Summer Florida Springs Road Trip from Orlando: Escape the Heat Adventure
Summer is the perfect time for a Florida springs road trip and this one is starting and ending in Orlando. I’ve grown up in Florida (since I was two years old), so some of these springs I grew up visiting and some I just visited recently for fun.
This summer Florida springs road trip is all about swimming, kayaking, and enjoying the beautiful nature. The winter road trip guide will focus on wildlife viewing and boat rides, but this one is all about being in those springs to stay cool in the Florida heat!
I’ve included hotel options, so if you like to camp this route can be followed, but I’m not a camper so I can’t really advise on that style of accommodation.
However, if you’re like me and prefer a hotel, I’ll provide options in each area that are most convenient and I’ll provide a base option for more than half of the road trip that can offer nicer hotel stays, but will include longer commutes to each spring.
Since this is very outdoorsy, don’t forget multiple swimsuits and sun protection! Let’s get started on this summer Florida springs road trip.
Cool Off in Central Florida: Summer Springs Loop at a Glance
The road trip is up to five days and will loop back around to Orlando, but you can easily tailor this to your preferences.
Florida springs really reside in small towns, so don’t expect posh areas. Embrace the small town charm, natural beauty of the springs, and tap into your country side.
Yes, a car is needed for this loop. Driving time, with no back tracking is 8 hours. If you base yourself in one city, which I’ll discuss next, the driving time could be a bit more.
I will provide options in this itinerary. While the base will be clear, I’ll mention some alternatives in case someone doesn’t like snorkeling for example.
- Up to 5 days
- Loops back to Orlando
- Built around swimming, tubing, kayaking
- Springs are generally around 72F (not warm, but a nice way to stay cool)
- Best to do during the week, when crowds are most manageable
Not sure about a Florida springs road trip this summer? Check out my free guide for springs near Orlando. I offer springs within one and two hours, so you can simply make it a day trip from Orlando.
Accommodation Options Explained
This summer Florida springs road trip will focus on hotel options. I’m not a camper, though I will rough it for a night or two if the right type of adventure presents itself.
So if you are a camper, this route can absolutely be followed and you’ll have plenty of options in small town Florida, but I won’t be of any help for you. Of course, most of these state parks offer camping, so you really won’t have to look far.
Hotel Options: Convenient or Comfort
Hotel recommendations will include a convenient option that stays near the springs. The important note here is most of these hotel options won’t be on the nicer end. Additionally, you won’t have as many options. This is totally doable as long as you’re not expecting any type of luxury.
Another option will be to base yourself in a nearby city, but you’ll have more driving as a result. For example, you can base yourself in Gainesville for three nights of this 5-day Florida springs road trip, but you will be driving about 50 minutes to two of the springs on two different days. You will be trading out some convenience for a little more comfort.
| Day | Spring | Activity | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Silver Glen or Blue Spring | Swimming | Ocala or DeLand |
| 2 | Silver Springs | Paddle or Glass Bottom Boat | High Springs or Gainesville |
| 3 | Ichetucknee | Tubing | Gainesville |
| 4 | Devil’s Den | Snorkeling | Spring Hill |
| 5 | Weeki Wachee | Mermaids, kayaking, or scalloping | — |
Day 1: Silver Glen Springs or Blue Spring State Park
Day one is starting off very strong and will be swimming focused. My recommendation is either Silver Glen Springs or Blue Spring State Park. I love both of these parks, but they can offer a slightly different experience.
Here’s a quick guide on the differences:
Silver Glen Springs
- Large swimming area
- Sandy bottom creating a pool like appearance
- Paddling allowed in the spring run, but not the swimming area
- Can arrive by car or boat
- Wildlife in water is limited, though the connected lake has gators and more
- Unique experience: rent a boat or jet ski nearby to come here
- Avoid weekends: park fills up with boaters
Blue Spring State Park
- Forest on both sides offering a lot of shade
- Water is clear, but the bottom is not sand
- Can float down the spring run
- Paddling allowed in the spring run in the morning or evening at specific times
- Boat tour of the St. Johns River available
- Unique experience: rent a boat and head here to swim (no boats allowed in the run though)
- Chance of seeing a manatee (one or two stick around in the summer)
- Avoid weekends: park reaches capacity early
If you want a more social, open-water swimming experience, choose Silver Glen. If you prefer shade, wildlife, and a more natural river feel, Blue Spring is the better fit.
