1800 Wekiwa Circle

Apopka, Florida 32712

Phone (407) 884 2008

Fax (407) 884 2039

Wekiwa Springs State Park is located at the head of the Wekiva River. It is about 20 minutes North of Orlando/45 minutes North of Kissimmee.  It is located off Interstate 4, taking exit 94 onto Road 434 West to Wekiwa Springs Road.  Turning right onto this road, the entrance is about 4 miles on the right.

Open from 8am to sundown, 365 days a year, Entrance Fees are as follows:

Vehicles with 2 – 8 persons                              $5.00

Single Occupant Vehicles                                  $3.00

Wekiwa Springs State Park opened to visitors in 1970, and covers an area of 7000 acres. The main attraction is the spring itself, which maintains a near-constant 72 degrees, and pumps 42 million gallons of water into the Wekiva River every day.  The swimming area ranges in depth from under 1 foot to 5 feet.  There is a 15 – 20 foot deep cavern at the source of the spring which has been explored to a distance of 50 meters.

Nowadays SCUBA diving and cave diving are strictly prohibited.  However, fishing, canoeing and snorkelling are permitted. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent at the nature centre.

There are also thirteen miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, wildlife observation and horseback riding, to suit all ages. The 5.3 miles Volksmarch trail is marked with orange diamonds.  Among the wildlife to be spotted are raccoon, bobcat, possum, coyote, rabbit, deer, gray fox and black bear. 

There is a fully equipped campground to accommodate most forms of camping from tents to recreational vehicles. There are also primitive camping areas available, should you wish to follow in the footsteps of the Timucuan Indians that fished and hunted these areas, but do be watchful of the black bears roaming around.  There are also two campsites that can only be accessed by canoe or kayak.

Camping Fees

Family campground sites                       $20.00 plus tax per site, per night.
Primitive camping                                  $4.00 plus tax per person, per night.

If camping over weekends or holidays, arrive early as the park is closed once carrying capacity is reached.

Under Age 16 must wear helmets if biking.

Skateboarding and Rollerblading/Skating are prohibited.

Non-licensed scoters (motorised & non-motorised) are prohibited.

Pets are allowed, but must be leashed.

One of these natural places is De Leon Springs.  Take the Interstate 4 north past Lake Mary then turn to Deltona, this is a quaint old turn of the century small town.  From here you very soon reach De Land and then follow the signs for Post Office.  Not long and you will be entering the Springs, just a small charge for your car, but I think you will find it money well spent.

Follow the road along the winding road until you reach the car park, always good to find a little shade to park under.  Bring a picnic or a BBQ with you as there is plenty to occupy all ages for a day.

Swimming in the constant temperature of the spring is a lovely way to cool down, the water gushes out of the ground at many hundreds of gallons an hour, there are areas where children can swim safely.  There are restroom facilities and changing rooms, all very clean.

If you want a little adventure why not hire a canoe or pedalo and start to explore the Creek on its way to Lake Woodruff, at a low level you really see the natural inhabitants at their best, many birds of different varieties.  We were lucky enough to see an Osprey. If you are not feeling so energetic there is always the passenger boat that will take you down the Creek and show all the interesting plants, birds and animals and not quite so close to nature.

There are several trails that you can walk at your leisure, if you have the energy, but it is well worth the effort because there are some lovely quiet corners where you can stay cool under the trees and linger.

There is a centre where you can see and learn all about the early settlers and their lifestyle, also the history of the springs from the Seminole Indians onwards.

This was a really interesting and relaxing day out.  Not too far to travel but worth the journey.

On arrival you will find plenty of car parking and there are picnic tables and barbecues available in a beautiful and shaded area so it is a great place to eat and relax. Changing rooms and restrooms are available and kept nice and clean.

There is a natural spring in the park which reaches 72 degrees and which feeds the lake where you can swim or hire floats. You can also rent a canoe or kayak or else join the cruise for a tour down the creek and across to the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge. We saw plenty of wildlife including alligators, turtles and herons but you can also see deer, otters, ibis, ospreys, eagles and kingfishers. There is a visitor centre which tells you the history of the park. There is a good choice of walking trails, and there is a 4 mile trail to walk through where you can spot various wildlife and is part of the Great Florida Birding trail. There are ancient trees, native birds and Indian burial grounds. The park has a maximum capacity of 1,000 and it has been known to close by 10.00 am at weekends in the summer because it can get really busy.

