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Edward Ball Wakulla Springs is located just south of Tallahassee, FL. It houses one of the largest freshwater springs in the world. This flows into a wild and beautiful river full of diverse wildlife. At the park you can enjoy hiking, picnicking, swimming, and wildlife viewing. They also host guided river cruises where you can see teeming wildlife up close. It is one of the best places to get an up close look at native wildlife. You can also take a glass bottom boat ride and look hundreds of feet down into the mouth of the huge spring. If you want to stay the night, you can enjoy their on site lodge and restaurant. Park Admission is $4, boat tours are $6, and guest rooms are from $85 to $105. 

      Wakulla Springs is a great place to see gators. They're everywhere. Sometimes, you'll see 12ft. gators just lying on the banks or swimming beside your boat. And if you're really lucky, you'll get a tour guide who will drive right up to the gators and make them hiss at you. And if by some slim chance you don't see a gator on the river, they have a huge stuffed gator on display in the hotel.

     The park has more to boast than just gators, though. It's also got a display of mastodon bones that were excavated from the river. In addition, you can see old posters of movies filmed on the river such as the original Tarzan movie, "Airport 77," and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. And of course, the park has a great swimming area complete with a diving board that stretches out over the spring.

     And if you've already seen the park, I suggest that you visit one of the canoe liveries farther down the river. I once saw four manatees on a single canoe trip down the Wakulla, and it was an experience I will probably never forget.

When my brother and sister bring their families down to Florida, we always take them to Wakulla Springs for the boat rides followed by dinner at the lodge. It is very enjoyable and relaxing. As you travel down the river in the boat, it almost feels like you are traveling back in time. You don't see any signs of civilization like telephone poles or electrical lines, just glorious nature.

The Wakulla River is definitely a must see for anyone who loves the outdoors. For those who want to get more up close and personal, there is a canoe rental place called TNT Hide A Way that will let you rent a canoe for 4 hours. You can get a 2 person canoe for $25 or a 3 person canoe for $30. This lets you guide your own tour down the river and see wildlife up close from your canoe. Just know that you may feel it's a bit too up close to the gators as well.

    Don't forget about the boat rides! There is always fun to be had on the tours even if it's a slow day on the spring. Most of the entertainment is due to the guides and their sometimes silly sense of humor. That is always my favorite part of the Springs.

    A word of advice when you canoe down the springs... if you're ever next to an alligator, don't hit it with your paddle. :P