Wekiwa Springs State Park
Wekiwa Springs State Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
About
Escape the hustle and bustle of Orlando at Wekiwa Springs State Park, a 7,000-acre park with diverse nature and wildlife. It's home to crystal-clear waters that are perfect for swimming—especially on hot days—and many other outdoor activities. You can go canoeing down the Wekiva River and spot wildlife like alligators, turtles, and black bears, and even go hiking, fishing and snorkeling. When hunger strikes, have a picnic by the water or visit one of the food trucks at Wekiva Island. The park may close when it reaches capacity, particularly during summer, so get there early to avoid disappoinment. – Tripadvisor
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Restaurants
16 within 5 kms
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27 within 10 kms
See what travellers are saying
- Keith SOrlando, Florida97 contributionsGreat family camping and swimmingWe took my young son to Wekiwa for his first camping trip ever. What an amazing weekend. The campground is clean and quiet. The bathrooms are taken care of well. And the springs are breath taking and so much fun to swim in. We even got to see a Florida Black Bear. I will go back to this park again in the spring. Also, check out the video of the hiking trailsVisited May 2023Travelled with familyWritten December 14, 2023
- HonestMaChicago, Illinois117 contributionsStunning Oasis in OrlandoMy spouse and I visited one afternoon in mid-February. We are Midwesterners, late 60’s, retired. The flora and fauna were stunning. Spring is beautiful. Rented a canoe. Saw a gator sunning on the shore. Also did short hike around Sand Lake. Canoe rental gal was friendly and informative. This area is a treasure amidst bustling Orlando.Visited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten February 16, 2024
- Robert M3 contributionsVery enjoyableStopped by on a weekday morning in January. Park was quite empty and we were able to quietly enjoy its beauty and do some birdwatching while doing several hikes. Totally different experience from the mob conditions during summer weekends.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten March 13, 2024
- SteveadventureguyToronto, Canada93 contributionsEXCELLENT CANOE CRUISE: BETTER THAN DISNEY'S JUNGLE CRUISEWe had a great time for a non-theme park day. The park was very busy for a weekday and I suspect 99% were locals. We LOVED canoeing on the river and saw lots of turtles (including a snapping turtle the size of a salt water turtle), birds, fish and two gators. It's about an hour drive north of Disney area, cost $6 per car to enter, parking was easy and the canoe rental was $35 for two hours (or so) and well worth it. There are also paddleboards and kayaks to rent. Staff were very helpful at the rental place. The pick up and return is just beyond the bridge. After our 90 minute paddle, we had lunch at the cafe (good food and priced right) and then had a quick dip in the swimming area in the clear 72 degrees F spring water. I highly recommend the adventure.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten March 20, 2024
- Andrew NHendersonville, North Carolina175 contributionsNice springGreat place for snorkling, we saw fish and turtles. Make sure you check out the spring vent. Nice walking trail. It is a long way down from the parking lot and not a lot of space to spread out. We were there on a weekday in March and it was very busy so plan on arriving early. Bathrooms were dirty.Visited March 2024Travelled with familyWritten April 2, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
828 reviews
Excellent
511
Very good
236
Average
46
Poor
19
Terrible
16
smagmags
Paw Paw, WV46 contributions
Jan 2020
Wow, this park is perfect. After dropping the teenagers off at some expensive theme park for the day, I escaped the bustle of town and donned my swim trunks for a dip in the springs. My GPS led me to this beautiful park and I paid $4 to get in. It was a warm, tropical jungle with a spring lake and people were swimming in it and picknicking around it.
There's a snack bar that serves hot food, (and even alcohol if you want to drink.) There's a nice little gift shop, and there are lots of trails to walk. There are raccoons and squirrels and birds.
The swim area is really nice, and you can swim down into the mouth of the spring for a 'cave diving' moment.
It's the opposite of International Drive, and that's really nice.
There's a snack bar that serves hot food, (and even alcohol if you want to drink.) There's a nice little gift shop, and there are lots of trails to walk. There are raccoons and squirrels and birds.
The swim area is really nice, and you can swim down into the mouth of the spring for a 'cave diving' moment.
It's the opposite of International Drive, and that's really nice.
