BEST OF ORLANDO® READERS' CHOICE NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN!

Here's how to find the 24 best swimming holes in the Orlando area

By Orlando Weekly Staff on Fri, May 6, 2016 at 8:39 pm

While Florida definitely has its share of stunning beaches and just about everyone you know probably has their own pool, nothing beats a refreshing plunge in a good ole swimmin' hole. As the temperature and humidity begin to creep up, now's the best time to explore these outstanding Orlando area swimmin' spots.

Tags:

Scroll down to view images

Silver Glen Springs
5301 North Highway 19, Ft. McCoy | Distance: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Located in the most beautiful patch of the Ocala National Forest, Silver Glen is a local favorite. The crystal clear water really comes in handy when there’s so many fish floating around. Silver Glen is also where Marjorie Rawlings became inspired to write her classic novel "The Yearling" in 1938.

Photo via acarr168/Instagram

Silver Springs
5656 East Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs | Distance: 1 hour and 15 minutes
A ride on one of their glass bottom boats gives you a glimpse at one of the Florida’s largest artesian springs. So here’s the scoop: you can’t exactly swim here, but who’s to say you can’t tip over the canoe for an extended period of time?

Photo via carlos_amoedo/Instagram

Troy Spring
674 Troy Springs Road, Branford | Distance: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Troy Spring is a hidden gem on the Suwannee River. It’s surrounded by higher ground, which makes your afternoon swim feel even more intimate than usual. Swimming is king here, but there’s also a trail that takes you through a dense hammock where you just might see a deer or two.

Photo via junkiebratt/Instagram

Wekiwa Springs
1800 Wekiwa Circle, Apopka | Distance: 30 minutes
People of Orlando are very familiar with the spring at the end of the grassy hill known as Wekiwa Springs, so we won’t bore you with the details. It wouldn’t be a proper Orlando summer without at least one day here, so get some friends assembled and pick your activity for the day: canoeing, swimming, snorkeling, general chillin’.

Photo via theguineagringa/Instagram