Just a stone's throw from your back door, Florida Springs offers a great opportunity to take a mini trip just down the road and get away from it all.  Beautiful crystal clear waters entice even the youngest at heart and the ambiance is simply breath taking.

First Step:  Set your reservation at Alexander Springs
Check Out: Alexander Springs Home Page, Juniper Springs Home Page
Load Directions: Google Directions Home Page Map
Essentials: Gas
                 Food
                 Restaurant
                 Hospital
                
Day 1: Set up camp at Alexander Springs recreational campground. Alexander Spring issues vertically from a conical depression and has a large spring pool and that measures 300 ft (91 m) north to south and 258 ft (79 m) east to west. Depth is 25 ft (7.7 m). The water is clear and sky-blue. There is a large boil on the pool surface over the vent. Native aquatic grasses are plentiful. The bottom is mostly sandy with limestone outcropped near the vent with a vertical ledge running north to south near vent. There are multiple vents in a tight cluster. Thin algae patches are present on rocky substrate. High ground to the south rises gently to 12 ft (4 m) above water level. A rock wall forms the south shoreline. There is a mixed hardwood and palm forest around the spring. Alexander Spring Run flows east trending approximately 8 river miles (13 km) until reaching the St. Johns River.

Walk on over to the springs, only a short distance from your camp.  Camping here offers water, but no electricity and during the summer months, this is a blessing. Native Floridians know the best swimming pools in the state are not in someone's backyard but are courtesy of Mother Nature. With a near constant year-round temperature of about 72 degrees, the tepid waters of Alexander Springs is the perfect watering hole on those swelteringFlorida summers days.

Day 2: Head on down the road to Juniper Springs and check out the sister branch of Alexander Springs.   Showcasing sparkling springs in a subtropical setting, Juniper Springs is one of the oldest and best known recreation areas on the East Coast. Located between Ocala and Ormond Beach along SR 40, this complex of swimming and picnic area, campground, and trails was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The setting is unlike any other found in the
United States, with hundreds of tiny bubbling springs and massive springs gushing out of crevices in the earth beneath a dense canopy of palms and oaks, an oasis within the heart of the desert-like Big Scrub.

No paddling vacation is complete without a trip to the Juniper Springs Recreation Area, located in Florida's Ocala National Forest. The recreation area  and surrounding wilderness consist of two medium sized blue springs, a seven  mile spring run, fantastic RV and tent camping sites, visitor center, picnic  tables, and miles of hiking trails. If you didn't bring a canoe or kayak, the US  Forest Service runs a concession stand offering 15 and 17 foot aluminum canoes  for rent. The Forest Service will transport you and your personal boat from the  takeout to the rec area for $6 per person and $6 per boat. 

One of our favorite mini camping trips is a short throw to St. Augustine.  In fact, you can do this on a weekend if you need some family bonding time.  Get out the tent or camper and get rolling!  Camping is inexpensive, and a great way to take a short family vacation and rejuvenate that family love!

First Step:  Set your reservation at KOA, St. Augustine Beach
Check Out: KOA Homepage
Load Directions: Google Directions
                           Home Page Map
Essentials: Gas, Food, Hospital, Restaurants "Type in Search Nearby" for each catagory.
Day 1: Walk "Old City" St. Augustine at St. George St.  The mainland
            of the North American continent was first sighted by the Spanish 
            explorer and treasure hunter Don Juan Ponce de Leon on Easter, March 27, 1513. 
            He claimed the land for Spain and named it La Florida, meaning "Land of 
            Flowers". Between 1513 and 1563 the government of Spain launched six expeditions 
            to settle Florida, but all failed. the French succeeded in establishing a fort 
            and colony on the St. Johns River in 1564 and, in doing so, threatened Spain's 
            treasure fleets whic h sailed along Florida's shoreline returning to Spain.
            
            Take the Old Town Trolly Tour Visit the oldest city in the United States and get 
            your dose of warm Florida sun and fascinating history. St. Augustine is known 
            for its gorgeous sandy beaches, breathtaking architecture, antiquated buildings 
            and its significance to the shaping of our nation.

Day 2: Relax and take in all the pristine beaches of St. Augustine. The historic 
           St. Augustine inlet divides two sections of coastline. To the north is a peninsula
           that includes Ponte Vedra and Vilano Beach. To the south is an 18 mile-long 
           island known as Anastasia Island. Anastasia Island, which in places barely exceeds one-half 
           mile, was once the scene of numerous battles and even a massacre. But visitors 
           today care only about the clean, white sand and rolling waves. On the island a 
           state-run recreation area provides access to three miles of wide beaches and 
           camping facilities are within walking distance of the beach
           entrance.

          St.Augustine Beach, which provides recreation of all sorts to include fishing from
          the county pier, also has surfing, sunbathing, tennis, golf and bowling. There
          is a selection of night spots to choose from for dining and dancing.

          South of St. Augustine Beach are other beach areas to include Crescent Beach,
          Summer Haven and the much-frequented Matanzas Inlet where fishing
          and swimming are also superb. From there the city and marine 
          research and entertainment complex, Marineland, is just a hop, skip and jump 
          across the inlet bridge.

          To the north of the St. Augustine Inlet, Vilano Beach also offers great fishing and
          swimming as well as wonderful waterfront restaurants. Following A1A north from
          Vilano one can find other beach accesses to include Guana State Park which
          contains access to both the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway.

          The northernmost section is Ponte Vedra Beach. Ponte Vedra, a plantation area in
          early territorial years, was destroyed during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s.
          The actual development of Ponte Vedra Beach as a resort community began around
          1928. A log clubhouse and nine-hole golf course were built at that time and is
          now the home of The Players Championship golf tournament held every spring at
          Sawgrass.