Silver Springs Florida Glass Bottom Boats: Tours, Prices and Times
Glass bottom boat tours have run at Silver Springs since the 1870s, according to the park concessionaire. This guide covers the 30- and 90-minute tours, a prices and times table, booking, parking and admission, accessibility and what the boats pass over.
Where can you ride a glass bottom boat in Florida?
Silver Springs glass bottom boat tours run 365 days a year at Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd. in Silver Springs, Florida, east of Ocala. Thirty-minute tours cost $17 for adults and leave every 15 to 20 minutes; Florida State Parks says tours begin at 10 a.m. A 90-minute extended tour departs three times a day.
The park describes the boats as a way to see below the surface of the water, with views of the river's wildlife, vegetation and historical and cultural artifacts. Passengers look down through glass panels in the boat floor while a captain narrates. Cape Leisure, the park concessionaire, is the authorized concessionaire of Silver Springs State Park and runs the tours from the dock at the main entrance. For hours, fees, trails and camping, see the Silver Springs State Park guide; for every fee in one place, see Silver Springs tickets and prices.
Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boat Prices and Times
Prices and departure times below were listed on the concessionaire's glass bottom boat page and the Florida State Parks fee page on October 29, 2026. Park admission is not included.
| Tour | Departures | Adults | Seniors 55+ | Children 3–12 | Youngest children |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-minute glass bottom boat tour | Every 15–20 minutes, 365 days a year; tours begin at 10 a.m. per Florida State Parks | $17 | $15 | $15 | Free (2 and under per concessionaire; under 2 per state) |
| 90-minute extended river tour | Daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. | $35 | $30 | $30 | Free (2 and under per concessionaire; under 2 per state) |
The concessionaire says schedules are subject to change and to cancellation for bad weather or other safety issues, and to arrive at least 30 minutes before the departure time on the ticket.
Parking and Park Admission for the Glass Bottom Boats
A boat ticket does not include getting into the park. The concessionaire's page says guests check in at the ticket booth on arrival and pay $2 per person state park admission. The Florida State Parks fee page lists park admission as $8 per vehicle (two to eight people), $5 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle, and $2 for pedestrians, bicyclists and extra passengers. The two official sources describe the fee differently, so the amount at the gate may be either; both are shown here as posted.
Drivers should aim for the main entrance, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL 34488, where the boat dock and the Spring Side Café are. Florida State Parks lists the café as open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Neither the park pages nor the concessionaire's boat page list a separate parking charge for the main entrance, and the park is open 8 a.m. to sundown every day.
The camping entrance at 1425 NE 58th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34470 serves the campground, cabins, trails, the ranger station and the Silver River Museum. The boats do not leave from there.
Silver Springs State Park at a Glance
Boat Dock Address
Main entrance, 5656 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, FL 34488 (State Road 40)
Phone
Boat tours and rentals (352) 261-5840; park ranger station (352) 236-7149
Park Hours
8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year; boat tours begin at 10 a.m.
Park Admission (separate from boat tickets)
Concessionaire: $2 per person at the ticket booth. Florida State Parks fee page: $8 per vehicle (2–8 people), $5 single occupant, $2 pedestrian or extra passenger. Check at the gate.
Silver Springs State Park Glass Bottom Boat Tours: Prices and Schedule
Two tours leave from the main boat dock inside Silver Springs State Park. Prices below were listed on silversprings.com and the Florida State Parks fee page on October 29, 2026; park admission is charged separately at the gate.
30-Minute Glass Bottom Boat Tour
A 30-minute narrated ride over the head spring area, passing above Mammoth Spring and the nearby feeder springs. Captains point out the springs, the wildlife and the history visible through the glass floor.
Adults: $17
Seniors (55+): $15
Children (3–12): $15
Youngest children: Free (concessionaire: 2 and under; state: under 2)
Schedule: Every 15–20 minutes, 365 days a year, beginning at 10 a.m. per Florida State Parks. Subject to change and to weather cancellations.
