Should you go?
Silver Springs is one of the largest artesian springs on Earth and Florida's original tourist attraction — the glass-bottom boat tours have run since the 1870s and remain genuinely worth doing. The main spring pumps out an entire river of gin-clear water.
Know before you go: there is no swimming at Silver Springs. This is a look-down spring — boats, kayaks, and paddleboards over water so clear the bottom 30 feet down looks touchable. Watch for the famous wild rhesus monkeys along the river.
Visiting
Park entry is $2/person (children 5 and under free), and a private kayak/canoe launch fee is $4 on top of that if you bring your own boat (both confirmed on the park's own current fee and park-rules pages). Glass-bottom boat tour pricing has gone up since this page was last checked: per the operator's own current pricing page (silversprings.com/plan-your-day/glass-bottom-boats), the standard 30-minute tour is now $17/adult and $15 for seniors and kids 3-12 (2 and under free), departing every 15-20 minutes, 365 days a year.
The 90-minute extended river tour is $35/adult, $30 senior/child, and now runs daily at 9:30am, 11:30am, and 1:30pm — not the Friday-through-Sunday-only schedule this page previously listed. There's also a wheelchair-accessible boat (the Chief Potackee) available by reservation, weather permitting. Here's the thing to plan around: Silver Springs is one of only two Florida state parks that doesn't allow swimming at all — Homosassa is the other.
If your family's whole plan is jumping in and cooling off, this isn't that spring. What it is instead is one of the best introductions to Florida's springs for families who aren't ready to snorkel with young kids, or who just want a gentler, more guided first experience: sit on a boat, look straight down through glass at fish and rock formations 40+ feet below, no wetsuit required.
One closure worth checking before you plan around it: the Sea Hunt Deck has been closed since October 2025 and remains closed as of August 2026. The good news: the park's new trail system, including Half-Mile Creek and the Creek Trail, has reopened and all trails are currently open. Neither affects the core boat tours or main paddling route.
Florida State Parks also periodically offers free admission days — in 2026 that included February 13-16 — though activity fees like the boat tours and rentals still apply even on those days.
Kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals (single and tandem sit-in/sit-on kayaks, clear-bottom kayaks, 3-person canoes, and SUPs) are available directly through the park's own concessioner; all rentals include paddles and life jackets, and the park holds one set of car keys per group while you're out. Prices aren't posted publicly and run through same-day or advance online booking rather than a walk-up rate card. Two route options: a self-guided hourly paddle on the Fort King Waterway loop or a headspring out-and-back, or the flagship five-mile run from the headwaters down to Ray Wayside Park on SR-40, with return van transportation included — budget 3-4 hours (5-hour rental max) for that one. Guided two-hour history-and-wildlife paddle tours also run on select dates.
By the numbers: Silver Springs is a first-magnitude spring — one of the largest single artesian springs on Earth — and the collective headspring group discharges several hundred cubic feet per second, more than enough to form the Silver River outright at the boil. Depths at the main spring run 30-40+ feet, visible straight through the glass on a calm day. Ocala sits right at the park's doorstep; from there it's about 75 miles (roughly 1.5 hours) to Orlando, 100 miles (2 hours) to Jacksonville, and 100 miles (2 hours) to Tampa.
When to go
Winter mornings for the best chance at manatees in the river; any weekday morning otherwise for shorter boat-tour lines and calmer paddling. The extended 90-minute glass-bottom tour now runs daily at 9:30am, 11:30am, and 1:30pm, so you no longer need to plan around a Friday-Sunday window to catch it.
Local tips
Arrive early and get in the boat-tour line right away — boats run continuously through the day so the wait usually isn't long, but lines do build as the morning goes on. Wear real shoes rather than sandals if you plan to walk the trails; they're well-marked but not paved the whole way.
If you want a shot at seeing the resident rhesus monkeys, your best odds are actually from a kayak or canoe on the river itself rather than from the boat tour or the paved paths — several families report spotting them along the shoreline specifically while paddling, especially on hot days when the monkeys come down for water. Never approach or feed them regardless of how you spot them.