Somewhere else which is worth a visit is the Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant which provides a luncheon menu and where you can cook your own delicious pancakes. The staff there provide the mix and various fillings, you cook them at your table and then just sit back once they are cooked and enjoy your meal.

An enjoyable day out and nice for a change from the busy parks.

It is recommended that visitors allow 3.5 to 4hrs to tour the park.

Homosassa Springs is a favourite playground for manatees and a showcase for several of the state’s other endangered animal species, including whooping cranes and key deer.

From the elevated boardwalk there is a great view of the wildlife including cougars, black bears, bobcats, white-tailed deer, American alligators, American crocodiles, and river otters.

The Fish Bowl, an underwater observatory in the main 46-ft deep spring, gives an unusual perspective on life in the Homosassa river, while a pontoon boat ride or a tram ride along the Pepper Creek is ideal for wildlife-spotting along the riverbank.

There are a number of educational programs throughout the day giving the opportunity to learn more about Florida’s wildlife:

Manatee Programs:               

An educational program on the West Indian manatees and the park’s manatee rehabilitation program are presented three times daily: 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3.30pm

Wildlife Encounters Program:

An educational program on Florida’s wildlife including Florida snakes, birds of prey, gopher tortoises, turtles and opossums presented twice daily:10.30 am, 2.30pm. 

Alligator & Hippo Program:   

An educational program on American alligators and the park’s Hippopotamus, presented daily at 12.30pm.

The Reptile House is where the native snakes and other reptiles are found, and hands-on experience can be gained at the Children’s Education Centre.

Recreational opportunities include picnicking, nature study, and bird-watching. Special events and workshops are also held throughout the year.

Driving Directions:

HomosassaSpringsWildlifeState Park is located in Homosassa Springs, 75 miles north of Tampa on U.S. 19 and 90 miles northwest of Orlando

Park Admission Fees:

Adults (age 13 and over)                    $9.00 per person.

Children (ages 3 through 12)     $5.00 per person.

Children ages 2 years and under:        No charge

Refreshments:                                 The park has a café & 2 gift shops.

Please Note:

Pets are NOT permitted in the wildlife park with the exception of service animals. Self Service outside kennels are provided free of charge at the VisitorCenter and at the West Entrance.

Dogs are permitted in parking areas and along Pepper Creek Trail on a six foot hand held leash.

The park operates a no-smoking policy within Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park.  However, an area is provided outside the West Entrance of the park.

Contact Details:

HomosassaSpringsWildlifeState Park

4150 S. Suncoast Blvd.
Homosassa, Florida34446
Phone: 352-628-5343
Fax: 352-628-4243

I wish we had allowed ourselves more time as there were other things to do like canoeing and kayaking.  You can swim in the spring but be warned the water feels very, very cold! It’s a bit of a shock when you first get in. you can also go scuba diving and explore the cave itself.  I have to say it was a welcome change from the theme parks of Orlando and well worth a visit, it could easily be done in a day trip.

From there we moved on to St Augustine Beach where we had booked into a motel right on the beach. The Atlantic rollers were really fierce and we had a great time with the boogie boards. It was nice being right on the beach but if we went again we would stay in St Augustine itself. We took the trolley bus tour which we all really enjoyed, we find this is always a good way to familiarise yourself with a new town and see things you might miss if you did it yourself. It was lovely to wander round the town, it’s a quait, picturesque place with lots of history. We then visited the castle and had a really enjoyable tour. There was so much more to do and see but once again we ran out of time.  We will definitely visit St Augustine again.

There are also a number of State Parks along the Gulf coast - our favourite it Caledesi State Park which boasts one the country’s best beaches. This is reached via a ferry from Honeymoon Island. The ferry runs from 10am until 5pm. It’s a delightful unspoilt place where the number of daily visitors is strictly limited. You can stroll around the island along the 3 mile nature trail - look out for the wild Tortoises among the multitude of wildlife. There is Kayak hire on the island - try exploring the lagoons or simply stroll along the white sandy beaches. Its a great place for shelling.

The Park is located just one mile west of Dunedin http://www.floridastateparks.org/caladesiisland/ for details.

