Although we’re finding the joys and excitement of bus maintenance right now, we’re also still riding the travel high of our recent trip to Florida.
We had a friend with a house and driveway to offer us, and suggested we escape the cold by flying south and getting a fun new travel experience under our belts. And seeing the impending snow storms hitting New York, we were all too happy to jump on this idea! We were excited to get back on the road, do some more exploring, and get another state magnet for our collection.
Off we went - to Florida! We took a direct path down to Florida, stopping here and there for a night or two with family and friends. This was one of the first spots of our journey where we realized that having our own self-sustaining heat source would be beneficial. On the last leg of our travels south, we stopped at a Harvest Host for a chilly evening. Luckily, they were out of free spots, but had paid spots with electricity hook ups remaining, which made it an easy decision to get some power for our little space heater! We also spent a morning in Savannah, breakfasting on vegetarian biscuits and gravy and touring some of the local sites.
Our first week in Ocala, we slowly got ourselves familiar with all the local beauty Florida had to offer. We explored the two closest springs, Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs, and soaked in the sights of beautiful and clear blue waters, brimming with wildlife so different from what we’re used to in NY.
Both spots were former tourist attractions, quite popular in the early-to-mid 1900s. Thinking of the behemoth that resides in Orlando, it’s funny to imagine that these little natural springs and surrounding lands could compete, but they were bustling theme parks in their day. When we visited in February, both parks were pretty quiet and we got to witness many of the flowers blooming into their spring colors throughout the month. The temperatures were more mild and the colors were gorgeous, we really recommend February in Florida!!
Silver Springs was founded in 1852 and began launching its famous glass-bottom boat tours in the late 1870s. This was quite the attraction, as the clear waters of these natural springs were gorgeous and flush with manatees, alligators, and other fun wildlife. By the 1920s, the area around the headspring was developed into the Silver Springs Nature Theme Park. There was a small amusement park, native animal exhibits, a carousel, and a concert stage. But you wouldn’t spot much of that history when visiting today. In 2013, Silver Springs became a Florida state park, and while it’s not the hot spot it used to be, there’s still a lot of beautiful and enjoyable things to do there! (Silver Springs Wikipedia)(Silver Springs Website)
We had a great time during our few visits to Silver Springs. On our first visit, we saw our first alligator of our Florida adventure! It was nestled up on the shore off the Silver River, and we could peek down and see it lounging in the sun. It was an exciting moment, and surreal to see an animal like that in person. We explored the main headspring park a bit, went out into the Creek Trail loop with the hope of seeing some wild monkeys (no such luck!), and took the boardwalk around the Ross Allen Island. Again, we searched for the rumored wild monkeys, but they were not to be found. Others we talked to had seen them, so if you visit, keep an eye out! But in addition to our alligator spotting, we saw quite a few really interesting birds along the river and on the boardwalk trail, as well as tons of turtles, and a magical surprise while kayaking.
Once we got the lay of the land, we came back for a truly perfect day of kayaking. After taking a little hike on the blue Springs Connector trail to tire out our boat co-pilots, we launched into the connector pathway to the Silver River. Almost immediately… WE SAW A MANATEE! It was incredible, seeing it there swimming and grazing under the water and occasionally poking it’s snoot up for air.
It was hard not to just float there and hang out with the manatee all day, but we had a river to explore! We took the connection out onto the river, down the Silver River, and then turned right onto the Fort King Paddling Trail, to form a little loop. We were able to do the loop twice in a few hours, and it was definitely recommended. There was a ton of beautiful wildlife to be seen, including a little baby alligator, hanging out on the shore.
As much as we enjoyed our visits to Silver Springs, we’d be remiss to discuss this park without mentioning the racism and exclusion in the history of the park. Silver Springs was a “Whites Only” park until 1967. There’s a formal kayak tour that launches from Silver Springs that discusses the racist nature of the theme park, but unfortunately we couldn’t do the tour with our dogs. This is only one example of America’s sad, long history of excluding people of color from formalized outdoor spaces, and I’m sure there will be more encountered as we travel throughout the country. It's a sad thought to think that people of color are still feeling shut out of these spaces due to the traumatic exclusion of their ancestors.
Rainbow Springs
Rainbow Springs had its own tourist trap, theme park past. It opened in the 1930s, and was uniquely interesting in that instead of simply glass bottom boats, they offered boats with a lower level that was entirely below the waterline. The meandering paths and headspring of Rainbow Springs had less of a cultivated feel than Silver Springs, but instead seemed bursting with natural beauty. We were still able to tour the remnants of the former attractions, including the enclosures of an old zoo. It was funny to see all this novel Florida wildlife, while also seeing the zoo signs which boasted deer, foxes, and squirrels. All the things we’re used to seeing in our New York backyard! Rainbow Spring is a smaller park, and eventually was closed in 1974 as interstate highways bypassed quainter attractions. Thankfully, the natural beauty of the park was recognized by area residents, who formed the Friends of Rainbow Springs and cleared the park, revitalized the gardens, and led the way for a new life as a state park in the 1990s. (Rainbow Springs Website)
The walking trails around the headspring were beautiful and meandering pebbled paths that lead past two waterfalls, man-made but with diverted spring water, and a gorgeous azalea garden. I was so grateful for the timeframe that we were in Florida - we got to see the waves of azaleas blooming as spring took hold, pinks and fuschias and purples!
There’s a spot at the headspring to rent and launch kayaks, but we weren’t immediately sure if we could launch our own craft from here. Later in our trip, we ended up launching on the Rainbow River from Dunnellon and headed toward the headspring. It was a beautiful spot to kayak, although more bustling than I would have expected.
While it’s hard to pick a favorite space at Rainbow Springs, swimming in the crystal clear, warm waters was incomparable. The water remains at 72 degrees, year round, which was comfortable on an extra nice day of Florida “winter”.
I can't recommend a visit to these Ocala springs enough! The waters are gorgeous, the wildlife is abundant, and the local flora are colorful and beautiful.
This was very much the kind of adventure we were looking for with our journey on the Charlotte. While hitting main tourist spots also has its appeal, we were excited to get a bit off the beaten path and enjoy getting to know an area and it's quirkier sides. We we're grateful to have a long stay in Ocala ahead of us, because we knew we'd want to soak up the beauty of these spots a few more times!
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