90-Minute Extended River Tour
A longer trip on the Silver River, three times the length of the standard tour, with more time on the water to look for wildlife. Only three departures a day, and the concessionaire says reservations should be made in advance.
Adults: $35
Seniors (55+): $30
Children (3–12): $30
Youngest children: Free (concessionaire: 2 and under; state: under 2)
Schedule: 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. daily
Booking a Silver Springs glass bottom boat tour
The concessionaire recommends reservations because tours often sell out, and sells a limited number of walk-in seats each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are booked online at silversprings.com or by phone at 352-261-5840. Passengers should arrive at least 30 minutes before departure and check in at the ticket booth, where park admission is paid.
Pets are not allowed on the boats (service dogs are permitted), and food is not allowed on board, though beverages in a container with a lid or cap are fine.
What the Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boats Pass Over
Florida State Parks says more than 30 springs have been documented in the upper part of the Silver River. The concessionaire says its tours pass Mammoth Spring and many other feeder springs. Mammoth Spring is the only spring either source names.
Mammoth Spring
The head spring of the Silver River, which the concessionaire says its tours let riders marvel at for its beauty and sheer size.
Fish, Turtles and Alligators
Florida State Parks says the river is home to alligators, turtles and many species of fish; the concessionaire describes countless fish species beneath the boats.
Artifacts
The park concessionaire says ancient Native American and Spanish artifacts can be seen from the boats.
Hollywood Props
Underwater movie props from the days when Hollywood productions flourished at the park, per the concessionaire.
Feeder Springs
The concessionaire says the tours explore many other feeder springs that supply the Silver River.
Tips for a Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boat Ride
Book ahead and arrive early. The park opens at 8 a.m. and Florida State Parks says boat tours begin at 10 a.m. The concessionaire says tours often sell out and asks guests to arrive at least 30 minutes before the departure time on the ticket.
Use the right entrance. The boats leave from the main entrance at 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL 34488. The campground, cabins, ranger station and Silver River Museum use a separate entrance at 1425 NE 58th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34470, so a GPS pointed at the campground will miss the dock.
Pair the boat with a paddle. Kayaks, canoes and paddleboards rent at the main entrance from the same concessionaire, and the Fort King paddling trail is a 1.1-mile round-trip loop around Ross Allen Island. Paddlers must yield to the glass bottom boats, which have the right of way. See the Silver Springs kayaking guide.
Check the wildlife guides. Sightings are never guaranteed on any tour. The site also has guides to manatees at Silver Springs and the Silver Springs monkeys.
Bring a camera. Florida State Parks and the concessionaire both describe the water as crystal clear, and the boats are built so passengers look straight down through glass panels.
Florida Glass Bottom Boats: How Silver Springs Compares
The Florida State Parks history page says Phillip Morrell fixed a piece of glass in the bottom of a rowboat at Silver Springs in the late 1870s, and the concessionaire says the glass bottom boat was invented here. Another state-park option is in salt water: Florida State Parks says many visitors to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo view its coral reefs on a glass-bottom boat tour, with park admission of $8 per vehicle plus 50 cents per person. Near Tallahassee, Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park offers guided river boat tours, according to its park page.
For visitors based in Ocala and Marion County, the Silver Springs State Park glass bottom boats are the freshwater spring option: tours begin at 10 a.m. and a 30-minute ride costs $17 for adults. Other springs near Ocala are covered in the springs guide.
The History of Glass Bottom Boat Rides in Florida
According to the park's history page, Silver Springs became a tourist attraction in the 1820s, when adventurous visitors poled their way up the narrow river under overhanging cypress and Spanish moss. With the arrival of the paddlewheel, the Silver River became a distribution center for Central Florida, and plantations growing vegetables, tobacco and oranges sprang up along the banks as nearby Ocala grew.
