Amazing there was 170+ Manatees there in the springs well def go back to swim in April

It has been a dream come true to share Crystal Springs with my family again. As a boy I would often swim here. Now the preserve and the buildings are available for rental at fair prices. We have had several family reunions amid the pristine beauty of the spring. The small natural history museum, pavilion, boardwalks and restrooms are well maintained. The hospitable staff take time to customize your experience to ensure that it meets your group’s needs.

We had our homeschool field trip here, and the kids had a great trip. The staff was super nice. Cant wait to take another adventure out that way.

Butiful nature perfect for a family road trip or a class field trip. You will discover animals in a museum, learn how to find food in the wild and learn how to make your own shelter.

Amazing place, well preserved. Make reservations. Only allow 100 guests per day. Staff members are more than nice. Very educational day trip.

Small private park that is a great destination for a field trip. The tour guides are fun and do a great job at teaching and entertaining the children.

Sonya hosted our pack for a visit. What an amazing place to learn about the local eco systems. I highly recommend!

We tried calling to see if they were open and operating due to covid, they said “check our Facebook page” so we checked and couldn’t find anything saying they are closed. Just advertising being open. So we assumed (our fault I guess). Well we wasted our vacation day driving 1.5 hours there. They said they are not open to the public (even though we checked everywhere and couldn’t find that). Thanks crystal springs we were looking forward to it, but we won’t be back

Really amazing facilities. Wished they would’ve allowed us to swim during our visit.

This place is a disaster!!! Unorganized and a bunch of dopes!!

We attend regular field trips to the educational classes hosted at Crystal Springs Preserve. Each one has been a cherished experience, and my kids ask to go regularly. This place is a treasure.

Place is closed, even on Saturday when it says its open. Wasted trip.

Great field trip. Thank you

Such a beautiful place! I had an awesome time swimming and hiking here!

One of the most unique places for homeschool outings we have experienced in years. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and personable, and the location is purely subleme in its simplicity. I cant remember a single outing to Crystal Springs Preserve that did not uplift everyone in my family, including my four daughters Grace, Trinity, Faith and Mercy. A true blessing for our family and others in Central Florida. #TGBTG

What an amazing place . Its fantastic that they have such a beautiful place for education.

Snorkeling, I located 2 arrow heads. One was so nice they added it to their display case. The staff wonderfully educated our homeschool group.

Requires a reservation. Doesnt allow public. Doesnt allow families of say 3 or 4.

Troop helped with a clean up last weekend, educators were kind enough to show girls around afterwards its a beautiful place and a great place to go and learn a few new things

What an amazing and beautiful place! I scheduled a field trip to Crystal Springs Preserve for our summer camp program and our visit went above and beyond my expectations. Sonya was our guide for the day and she was absolutely amazing with our group! We have a mixed-age inclusion group and her presentation was developmentally appropriate and engaging for all of our kiddos. She encouraged the children to explore and touch many different objects and shared some really cool information with us. We got to meet some live reptiles, took a hike, and had the opportunity to kiss a grasshopper for a year of good luck, lol! This was hands-down, one of our very favorite trips and we hope to return for another visit!

How hard would it be to record a new message with the answer to the question everyone is asking Are you open? with limited activities for children wouldnt it be nice to use our STATE PARKS???

Awesome visit. Our guide Miss Vicky was knowledgeable, funny and patient and the springs were spectacular. Highly recommend it.

We went here on a field trip with our oldest daughter. It was a wonderful opportunity for her and us. We learned a little bit about survival if we ever get lost in the woods, when drinking water is safe or not, how to build a shelter, etc. Additionally, the whole property that we saw was amazingly beautiful. So much of the natural Florida wildlife was present and not overgrown by invasive species of plants. The two people who acted as guides and teachers were phenomenal. They demonstrated a through understanding of the preserve, Floridas ecosystems, and what part the springs play in those ecosystems. Additionally, they were amazingly kind, generous, and gracious with our sometimes rowdy group of 4th graders. We are think of going back in rhe later spring.

Nice staff and beautiful place

Great school field trip

I went there as a field trip and it was cool!!

