Both are worth a trip, but they suit different travelers. Here is the honest side-by-side to help you choose — or fit both into one route.
They sit about 4 miles apart, which makes doing both in one trip realistic. Here is how they actually differ.
| Wekiwa Springs | Kelly Park / Rock Springs | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 8 / 10 | 8.4 / 10 |
| Entry fee | $6 / vehicle | $5 / vehicle (county) |
| Hours | 8am – sunset | 8am – 8pm (summer) |
| Magnitude | 2nd magnitude | 2nd magnitude |
| Nearest town | Apopka | Apopka |
| Best for | Orlando's classic swim-and-paddle state park | Orlando's hometown lazy river |
| Good for | Camping, Family-Friendly, Kayaking, Swimming | Camping, Family-Friendly, Snorkeling, Swimming, Tubing |
| When to go | ||
| Current conditions | Open · weekend capacity closures common in summer | Open · earliest-filling park in Central Florida on weekends |
Wekiwa Springs
Wekiwa is metro Orlando's original spring: a broad, easy swimming basin ringed by lawn and forest, twenty minutes from downtown, with the Wekiva River paddling trail starting right at the spring. It trades the wow-factor clarity of the North Florida springs for convenience and a genuinely…
Local tip: Paddle downstream to Wekiva Island for lunch and loop back. Swim early; the basin gets lively by noon.
Full guide, fees & map →Kelly Park / Rock Springs
Rock Springs pours out of a rock face at the top of Kelly Park and runs a gentle three-quarter-mile lazy river perfect for cheap tubes and kids — the closest genuinely great spring run to Orlando, 30 minutes from downtown. Because it is close, cheap, and…
Local tip: On summer weekends, be in line before the 8am gate opening — no exaggeration. Weekday mornings feel like a different, calmer park entirely.
Full guide, fees & map →