I decided to go to Tampa with a couple of my friends for spring break.
Some people wanted to go all the way to Daytona Beach, but Tampa was closer and it sounded like a lot of fun.
My friends and I made plans to visit a couple of area attractions during the week, like Busch Gardens and Ybor City. I had not planned on visiting any of the local Springs. I honestly didn’t know a lot about the springs that are close to Tampa. 90 minutes north of Tampa is a beautiful place called Rainbow Springs. My friends and I drove our rental car all the way up to the location. When we arrived, we were immediately surprised by the beautiful views and crystal clear water. My friends and I spent most of the day snorkeling around Rainbow River. We saw tarpon, alligator gar, and a variety of local fish. Even though it was a long drive from Tampa to the spring location, my friends and I absolutely enjoyed our day. The water was cold, but we rented wetsuits. The water was clear enough to see every bubble and crack in the crust of the earth. I found out that there are dozens of other springs that are 2 hours or closer to Tampa. The next time my friends and I decide to go to that area, I’m going to check out another one of the springs called Weeki Wachee. The spring is supposed to have mermaids that spend all day in the water. It’s even closer to Tampa than Rainbow Springs.