So you’re looking for places to go tubing in Florida? Look no further, we have got you covered! Florida is the perfect place to go tubing for many reasons. Florida is full of natural lazy rivers of different lengths, so there are plenty of options depending on what you are looking for! We have included a mixture of popular spots and some hidden gems that can be a lot quieter.
Scuba Diving or Snorkelling may not be your thing, and that is where tubing comes in! It’s a really relaxing way to be in the water without being submerged and a great way to cool off from the Florida heat or to take a nice ride down a lazy river. Plus, natural springs in Florida and really beautiful so you won’t run out of a pretty view whilst you’re tubing!
Where To Rent Or Buy A Tube
In order to go tubing in Florida, you’re going to need, well, a tube! Some of the places we’ve mentioned do offer tube rentals, or you can rent a tube from a local, near-by store. However, if you plan on making tubing a regular thing it is always a good idea to get a tube of your own! You can pick them for quite cheaply on Amazon, which will save you money in the long run if you plan on going tubing more than a few times! Here is a link to a tube that has really solid reviews.
Kelly Park/Rock Springs
For a really relaxing and intimate way to go tubing in Florida, we highly recommend Kelly Park/Rock Springs!
Kelly Park is located just 40 minutes away from Orlando, making it the perfect day trip from Orlando! It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, but stores are not that far away at all – just 20-30 minutes.
Despite the park being huge with over 7 miles of hiking trails, the spring run is actually one of the shorter tubing spots in Florida. With it being just 3/4 of a mile long, you’re able to do the tube run multiple times! It will take around 20-30 minutes to complete, making it perfect for those who don’t necessarily want to be on a tube for hours and want something smaller!
Tubing in Florida at Kelly Park is super popular, so be sure to get to the park early! It’s popularity comes from a combination of multiple factors. For one, its shallow for the most part and you’re able to stand up, making it a great tube run for less experienced swimmers (but we do recommend wearing a life jacket if you’re not a confident swimmer!)
The tube run at Kelly Springs is also shaded by trees in many parks, providing a great escape from the harsh Florida sun on super hot days. The water at Kelly Springs is also super clear and remains a constant temperature of 68F, so it’s the perfect place to go tubing in Florida during the summer months!
For more information about Kelly Park and Rock Springs, our blog post will tell you all you need to know!
Rainbow Springs
Rainbow springs really does live up to its beautiful name as it is such an enchanting place to go tubing in Florida!
There is a lot of history around Rainbow Springs that spans back centuries, where native Floridians regularly visited these waters and believed that they had magical healing powers. We can totally see why they believed that, as the rainbow river is undoubtedly one of the prettiest rivers in Florida.
Tubing in Florida at rainbow springs will take you through Ocala/Marion County and is a great place to go tubing if you’re looking for a slow, relaxing run.
The smooth, slow current will push you downstream at approximately 1 mile an hour giving you plenty of time to take in the gorgeous surroundings. The Rainbow River State Park gives you a great way to access the rainbow river for just $2 a person. The tube ride will last around an hour and a half, and you get a complimentary tram ride up-river.
Ginnie Springs
Ginnie Springs is amongst one of the most popular springs in Florida, especially with a college aged crowd as it’s close to many college towns and you’re allowed to drink. Being just 6.5 miles away from High Springs and 48 minutes away from Gainesville, you’re not far away from local amenities
If you can visit Ginnie Springs outside of weekends and bank holidays, we highly recommend you do as it’s so beautiful and usually much more chill during the week or during off season.
Tubing in Florida at Ginnie Springs is one of the most popular activities to do as the water is a rather cool 78F, which is definitely cold for Floridians!
The tube run at Ginnie Springs lasts around an hour, which is one of the longest runs in Florida! The only downside to tubing at Ginnie Springs is that you’re not actually tubing in the springs, it’s on the Santa Fe River, meaning that the water is murky and the water is much deeper.
However, tubing at Ginnie Springs is still a super fun experience! You can rent tubes on site of bring your own, there is no size limit!
To see all of our tips for Ginnie Springs, check out our dedicated blog post!
Ichetucknee Springs
Ichetucknee Springs is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places to go tubing in Florida, it is a National Natural Landmark afterall and one of the most popular springs to go tubing in Florida.
Tubing is available all year round from different starting points; Midpoint or Dampier’s Landing. Tubes are available to rent at Ichetucknee Springs, but you can also bring your own or rent from outside vendors. However, tubes cannot exceed 60″ in any two directions.
The midpoint launch has a limit of 3,00 tubes a day and you can access it by tram or by following the midpoint trail 0.65 miles from the south parking lot. The spring run lasts around 45 minutes to an hour and will take you to Dampier’s Landing. You can either get off here, or continue tubing for another hour or so.
The water remains at 72F all year round, making Ichetucknee Springs a great place to go tubing any time of year!
Weeki Wachee
Weeki Wachee is one of the most unique family destinations in Florida, there are so many different activities to do at Weeki Wachee Springs that you will definitely want to spend the entire day there! They even have mermaid shows – if that isn’t magical then I don’t know what is!
Tubing in Florida looks a little different at Weeki Wachee. Whilst you can’t go tubing on the actual Weeki Wachee river (you can go kayaking or canoeing!) because of safety reasons, inside Weeki Wachee Springs there is Buccaneer Bay, Florida’s one and only spring-fed water park!
There’s many different activities to do here, including a lazy river that you can spend as much time as you want on! The water is a steady 72-74F all year round, making it the perfect family day out for any time of year!
Blue Springs State Park
Blue Springs State Park is just one of a number of natural springs near Orlando, being just 29 miles away from Orlando, which makes it the perfect place to go tubing in Florida if you’re staying in Orlando!
Blue Springs is a particularly popular spot in winter due to the parks manatee conservation efforts, which has seen the numbers go from 14 to over 400!
The second most popular activity is definite the tube run. It is actually one of the shortest tube runs of them all, it only takes around 15 minutes so is great for those who aren’t looking for something really long. This is a really peaceful tube ride, and the crystal clear waters mean you can see the bottom at all times.
However, this tube run is a little deeper than Kelly Park and there are sections where you won’t be able to touch the bottom so we suggest bringing a life jacket with you if you’re not a strong swimmer!
Tube rentals are available at Blue Springs and you can bring your own, but it has to comply to the height limit of 6 ft.
Gilchrist Blue Springs
If you’re looking for a hidden gem to go tubing in Florida, then Gilchrist Blue Springs may be the place for you!
It’s actually just 10 minutes down the road from the very popular Ginnie Springs, and is significantly less crowded as not many people know about it, mainly just the locals, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a more quieter tubing experience.
Tubing at Gilchrist Blue Springs is also a little different, as you can tube in the main Gilchrist Blue Springs area, but not on the 1.4 of a mile spring run that runs to the Santa Fe River. The spring run will be roped off and is only suitable for for kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding. This is for safety reasons as alligators are frequently in the spring run.
You will be completely safe to float around in the designated swimming area. With temperatures at a constant 72F, the water is a great way to cool down on a hot Florida day!
For more information about Gilchrist Blue Springs, check out our blog post!
And that is our list of places to go tubing in Florida! We hope that you can have the perfect place for you, and we know that you will have the best time as all of the locations are so beautiful! Happy Tubing!
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