Swim at Ginnie Springs

A few hours north and many worlds away from Disney, the Santa Fe River winds its way through the woods of north central Florida, headed for the Suwannee River. This is the real Florida. Although the river is dark during most of the year (except the dry summer months), there are dozens of crystal clear springs that add a burst of clear, refreshing water to the Santa Fe. Six of these larger springs make up Ginnie Springs Outdoors.

Hot summer days bring large crowds to the river and campground (they allow drinking, so it can get a bit crazy), but if you bring (or rent) a mask and snorkel, you will be rewarded with magnificent, clear water. Devil's Eye/Ear and the main Ginnie Spring are the most popular, but don't forget to check out July Spring (a quick swim across the river from Devil's Eye/Ear), Dogwood Spring (my personal favorite), Twin Spring, and Deer Spring - they're all smaller but pretty! Open water divers can explore the "Ballroom," an underwater cavern in the main spring that is as close to a cave dive as you can get with an open water certification. Get in the water and explore Devil's Eye, a circular spring vent that goes down to about 25 feet, and Devil's Ear about 50 feet closer to the river. When the river is dark, you can dive down into the Ear and look up to see what looks like fire in the sky.

If you're up for a trip in the off-season (late fall through early spring), you will be rewarded with no crowds and warm water - the springs are 70-72 degrees F year round. They cool you off in the summer, and warm you up when it's 40 degrees F outside. During the winter, they really feel like hot springs. It's getting out that's the hard part!

For those who are camping, there are charcoal grills, bathrooms with running water and showers, and a store with firewood, a few provisions, and camping supplies, just in case you forgot something. As for water activities, bring all your snorkeling and diving gear and something to float on, or alternatively rent everything on site. If you're an open water diver, don't forget your light for the Ballroom (but don't bring it in the water at Devil's Eye/Ear). You can rent tanks or get air fills at the store.