Florida Stop: Wekiva Springs

This was my second trip to Wekiva Springs, and I had to share this hidden gem in Central Florida.

We absolutely love kayaking, it is a great workout and you’re exploring new spots at the same time. Andrew and I love staying active, we are not really the type to lay out at the beach or sit around for a whole day, we like to be on the go!

So when my friend Sammie came into visit (who has that wanderlust gene just like us) I knew I had to bring her on some fun adventures!

(We also took her to JB’s… Check out our post on that here. )

So without further ado, here is my review on Wekiva Springs!

Wekiva Springs is primarily located in Longwood, Florida.

It is home to many different wildlife species along with some absolutely stunning scenery. We started at Wekiva Island, which is just before the actual Wekiwa State Park (you turn on Miami Springs Drive to get to the Island). This is an amazing spot to spend the day!

When you arrive to the park there is a tiki bar, sand volleyball courts, a restaurant, a swimming area and you can even rent cabanas for private events. This is also where you can rent kayaks (or canoes, or paddle-boards). We skip the lounging and rent a kayak for the day.

You can only bring a cooler if you are headed out on the water, otherwise you cannot have one if you are planning on spending the day on land. I love how their rentals work here; you simply pay one rate and have it the rest of the day! The rates fluctuate depending on what time of day you come, but it is very reasonable.

Once you take off from the dock we recommend that you turn left (towards the swimming area) and head to the springs.

If you go straight you’re going to see a whole lot of lily pads and I don’t know about you but there’s something about getting into water where alligators live when you can’t see your feet… but maybe that’s just me! (There have been gator accidents here, just use caution and follow the rules and signs, they’re there for a reason, friends)

And trust me, you’re going to need a dip in the cool water after a long journey through the springs. So anyways, once you turn left just keep going straight, the spring forks off once but there is ample signage so just pay attention. It is about a 14-mile round-trip row, so bring water and snacks! We always do a cooler with 4 waters, some fruit and toss some crackers or something up top.

My favorite part about this spot is all of the wildlife that you see on the way there; we saw tons of pretty fish, storks, otters, lots of turtles, alligator Garr and even some big gators!

The alligators won’t bother you…unless you’re like my boyfriend who likes to push the kayak as close to them as possible… with me in the front. I think he was trying to feed me to them. You’ll know when you get to the springs, there is a marked off area where you can tie up your kayak and take a dip.

The water is crystal clear, AKA I can swim knowing a gator isn’t going to nibble on my toes! It is also freezing cold, be prepared. The water is so refreshing though, it is totally worth it for the trip back to the island.

A couple of days later Sammie and I ventured back out to Wekiva but to the State Park. This is just a quick entrance to the springs instead of boating to it. Note: it cost $6 to drive in. We stayed and laid on the side, which due to bumps, rocks, and sticks, is not comfortable just FYI.

We also took a dip in… okay honestly we went to attempt some Go Pro Pictures since the water is so clear. I am still learning how to capture the best images on that thing. Well, for your viewing pleasure, here was our best attempt 🙂

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