Visiting the main park at Silver Springs is a bit of time traveling. Once a privately owned park, it sometimes hosted small concerts and large car shows, and it retains an air of those glory days. While it is near the Ocala National Forest, it is not part of the Forest.
When you step onto the boardwalk which carries you over a swampy area of cypress, you will shortly reach the admission gate. From this point, you’re at world-famous Silver Springs, and you’ll quickly realize why this area is so very special.
Even though it has been walled in on three sides, the main spring is still a marvelous sight. Surrounded on three sides by walkways and seating, this is clearly a place of relaxation and ease. When we visited, the gift shops and restaurants were all closed (looks like a combination of pandemic and remodeling created the perfect opportunity to get work done), but there were benches and chairs and tables and even this lovely tic-tac-toe game, which has inspired me to try to make my own.
But the shops and seating are likely not what you’re here for. You want to see the water! Silver Springs has, for the most part, a sandy, grassy bottom. From the surrounding walkway, you will see into the depths of the main Mammoth Springs springhead, populated with fish and constantly pouring forth freshwater.
It’s hard to appreciate the beauty of this spring without seeing it in person!
As you move farther away from the main springhead, you will come across smaller spring runs like this one.
This side of the park is large and very open. A family could picnic in any number of areas, in sun or shade, with a water view or under large oaks and magnolias. Unfortunately, there is no swimming allowed here, but there’s fun to be had even without getting wet.
One warning: stay away from the monkeys. They are not friendly, and do not want to interact with humans. While they often receive handouts and may not display fear, these are wild animals and are not meant to be toys. It is fun to watch them from a distance, and that’s how they are best enjoyed.