Blue Springs State Park Orange City, Florida

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

Albert Einstein

When Joe and I travel in Florida, we look to see where the springs are located. We love seeing the crystal blue clear water springs and we saw there was one not far off of I-95. We had heard about Blue Spring State Park and read about the manatees being there from mid November to March. We were in the area in February but unfortunately they were not there. The water was still warm in the river so they didn't come in that day. They had been there the week before. We will have to come back now to see them.

Manatees, also known as Sea Cows are a distant relative of the Elephant and graze on plants and fish for about five hours a day. The average manatee is about 8 to 11.5 feet long and weighs between 440 pounds to 1320 pounds. The females gestation is from 12 to 14 months and then the baby will stay with her up to two years. They are an amazing creature that is very protected by the state of Florida and very loved.

This beautiful 2,600 acre park with Spanish moss in the trees and tropical plants through out. When we pulled into the park entrance, there was already a line of cars and we were there early around 9 in the morning. There was a sign at the gate saying no manatees have been sited today.

After we drove in and we found a wonderful trail that ran along St. Johns River. They had built a lovely boardwalk that meandered through the trees and over the water. There were nice overlooks and it ended at the spring. The color and clarity of the water was incredible. We just stared at the water in amazement and watched the fish swim.

We walked to an overlook that had a beautiful mosaic covered manatee statue. I loved all the details and can appreciate the all work that went into making this piece of art since we have friends who do mosaic work. The Indian River looked so clean, clear, and inviting. We did see a few people swimming.

Our last stop was near the Thursby House which was built in 1872. It is a beautiful two story home and was owned by Louis P. Thursby who settled in this area in 1856. He built one of the first steamboat landings and planted one the first orange groves on the upper St. Johns River. This is a beautiful home that you can go tour the inside. What an amazing place it must have been to live. The views are spectacular.

We loved this park and were thrilled we drove here to see it. Florida is a beautiful state and we are glad we live near enough to come visit. We hope to see much more of Florida in the years to come. Goodbye from the sunshine state.