These sparkling Ocala/Gainesville-area springs made international travel favorites list
Florida's springs have been listed by CNN Travel as one of the best destinations worldwide to visit in 2024.
Florida has over 1,000 unique springs, according to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). These are points where pressure causes the groundwater to flow up to the Earth's surface through natural openings called vents.
FDEP says the state is home to one of the largest and deepest freshwater springs in the world: Wakulla Springs at Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. There is a swimming hole fed by a spring that has a water depth of nearly 185 feet at the vent. It also provides access to the longest mapped underwater cave system in the country, according to FDEP.
The CNN Travel article also specifically mentions Rainbow Springs in Dunnellon and Ginnie Springs northwest of Gainesville.
It's clear that there's no shortage of water activities in Florida. These natural springs are a part of residents' daily lives: They not only provide recreation, but also much of our drinking water.
It's no surprise our state's beautiful springs were featured as some of the best places to visit in the world in 2024.
Here's CNN's full list of recommendations:
Sumba, Indonesia
Turkey’s Black Sea coast
Tartu, Estonia
Tainan, Taiwan
Northwest Michigan
Trans Dinarica Cycle Route, Balkans
Culebra, Puerto Rico
Angola
Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
South Korea
Albania
Chile
Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia
Macedonia, Greece
Panama
Galicia, Spain
Singapore’s offshore islands
Mérida, Mexico
Morocco
Florida’s freshwater springs
Texas Hill Country
Fujairah
Greenland
Uzbekistan
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: CNN Travel top worldwide destinations includes Ginnie and Rainbow Springs
