Rainbow Springs State Park

After tubing we were all hungry and decided to go to the State Park and cook up some hot dogs.

Husbands enjoying the picnic pavilion.

 We checked out the swimming hole. Everyone decided it looked more like a swimming pool. The water is right out of the spring (you could drink it) and clear and clean as can be with no chlorine needed. The water is deep about 11 to 12  feet and the only way in is to jump. It's about a five foot jump off the dock area into cold 72 degree water. They don't allow plastic floats in the water but you can bring a noodle.

Crystal blue swimming hole.

No one really wanted to take the plunge but be did find a very small area surrounded by weeds and got our feet wet. I was half expecting an alligator to be under the weeds but we didn't see one alligator all day.

This is what the lush green water plants look look like from below.

There was a bunch of fish till we chased them away. But you can still see the one lone fish in the middle.

There is a lot to see and do at Rainbow Springs other than swimming. There are water falls that were built years ago when it was a tourist attraction. They are always so romantic to look at. They have beautiful flowers planted around them and there is always something blooming but the best time to see them is of course the spring.

Romantic photo spot.

The falls go under the walks and the trail meanders around so you can see all of them.

A variety of mosses.

You can see some of the flowers here.

 Some one always tries to climb the falls but it clearly states on a sign that it's not allowed. I bet a climbing wall near here would be a nice addition.

I think this is the largest of the falls.

For some reason they don't advertise it but there is the ruins of an old zoo on the property as well. We imagined there were monkeys and tigers here but probably it was just goats and maybe some horses. Youngest daughter was brave enough to enter one of the cages to see if she could get a clue of what might have been in there but all she found was a big banana spider.

Monkey in a cage.

The only animals living in the zoo now were the spiders and one little squirrel.

Zoo creature!

 Past the zoo area is the butterfly garden. I like this part because of all the native plants they've got that I've never even seen. When I see these for sale I'm going to start collecting them. They are drought tolerant and much better for the environment not to mention my pay check.

Entrance to the butterfly garden.

 Wish I would have taken photo's of the names of the plants because by the time I'm writing this I have no idea what they were.


Not sure what this is but it kind of looks like a pine cone with flowers on it.



Butterfly milk weed.



I think this is beach sunflower.

 After walking around we were all pooped out and ready to go home. Also a summer storm blew in and made sure it was time to go. This is definitely a great place if you like to explore.