behavior. In fact, crocodiles are much more aggressive than alligators and therefore much more dangerous. We are going to Everglades National park soon and who knows, maybe we will see crocodiles there. Just like spotting bears......mostly from the RV and at the Everglades also from a boat!
Silver Glen Springs – Ocala National Forest
In Ocola National Forest, there are four very beautiful springs in which you can swim and snorkel: Juniper Springs, Salt Springs, Silver Glen Springs and Alexander Springs. We choose to drive to Silver Glen Springs. It is beautiful!
Info
- The entrance fee per location/person is $12, excluding tax.
- Are you traveling with an RV? Then check in advance if you are allowed to park your RV. In Silver Glen Springs this is allowed up to 20 ft length, our camper is 25 ft. If we park all the way in a corner and only take up one spot, we are still allowed to park
- See deze website for more information
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