DAY TRIP TO WEKIWA SPRINGS

Exploring Florida has become the Hoopers’ favorite pass time! Every chance we get, we try to visit a new place and today we found a little gem in central Orlando called, Wekiwa Springs.

Wekiwa Springs (pronounced wi-kee-wa) is located in Apopka, just about 30 minutes north from where we reside in the Metrowest. It’s considered a state park and they are known for their crystal clear natural spring that stays a delightful 72 degrees year round!

They have hiking trails, camping, fishing, swimming, geo-caching, biking, snorkeling and kayaking! The kayaks looked like a lot of fun and we’ll definitely be back to give it a try for $30. They even have different paddling routes you can take that range anywhere from an hour and a half, to eight hours!

During our visit, we did some hiking through their trails. We’re not the super outdoorsy types and we came more prepared for swimming than hiking, so we took the smaller trail and we had an enjoyable time. We even spotted a rare blue tailed skink!

Upon further research, we learned that the blue tailed mole skink is protected as a threatened species primarily due to habitat loss. They help manage the insect population and are an important part of Florida’s ecosystem and in an effort to encourage repopulation, they have been released in Florida’s state parks where they can thrive!

After our short hike, we took a break by the spring and dipped our feet in the cool water. It was a little too chilly for my liking, so we didn’t wind up swimming, but it was fun to watch the fish below swim up and down to the top of the water to catch some air.

It was truly incredible how crystal clear the water was!

We will most definitely be returning to this little hidden gem and if you’re in the area, I highly recommend stopping by for a swim. There is a perfect picnicking hill just behind the spring and it makes for a great, relaxing, unique day trip!

And at only $6 per vehicle to enter the park, it’s one of the cheaper Orlando adventures around. If you want to know more, click here for park information, and here for watercraft rental info!