Ocala National Forest: Silver Springs, Silver Glen & Alexander Springs

The glass-bottom boat tour at Silver Springs has been operating since the 1870s — the spring's first-magnitude flow of 550 million gallons per day through white sand vents in the limestone produces visibility of up to 80 feet. The boats cruise above submerged logs, freshwater fish, and the occasional Florida manatee visible without any distortion. One of Florida's original tourist attractions, still exactly as remarkable as it ever was.

Use the afternoon to explore a different trail, cool off at a swimming hole, or find a scenic spot to watch the sunset.

An Ocala institution serving shrimp and grits, fresh Gulf catches, and Cajun specialties in a lively downtown setting — the best lunch stop before heading deeper into the national forest.

A small, serene lake in the scrub uplands of the Ocala National Forest — the Florida scrub ecosystem (sandhill cranes, gopher tortoises, scrub jays) surrounds a lake with a sand beach and a swim area. The longleaf pine and turkey oak flatwoods are among the best preserved in Florida.

A well-regarded Ocala restaurant serving elevated Southern comfort food — shrimp and grits, smoked pork belly, housemade biscuits. The kind of cooking that makes Central Florida feel like the Deep South it geographically is.

A pristine first-magnitude spring feeding a short, luminously clear run into Lake George — the water at the spring head is Caribbean blue from the mineral-filtered limestone aquifer below. Snorkelers sometimes see manatees resting in the warm spring water; the swim area at the head pool is among the most beautiful spring environments in Florida.

Florida's only sodium-chloride-bearing spring — the unique mineral mix creates a slightly brackish, warm (74°F) pool that attracts schools of fish so dense they brush against swimmers. The spring run leading to Lake George is gorgeous for kayaking, with clear tannin-stained water over white sand.

A no-frills park concession near the Salt Springs Recreation Area serving burgers, hot dogs, and cold drinks for the swimming crowd — functional and perfectly placed for a midday pause.

Florida's second-largest lake receives over 70% of its volume from springs — kayaking the western shoreline near the Silver Glen outflow shows the transition from clear spring water to the darker lake, a visible line in the water where the two mix. Ospreys, herons, and the occasional river otter work the shallower coves along the east shore.

A well-reviewed Ocala fine dining restaurant in the historic downtown — seasonal menu with an emphasis on local ingredients and Southern traditions. The short wine list and the quiet atmosphere make it a good counterpoint to a day of Florida wilderness.

Alexander Springs pushes 80 million gallons of 72-degree water per day from an 80-acre first-magnitude spring pool surrounded by cypress swamp and longleaf pine — the underwater visibility is extraordinary for snorkeling, and the spring run below the pool offers a 7-mile kayak trail through some of the most pristine wild country in Central Florida.

A 1934 CCC-built recreation area centered on a natural spring mill — the original millhouse still stands above the spring pool, and the 7-mile Juniper Creek canoe trail is one of the most demanding and rewarding spring paddles in Florida, navigating tight bends through subtropical jungle. Canoe rentals from the concession, shuttle included.

A short walk from the main spring brings you to Fern Hammock, a cluster of boil springs erupting through a limestone shelf surrounded by royal ferns and cypress knees — the underwater turbulence creates a constantly shifting sand-boil pattern that is one of the most visually unusual spring features in the Ocala forest.