On the standard 30-minute boat, seats fill in tight rows and some riders describe the cabin as a little claustrophobic when full — an edge seat rather than a center one gives a clearer angle down through the glass. Visitors who've done both tours consistently say the 90-minute extended version is worth the extra cost and time if your schedule allows it, since it goes further up the Silver River past more wildlife rather than just circling the headspring; book it for one of the three daily departure times rather than assuming you can walk up and catch one.
Most families budget a half day here — one boat tour plus the museum, gardens, and a café stop — and stretch it to a full day by adding a paddle or a hike on the park's trails.
Rules & restrictions
No swimming or wading anywhere in the park — one of only two Florida state parks with this rule. Do not approach or feed the resident rhesus monkeys; they can be aggressive and carry herpes B, a real health risk. Standard state park rules otherwise apply. Dogs are welcome leashed in the campground, picnic areas, and on hiking trails, but are not permitted on the glass-bottom boats, paddling rentals, or in any buildings including the restaurant and museum. Fishing is prohibited throughout the park. Tobacco isn't permitted on the river.
Good to know
Dogs: Park yes, not in water. Season: Year-round.
Facilities
Glass-bottom boat tours, kayak and paddleboard rentals, museum and gardens, restrooms, café, and picnic areas. Cabins are available for overnight stays. Springside Café serves full meals; Paradise Treats handles ice cream, fudge, and pizza for a lighter stop. There's a museum on site covering the park's long history as Florida's original tourist attraction, plus a gift shop. Some facilities have periodically been under renovation, so don't be surprised if a shop or two is temporarily closed — check current status if a specific amenity matters to your visit.
The Silver River Museum and Environmental Center runs on its own separate, more limited schedule from the rest of the park — check current hours if you specifically want to visit it. A campground on site offers tent and RV/cabin sites, with camping guests avoiding repeat admission charges on multi-day stays.
Kayak launch access: bringing your own vessel costs $4/boat on top of the $2/person park admission. The park's own rental concessioner offers single and tandem kayaks, clear-bottom kayaks, canoes seating up to three, and SUPs, with paddles and life jackets included and one set of car keys held per group during the rental.
Wildlife you may see
Wild rhesus macaques, alligators, manatees in cool months, turtles, wading birds, and enormous schools of fish visible through the boat floors.
Winter (roughly December-February) is the best window for manatees moving up the Silver River from the St. Johns for warmth. The rhesus monkeys are visible year-round but most reliably spotted from a kayak or canoe along the shoreline, especially on hot afternoons when they come down to the water's edge. Alligators are most active and visible in the warmer months; wading birds and the huge fish schools beneath the boats are a year-round constant.
History & background
Glass-bottom boats have run here since the 1870s, making it Florida's original tourist attraction. Six Tarzan films and episodes of Sea Hunt were shot in the spring, and the rhesus monkeys along the river descend from animals released in the 1930s.
Humans have used this spot for over 10,000 years, back to the mastodon-hunting era; by 1850 the spring had become a commercial river-trade hub for steamships and barges. Hullam Jones and Philip Morrell are credited with inventing the glass-bottom boat here in the late 1870s. Col. W.M. Davidson and Carl Ray took over the attraction in 1924 and modernized the boats; ABC Paramount bought the property from them in 1962 and ran it as a private theme-park attraction for decades.
The 2013 state takeover is the pivotal modern event: the Florida Park Service assumed control of the long-private Silver Springs attraction that year and merged it with the adjacent Silver River State Park into the single Silver Springs State Park that exists today, ending 140 years of private ownership and folding restoration of the spring's water quality — degraded by decades of septic and fertilizer runoff — into the state's own springs-protection program.
Film history runs deeper than the Tarzan series: Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) and its sequel Revenge of the Creature (1955) used underwater stunt performer Ricou Browning here; the James Bond franchise shot scenes for Thunderball (1965), Moonraker (1979) — including a python-attack sequence — and Never Say Never Again (1983); and other notable productions include The Yearling (1946), Underwater! (1955), and Elvis Presley's Follow That Dream (1962). Productions have used the location since at least 1916.