Written January 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Meagan H
Wheatley Heights, NY1 contribution
Feb 2020 • Couples
We called ahead of time to ask simple questions about kayaking and if they were busy today. They answered all our questions and told us they weren’t busy today or even this time of year. We showed up about 40 mins later, paid for two single kayaks and then found out they were out of paddles.... a kayak, SUP and canoe business was out of paddles. At the beginning of the season, they had plenty of vessels to rent, but not enough paddles. And they expected us to wait for an undetermined amount of tile for someone to hopefully come back so we could use paddles, however; there was already a line of people waiting for paddles. No thanks. We demanded a refund and a parking refund and left. We did our due diligence by calling ahead of time and were left incredibly disappointed on my birthday weekend. It looked beautiful, kind of touristy, but once on a kayak, you could explore and have fun...if only they had paddles.
Written February 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cristine K
12 contributions
Feb 2020
We went specifically to hike the trails. The boardwalk trail was easy to navigate and featured a diverse biome. If we'd known the day was going to be so warm, we would have brought swimming suits. The springs are clear and there are lots of turtles to swim with. We had arrived early (I would recommend this) and by the time we finished our hike at noon, the springs had several swimmers and lots of picnic-ers! The hike was relatively easy and flat and at this time of year, no bugs!
Written February 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joanne
Lake Mary, FL2,105 contributions
Nov 2020
Wonderful kayaking for the day. Arrived about 10am and plenty of parking, but there were lines later in the afternoon and few spaces. Short line to get kayaks and canoes – took about 10 minutes to wait and process. They do keep your license until you return the kayak. Lots of people were on the river, its not very wide. Plenty of wildlife – saw gators and lots of birds. It was about $26 to rent single kayak for a couple of hours. Great fun.
Written December 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
work-to-travelMI
Grand Rapids, MI378 contributions
Feb 2021
The spring is powerful, the water perfectly clear and fairly warm, though Rock Springs at Kelly Park near here is way more exciting, but currently closed for construction “until further notice” —so call ahead. This park was not as much fun, but at least is is open. The picnic areas at both parks are large mostly shaded and pleasant.
Written February 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David Sales
California34 contributions
Jul 2019
A site with beautiful nature, crystal clear water. Excellent to share with the family. It has fast-food sales, boat rentals, grills, and public toilets. You only have to get there early as it is swamped, and when you reach your capacity, they do not allow more people to enter.
It is worth going.
It is worth going.
Written June 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alesha S
1 contribution
Jul 2021
I'm not sure if it's because of Covid, but there is a strict capacity limit at Wekiwa Springs. All of their signs say "No Hiking or Biking when Park is Closed", as does their website and phone line. I interpreted that as when the park is outside of business hours and is closed you can't hike or bike on the property. Makes sense. Luckily, they are open on Saturdays. So I went there and was turned away stating that they were "closed". The terminology that would be more appropriate is "at capacity". And there were about 100+ other cars that interpreted their disclaimer the same way I did. They do not accept hiking or biking reservations either. The only way you'll have any luck getting in is if you get there at 7am. Now, I am no early bird. I'd even be willing to make a paid reservation to hike. Also, their phone number sends you to the Florida Dept. of State Parks. There's no number to contact them directly. I'd really like to know how I can make a reservation to hike! It looks beautiful, but the communication to the public from the park just isn't there.
Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steveadventureguy
Toronto, Canada93 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
We had a great time for a non-theme park day. The park was very busy for a weekday and I suspect 99% were locals. We LOVED canoeing on the river and saw lots of turtles (including a snapping turtle the size of a salt water turtle), birds, fish and two gators. It's about an hour drive north of Disney area, cost $6 per car to enter, parking was easy and the canoe rental was $35 for two hours (or so) and well worth it. There are also paddleboards and kayaks to rent. Staff were very helpful at the rental place. The pick up and return is just beyond the bridge. After our 90 minute paddle, we had lunch at the cafe (good food and priced right) and then had a quick dip in the swimming area in the clear 72 degrees F spring water.
I highly recommend the adventure.
I highly recommend the adventure.
Written March 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Seasoned Traveler
9 contributions
Apr 2022
We came mainly to swim and snorkel/freedive in the spring. The spring consists of an upwelling from a slot or crevasse into an otherwise flat pond about 7' deep and perhaps 50 yards across. The water is clear and the visibility excellent. There are no posted restrictions on freediving and I was able to dive into the spring, though the upwelling current and rocks made it difficult to reach the bottom. There are fish and turtles to see around the pond. There are steps making it easy to enter and exit the water, and a shallow wading area for children and nonswimmers.
