DeLand is one of the best-placed towns in Florida for springs: Blue Spring State Park and De Leon Springs are each about fifteen minutes away, and half a dozen more are within an hour. The key planning fact is that Blue Spring has required a day-use reservation since July 15, 2026, booked online up to 60 days ahead, and it applies year-round.
Blue Spring State Park, about fifteen minutes south. Only about six miles away in a straight line. In summer it is a lovely swimming and paddling spring; from roughly mid-November through March the run closes to swimmers and becomes a refuge for manatees, which gather in the 72°F water by the hundreds on the coldest mornings.
De Leon Springs, about fifteen minutes northwest. A walled swimming basin beside the Old Spanish Sugar Mill, where you cook your own pancakes at the table. A genuinely good spring and a genuinely odd lunch.
Alexander, Wekiwa and Kelly Park. Roughly forty to fifty minutes out: Alexander is a gentle Ocala National Forest spring with diving, Wekiwa is a state park with a paddle run, and Kelly Park / Rock Springs is the Orlando-area tubing favorite.
Silver Glen, Juniper and Salt Springs. The wilder forest springs, roughly 45 to 55 minutes northwest.
Timing. Summer for swimming — go early, before the storms. Mid-November to March for manatees.
Before you drive
Drive times are approximate and assume normal traffic; allow extra on summer weekends. Blue Spring needs an advance reservation, Wekiwa has required a day-use reservation since September 2025, and Silver Glen requires a vehicle access reservation on May–September weekends and holidays. Kelly Park is the earliest-filling park in Central Florida on weekends, so arrive early. Check current conditions before any of these drives.
Start with these
Blue Spring State Park is $6 per vehicle, no extra reservation fee, and a no-show forfeits the booking. A January 2024 count topped 932 manatees on a single cold morning. Arrive at opening in winter, when the lot fills early.
De Leon Springs is $6 per vehicle, and the day is a shorter 8am–4pm outside a couple of extended-hours windows. The un-air-conditioned restaurant’s weekend waitlist commonly runs one to three hours — put your name down on arrival and swim first.
Alexander Springs is $14.50 per person as a Forest Service site, so state passes don’t apply. Lifeguards are on duty 10am–5pm daily from mid-May through mid-September, and it is one of the few Florida springs allowing open-water scuba.
Kelly Park / Rock Springs is a flat $5 per vehicle since August 11, 2026 (previously tiered). No pets are allowed, and it fills earlier than any other Central Florida park on weekends.
Wekiwa Springs is $6 per vehicle, requires a day-use reservation, and welcomes dogs in the park but not in the water.
Silver Glen Springs is $14.50 per person, snorkeling only, with no cell service. It is part of the $75/year Springs Hopper Pass alongside Alexander and Juniper.
Juniper Springs is $14.50 per person and known for its paddle run; launches are limited, so reserve in season. Dogs are not allowed in the swim area.
Salt Springs is $14.50 per person plus tax, warmer at about 74°F, and has full RV hookups popular with winter visitors.
Distances are straight-line miles from DeLand — drive times vary.
Silver Springs
Glass-bottom boats and paddling over giant springs — no swimming.
Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
Guaranteed manatees, year-round, from an underwater observatory.
Gilchrist Blue Springs
The best backup to Ichetucknee — and a top-five spring in its own right.
Little River Springs
Cheap, uncrowded swimming with a serious cave system below.
Wes Skiles Peacock Springs State Park
One of the longest underwater cave systems in the country.
Suwannee Springs
Historic sulphur springs and 19th-century ruins on the Suwannee.
A one-day plan
Book Blue Spring for the morning — it is the closest and most rewarding — then head to De Leon Springs for a pancake lunch and a second swim. In winter, flip the plan: manatees first thing, when it is coldest, and pancakes after.
If you have a weekend
Spend one day on Blue Spring and De Leon, and the second in the Ocala National Forest at Alexander and Silver Glen, both of which have campgrounds if you want to stay over. A Forest Service campground fee applies separately from day-use entry.
Seasonal notes
Blue Spring’s manatee closure runs roughly mid-November through March. Outside it, the springs are swimmable year-round at about 72°F. Weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day are busiest, and Kelly Park and Wekiwa are the most likely to fill early.
FAQs
What is the closest spring to DeLand?
Blue Spring State Park, about fifteen minutes south, followed by De Leon Springs about the same distance northwest.
Do I need a reservation for Blue Spring?
Yes, since July 15, 2026 every day-use visitor needs an advance online reservation, booked up to 60 days ahead, in every season.
When can I see manatees near DeLand?
At Blue Spring from roughly mid-November through March, best on the coldest mornings.
Which DeLand-area spring is best for kids?
De Leon Springs, thanks to its walled swimming basin and the do-it-yourself pancake house. Go early on a weekday to avoid the longest waits.
Can I bring my dog?
At Wekiwa, in the park but not the water; Juniper, not in the swim area; Kelly Park, no. Check each spring’s page for the others.