We’re pleased to say that we’ve got another fab contribution from one of our homeowners for you.  This blog was written by Ian Burgess who is sharing his tips for a day out at Silver Springs.

Silver Springs by Ian Burgess

Silver Springs is situated about two hours north of Kissimmee on the edge of Ocala National Forest.

After reading the last blog which included Crystal River, I thought homeowners and guests may appreciate my tip for a really chilled-out, laid-back day away from the parks and shopping malls.

We first visited Silver Springs one sunny day when my family and I were on our way to Crystal River for the day. During a “discussion” about map reading (this was in the days before Sat Navs existed), we lost track of where we were going.

En route we saw signs for Silver Springs. “That’s it!” we thought… so we headed there. It wasn’t until we got back to Kissimmee later that night that we realised we had been at the wrong place!

To us, it didn’t matter that we’d fallen short of our original destination because we had had a fantastic day out.

Silver Springs Park

Silver Springs is over 10,000 years old and, like Crystal River, it has some of the clearest waters anywhere in Florida.

Silver Springs river is over five miles long and the park covers 4,000 acres.  Once there, you will see alligators, fish, birds and other examples of Florida’s wildlife. 

There is a bird show which visitors can attend to see more of the Florida wildlife.

The main attraction is the river. The best way to experience it is on one of the glass-bottom boats which take you around the park.  On our first visit we were treated to a wonderful commentary by Captain Dave who had a unique one-line response to visitors’ questions!  It was a little strange but very amusing.

You can also hire kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.

Silver Springs history

We really recommend a visit to the historic village in the park.  Here you can see what life was like for Floridians a few hundred years ago.

It’s part of the Silver River museum and environmental centre and the little museum is worth a visit too.

Silver Springs has some interesting Hollywood history too: The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Rebel without a Cause, Moonraker and six Tarzan films were made here.

The whole place is run by retirees who absolutely love the special place.  We really loved our trip there and definitely recommend you add it to your Florida vacation itinerary!

About Ian’s home

Ian is the owner of the fabulous family-friendly Tropical Breeze on Indian Point in Kissimmee. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, spacious living areas and a south-west-facing pool, it’s a fab choice for a family Disney vacation.

If you’d like to book your stay to enjoy Silver Springs or other Central Florida attractions, please check out our homes here.

Would you like to share your tips for great days out in Florida?

We’d love to share contributions from our guests and homeowners about great days out in Florida.  If you have tips or ideas you’d like to share on our blog, please reach out to our team.