The best natural springs near Miami for a cooling dip in the great outdoors

The springs that dot rural Crystal County on the Gulf Coast north of Tampa turn into a veritable manatee rave in the winter, when 500 to 1,000 of them congregate in the natural warm water refuge. But it’s also worth the trip in summer, where Three Sisters and King Spring look like something out of a cerulean dream.

Seven natural springs pop up among these 200 acres of forest, where you’ll find little swimming spots shaded by old-growth trees and downright picturesque camping spots. Dive into caves, cruise on a paddleboard, or do like the college kids and drink the day away on an innertube down the slow-moving Sante Fe River.

Every day, 44 million gallons of cool water pumps up from this Central Florida spring, among the newest Florida State Parks. At the wooden diving platform, expect a line of kids on a hot summer day, while in winter it's often more populated by the catfish, bass and turtles making their way through a pool as clear as glass. Note: Effective August 1, reservations for camping at Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park will be closed temporarily for a construction project. 

This swimming hole almost looks manmade, with its limestone bottom and sapphire water so clear you’ll think it came straight from a hose. But this is the nature-made headwaters of the Pride-colored Rainbow River, a natural spring ideal for those who want a less natural look in their natural spring.

Here, you’ll be riding an innertube for six undeveloped miles on eight crystal-clear, fairytale springs as they join to create the Ichetucknee River. We’re not going to judge you if floating next to you is a well-stocked cooler. Just be sure to keep an eye out for beaver, otter, gar, softshell turtle, wild turkey and more residing in this 2,669-acre wildlife haven.

Ocala National Forest is essentially Florida’s Central Park, with 673 square miles of nature smack in the upper center of the state. There, you’ll find four killer springs with swimming holes that range from spring-filled swimming pools to natural grottos among the trees.

Conquistador Ponce de Leon charged his way across the Americas looking for the Fountain of Youth, so it makes sense that a swimming hole that looks like one bears his name. It’s not that you’ll stay young forever by swimming here, but considering the carloads of teenagers and college kids who crowd the 68-degree waters here, you just might feel like it.

Said to be one of the deepest and largest freshwater springs in the world, cypress swamp-rimmed Wakulla is where brave scuba divers set out to explore a vast cave system. The less brave can head to a tower to cannonball their way into the cool water. Note: As of June 29, Emerald Sink at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is temporarily closed for maintenance.

Weeki Wachee is what a freshwater spring as imagined by Walt Disney might look like: water park, riverboat cruise and—maybe the reason to go—synchronized underwater shows from resident mermaids.

Steps lead into the bubbling green water of the Wekiwa Springs, where the wilds are kept at bay by a concrete wall along the edge of the swamp. For the more nature-friendly among us, take a kayak along the Wekiva River where wildlife abounds.

This 200-foot-deep natural spring with an archaeological site at the bottom is the warmest in Florida, with a year-round temperature of 85 degrees and one of the highest mineral concentrations in the country. Formed from a 30,000-year-old sinkhole, Warm Mineral Springs Park suffered damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022 and is still undergoing renovations, including to its concessions building. In the meantime, visitors can bring in small coolers for food and drink, or order from local food trucks that are often staged outside the park.

For divers and snorkelers, the largest spring on the St. Johns River is a place to explore underwater caves. For those not interested in getting in, cop a squat on the boardwalk overlook to watch a manatee aggregation (yep, that’s what a group is called) breeze past. During high season, visitors may experience long lines and intermittent closures. To ensure entry into the park, make a reservation. Note: In-water activities are currently closed while the shoreline is being stabilized. This closure includes swimming, snorkeling, tubing, diving and paddling in the spring run and spring head.