Homosassa Springs

Homosassa Springs wildlife sanctuary is located 75 miles north of Tampa on Highway 19.

There are two ways to enter the park, either by boat or on the little tram. Having done both we would recommend the boat. It takes you down the river and the guide points out lots of interesting things that you would otherwise miss, or at least we would. Our guide even did a little Florida quiz for the children, questions on the way in and answers on the way out.

A 45 foot deep natural spring is the centerpiece of this 180 acre large park. The springs are the headwaters of the beautiful Homosassa River that flows nine miles west into the Gulf of Mexico. Saltwater and freshwater fish are attracted to these natural springs with their constant, year-round temperature of 72 degrees F.

The park offers the opportunity to observe native animals, birds and plants in a natural setting. As you follow the path through the park you will see Florida species such as cougars, bear, white-tailed deer, otters etc. We even caught sight of a coral snake but the warden soon shimmied it away.

There are an abundance of rescued alligators, some with only three legs, but they are very well cared for

Then of course there are the Manatee. These fabulous creatures can be viewed swimming along the river and you can even go underwater to see them close up. This is a great experience as you are surrounded by what they call the - Salad Bar – McDonalds for Manatee, they come very close in to eat here.

The staff run an educational programme twice a day which last about 1 and a half hours but is well worth listening too.

In our opinion this is a great day out, so different from all the theme parks. It only takes an hour or so to drive from Orlando.