Edward Ball Wakulla Springs

Fourteen miles south of Tallahassee, the Wakulla River begins as a quiet boil 350 feet below the surface — a first-magnitude spring discharging up to 1.2 billion gallons on its biggest day on record, fed by the longest underwater cave system in the United States. Above the water, a 1937 marble lodge looks across the spring basin the same way it did when Edward Ball commissioned it. Below the water, mastodon bones rest in plain view through the floor of the park's glass-bottom boats.

Wakulla doesn't try to be the most exciting Florida spring. It is, instead, the most haunting one.

• Location: Wakulla Springs (Wakulla County), 14 miles south of Tallahassee
• Address: 465 Wakulla Park Drive, Wakulla Springs, FL 32327
• Hours: 8 a.m. – sunset, 365 days a year
• Vehicle entry: $6 per vehicle (up to 8 people); $4 single-occupant
• River boat tour: $8 adult / $5 child (ages 3–12)
• Water temperature: 68–70°F year-round
• Magnitude: First-magnitude (~200–300M gallons/day average)
• Cave system: 31.99 mapped miles — longest underwater cave in the US
• On-site lodging: The Lodge at Wakulla Springs (1937)

The park sits at the crossroads of SR-61 and SR-267, just five miles east of Crawfordville. From Tallahassee, take SR-61 south for about 20 minutes. Approximate drive times:

• Tallahassee: 20–25 minutes (SR-61 south)
• Pensacola: 3 hours (I-10 east to Tallahassee, then south)
• Jacksonville: 2 hours 30 minutes (I-10 west to Tallahassee, then south)
• Gainesville: 2 hours 15 minutes (US-27 north to I-10 west)
• Orlando: 4 hours (I-75 north to I-10 east)

The Lodge serves as the park's gateway: check-in, dining, gift shop, and boat ticket sales all happen there.

Wakulla is one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world. At the vent, the limestone drops away to 350 feet, and from there a branching cave system stretches more than 30 miles through the Woodville Karst Plain. In December 2007, divers physically connected Wakulla to the Leon Sinks cave system — establishing the sixth-longest underwater cave on the planet. At about 190 feet depth, the spring floor still holds the fossilized remains of at least ten Ice Age mammals, including mastodons whose bones were first reported in 1850.

Above the water, the surface is wide and dark green, ringed by cypress and Spanish moss. This is the Florida that Hollywood came looking for: Tarzan's Secret Treasure (1941) and Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954) were both filmed here.

Two boat tours operate from the Lodge dock, and together they form the park's signature experience.

The River Boat Tour (sometimes called the Jungle Cruise) runs year-round, weather permitting. The 45-minute, 2-mile cruise loops down the Wakulla River and back, with ranger narration covering wildlife, Native American history, and the Edward Ball/Hollywood era. Wildlife sightings are essentially guaranteed: American alligators on every trip, ospreys and great blue herons constantly, white-tailed deer along the banks, and manatees in the winter months. TripAdvisor reviewers rank this tour the #1 thing to do in Wakulla, with a 4.7-star average across nearly 1,000 reviews.

The Glass-Bottom Boat Tour is the older tradition — locals first ran rowboats with windowed hulls here in 1875. When the water is clear (it occasionally turns turbid after heavy rain), you'll peer straight down through the boat floor at the spring basin, the cave entrance, and the visible mastodon bones at ~190 feet. Glass-bottom tours operate seasonally and only on clear days. Call ahead to confirm before driving in for the glass-bottom experience specifically.

Walk-up tickets are limited (about 10 per departure). Reserve at thelodgeatwakullasprings.com.

• Swimming in the spring-fed roped swim area beneath the platform tower. Two sunbathing decks; lifeguards on duty when staffed. Water temp 68–70°F — refreshing in summer, brisk in winter.
• Snorkeling at the surface inside the swim zone. (The spring's true depth is far beyond snorkel range.)
• Hiking on roughly 9 miles of trails through hardwood hammock, including a footbridge over Sally Ward Spring run.
• Birding — Wakulla is one of the premier inland birding sites on the Great Florida Birding Trail.
• Mastodon viewing during clear-water glass-bottom tours; the full recovered mastodon skeleton is at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee.
• Film-history exhibit at the Lodge, including the "Hollywood at the Lodge" display.

Cave diving is not permitted recreationally — Wakulla is reserved for permitted scientific and expedition divers.

Built in 1937 by Edward Ball using imported marble, custom ironwork, and hand-painted ceilings, the Lodge is on the National Register of Historic Places and a member of Historic Hotels of America. Twenty-seven guest rooms, all on the second floor (grand marble staircase or elevator), none with televisions — by design. Room categories range from standard queens to the Ed Ball Suite, which features the original Prohibition-era hidden bourbon closet.

The Edward Ball Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, with Southern specialties and a spring view from every table. The Soda Parlor handles sandwiches, ice cream, and milkshakes for casual stops. Reservations: 850-421-2000.

• Edward Ball Dining Room (on site) — Southern farm-to-table; reservations recommended.
• Soda Parlor (on site) — sandwiches, ice cream, milkshakes.
• The Riverside Cafe at St. Marks (~10 miles southeast) — local seafood on the St. Marks River.
• Crawfordville (~5 miles west) — chains and casual dining along US-319.
• Tallahassee (~15 miles north) — full restaurant scene including the Wharf Seafood Restaurant.

• Reserve boat tours online ahead of summer weekends. Only ~10 walk-up seats per departure. Holidays sell out.
• Glass-bottom tours don't run every day. They depend on water clarity. Call the day-of if that's the priority.
• The roped swim area is the only safe place to swim. Alligators are present throughout the spring and river — never venture beyond the buoys.
• Pack warm layers in winter. 68°F water and 50°F air make the swim deck colder than you expect.
• No private kayaks, paddleboards, or canoes are permitted on the spring or river. All on-water experiences run through the Lodge concessionaire.
• Trails have ticks. Long socks and a tick check after walks are standard precautions.
• Manatees are a winter visitor. Peak sightings: January and February. Don't expect them in summer.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. The Lodge elevator is under rehabilitation; guests with mobility needs should call ahead. Confirm boat tour status, swim area open hours, and current fees at floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/edward-ball-wakulla-springs-state-park before your visit. Photos via Wikimedia Commons.