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Silver Springs, near Ocala, is a record-setter — the largest artesian spring in the world and the oldest tourist attraction in Florida. Clear water pours up from the aquifer by the hundreds of millions of gallons a day, so clean you can count the pebbles thirty feet down.
And then there are the monkeys. Wild rhesus macaques, descendants of animals released for a 1930s Tarzan film, still roam the riverbanks — one of the strangest wildlife sights in the state. Here's how to do it from free to luxury.
The Four-Tier Plan
- ✓Silver Springs State Park Entry# — Just about $2 to get in — walk the shaded boardwalks along the water and take in the headspring.
- ✓Wild Monkey Spotting# — Troops of rhesus monkeys move through the treetops mornings and late afternoons — watch the canopy along the river.
- ✓Glass-Bottom Boat Tour# — The 30-minute classic from $17 floats you over the main boil and century-old film props resting on the bottom.
- ✓Silver River Kayak & Paddle# — Rent from about $30, or book the 5-mile Silver River paddle ($65 single / $85 tandem) with a return shuttle.
- ✓Stay in Ocala# — Base in Ocala — Florida's horse country of green pastures and white fences — for an easy, affordable weekend.
- ✓Private Boat / Photography Tour# — A private captain and guide to chase the best light and linger where the monkeys are.
- ✓Devil's Den Prehistoric Spring# — Thirty minutes away — snorkel a prehistoric spring inside a cave (day pass $15, snorkel $30). Check current hours.
Pro Tips
Take the first boat
Morning light angles into the spring, the water hasn't been stirred, and wildlife is most active.
Bring binoculars
The monkeys are often high in the canopy — a cheap pair turns a distant shape into a clear look.
Pack polarized sunglasses
They cut the glare so you can actually see down into that famous clear water.
Never feed the monkeys
They're wild and can be territorial — admire them from a distance and keep food packed away.
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