Read more about visiting Blue Spring State Park in my full guide: Blue Spring State Park Guide (By a Local): How to Enjoy in Winter vs Summer
Where to Stay on Night One
For either option, head to Ocala to be close to Silver Springs for day two.
Alternatively for Blue Spring State Park, you can stay in DeLand as a cute small town option near Blue Springs and about 1 hour and 10 minutes to Silver Springs.
For the hotel base option, head toward Gainesville for the least amount of hotel changes or to stay in a bigger city. Driving times to Ichetucknee, Silver Springs and Devil’s Den are all under an hour from Gainesville. You can base yourself here for three nights.
Blue Spring State Park: Artisan Downtown
Stay in nearby DeLand, Florida for a charming small town vibe. One hour and seven minutes to Silver Springs. For more options: Best Area to Stay in DeLand Florida: Local’s Guide to Top Places
Ocala Options
Stay in Ocala and be ready for Silver Springs in the morning. Silver Glen Springs is in a more remote area, so you’ll want to head to Ocala which has plenty of options!
Luxury: The Equestrian Hotel
Silver Springs (33 minutes)
Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Silver Springs – Ocala by IHG
Silver Springs (5 minutes)
Budget: Baymont by Wyndham Ocala Suites
Silver Springs (12 minutes)
Gainesville Base Options for Two to Three Nights
If you want to base yourself in Gainesville area, these are great options to consider. Of course, there are plenty of hotel options in this college town.Artisan Downtown
Upscale Base: Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast
Silver Springs (39 minutes), Ichetucknee (54 minutes), Devil’s Den (31 minutes)
Mid-Range Base: Hotel Indigo Gainesville Celebration Pointe
Silver Springs (48 minutes), Ichetucknee (44 minutes), Devil’s Den (29 minutes)
Budget Base: Drury Inn & Suites Gainesville
Silver Springs (45 minutes), Ichetucknee (42 minutes), Devil’s Den (27 minutes)
Day 2: Silver Springs
Silver Springs is one of my favorite springs as it has one of my favorite paddles and offers its iconic glass bottom boat tours. I’ve done both and this park is great if you have some in your group who aren’t into paddling.
You can spend an entire day here or pick one activity, but you’ll get beautiful nature whichever you choose!
5-Mile Downstream Paddle
The 5-mile downstream paddle is my one of my all-time favorite paddles. You can rent or bring your own vessel and then you’ll pay for the shuttle service back. You will see alligators, and I saw way more than I expected on my paddle in the spring. The water is clear and gorgeous though!
There is also a chance of seeing monkeys, but be careful, I’ve heard they have flipped people’s kayaks. Manatees are possible but mainly in the winter. I didn’t see them on my spring paddle, but I did see them on Silver Springs glass bottom boat tour in the winter.
If you don’t want to do the downstream paddle, you can do a loop. It’s beautiful and includes typical Florida river water that is dark and some of the clear spring water. The loop takes less time, but you will paddle upstream a bit.
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
I recently did the glass bottom tour and loved it! They offer a 30-minute or 90-minute, but I recommend the 90-minute as you’ll get to see way more of the spring river.
When I did this on a recent winter day, we saw alligators, monkeys, manatees, and lots of birds! It was amazing, though the monkeys are rare and manatees are more possible in the winter.
Read more about my Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boat Tour Review: 30 vs 90 Minute Experience
Where to Stay on Night Two
If you’re not basing yourself in Gainesville, I’d suggest making your way closer to Ichetucknee. You can stay in Fort White if you’re camping. Otherwise, stay in High Springs or Alachua.
High Springs
Glamping: Postcard Cabins Gilchrist Springs, Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy
Ichetucknee Springs (31 minutes) – I stayed here before Marriott bought them. It’s a fun way to “camp” without having to rough it too much.
Alachua
Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Alachua – Gainesville Area by IHG
Ichetucknee Springs (28 minutes)
Gainesville Area Base Options Reminder
Upscale Base: Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast
Silver Springs (39 minutes), Ichetucknee (54 minutes), Devil’s Den (31 minutes)
Mid-Range Base: Hotel Indigo Gainesville Celebration Pointe
Silver Springs (48 minutes), Ichetucknee (44 minutes), Devil’s Den (29 minutes)
Budget Base: Drury Inn & Suites Gainesville
Silver Springs (45 minutes), Ichetucknee (42 minutes), Devil’s Den (27 minutes)
Day 3: Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Regarded as one of the best springs experiences in Florida, Ichetucknee Springs State Park is worth the drive north. The park is fed by eight springs that flow into the Ichetucknee River, creating a crystal clear tubing run through a canopy of cypress trees.