The pond drains into the spring run over a weir, and at this point swimming is not allowed but paddlecraft can be used. The park offers SOT kayak rentals and canoe rentals. There was a manatee present in the spring run while I was kayaking and it came right up to the boat where I could see it, and I also saw a large turtle and a number of shore birds.
Canoe and kayak rentals end well before the park closes, plan accordingly.
This is a popular location and you may be turned away or have to wait if the park is at capacity. While we found other visitors to be courteous overall the area can become busy. There were a number of people listening to music that was perhaps not to my taste that did detract somewhat from the natural beauty of the surroundings. Park staff were courteous and helpful.
The pond drains into the spring run over a weir, and at this point swimming is not allowed but paddlecraft can be used. The park offers SOT kayak rentals and canoe rentals. There was a manatee present in the spring run while I was kayaking and it came right up to the boat where I could see it, and I also saw a large turtle and a number of shore birds.
Canoe and kayak rentals end well before the park closes, plan accordingly.
This is a popular location and you may be turned away or have to wait if the park is at capacity. While we found other visitors to be courteous overall the area can become busy. There were a number of people listening to music that was perhaps not to my taste that did detract somewhat from the natural beauty of the surroundings. Park staff were courteous and helpful.
Written April 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liz D
Key West, FL210 contributions
Jul 2020
We camped at Wekiwa earlier this summer and had a great time. The spring is COLD but the water is beautifully clear. The campground was extremely clean and well maintained with large and private sites. There are trees in between. I don't like feeling like you can look right into your neighbor's camper. The campground around a mile from the spring. it's a very nice hike if you want to walk it but can be a bit far if you're carrying a lot of beach stuff. We rented a kayak and went down the river where we saw all sorts of different animals. An otter even swam right up into the spring while we were swimming!
The only reason it gets a 4 is that it seemed very crowded when we were there but it's summer so that's probably to be expected. Since there were a lot of people, it was a little difficult to find a comfortable spot, bathrooms were a bit dirtier than usual, and there were two groups who were absolutely blaring their music. (Fine in theory, but not the kind of atmosphere I'd expect at a state park.)
The only reason it gets a 4 is that it seemed very crowded when we were there but it's summer so that's probably to be expected. Since there were a lot of people, it was a little difficult to find a comfortable spot, bathrooms were a bit dirtier than usual, and there were two groups who were absolutely blaring their music. (Fine in theory, but not the kind of atmosphere I'd expect at a state park.)
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does this state park offer first come first serve sites for camping?
Written August 15, 2022
Can I use a Kabota , had back surgery and can’t walk far just visiting grandchildren Saturday only
Written December 4, 2021
Do we reserve kayak rentals ahead of time or is it first come first serve? Also, how far of a walk is it from where you rent the kayak, to the launch area?
Written June 12, 2021
They were not renting kayaks when I was there . We had to bring our own. Maybe call and see if they have started renting again.
Written June 18, 2021
Does anyone know if they still only allow 150 cars in? I read the website, but I’m curious if that’s still enforced. I really don’t want to drive two and a half hours to not be able to get in. I’ve done that once already and that wasn’t fun. There’re not even space to wait in a car line, as they tell you to leave.
Written March 28, 2021
We had no trouble entering this park on a weekday in early March, but we have found that as things change on a daily basis it is best to phone the parks on the day before or the day of your visit and hope to get through and receive your answer. We did end up in front of locked gates more than once during the pandemic.
Written March 31, 2021
yes... see below...
Pets are allowed at Wekiwa Springs State Park. All pets must be on a hand-held, 6-foot leash at all times. Pets may not be left unattended.
You may walk your pet along the trails and in use areas, but they are not allowed in the swimming area.
Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose of all pet droppings in trash receptacles.
Service animals are allowed in all areas of the park.
See our Pet Policy.
Written October 10, 2020
How far is there a grocery store or walmart?
Written September 23, 2020
The entrance is along a residential neighborhood so stores are frequent and plentiful. You would have to search where there might be a Walmybut there maybe alternatives nearby.
Written September 24, 2020
Maps92831
Orlando, Florida
Are the dogs allowed near the swimming area like the grass but not in the water?
Written August 29, 2020
We didn't camp there either...just spent the day. One piece of advice; when you go, get there early...the park fills up quickly (at least in springtime).
Written August 26, 2020
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