Silver Springs State Park & Silver River Natural History Museum
Trip Highlights
Deluxe Bus Transportation
Tour Silver Springs with a ranger-led nature walk and narrated glass-bottom boat ride.
Lunch at an Outdoor Pavilion
Volunteer Beautification Activity
Silver River Natural History Museum and Florida Cracker Pioneer Village
Visit one of Florida’s largest candy shops!
Description
You and your group will experience the wonder of Florida's very first tourist attraction and a National Landmark! Students can uncover the history of eco-tourism in Florida as they discover the biology of the world's largest artesian spring as well as the Natural, Native American, and Pioneer histories of central Florida. Enjoy the famous narrated glass bottom boat ride, gardens, lunch, and special private tours of the Silver River Natural History Museum and Florida Cracker Pioneer Village. Our adventure also includes the opportunity to be good stewards and serve the park and its rangers with a special kid-friendly park cleanup/beautification volunteer activity!
Itinerary
Leave the driving to us with deluxe motorcoach transportation to and from Silver Springs State Park from your group’s location.
We will start out the day with a special briefing from the Park Ranger who will explain the history of Silver Springs State Park as Florida's first attraction and introduce students to conservation.
We will start out the day with a special briefing from the Park Ranger who will explain the history of Silver Springs State Park as Florida's first attraction and introduce students to conservation.
We'll stroll the park's beautiful gardens along the Silver River on our way to a group lunch at the park's outdoor pavilion.
Enjoy a delicious box lunch from Firehouse Subs that includes a sandwich, chips, cookie, and drinks!
There will be plenty of time after lunch for the kids to play or to take some time to find a quiet place for some nature journaling.
The rangers appreciate our heart for service and are in great need of volunteers to cleanup around the springs. We will do a 45 min, supervised, and kid-friendly park cleanup/beautification activity.
All cleanup supplies are included and guests will have plenty of time to freshen up before heading to the next stop.
We'll then hop on the bus for the short trip to the Silver River Natural History Museum and Florida Cracker Pioneer Village. There, guests will break into two groups, age 6-10, and another for 11+. At the Silver River Museum we will have a private tour that is unavailable to the public, led by expert guides under the leadership of a real archaeologist!
Indigenous species, fossils, animal exhibits and more, including alligators, bobcats, and even a wooly mammoth skeleton to name a few!
Fascinating Native American exhibits from pre and post-colonization periods featuring spears and tools found at the Springs and a dugout canoe!
Exhibits depict the history of the earliest Spanish Explorers, Timucua and Seminole Indians, the Civil War, Steamboats, Silver Springs, and more!
Head outdoors to explore this 1890's pioneer settlement. Demonstrations and hands-on activities with experts wearing period dress, including a blacksmith's shop, church, and one room schoolhouse!
Explore a visual and culinary treat at one of Florida’s largest candy stores featuring all the old favorites our grandparents enjoyed in their youth as well as current treats and international delicacies. $5 a box for all you can stuff in it is always a crowd favorite!
You’ll be ready to share Silver Springs with your friends and family and look forward to coming back soon!
Tour info
Why take this tour?
Preparation Resources:
We will send attendees links to online preparation materials and potential reading. After the tour, we will provide some follow-up ideas for projects and ways to review student lessons learned!
Fellowship:
Nothing beats experiencing new adventures with your group and making new friends! Parents love to socialize on the bus and tour, and to share best practices and ideas with other like-minded parents.
Things to know
Don’t have a group, but would love to go on this tour?
Let us know using the request info or ask a question form above which destination/s and we can add you to a list of families interested in each particular destination. When we have enough interest to reach the minimum number of participants, we will contact you to try and schedule a date that works for all parties.
Let us know using the request info or ask a question form above which destination/s and we can add you to a list of families interested in each particular destination. When we have enough interest to reach the minimum number of participants, we will contact you to try and schedule a date that works for all parties.
Optional Add-ons
Can also add-on the Appleton Museum of Art or make this trip an overnight or multi-day.
Can also add-on the Appleton Museum of Art or make this trip an overnight or multi-day.