Manatee Springs State Park was very unique because it had a extremely long boardwalk, 800 feet, that led to the spring. I say it was unique because the spring was not the highlight of the park to me, the walk to it was. Because I am not a skilled hiker, the idea of walking through the woods on a boardwalk was very appealing. It was an added bonus that the boardwalk went through, what I would call, an Enchanted Cypress forest. It was such an amazing experience.
Once I arrived at the end I was greeted by the spring. It was very cold on my visit so I would have never entertained the idea of swimming, though it is a popular activity at the park. Yes, the water is 72 degrees all year round, but the air was not. I do enjoy visiting the parks when it is cold because there is a stillness nature that you do not get to see when it is warm. The spring leads to the Suwannee River where you could kayak & see all kinds of wildlife. I really enjoyed my time wandering around the boardwalk.
Before you visit, make sure you check out the parks website for all of the up-to-date park information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/manatee-springs-state-park