Very nice educational program. Our 4th graders loved it! FYI- this is not a public park, it is private and groups need to contact them to book visits.

Loved the kids educational programs offered!

Beautiful place, excellent staff

Great place for a Florida nature field trip.

Absolutely beautiful! Available to groups of 15+, with a reservation. They staff will take you on an educational tour depending on your demographs/wants.

Drove the whole way from Lakeland to come to a closed gate. The hours said Saturday 8am-6pm and we tried calling the number 4 times and got absolutely nothing. The pictures looked beautiful and we were excited to go, but never again now. you’d think they would say on the website you have to make a reservation of 15 or more......... dumbest thing ive ever heard and the pictures are so deceiving making u think it’s a public place.

Its a beautiful place that is the way life should be. Undeveloped and amazing

Need tell people somewhere that its by appointment only. I wonder how many people go there only to find out its not open to the public. For those who read this a little to late check Hillsborough State Park instead.

Visited with our homeschool group! This place was such a treat! I would highly recommend their outdoor homeschool classes! We had so much fun, need reservations. Can not just walk in, but process are WAY reasonable. $25 per group up to 40 people! Such a beautiful day!

Great privately owned preserve. This is the real Florida. Wonderful staff. A must for young students. Especially of they dont get out in nature much.

Excellent feild trip location!

Best field trip ever. Survival and River Critters. Staff is so friendly. Place is beyond beautiful.

The staff is amazing, the spring is relaxing.

Amazing staff amazing everything great condition and the water is beautiful

Field trip for grandson. Staff was fabulous and very knowledgable. Great day at a beautiful location

Beautiful place, guides are absolutely wonderful! They engage the children and parents. Such interesting programs! We love our field trips here!

Awesome place! Went swimming in the springs, and had a great time. The classes are great too. Sonya and Vicki are very good teachers and great with the kids.

Looks beautiful but shouldnt be advertsied as a public park. Very misleading. Should be open to the public.

Beautiful sanctuary. I wish they allowed smaller group tours. If memory recalls you need at least a group of 10 to visit. They primarily focus on school groups but the information they provide is crucial for all to know. Great place to learn about our delicate Florida ecosystem.

Such a beautiful place. Kid friendly establishment. Friendly staff.

You can make reservations up to 15 people for $25 but you must bring your own lifeguard. It is very beautiful and peaceful .

This place is so beautiful its a hidden jewel in Florida. Mostly because its private property. If you get a chance to visit you wont be disappointed. They do a lot of educational work with groups, schools and homeschoolers. It truly is something out of a storybook thats how beautiful this place is. If you do come here bring your own trash can or bag they do not provide one for your food.

Is it beautiful? Absolutely. Is the price affordable? Yes. The best part of Crystal Springs? The staff! They are great at combining fun with education. They let kids be kids. Thanks Katie and Sonia!

Heaven on Earth

Great Field trip!!

Vicki was a fantastic host. Education through the use of humor really worked well with the kids. The property was beautiful and we had a lot of fun learning about the ecosystem and wildlife.

Great field trip! 2nd time going

So beautiful and educational. Staff is amazing. My 3rd visit with high school students.

Absolutely gorgeous spot. Natural, pristine beauty.

I love this beautiful property. Please note: it is privately owned and you need an appointment to visit. However, it is well worth it.

Beautiful! Amazing educators work here!

Is not open to the public, however, you can make a group of 15+ and pay just $25. It will require a reservation. It is beautifully maintained! School groups are frequent here.

I love this place! So educational and beautiful.

Went with my son for a school field trip and we both had a blast. Learned a lot about survival and the springs themselves.

Great place for a field trip!! Make it an all school day trip... Over 500 acres and land to explore. Absolutely beautiful and most definitely will be visiting again!

Great tour guides and free if you call ahead.

It is beautiful! Great place for families.

Drove all the way here. Gate closed so I call. Were not open to the public!!!!!

Went on a field trip today. The guides were amazing and fun. They were able to answer every question the kids had. Place is beautiful and well kept!

My son absolutely loved the field trip to the preserve. A beautiful place to visit, Natural feed fresh water springs. Magical

Beautiful place - and very educational too!