In the late 1870s, Phillip Morrell fixed a piece of glass in the bottom of a rowboat so visitors could look down into the spring, and, in Florida State Parks' words, a new enterprise began. Florida State Parks says the Silver River's glass bottom boat tours have been world famous for more than 100 years. The headsprings area was run privately as an attraction for most of the 20th century; on October 1, 2013, the Florida Park Service took over its management, added 231 acres and the glass bottom boats to what had been Silver River State Park, and renamed the whole park Silver Springs State Park. The rest of the old attraction's story is in our Silver Springs amusement park history.
The concessionaire says riders can still see underwater movie props from the days when Hollywood productions flourished at the park. For the film history, see the guide to where Tarzan was filmed.
Current Notices Before Booking
Florida State Parks posted that the Sea Hunt Deck at the main entrance has been closed since October 23, 2025, and that the park's new trail system is open. The concessionaire's site also advertised a Lost Souls River Tour on October 29, 2026, with limited dates and space; it is a separate offering from the glass bottom boats listed above, and its dates and prices were not verified for this page.
The Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boat Fleet
Silver Springs operates a fleet of nine glass bottom boats, each fitted with glass viewing panels in the floor so passengers can look straight down into the spring. Tours are narrated by the boat captains, who point out the springs' history and wildlife. Florida State Parks notes that all other vessels on the river must yield to the glass bottom boats, which have the right of way.
The Chief Potackee is the fleet's wheelchair-accessible vessel. It operates weather permitting, may be closed in windy conditions, and is booked by choosing a time slot marked "Wheelchair Accessible" and seats marked "with wheelchair." The other boats are historic and cannot take wheelchairs aboard, though guests who can transfer to a seat are welcome and staff will assist.
Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boat Tour FAQ
How much does a Silver Springs glass bottom boat tour cost?
On October 29, 2026, both silversprings.com (Cape Leisure, the park concessionaire) and the Florida State Parks fee page listed the 30-minute glass bottom boat tour at $17 for adults and $15 for seniors 55 and over and children 3 to 12, and the 90-minute tour at $35 for adults and $30 for seniors and children 3 to 12. The youngest children ride free (the concessionaire says 2 and under; Florida State Parks says under 2). Park admission is charged separately at the gate.
Is park admission included in the glass bottom boat ticket?
No. Boat tickets and park admission are separate. The concessionaire's glass bottom boat page says guests check in at the ticket booth on arrival and pay a $2 per person state park admission. The Florida State Parks fee page for Silver Springs lists admission as $8 per vehicle (two to eight people), $5 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle, and $2 per pedestrian, bicyclist or extra passenger. Because the two official sources list the fee differently, visitors should expect either and check at the gate.
What time do Silver Springs glass bottom boat tours start?
Florida State Parks says glass bottom boat tours are offered daily and begin at 10 a.m., with both 30-minute and 90-minute tours available. The concessionaire says the 30-minute tours run every 15 to 20 minutes, 365 days a year, and the 90-minute extended tour departs daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Schedules are subject to change and to cancellation in bad weather. The park itself is open 8 a.m. to sundown every day of the year.
How long is the Silver Springs glass bottom boat tour?
There are two tours. The standard tour lasts about 30 minutes and leaves every 15 to 20 minutes. The extended tour lasts 90 minutes and leaves three times a day, at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Both depart from the dock at the main entrance, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL 34488.
What is seen on a glass bottom boat ride at Silver Springs?
The concessionaire says the tours pass Mammoth Spring, the head spring of the Silver River, and many other feeder springs; Florida State Parks says more than 30 springs have been documented in the upper part of the river. Through the glass riders see countless species of fish, and the concessionaire says the tours also pass ancient Native American and Spanish artifacts and underwater movie props from the park's Hollywood days. Florida State Parks describes the river as home to alligators, turtles and many species of fish.
Are reservations needed for the Silver Springs glass bottom boats?