Map & directions
FAQs
Can you swim at Silver Springs?
No — Silver Springs is one of only two Florida state parks (along with Homosassa) that doesn't allow swimming anywhere on the property. It's built around boat tours, kayaking, and viewing rather than getting in the water.
Are there still monkeys at Silver Springs?
Yes, descendants of rhesus macaques released decades ago still live along the river. Sightings are most likely from a kayak or canoe on the water itself rather than from land or the standard boat tour. Never approach or feed them.
Is Silver Springs worth visiting?
Yes, as a boat-and-paddle experience rather than a swim day. The glass-bottom tour over the main spring is a bucket-list Florida classic.
Is the extended glass-bottom boat tour worth it?
Many visitors think so — it runs 90 minutes rather than 30, covering the headspring plus more of the Silver River, and it now runs daily at 9:30am, 11:30am and 1:30pm rather than the weekends-only schedule it once had (per silversprings.com).
Are dogs allowed at Silver Springs State Park?
Yes, leashed, in the campground, picnic areas, and on hiking trails — but not on the glass-bottom boats, paddling rentals, or inside any buildings.
Is everything open at Silver Springs right now?
Mostly. The Sea Hunt Deck has been closed since October 2025 and remains closed as of August 2026 — call ahead to confirm before visiting. The Half-Mile Creek Trail and Creek Trail, which had also been closed, have since reopened and are currently open. Neither affects the main boat tours or paddling route.
Does Silver Springs have free admission days?
Florida State Parks periodically offers free entry days — 2026 included February 13-16 — though activity fees like boat tours and rentals still apply even then.
How much is the glass-bottom boat tour at Silver Springs now?
As of the operator's own current pricing page (silversprings.com/plan-your-day/glass-bottom-boats), the 30-minute standard tour runs $17 for adults and $15 for seniors and kids 3-12; the 90-minute extended tour runs $35 for adults and $30 for seniors and kids 3-12, with children 2 and under free on both. The $2/person park admission is charged separately at check-in.
Should you do the 30-minute or 90-minute Silver Springs boat tour?
The 30-minute tour covers the headspring and Mammoth Spring, departing every 15-20 minutes all day, and is enough for most first-time visitors on a budget. The 90-minute extended tour goes deeper into the Silver River for more wildlife, but only departs three times a day (9:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm) and costs roughly double — worth it if you have the extra time and want a slower, fuller trip rather than a quick loop.
Does the Silver Springs boat tour feel crowded?
Some visitors describe the standard tour boats as tight and a bit claustrophobic when full, with everyone's view competing for the same glass panels. Sitting near an edge seat rather than the center row gives a clearer angle down through the water.
Is Silver Springs a full day or a half day trip?
Most families treat it as a half day: one boat tour (30 or 90 minutes), a walk through the museum and gardens, and time at the café covers 2-3 hours comfortably. Pairing it with a paddle on the river or the park's hiking trails stretches it into a full day.
When did Silver Springs become a state park?
2013, when the Florida Park Service took over the long-private attraction and merged it with the adjacent Silver River State Park, ending 140 years of private ownership and starting active restoration of the spring's water quality.
How much does park admission cost at Silver Springs?
$2 per person, with children 5 and under free. That's separate from the glass-bottom boat tour and paddling rental fees, which are priced on top of admission.
What is the paddle route to Ray Wayside Park?
It's the park's flagship guided paddle: about five miles from the headwaters down to Ray Wayside Park on SR-40, with return van transportation included in the rental. Budget 3-4 hours; the rental itself caps at 5 hours.
Can you launch your own kayak at Silver Springs?
Yes — a private launch fee of $4 per vessel applies on top of the $2/person park admission if you bring your own kayak or canoe rather than renting on site.
Was Silver Springs really used for James Bond movies?
Yes — Thunderball (1965), Moonraker (1979), and Never Say Never Again (1983) all shot scenes here, in addition to the six Tarzan films and Creature from the Black Lagoon.
Visitor photos
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Great for: Family-Friendly · Kayaking
