Steviek
20-06-2005, 00:50
Saw this on another website and it sounded so great thought everyone here would like to hear about it. Im sure Florida Pete wont mind
We had heard of DE LEON SPRINGS State Recreational Area before but, this February, we decided to spend a Saturday finding out all about it for ourselves. Quite apart from it being a recreational park we had heard that it also had a natural spring and another ‘special attraction’, with audience participation, which you will hear about as my story unfolds.
We set out from Kissimmee by using I/4 East (it’s north actually) and driving through (nay, over) Downtown Orlando, up past Lake Mary and Heathrow, past Sanford and over the bridge at Lake Jessup (wonderful view of the St. John River) until we reached Exit 54. There we left I/4 and followed the signs for Hwy. 17 posted “Deltona”. After driving through Orange City we quickly came upon Deltona, a small town which is right out of Mainstreet USA at Magic Kingdom. This ‘turn of the century’ town has been lovingly restored with its block-paved pavements, quaint shops and canopy-shaded walkways. It is well worth a few minutes pause for your driver to stretch his legs. The drive onwards and upwards, through Stetson University, with its rolling lawns, colonial halls, until you reach the small ‘hicksville’ town of De Land. Watch out very carefully for the sign for the Post Office and follow it, turning across the main road, leading you into the road to De Leon Springs. There is also a brown sign for the Springs but it is easily missed. Within just a few minutes you will see the impressive entrance to the park and the warden will be there to welcome you, in exchange for your $4.00 for the whole car full of passengers, for the whole day !
Once inside you will follow the winding access road to where there is plenty of parking, some in the shade of trees. Be sure to bring a picnic with you - even food to barbecue if you get really enthusiastic. All the facilities are there awaiting you !
The 603 acres of De Leon Springs Park is named after Juan Ponce de Leon, the leader of Spanish forces in the 1500’s who first ‘discovered’ Florida (except, they so easily forget, that Indians had lived there for centuries before). It is ‘rumoured’ that he passed this way and so it gives a convenient name to this very attractive park which is centred on a natural spring. This spring provides the focus of the park with its constant 72 degree waters pouring upwards out of the earth at the rate of millions of gallons each day. Here is a very safe bathing lake for all with a special shallow section roped off for small children. Bath-houses (changing rooms) as well as full ‘restroom’ facilities are available - and kept constantly clean. When we visited there were, seemingly, hundreds of people enjoying the warm‘ish’ waters and having a great time. Swimming tubes can also be hired to float around the lake - though they cannot venture out of the spring and into the river proper.
Picnic tables and BBQ grills are provided in the shade of the centuries old Live Oak trees, some of which are also within the protection of Pavilions, and many families had come well prepared with gingham table clothes, cool boxes and all the paraphernalia of the American family at play. We simply got our folding beach chairs out of the trunk of our car and pitched camp with our ‘sarnies’ and a couple of cans of sodas. But we are just simple Brits !
There are many walking trails to wander through the woodlands, exploring for the kids ‘discovering’ a bald cypress tree and Monkey Island. In the Spring there was also lots of Azalea and Rhododendron bushes in a beautiful blaze of colour.
The more adventurous can rent Indian style canoes, Eskimo style kayaks or Mediterranean style pedalo’s to explore the Spring Garden Creek as it leaves the spring and makes it’s way to Lake Woodruff. The less adventurous, like us, can simply take the “Safari River Tour” which leaves the Spring dock at regular intervals. It is a flat-bottomed pontoon boat which take its passengers in shaded comfort a few
We had heard of DE LEON SPRINGS State Recreational Area before but, this February, we decided to spend a Saturday finding out all about it for ourselves. Quite apart from it being a recreational park we had heard that it also had a natural spring and another ‘special attraction’, with audience participation, which you will hear about as my story unfolds.
We set out from Kissimmee by using I/4 East (it’s north actually) and driving through (nay, over) Downtown Orlando, up past Lake Mary and Heathrow, past Sanford and over the bridge at Lake Jessup (wonderful view of the St. John River) until we reached Exit 54. There we left I/4 and followed the signs for Hwy. 17 posted “Deltona”. After driving through Orange City we quickly came upon Deltona, a small town which is right out of Mainstreet USA at Magic Kingdom. This ‘turn of the century’ town has been lovingly restored with its block-paved pavements, quaint shops and canopy-shaded walkways. It is well worth a few minutes pause for your driver to stretch his legs. The drive onwards and upwards, through Stetson University, with its rolling lawns, colonial halls, until you reach the small ‘hicksville’ town of De Land. Watch out very carefully for the sign for the Post Office and follow it, turning across the main road, leading you into the road to De Leon Springs. There is also a brown sign for the Springs but it is easily missed. Within just a few minutes you will see the impressive entrance to the park and the warden will be there to welcome you, in exchange for your $4.00 for the whole car full of passengers, for the whole day !
Once inside you will follow the winding access road to where there is plenty of parking, some in the shade of trees. Be sure to bring a picnic with you - even food to barbecue if you get really enthusiastic. All the facilities are there awaiting you !
The 603 acres of De Leon Springs Park is named after Juan Ponce de Leon, the leader of Spanish forces in the 1500’s who first ‘discovered’ Florida (except, they so easily forget, that Indians had lived there for centuries before). It is ‘rumoured’ that he passed this way and so it gives a convenient name to this very attractive park which is centred on a natural spring. This spring provides the focus of the park with its constant 72 degree waters pouring upwards out of the earth at the rate of millions of gallons each day. Here is a very safe bathing lake for all with a special shallow section roped off for small children. Bath-houses (changing rooms) as well as full ‘restroom’ facilities are available - and kept constantly clean. When we visited there were, seemingly, hundreds of people enjoying the warm‘ish’ waters and having a great time. Swimming tubes can also be hired to float around the lake - though they cannot venture out of the spring and into the river proper.
Picnic tables and BBQ grills are provided in the shade of the centuries old Live Oak trees, some of which are also within the protection of Pavilions, and many families had come well prepared with gingham table clothes, cool boxes and all the paraphernalia of the American family at play. We simply got our folding beach chairs out of the trunk of our car and pitched camp with our ‘sarnies’ and a couple of cans of sodas. But we are just simple Brits !
There are many walking trails to wander through the woodlands, exploring for the kids ‘discovering’ a bald cypress tree and Monkey Island. In the Spring there was also lots of Azalea and Rhododendron bushes in a beautiful blaze of colour.
The more adventurous can rent Indian style canoes, Eskimo style kayaks or Mediterranean style pedalo’s to explore the Spring Garden Creek as it leaves the spring and makes it’s way to Lake Woodruff. The less adventurous, like us, can simply take the “Safari River Tour” which leaves the Spring dock at regular intervals. It is a flat-bottomed pontoon boat which take its passengers in shaded comfort a few