It did mean that we had to take our SLR camera instead of our usual pocket one, and that we packed our decent binoculars too. The effort was very worthwhile. Having checked out the National Parks of Florida before we left the UK, we decided to try the Lake Louisa State Park, which is just a 15 minute drive up the SR27 from our villa. It has a lot to offer, including six Lakes, Hiking Trails, Bar-b-q sites, Fishing, canoeing and great birdwatching. Lake Louisa is the largest of several lakes all joined by the Palatlakaha river. The Park is open from 8.00am through till sunset, every day of the Year.

We only hiked, relaxed, and had a Bar-b-q but still had a fantastic time. We walked about 10 of the 20 miles available, and in November, only saw about 10 other people. The weather was great, in the high 70’s so a Bar-b-q was a bonus. The Bar-b-q was provided, and did a great job. We took the food in a polystyrene coolbox, and left it in the car, which we could park very near the waters edge.

The hiking trail was easy going, and although we had walking boots, sturdy trainers would have been fine. We saw a host of birds, at close range, that we had not seen before. This included the crested Caracara, the American Bittern and lots of smaller birds too numerous to mention, but which included the beautiful red Tanager. We found that as long as you made no sudden movements, the birdlife was comfortable to come within a few feet of us which was great.

The Lake we stopped at had a brown, brackish water, which is coloured by the root systems of lakeside trees and bushes. It is fine to swim in, and has safe shores, ideal for younger children. Petrol driven boats are not permitted, so no disturbance from fast or noisy boats was also a bonus.

We had a great ‘relaxing’ day at Lake Louisa. The staff were helpful, the winter weather was kind to us, and we would definitely go back again, perhaps in the Summer time.

Within 20 minutes of packing up, we were back at our villa having had a really great day out. Guess what? The total entrance fee for the four of us. and car, was only $4.00 so great value too.

We will be visiting other Parks in Florida, and will update you as we do.

Ian and Sarah Cox

This OrangeCounty park is built 248-acre around one of the Apopka area’s crystal clear springs. As its name suggests, Rock Springs bubbles up from a cleft in a rock outcropping and, instead of spreading out into a pool, becomes a swiftly running stream that quickly slows to a meander. The activity of choice here, and the major reason for the park’s obvious popularity, is riding down the stream in an inner tube or on a float.

Tubes are not available in the park, so unless you bring your own, stop at one of the tube rental shops near the park entrance. The cost is modest, about $5 for a day’s rental. You may have to be a little inventive as to how you carry the tube if your vehicle is full of passengers, i.e. carrying them outside the car

Our kids, and not a few grown-ups, jump into the headwaters and bob and splash our way downstream for about a mile. The trip takes about 25 minutes at a leisurely float. There are exits from the river along the way, and an excellently maintained network of boardwalks (with flooring designed to protect the barefooted) lets you carry your tube back to the beginning for another go. You can also go down without a tube but, for most adults at least, the stream is too shallow for swimming during most of its course. At the middle of the tubing course, the stream blossoms into a series of lagoons and pools that form the centrepiece of the park. This is the place to come for a cooling, if somewhat crowded, swim. Or join the sunbathers thronging the shores and islands. This is a great park for kids and, if you don’t have any, you may feel a bit overwhelmed by other people.

The rest of the park is given over to nicely shaded picnic tables, with lots of barbecue nearby. Take a picnic basket with you, along with charcoal to barbeque you meats.

The park also offers camping sites ($10 a night for OrangeCounty residents, $15 for all others); electricity is another $3. Your admission receipt lets you leave the park and return the same day. No pets are allowed in the park, and there’s no fishing here.

Nearby: C.A.R.E., Central Florida Zoological Park, Kelly Park, King’s Landing Canoe Rental, Rock Springs Run State Reserve, Wekiwa Springs State Park.

Admission: Adults and children $1, children under 5 are free.
Hours: Daily 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in summer; 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in winter
Location: Take Rock Springs Road north from Apopka; right onto Kelly Park Road and follow signs

                Would you like to see something different than theme parks? Then why not try a part of “The Other Florida” - the fascinating Everglades. This is well worth a visit to get away from the Kissimmee/Orlando area for two, or preferably three days. You cannot appreciate its wonder in a day trip.