Tubing is the main event here. The north entrance gives you the full 3-mile float, which takes about three hours, but there’s a daily limit of 750 tubers launching from that entrance so arrive early if you’re visiting on a weekend.
You can also enter at the midpoint if you want a shorter float. Note that the swimming area and tubing entrance are at different points in the park, so check the map before you arrive.
Reservations are recommended, especially in summer. No alcohol, which keeps the vibe relaxed and the river clean.
Where to Stay on Night Three
If your base is Gainesville, this will be your last night there. However, if you stayed closer to Ichetucknee, I’d suggest staying in Gainesville as it’s only 30 minutes from Devil’s Den.
Gainesville Area Options Reminder
Upscale Base: Herlong Mansion Bed & Breakfast
Silver Springs (39 minutes), Ichetucknee (54 minutes), Devil’s Den (31 minutes)
Mid-Range Base: Hotel Indigo Gainesville Celebration Pointe
Silver Springs (48 minutes), Ichetucknee (44 minutes), Devil’s Den (29 minutes)
Budget Base: Drury Inn & Suites Gainesville
Silver Springs (45 minutes), Ichetucknee (42 minutes), Devil’s Den (27 minutes)
Day 4: Devil’s Den
We’re switching gears from the lazy river vibes to enjoy snorkeling in a spring inside a cave. Devil’s Den is privately owned and unlike any other spring stop on this summer Florida spring road trip.
Seriously, it’s an underground prehistoric spring inside a cave, accessed by descending a narrow staircase into a cavern that opens up to turquoise water below and a hole in the ceiling above letting in a shaft of natural light.
There is no swimming allowed as you must snorkel or dive. They do rent snorkel gear, so you don’t have to bring your own equipment.
Reservations are required and allow you to spend about 90 minutes in the den. Ticket prices also include “John’s Oasis” which is a swimming area by Devil’s Den.
If you only plan to do Devil’s Den, you can make a reservation that fits your preferences. However, expect it to be more crowded if you do make a reservation between 11AM and 3PM. It can be busy in the height of summer, so if you want to avoid crowds in the den, book an early time slot.
Of course, if you want to add some time on another lazy river after your snorkel, book Devil’s Den early so you can enjoy KP Hole Park or Rainbow Springs.
If Devil’s Den just doesn’t interest you at all, consider Manatee Springs, Rainbow Springs, or KP Hole Park as a replacement.
Where to Stay Night Four
Our final night of the Florida springs road trip and I recommend staying near our final stop of Weeki Wachee. Spring Hill is a small town by Weeki Wachee, or if you’d prefer more options head to Port Richey (30 minutes south of Weeki Wachee).
Upper Mid-Range: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Brooksville Suncoast Parkway
Weeki Wachee (12 minutes)
Mid-Range: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Spring Hill by IHG
Weeki Wachee (8 minutes)
Day 5: Weeki Wachee
Weeki Wachee is probably the quirkiest stop on this road trip. It’s known for its mermaid shows, has waterslides, a lazy river, wildlife shows, and is basically a spring meets theme park!
It’s perfect for getting you into the theme park mood before heading back to Orlando, but you still get the springs and some other random activities as well!
If you really want to skip the theme park vibes, rent or a book a kayak tour in the Weeki Wachee State Park to enjoy the river as an alternative, or try scalloping since you’re in the area.
Scalloping doesn’t involve a spring, but the season is July through September and you’re in the area! This is done just north of Weeki Wachee in Crystal River or Homosassa and you will want to book a charter in advance.
Of course, you can head to Tampa for the day, enjoy a west coast beach, or just make your way back to Orlando.
Final Thoughts on This Summer Florida Springs Road Trip
Florida springs offer beautiful nature and a fun way to cool off in the hot summer months! It was 95 degrees and over 70% humidity, so taking a break from the sauna to enjoy a Florida spring is wonderful!
There are plenty of springs in Florida to choose from, but this itinerary is meant to focus on being in or on the water and offers a variety of experiences. From the natural beauty of Blue Spring State Park to the quirky Weeki Wachee, this Florida springs road trip loop includes some of the best stops.
If you’re still planning your trip, browse more Florida destinations or check out my full St. Augustine guide or more ideas for the Daytona Beach area.
