Blue Spring

Edwin Abbett

We had a wonderful time! We saw lots of manatees, hundreds of fish, and some lovely birds. There are clearly bears there as there were a lot of bear droppings along the trails, but we didn't see any. It was February when apparently it's the best time to see manatees. Despite it being winter and the trails being flat, if you aren't used to the humidity, they are tiring (Pine Island is about 6/7 miles in total). There are kayak, canoe, and boat activities available but we didn't do them. The staff at the gate and in the facilities were very friendly and efficient. The park was generally very clean but there were a few bits of car-related trash on the Pine Island Trail. We'd read online that it fills up fast and they stop letting people in, so we headed there early. At 9:15 I'd say it was maybe 30% full. It's a lovely park and I'd definitely go again.

Nelson Montero

It's was an awesome experience! During the cooler months if you want to see the manatees I recommend arriving early because as the water warms up through out the day they go out into deeper waters. We did see them start arriving as the evening got later. We are planning to return again during the warmer months to enjoy the clear water and the summer activities the park has to offer.

Angela Fischetti

Visited in January 2026 to see the Manatees. An absolutely beautiful park. A long amazing boardwalk with so many places to view the manatees. Wheelchair friendly. Has gift shop and a snack place. We went on a Sunday and got there at 7:45am, it opens at 8am. There was a line already to get in. We were in and parked by 8:19am. So many manatees. A dream come true for this manatee lover. I would say it is a bucket list type thing that will not disappoint. I can't wait to go in the summer and experience the spring. It's so big. Biggest I have ever been to

Tammi Voskuhl

This is a beautiful park, ESPECIALLY when its cold. Maybe one of the most populated places for manatee. Over 800+ on the day we were there. Definitely go this week because it'll be cold again. The park rangers even have names for many of them because they come back every year. There were so many babies & they are adorable, floating by their mommy's sides. Although you can go in the water in summer, you CAN NOT during this time. It is very sad to see scars on them from boat propellers. Wish that didn't happen 😪there are also paths for hiking, picnic tables or just a blanket in the sun. You can also explore the old house on the property, pretty cool. Fee to get in was $6. Plenty of restrooms. There is a little shop at one end & a little place to get food. Definitely check this place out.

The Baseline

The Baseline: For a park/monument the site must be informative, have great attraction, and have a park rangers that are knowledgeable of one of the park we are visiting. Park: This was one of the cleanest and best organized state parks I have ever visited. The parking was easy and the access to the main attraction was easy to get to. The walkway trail along the spring was well taken care of and safe. There is no graffiti or vandalized buildings in the park. Thank you State of Florida and California you should take notes. Attraction: The Springs are the main attraction with options to swim, tube, snorkel, and scuba dive in the spring in the summer. When we visited that was all restricted because the manatees were here to nest in the winter. This was awesome and it was great to see these amazing creatures in their winter respite. This is a must if you are visiting the Orlando area in the winter. Cost: Six dollars to come into the park with up to 8 people in the vehicle. Great price for an unforgettable experience.

Milena Stötzel

Very unique experience! We spontaneously decided to drive up here during our stay in Orlando. We enjoyed the boardwalk, got to see manatees and even one gator when we took the 1h boat tour. Our guide Lee was very funny and we learned a bunch about the area and St Johns River. Restrooms were clean and well maintained.

C B

Great state park with lots of wildlife and things to explore and do. On my visit we saw 3 manatee there hard to spot in the river that is black but you can see the movement of the leafs on top of the water getting eaten. Look for there mouths mainly sticking up since hard to spot there entire body in dark water. If you go to the clear water definitely easy to spot but can be limited in numbers due to people swimming. We did see 1 in clear water and 2 on the boat tour.

Kathy “Kwhite” White

This is a beautiful spring with clear water, lot's of fish and an occasional manatee sighting or two. They're beautiful creatures and very curious. You're not aloud to touch them, but this manatee didn't get the memo. Lol! What an awesome experience and video I was able to capture.

Jordan Michelle

Absolutely beautiful! The park is clean, well-maintained, and has a great playground and campsite. They have rentals for inner tubes, kayaks, and snorkeling gear, with a few food and beverage kiosks. The homestead was also interesting and a cool bit of history! Quick disclaimer though - the water is quite chilly!

Brittany Balusik

Very clean walk ways and bench areas, well placed signs and cool picture opportunities. We mostly walked around with my toddler because the water looked deep. I definitely will be coming back for the glass bottom boat tours