RIDE A GLASS-BOTTOM BOAT OVER SOME OF THE CLEAREST WATER IN FLORIDA

By Staff Reports
Photo: A glass-bottom boat at Silver Springs (Orlando Date Night Guide)
SILVER SPRINGS — Florida invented the glass-bottom boat tour here, and more than a century later, it still feels like magic.
At Silver Springs State Park near Ocala, boats glide over one of the largest artesian springs in the world, and through the glass floor you watch fish, turtles, and ancient spring vents drift by in water so clear the boat seems to float on air. The tours have been running since the late 1800s — this is old Florida tourism at its finest, and it never stopped being good.
Make a full day of it: kayak the Silver River, walk the nature trails, and keep an eye out for the wild monkeys that famously live along the river (yes, really — that’s a Weird Florida story for another day). Camping and cabins are available inside the park if a day isn’t enough.
It’s an easy weekend escape from Orlando, Gainesville, or Jacksonville — and one of the most photographed views in the state.
Join the conversation: Have you ridden the glass-bottom boats? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Florida State Parks