Reservations are recommended because tours often sell out, according to the concessionaire. A limited number of walk-in seats are sold each day on a first-come, first-served basis. Book online at silversprings.com or call 352-261-5840, and arrive at least 30 minutes before departure. Extended 90-minute tour reservations should be made in advance.
Are the Silver Springs glass bottom boats wheelchair accessible?
Yes, on one boat. The Chief Potackee is the wheelchair-accessible vessel in the fleet of nine; it operates weather permitting and may be closed in windy conditions. To book it, choose a time slot marked "Wheelchair Accessible" and select seats marked "with wheelchair." The concessionaire cannot accommodate wheelchairs on the other, historic boats, though guests who can transfer aboard are welcome and staff will assist.
Are pets or food allowed on the Silver Springs glass bottom boats?
No pets are allowed on the boats, though service dogs are permitted, according to the concessionaire; Florida State Parks also lists the boats among the places pets are not permitted. Food is not allowed on board, but a beverage is fine in a container with a lid or cap.
Is the Silver Springs glass bottom boat dock in Ocala?
The dock is at the main entrance of Silver Springs State Park, 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL 34488, in Marion County east of Ocala. It is not inside Ocala city limits. The park's campground and Silver River Museum use a separate entrance at 1425 NE 58th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34470, which is not where the boats leave.
Where else can a glass bottom boat be ridden in Florida?
Florida State Parks says many visitors to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo view its coral reefs on a glass-bottom boat tour. Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park near Tallahassee offers guided river boat tours. Silver Springs, where Florida State Parks says the glass-bottom boat tradition began in the late 1870s, is the freshwater spring option in Marion County.
By the Only In Ocala team. Prices, hours and schedule on this page were checked on October 29, 2026 against the park concessionaire's glass bottom boat page, the Florida State Parks hours and fees page and the Silver Springs State Park page. Prices and schedules are subject to change and should be confirmed with the concessionaire before a visit. AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. See the editorial guidelines.
Explore More at Silver Springs & Ocala
Silver Springs State Park
Full park guide including kayaking, hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing beyond the boat tours.
Silver Springs Kayaking
Clear kayak tours, standard rentals, and the 5-mile Silver River paddle route.
Silver Springs Monkeys
Guide to the Silver Springs monkeys.
Silver Springs Tickets & Prices
Admission fees, tour pricing and rental prices in one place.
Silver Springs Camping
59 campsites, cabin rentals, amenities, and reservation info.
Manatees at Silver Springs
Guide to manatee sightings at Silver Springs.
Book the Silver Springs Glass Bottom Boats
Silver Springs glass bottom boat tours run 365 days a year, according to the concessionaire. Reserve a seat online, arrive 30 minutes before departure and pay park admission at the ticket booth.
Explore More Ocala Springs
Marion County is the spring capital of Florida — keep planning with these guides to first-magnitude springs, river adventures, and waterfront experiences nearby.
Botes con fondo de cristal en Silver Springs, Florida
Los botes con fondo de cristal de Silver Springs State Park salen todos los días del muelle de la entrada principal, en 5656 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Silver Springs, FL 34488, al este de Ocala sobre la carretera estatal 40. El paseo de 30 minutos cuesta $17 para adultos y $15 para mayores de 55 años y niños de 3 a 12; el paseo extendido de 90 minutos cuesta $35 y $30, y los niños más pequeños viajan gratis (precios del 29 de octubre de 2026). Los paseos de 30 minutos salen cada 15 a 20 minutos a partir de las 10 a.m., y el paseo de 90 minutos sale a las 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. y 1:30 p.m. El parque abre de 8 a.m. al anochecer los 365 días del año; la entrada al parque se paga por separado en la taquilla ($2 por persona según el concesionario; $8 por vehículo según Florida State Parks), y las páginas oficiales no mencionan un cargo de estacionamiento aparte. Se recomienda reservar en silversprings.com o al 352-261-5840 y llegar 30 minutos antes de la salida.