Silver Springs

On Monday morning we decided to go to Silver Springs which is an old time amusement park that CK went to often from the time he can remember. He first took me there just after we were married and I loved it! During that visit we held a small alligator (it had it's mouth closed so it couldn't open it and bite) and had our picture taken. It was so interesting to hold and touch. Also at that time the park included glass bottom boat rides through the river created by the natural springs as well as giraffes and a petting zoo. There was a great little museum that talked about the long history of the area and cute concession stands and gift shops. It was really a cool amusement park from back in the day. In the 1930s the original Tarzan movies were made underwater near one of the springs and some of the props are still at the bottom. Since the water is so clear, it's really fun to see it all from the boat.

However, times have unfortunately changed for Silver Springs. Instead of visiting this cute, low-key amusement park, people go to Disney World and Sea World in Orlando and it was a little sad visiting it in it's current state. There were very few people there and we were told at the ticket office that the only thing operating now are the glass bottom boats. Everything else is closed down until the State of Florida takes the area over as a state park. We bought our boat tickets and walked through the park, amazed how little activity there was.

Sofia was really hoping to be able to hold a small alligator and was sad when we told her they don't have him anymore. We took the boat ride and Sofia really loved it! Olivia had just woken up from a nap and took a bit to get involved in looking down at all the fish and watching the birds. The boat tour was exactly what I remembered from our previous trip and the tour guide was an older African American man who has probably been giving tours hundreds of times. His Florida accent was so thick that I actually had a hard time understanding him and Sofia couldn't understand him at all! It was great!

After our boat trip, we tried to buy ice cream but there was only one concession stand open and their ice cream area was broken so the girls got ice cream sticks which melted quickly in the Florida heat. We made a pressed "Silver Springs" penny, which I sort of collect and it was bittersweet knowing it will be so different the next time we return. We visited the gift shop and Sofia bought a turtle stuffed animal while Olivia picked out a lamb. I tried to convince them to buy cute mermaid dolls, but they didn't change their minds. Everything was on sale.

We left Silver Springs and headed to visit the girls' Great Grandma.

Silver Springs

On the glass bottom boat

Olivia with her Papa...still waking up

Olivia and her Papa

Sofia and "Rosy" her stuffed cow looking for fish

The view....very beautiful

Watching the fish below

Looking at the spring

My girls and me

Next to the glass bottom boats

Our girls!

Olivia is done with the pictures...

Saying "Goodbye" to Silver Springs.....