Chickery's Travels

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  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • The Best U.S. National Park Campgrounds
    • 28 Must-See State Park Campgrounds You Can’t Miss
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds: Discover Hidden Gems Just Outside the Park Boundaries
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Complete Guide to Camping at Shenandoah National Park
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah Views Campground (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Alaska
      • 5 Things You Can’t Miss On Your First Trip To Alaska
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves: Best Activities to Enjoy on Your Arizona Vacation
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Dunnellon, Florida)
      • Enjoy the Best of Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Hawaii
      • Everything You Need to Know About Camping in a Jeep Wrangler in Hawaii
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Road Trip
      • Discover the Beauty of Monhegan Island, Maine
      • Acadia National Park: Highlights You Can’t Miss
    • Nevada
      • Best Campgrounds in Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • North Carolina
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Uncover the Coastal Charm of North Carolina’s Outer Banks | A Guide for Visitors
    • Tennessee
      • Complete Guide to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Restaurants in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
      • Explore Nature’s Untamed Beauty at Big Bend National Park
    • Virginia
      • Explore Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Maintenance
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
      • RV Roofs – What You Need to Know
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • Get Ready for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • The Ultimate Guide to Embracing the Full-Time RV Lifestyle
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing – Stories from the Road
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • How Book Readers Can Space and Weight in the RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Creative Ways To Save Money On Your Next Vacation
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV: Try Before You Buy
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Attend An RV Show – Even If You Already Own An RV | Exciting Reasons Why
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
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    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

8:00 am by Julie 2 Comments

Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Dunnellon, Florida)

As a nature enthusiast looking to explore the beautiful landscapes and hidden gems Florida has to offer, you cannot miss out on Rainbow Springs State Park. The park is home to a group of freshwater springs that produce more than 400 million gallons of crystal-clear water each day. The natural beauty of the springs provides the perfect location for swimming, paddling, kayaking, camping, and more! 

Table of Contents
  • Freshwater Springs
  • Rainbow River Tube Rentals
  • Campground at Rainbow Springs State Park
    • Campsites
  •  Local Area: Dunnellon and Beyond
    • Explore the Withlacoochee State Trail
    • Dive into Florida’s Rich History
    • Explore Other Freshwater Springs

Rainbow Springs State Park has three distinct areas (with separate entry): the freshwater springs, tube rental facility, and campground.

Freshwater Springs

With its refreshing freshwater springs, colorful gardens, and mesmerizing waterfalls, the park has a treasure trove of outdoor activities making it an ideal camping destination for adventurers of all kinds. 

Rainbow Springs is Florida’s fourth largest freshwater spring and feeds the Rainbow River, popular for water activities like swimming, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. There are also numerous paved walking trails and 3 hiking/nature trails.

Rainbow Springs is one of many old historic Florida roadside attractions. Between the 1930s and 1960s, the owners added waterfalls with water from the springs. Then, in 1967 it changed hands again with the goal of making it a major family destination. In 1968 animal shows were added, along with an aviary, a paddlewheel riverboat, newly air-conditioned submarine boats, a rodeo demonstration ring, and an unusual leaf-shaped monorail that went right through the upper reaches of the aviary.

Today, the waterfalls remain, but the rest of the park is in keeping with its state park status and focuses on the area’s natural beauty. For $2 a person, visitors can swim in the freshwater headsprings of the Rainbow River, enjoy the nature trails and waterfalls, and enjoy the picnic areas with tables, grills, and pavilions. The park also has kayak and canoe rentals for an additional fee.

Enjoy the collage below and check out our Instagram for more Rainbow Springs State Park photos. The highlight is the fabulous swimming area (looks as clear as a swimming pool!) in that first photo below.

Enjoy a refreshing dip in the beautiful crystal clear waters of Rainbow Springs State Park.
Enjoy the beautiful nature trails at Rainbow Springs State Park.
Enjoy the gorgeous scenery along the winding paved walking paths at Rainbow Springs State Park.
The natural freshwater springs at Rainbow Springs State Park produce more than 400 gallons on crystal clear water per day. Enjoy a dip in the refreshing water or a peaceful walk among nature at this Florida State Park.
Enjoy the beautiful waterfalls at Rainbow Springs State Park in Florida.

Rainbow River Tube Rentals

A few miles up the road, you can park your car and rent a tube to float down the river. There is a small parking fee per vehicle, for up to 8 people. Shuttle service back to your car is included with the tube rental fee. Please note that this a seasonal activity and hours vary:

First Saturday in April – Memorial Day: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm, Weekends only

Memorial Day – Labor Day: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm, 7 days per week

Labor Day – End of September: 8:00 am – 3:30 pm, Weekends only

October – March: Closed

Campground at Rainbow Springs State Park

Not only does Rainbow Springs State Park boast remarkable natural beauty, but it is also home to a well-maintained and conveniently located campground. Amenities include restroom facilities with hot showers, laundry services, fire rings, and picnic tables. The campground also has its own access to the river from the campground to fish, swim, or paddle. And you can even rent canoes and kayaks from the campground store.

