Summer time is in full swing here in the state of Florida, and that means that families all over Lake Nona are looking for new ways to cool off.
As someone who lived in the Sunshine State for the first 17 years of her life, I’ve learned a thing or two when it comes to Floridian summers. If you’re new here, you might be unaware that anything exists outside of pools and the beach as far as cooling off for the summer goes, but some of us long-time residents are well aware of some of Florida’s best kept secrets: the variety of beautiful, natural, freshwater springs scattered all around the state.
These springs have been featured across social media, with videos of the clear, crystal blue water reaching over a million views on Facebook or Instagram. The water in the springs stays around 70 degrees all year round. Each of these springs has a plethora of beautiful traits and a variety of scenery, but for the purposes of this edition of Family Fridays, we visited Rock Springs and Kelly Park.
Rock Springs and the accompanying Kelly Park is a 14,000-acre state park. The main entrance is located about 30 miles north of Orlando in Sorrento, three miles west of the Wekiva River bridge on State Road 46 and extends into Orange and Seminole counties to the south. The park is located just north of Apopka, around an hour-and-a-half north of Lake Nona. The drive is incredibly easy, and upon arriving at the park, you can see just how worthy making the trip is.
Now, if I were to make any kind of suggestion, it is to arrive at the park early. The car lines for the springs can wrap out of the parking lot and down the street at times, simply because the spot is so sought after and absolutely beautiful. Weekdays are notably less busy than the weekends, so plan accordingly.
My other suggestion would be to make sure that you either bring your own tubes or bring cash to stop at one of the vans on the path to the springs to rent a tube for the day. I made the mistake of not doing either the first time that I went to the springs, and I regret not being able to do one of the best attractions in Rock Springs: the nine-mile long Rock Springs Run tubing and kayaking portion of the springs. On the Rock Springs Run, you have the opportunity to run into a variety of natural Florida wildlife, including fish, native plants, and even otters!
The views in Rock Springs are absolutely stunning. It’s hard not to be taken aback by the natural beauty of the place, even if the water can be a bit cold when you first step into it! After you set your towel or umbrella up on the side of the springs, find one of the many ladders in the springs and make your way down into the water. If you bring a tube with you, you can enjoy relaxing in the cool water or bring a beach ball for a game in the water. Just make sure you don’t bring any food or drink into the springs: the water from the springs is part of the natural Florida aquifer, so using them for trash or other things can damage the fragile water ecosystem present in the area.
Since the springs isn’t very deep, little ones can wander through the majority of the water with ease. If you have feet on the sensitive side, I suggest bringing a pair of water shoes with you, as the floor of the springs is covered in, you guessed it, rocks! Some areas are less rocky than others, but they can be uncomfortable to those that are caught off guard by the change in texture.
There is a small snack stand located inside of Kelly Park, near the beginning of some of the various hiking trails also located in the area. These trails lead around the park and offer awesome nature encounters with some of Florida’s notable wildlife. Make sure to bring bug spray, however…you are in Florida, after all.
I had a ton of fun at Rock Springs, and it makes a great Friday trip this summer for those of all ages.
