Fanning Springs FloridaBEACHES & WATERFRONT ESCAPES
Listed below are the best beaches and waterfront escapes near Fanning Springs, Florida.
1. Fanning Springs State Park
CRYSTAL CLEAR SPRING WATERS
Fanning Springs State Park features a beautiful 72-degree spring nestled along the Suwannee River, perfect for swimming and cooling off in the summer heat. Visitors can access the 200-acre park by boat from the Suwannee River or by vehicle from U.S. Highway 19, with amenities including picnic facilities, modern cabins, and a chair lift for accessibility. The spring produces 65 million gallons of crystal-clear water and offers opportunities for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, and paddling with individual flotation devices allowed in the swimming area.
2. Manatee Springs State Park
MANATEE VIEWING PARADISE
Manatee Springs State Park offers a first-magnitude spring that flows directly into the Suwannee River, creating a prime spot for swimming and wildlife viewing. The park is famous for its winter manatee visitors and features a boardwalk that winds through a cypress forest to the spring boil and river. Visitors can enjoy swimming, snorkeling, paddling, hiking, and camping while experiencing one of North Florida's natural treasures.
3. Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
PRISTINE BLUE WATERS
Ruth B. Kirby Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park features a collection of springs including a second-magnitude spring that produces over 44 million gallons of water daily. The park offers multiple swimming areas including the main Blue Spring, Little Blue Spring, Naked Spring, and Kiefer Spring, all flowing into the Santa Fe River. Visitors can enjoy crystal-clear 72-degree waters year-round, along with kayaking, tubing, picnicking, and hiking along nature trails.
4. Suwannee River
HISTORIC BLACKWATER RIVER
The iconic Suwannee River flows past Fanning Springs, offering recreational opportunities along its tea-colored waters named in Stephen Foster's famous song. Boaters can access multiple springs including Fanning Springs directly from the river, making it a popular route for the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail. The river features sandy beaches at low water, limestone outcroppings, and abundant wildlife viewing opportunities as it winds through old Florida landscape toward the Gulf of Mexico.
5. Hart Springs Park
FAMILY-FRIENDLY SPRING RECREATION
Hart Springs Park is a county-operated recreational area featuring a second-magnitude spring that produces around 21 million gallons of water daily. The spring creates a quarter-mile spring run that empties into the Suwannee River, with a boardwalk following its course through a cypress forest. Visitors can enjoy swimming in the spring basin, picnicking, camping, volleyball courts, and boat access to the Suwannee River.
6. Otter Springs Park & Campground
SECLUDED SPRING RETREAT
Otter Springs Park & Campground features a second-magnitude spring within a quiet, wooded setting near the Suwannee River. The spring maintains a constant 72-degree temperature and flows from a limestone outcropping into a large swimming basin before continuing to the river. Visitors can enjoy camping, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and hiking while experiencing a less crowded alternative to other area springs.
7. Atsena Otie Key
HISTORIC ISLAND BEACH
Atsena Otie Key is an island beach that was once the original site of Cedar Key before being devastated by a hurricane in 1896, now accessible by boat or kayak. Visitors can explore the white sand beaches, the remnants of an old cemetery, a fishing pier, and walking trails through maritime forest. The island offers excellent swimming, beachcombing, fishing, and a glimpse into Florida's coastal history with fewer crowds than mainland beaches.
8. Poe Springs Park
PEACEFUL SPRING GETAWAY
Poe Springs Park features a second-magnitude spring producing about 45 million gallons of water daily that flows into the Santa Fe River. The county park offers a large swimming area with a retaining wall, wooden steps for easy access, and a sprawling oak-shaded recreational area. Visitors can enjoy swimming, picnicking, volleyball, kayaking, and canoeing with boat ramp access to the Santa Fe River.
9. Cedar Key Beach
COASTAL ISLAND PARADISE
Cedar Key Beach offers a charming Gulf Coast experience on this small island community known for its old Florida atmosphere and spectacular sunsets. The beach area features shallow, warm Gulf waters, abundant wildlife viewing, and proximity to waterfront restaurants serving the area's famous clams and oysters. Visitors can enjoy swimming, beachcombing, bird watching, kayaking through nearby islands, and experiencing the laid-back charm of this historic fishing village.
10. Ginnie Springs
PREMIER DIVING DESTINATION
Ginnie Springs is a privately-owned recreation area featuring seven crystal-clear springs along the Santa Fe River, renowned worldwide for cave diving and snorkeling. The springs maintain a constant 72-degree temperature year-round and offer exceptional underwater visibility, making them popular for both casual swimmers and serious divers. Visitors can enjoy tubing, swimming, snorkeling, diving, camping, and paddling while experiencing some of the most pristine spring waters in Florida.