Silver Springs State Park

Silver Springs has drawn visitors for well over a century, first by steamboat and then by rail and road, all coming to marvel at the astonishing clarity of the water. In the 1800s the glass-bottom boat was invented here, a craft with a window in its hull that let passengers peer down at the spring's blue vents, its fish, and its underwater world, and it remains the signature experience to this day.

By the twentieth century the springs had become one of the most famous roadside attractions in the country, and their clear water made an irresistible movie set. Early Tarzan films and other productions were shot here, and underwater scenes for various movies and television shows used the spring's remarkable visibility, giving Silver Springs a place in Hollywood history as well as Florida's.

Silver Springs is an artesian spring, fed by the vast Floridan aquifer, the underground reservoir held in the porous limestone beneath much of the state. Rainwater soaks down through the ground, moves slowly through the rock, and wells back up here in enormous volume, pouring from vents in the spring floor and creating the river.

That constant flow of filtered groundwater is what gives the spring its extraordinary clarity, so clear that boats seem to float on air above the sandy bottom. The water emerges cool and stays that way year round, and the health of the spring depends on the health of the aquifer, which is why protecting the land and water around it matters so much.

The most surprising residents of Silver Springs are its wild rhesus monkeys, which live in troops along the river. They are descended from monkeys released here in the twentieth century, reportedly to add exotic appeal to a jungle-cruise attraction, and they have thrived in the forest ever since, an unexpected sight swinging through the trees over a Florida river.

The monkeys share the river with a rich native cast: turtles basking on logs, alligators drifting in the shallows, herons and anhingas along the banks, and, in cooler months, manatees moving up from the warmer spring water. Paddling the clear Silver River is one of the best wildlife experiences in the region, the water so transparent that fish and turtles seem to hang suspended below the boat.

Winter is a fine time to visit, cool and comfortable, and the season when manatees are most likely to move into the warmer spring water, with clear water and mild weather that make for excellent boat and paddle trips. Spring brings warming days, active wildlife, and lush green along the river, a lovely time to be on the water.

Summer is hot and humid, and the cool spring water is a welcome relief, though afternoon storms are common, so an early start helps. Fall cools the air again and thins the crowds, a peaceful time to glide over the spring or paddle the river as the busy season winds down.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.