Growing up in Tampa, I have always been exposed to a lot of "city activities." I have gone to Busch Gardens about 500 times, and have had an annual pass since I was able to walk. The same goes for Adventure Island, the water park located directly across from Busch Gardens in central Tampa. There are a lot of neat things to do in Tampa, but there is so much more to Florida than just the "city activities." One of the best summer activities to partake in is visiting a spring.
Springs are a natural wonder that Floridians are lucky enough to have an abundance of. At these gems of Florida, you can soak up the sun while floating down the springs in a tube, kayak down them, snorkel and scuba dive in them, or just go for a swim to beat the Florida heat. In the lovely "sunshine state", there are forty three different springs that we have the luxury of going to, exploring, and sunbathing at. Not to mention, the crystal blue water and beautiful background with trees and wildflowers offer so many photo op's for Instagram, Facebook, and VSCO, how could you even pass up the opportunity? With forty three springs all throughout the state, there's really no reason why you can't go and treat yourself at a spring this summer.
This summer I have visited two Florida springs so far and was not disappointed. I explored Rainbow Springs and Ginnie Springs. Both of them were very pretty and an exciting time, but both experiences were totally different.
Rainbow Springs offers a big swimming area where you can wear a snorkel and goggles and see the depths of the spring, along with the wildlife in them such as otters, fish, and the occasional turtles. Then you're spouted out into a long river where there are houses overlooking the river and a bunch of people enjoying themselves. Rainbow Springs does have a tubing restriction in that you can only have a single tube, and no open containers on the river. So if you're going to drink, pregame in the parking lot. Tailgate anyone?
Ginnie Springs was totally different in the sense that it was more of a camping destination and not just a one day trip. The state park offers a huge campground with basic amenities such as a bathroom hall and electricity at each camp site. Ginnie Springs basically is a place where everyone drinks, floats down the river and is friendly with each other. When camping there this summer, the partying and music didn't end until roughly 3 a.m.! So if you're looking to turn up, Ginnie Springs is the spring for you to visit this summer.
With so many options, and so many springs that each offer a different unique experience, you could visit a few of these Florida springs and have the best summer yet (and the best pics for your Insta account). This summer, set a goal for yourself to be more "outdoorsy" and do more activities that involve nature – you won't be sorry!