Awesome nature preserve. Great staff. A beautiful place for weddings or any other outdoor function.. cost is lower than you.would expect in such a beautiful place.

The Crystal Springs Preserve gives back to the community with top notch educational programs and private bookings for visits to the Springs. The staff is fantastic and very professional. This is an awesome place.

Years ago this beautiful place was a Christian Campground and open to the public. You could take the family and go swimming in the spring. It was Awesome jumping and diving off that boardwalk into the fresh cool blue water!!! Now the boardwalk is a fence and the whole place privatized to be just a moneymaker for zephyrhills bottled water! What a shame!!!!

Our usual 5th grade field trip.

So beautiful. The leaders there are so informative.

Place was beautiful! Staff was courteous and great with children! A fantastic field trip experience.

Truly a great spot!

Gorgeous and super fun and educational for the kids. Great field trip!

I recently chaperoned a field trip here and it was so much fun and very educational. The kids and the adults were having a ball! My son got so much out of this trip. He was able to identify trees, facts about the different types of trees and what poison ivy looks like. The woman that gave the tour was incredible with the kids. You could tell she loved her job! It was fabulous!

Great place.

Really nice workers. Dont bring trash bc no trash cans

The staff takes pride in the preserve. Its a truly beautiful area and is a great spot for a summer party.

This property is not open to the public. They have great learning opportunities for kids. Look into a field trip.

Wow, this is a beautiful, wonderful exciting place. We came out with my son to work on his Environmental Science Merit badge for Boy Scouts. Amazing that this is all privately funded. We learned and saw much more then we ever expected. If you have a chance to go see and learn in this private preserve I highly recommend it.

You can throw parties (Has to have 15 members, must be reserved, and must bring a certified lifeguard) for $25 I think. Very fun field trip. You get use GPS and wonder around the entire reserve unlike Natures Classroom where you have only one space. There is a fishing area and a spring where you can swim it in. (Only if you requested it!) Loved it and I would love to return to that place another time.

Get in touch with nature. Gereat for qll ages

I went to Crystal Springs as a volunteer for my sons school and the instructors had great energy and they were amazing with the kids. If you like nature and history, this is great place to go.

Went there on a field trip, almost drowned while fishing with a net...

AMAZING - a must see. Group oriented learning environment about Florida Springs as well as what is really happening with Zephyrhills Water. Gotta see it to believe it. Great place for friends and family to learn.

My family and I went to Crystal Springs several times as a child. I had my 11th birthday party there!!!

Was really fun

What a beautiful and educational location. The staff is exceedingly patient, warm and welcoming, and very informative.

Corporate water bottlers cloaked as a “preserve”. Give the spring back to the public!! Will avoid purchasing Nestle, Perrier, and Zephyrhills bottled water at all cost!

Really fun placs

A fun place to take the kids. The staff is just fantastic!

Beautiful. Nice walking path and great science classes for the kids. Admittance by appointment only and you are not able to explore without staff.

Love this place and the teachers are amazing with all the kids

Beautiful. Great facility. Hidden and secluded, unbelievably quiet when students arent playing.

Went on a field trip here with a group of high schoolers. Location was beautiful, and the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable. All the lab activities offered were top notch and provided valuable hands on experience for Science Students. The Biodiversity sampling was so much fun, and the students couldnt get enough! $25 flat rate for groups of 15-100 cant be beat, and I really admire the goal of this privately owned location to be kept as an affordable educational resource. I would love to come back, and I would even recommend this for a large group of friends if youre interested in learning about the natural environment in FL for a day.Make sure you schedule a reservation before you show up! This is a privately owned location and you cannot just walk in for a tour.

The staff was very engaging for an elementary field trip.

Updated alot since I was a kid. Gre as t place yo bring the yougins

This preserve is immaculately kept and provides incredible educational experiences by appointment only. They offer field trips and homeschool opportunities, along with the xhance to swim in the springs with a group. Groups must be at least 25 people or children large; fees are quite low ($25 per group).

Awesome place with Awesome guides!! Beautiful place