If you need a little break after a crazy Disney World visit, do yourself a favor and venture 30-40 minutes outside of the park to Kelly Park Rock Springs, it's the perfect outdoors-y escape from Orlando's theme park world. Grab some bathing suits, towels, sunblock and some floaties, and get ready for a day of relaxation and Central Floridian adventure.
Located in Apopka, Florida, Kelly Park Rock Springs is pretty much a perfect destination year-round (though in the summer months, during school break it can get pretty crowded). The water temperature at this warm-water free-flowing spring is absolutely perfect, and the setting is incredibly lush. During winter the park is open from 8AM to 6PM (in summer it's open til 8PM). There are vendors outside of the park that rent out inner tubes, and they're seriously a game changer. Rent one and spend the day lazily floating around the spring. The spring is a bit too shallow for swimming, but great for wading and floating. It's especially perfect for toddlers who can't yet swim.
Kelly Park is pretty awesome too. It's 248 acres and there are picnic tables, covered pavilions, bbq pits, a large playground and tent and RV camping. For $3 a vehicle (with 1-2 people, and $5 per vehicle for 3-8 people). The park also rents out tubes for lazy floating. The springs bubble from a rocky outcropping which results in a meandering stream that goes on for about a mile and settles into a sizable pool. Absolutely perfect for inner tubing.
If wading or tubing aren't your thing, there's lots of other stuff to do, like BBQing, or sunbathing, doing yoga on the shore, or just hiking around the many lagoons and pools throughout the park. You can also camp at the park for $18 a night.
Another nearby park alternative is Blue Spring State Park in Orange City. Here you can spend the day floating on a tube, or watching manatees. There's plenty of hiking opportunities, and even canoe rentals. If you can afford the time definitely make your Central Florida spring-hopping trip into an overnight camping adventure. TIP: If you camp you can get a head start on the crowds.
Now, here's the rub...both Kelly Park and Blue Springs State Park can get pretty busy during summer, but both are just as amazing in the fall and winter, MINUS the crowds. If you do venture out in summer be prepared for some traffic getting to Kelly Park, it's off the main roads in Apopka, and the park is known to reach full capacity by mid-morning, so be prepared to also arrive early, or risk getting turned away. During the summer months the park limits visitors to 1,350 a day, which is about 330 vehicles. Obviously, it's more crowded on weekends, but during summer school vacations it's anyone's bet.