            Covering the entire Monroe County and a large slice of Miami Dade County (the area of the TV series CSI Miami)  situated in the far south-western corner of Florida. The two main visitor centers are at Everglades City/Chokoloskee at the northern approach and Flamingo City at the southern (Miami) approach. Having used both centers our preference is the Everglades City one. From our home on the Ronald Reagan Parkway (CR54) we headed, after breakfast, for Tampa via the I-4 then joined the I-75 heading for Fort Myers and Naples which we reached in approx. 4 hours non-stop driving of 190 miles. You have several options at this stage. Book into a hotel and explore Naples or Fort Myers - we prefer Naples - or carry on to the select Marco Island via the US951 junction at the Golden Gate. Marco Island is a popular place for snowbirds and retired American citizens and rather on the expensive side. There are only two hotels here, the Hilton and the Radisson, both quite large and both on the beach. It is approx. 30 miles from Marco to Everglades City along the Tamiani Trail.

            One of mother Earth’s most unique eco-systems, the 1.5 million acres of wetlands are home to marsh rabbits, ancient mahogany trees and of course alligators of all sizes as well as the home of over 1,000 plant species, 300 species of birds and 125 species of fish. We went on an airboat from Captain Doug’s and an experienced guide gave us an interesting commentary about the whole eco-system. In the afternoon a boat tour was on the agenda taking us through some of the Thousand Islands seeing manatees and then dolphins following the boat and leaping above the wash (waves) made by the boat at the stern end. For those interested, much can be learned of some Florida history, i.e. some of the islands are made of shells, laboriously carted there by the Calusa Indians to act as lookout posts to warn of approaching Spanish invaders. Everglades City, although rather small, has the City Motel and the Ivey House B&B. Located in the center is the Old Laundry, home of the Everglades Museum which is open Tues. to Sat. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The most important thing to take is insect repellant - mosquitoes are in abundance at certain times of the year.

            Whilst in the area why not visit one of the six Seminole tribe Reservations - the Big Cypress Reservation? Ochopee, in the center, is home to America’s smallest post office - 8ft. 4 inches x 7ft. 3 inches x 10ft. 6 inches. Buggy Tours are also available in the center at the Billie Swamp Safari Wildlife Park. Many concessions have been made by the USA Government, particularly taxes, and in the main the Seminoles are in charge of their own destiny.

            This was a really interesting and educational trip which gave us an insight and understanding of the Everglades importance to life. Further information can be obtained by visiting www.florida-everglades.com

Last May when we were over in Florida we went to visit Lake Louisa State Park.

Drive 5 miles north on Highway 27 from Highway 192 and you will find this beautiful state park, noted for its six beautiful lakes, rolling hills, and scenic landscapes. Lake Louisa is the largest in a chain of 13 lakes connected by the Palatlakaha River, which is designated as an Outstanding Florida Waterway. Lake Louisa, Dixie Lake, and Hammond Lake, the park’s most accessible lakes, provide access for fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. Anglers can fish in four of the park’s six lakes.

It was comforting to note that Alcohol and Firearms are prohibited, oh well we can’t get drunk or shoot each other.

Camping facilities and more than 15 miles of horse trails are available for equestrians. For hikers and backpackers, the park has over 20 miles of hiking trails with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Dixie Lake has a fishing pier, canoe/kayak launch, and a picnic pavilion. The park also has a full-facility campground, fully furnished cabins for rent, and campsites

The Park provides wonderful outdoor activities for the nature lover in all of us, and there are many wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the park.

The park boasts lots of wildlife, including gopher tortoises, wild turkey and white tailed deer although I must be honest and admit that we did not see any of them. However we did see swallow tailed kites, an osprey and a bald eagle.

As you drive in from our entrance on US 27 you’ll notice hundreds of long leaf pines beginning to mature throughout the sand hills. This is a result of the ongoing restoration efforts to return the sand hills to their former state. These long leaf pines planted in 2002 play an important part in that role as do native ground plants like wiregrass and goldenrod, to be added at a later date. As the native vegetation returns to the hills, so will the animals that once lived there.

Parts of the lake have wonderful sandy beaches, but the water although clean , is bracken and very very cold (maybe because I’m getting old I feel it more).

For a scenic hike, a quiet afternoon fishing or just lying on a quiet beach, horseback or an overnight stay, Lake Louisa State Park offers a relaxing setting for you to enjoy these and many more outdoor activities.