Campsites

The campground has 60 sites for both RVers and tent campers. All RV sites are full hook-up (30/50 amp power, water, and sewer). Whether you’re pitching a tent, setting up a pop-up camper, or rolling into the park aboard your RV, there’s a campsite tailored to your needs. You can use the ReserveAmerica website or app to reserve a site. Both resources provide a campground layout map and photos of available sites to assist you in making a selection. You can also see photos of the campsites in the video below.

 Local Area: Dunnellon and Beyond

There’s something uniquely special about the atmosphere in small-town Dunnellon. The friendly locals, cozy eateries, and quaint shops create a welcoming ambiance that’s sure to charm anyone who visits. For a memorable evening, try one of Dunnellon’s waterfront restaurants offering a relaxed atmosphere and delicious local seafood, all while watching a spectacular sunset over the river.

Explore the Withlacoochee State Trail

One of the best ways to experience the natural beauty of the Dunnellon area is by hitting the Withlacoochee State Trail, a 46-mile-long paved multi-use trail that meanders through diverse habitats and ecosystems. Whether you’re walking, biking, or rollerblading, this trail provides countless opportunities to appreciate the wild beauty of the Nature Coast. Keep an eye out for colorful wildflowers, hear the sounds of native wildlife, and feel the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees as your journey unfolds.

Dive into Florida’s Rich History

The Dunnellon area has a vibrant history dating back to the 1800s. In fact, it was once a prominent mining area for phosphate deposits. Today, you can see remnants of its past when you visit the Historic Village, where you can stroll past beautifully maintained 19th-century buildings, attend an arts and crafts fair, or take a guided walking tour through the town’s history.

Explore Other Freshwater Springs

Just 25 miles away is Silver Springs State Park, home to one of the most famous Florida freshwater springs, which discharges millions of gallons of water daily. The glass-bottom boat tours offer a window into the underwater world below, showcasing the vibrant aquatic ecosystems and the ethereal glow of the springs.

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share this article on social media or save the image below to Pinterest.

Swim or paddle in the crystal clear water of Rainbow Springs State Park in Florida. Close to Ocala, this is the perfect destination for the entire family. With a campground and a tubing concessionaires, it is bound to make the best vacation!

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8:00 am by Julie 4 Comments

Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast

Experience these five fabulous Florida freshwater springs! Each is located within a state park and combine the charm of historic Florida attractions with the most beautiful crystal clear springs in the state. These spectacular springs offer an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Where Does The Water Come From?

A spring is a natural opening in the ground where water flows directly from the aquifer to the earth’s surface. The source of this fresh water is from seasonal rainfall that soaks into the ground, which is referred to as groundwater. Springs form when groundwater is under pressure and flows up through an opening called a spring vent, supplying flow to a river or other water body. A spring can occur individually or as a group of many springs. Click here to learn more about the springs and how to protect them.

Activities at the Springs

The crystal clear water of these fabulous freshwater springs provides the perfect backdrop for swimming, paddling, and boating. But there’s more! All five are located in Florida State Parks so there are also plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, geocaching, and even camping. Click each location below to learn more.

Located along the meandering Suwannee River, Fanning Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling. A popular place to see West Indian manatees every day of the year, Homosassa Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling. Florida's fourth largest spring, Rainbow Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.Silver Springs State Park combines the charm of a historic Florida attraction with the crystal clear beauty of one of the last uninhabited spring runs in the state. Silver Spring in an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Weeki Wachee is an enchanted spring where you can see live mermaids, take a trip on a river boat cruise, learn about Florida wildlife, and swim in the pristine waters at Buccaneer Bay. You can also embark on a paddling adventure down the pristine waterway of the Weeki Wachee River. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is one of Florida’s most legendary and unique family destinations, entertaining audiences since 1947.

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Sharing is caring! Please share this image on Pinterest!

Experience these five fabulous Florida freshwater springs! Each is located within a state park and combine the charm of historic Florida attractions with the most beautiful crystal clear springs in the state. These spectacular springs offer an inviting source of cool, clear crisp water perfect for swimming and paddling.

Filed Under: Florida Tagged With: explore florida, fanning spring, fanning springs state park, florida nature, Florida Springs, Florida State Parks, florida travel, florida vacation, freshwater, freshwater springs in Florida, gems of the nature coast, natural springs, nature coast (location), rainbow springs, Rainbow Springs State Park, silver springs state park, state park, Weeki Wachee springs

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