Warm Water Springs Attracting Tourists Year Round

Ocala/Marion County offers vacationers an authentic Florida destination featuring some of the state’s most magnificent warm water springs.

In fact, many Floridians first childhood family vacation memories may be of a road trip to one of Ocala/Marion County’s natural attractions, its springs. Known for its beautiful warm weather, Ocala/Marion County located in Central Florida attracts tourists year-round to its warm water springs with temperatures that hover between 72 and 74 degrees. As the Florida temperatures begin to rise, tourists flock to stay cool in Ocala/Marion County’s nationally acclaimed springs.

Silver Springs:

Known as the grandfather of all Florida springs, Silver Springs is a first-magnitude spring and is the largest opening in the Florida Aquifer. The core spring and five other springs near it pour out a total of 880 million gallons of water per day. Staying a perfect temperature, 72 degrees year-round, Silver Springs is just the right for relaxation and recreation.

Famous for their glass-bottom boat tours, “Florida’s Original Attraction,” Silver Springs State Park remains one of the most-visited springs each year. There are two entrances to Silver Springs State Park. The entrance to the spring side is located on State Road 40 at 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, Florida and the entrance to the riverside is located on State Road 35 at 1425 NE 58th Ave. in Ocala, Florida.

Rainbow Springs:

Rainbow Springs is the fourth-largest spring in Florida. Archeological evidence shows that Rainbow Springs has been in use by societies for the past 10,000 years. Rainbow Springs has five main springs and hundreds of smaller ones that pour 400-500 million gallons of water per day. The park and springs has more than 200,000 visitors annually.

With a constant temperature of 72 degrees, Rainbow Springs’ water is perfect for swimming and other recreational activities. The headsprings entrance is located three miles north of Dunnellon on the east side of U.S. 41. The campground is located on S.W. 180th Ave. Road about two miles north of County Road 484 and two miles south of State Road 40. The tube entrance is located 1.4 miles south of the campground entrance on SW 180th Ave. Road in Ocala, Florida.

Juniper Springs:

Juniper Springs is one of the oldest and best-known recreational areas in Florida. Since the 1930s, Juniper Springs has been home to recreational activities such as swimming, camping and scenic canoe runs. The structure of Juniper Springs is unlike other springs because it has hundreds of tiny bubbling springs and bigger springs gushing out of crevices in the earth at temperatures of 72 to 74 degrees year round. Juniper Springs is located between Ocala and Ormond Beach along SR40 and attracts more than 80,000 visitors per year to Ocala/Marion County.

Salt Springs:

Salt Springs has been a constant for thousands of years, tracing back its earliest use to Native Americans and is now visited by an estimated 70,000 people annually. The reason behind its name is the water that journeys up through a limestone layer packed with mineral salts becomes saline enough for saltwater oceanic species to thrive in the 72 to 74 degree water temperature. Salt Springs is located off of SR 19 in Ocala/Marion County.

The Ocala/Marion County Visitors and Convention Bureau is the official branding, sales, and marketing organization for Marion County responsible for generating brand awareness, increasing travel to the area and booking sporting events, conventions and meetings. For more information, contact us here

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