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Vortex Spring Adventures

Ponce de Leon, Florida

75 RV Sites, 3 Cabins, 14 Motel Rooms, 1 House, 6 Apartments

Vortex Spring Adventures in Ponce de Leon, Florida, is one of the most celebrated freshwater diving and snorkeling destinations in the continental United States—a first-magnitude spring in Holmes County's Florida Panhandle where crystal-clear 68-degree water surges from a 30-foot-wide spring vent into a natural swimming basin visible to depths exceeding 200 feet in the main spring cavern system, creating the visibility conditions that make this Holmes County spring the training and certification destination for thousands of scuba divers annually who come to develop their open-water and cavern skills in the clearest freshwater environment available in the southeastern United States. The resort's water park, boat rentals, cabins, and snack bar provide the surface infrastructure for the spring's diving community and the family snorkeling and swimming visitors. The spring resort's facility reflects its identity as an active dive and water recreation destination: the main spring for diving, snorkeling, and swimming, boat rentals, paddle boarding in the spring basin, a water park for surface swimming recreation, cabin rentals, a snack bar, general store, a recreation center for diver gatherings and instruction, river and stream access, playground, showers, bathrooms, dump station, and the year-round operations that the spring's constant 68-degree water temperature enables regardless of season collectively serve the diverse visitor population of certified divers, dive students, snorkelers, and families attracted by the extraordinary water clarity. The cavern system's gold-line permanent guidelines provide the safe navigation infrastructure for certified cavern divers whose Vortex exploration goes beyond the open-water swimming basin. Vortex Spring's geological character reflects the Floridan Aquifer System's limestone karst hydrology that underlies the Florida Panhandle—the spring's 30-foot vent opening into a cavern system that has been mapped to significant depth connects to the aquifer's pressurized water column through fractures and conduits in the Eocene-age limestone that creates the spring's dramatic upwelling flow. The water's clarity results from the aquifer's filtration through limestone for decades to centuries before emerging at the spring, stripping the water of sediment and organic matter to create the gin-clear visibility that underwater photographers and divers seek out globally. The Holmes County spring represents one of over 700 Florida springs that collectively discharge 8 billion gallons daily from the Floridan Aquifer. The Florida Panhandle's spring-to-spring corridor between Marianna and DeFuniak Springs contains some of the most significant diving springs in the eastern United States—Merritt's Mill Pond north of Marianna and the Blue Hole at Florida Caverns State Park complement Vortex Spring's diving depth with their own karst spring systems in an area whose limestone geology produces a freshwater diving environment comparable in clarity and geological complexity to Mexico's cenote diving destinations. Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna, approximately 35 miles east, provides the above-ground cave exploration complement to Vortex's underwater cavern diving in the Panhandle's karst landscape. Vortex Spring Adventures operates year-round in Holmes County's Florida Panhandle climate, with the spring's constant 68-degree water temperature creating a year-round diving environment where the primary seasonal variable is air temperature rather than water temperature—winter diving in a 68-degree spring when the ambient air is below 50 degrees requires only a modest wetsuit rather than the drysuit that northern cave divers require. The summer season brings the highest volume of family snorkeling visitors and student dive certification courses, and the spring's clearest visibility often occurs in winter when reduced algae growth and lower surface traffic keep the water at its most transparent conditions for the underwater photographers whose work documents the spring system's extraordinary geological character.

What does this place offer

  • Bathrooms
  • Boat Rentals
  • Boating
  • Cabins
  • Dump Station
  • General Store
  • Paddle Boarding
  • Pet Friendly
  • Playground
  • Recreation Center

Select your site to book online

Location

Vortex Spring, 1517 Vortex Springs Ln, Ponce De Leon, FL 32455, USA

Things to know

Check-in: 4:00 PM

Check-out: 10:00 AM

Rules

Registration and Arrival Check-In Procedure - Check-in Time begins at 4:00 PM - Check-out time is at 10:00 AM on the day of departure. - Lodging check-in time begins at 4:00 PM and check-out time is at 10:00 AM. - Early check-in for RV and primitive camping may be allowed at additional fees. - Campers entering the park before 4:00 PM will be charged for the previous night's camping. - Pass validation will be checked at the gate when leaving and entering the park. - While each park attempts to accommodate your exact spot request, the on-site manager has the ultimate decision for spot placement. General Admission - All general admission guests must register at the Dive Shop or Port Of Entry, pay applicable fees, and sign a waiver/release form, minors included. - General admission passes expire at sundown. - Only overnight guests may enter the resort 24 hours a day. - General and Diving pass holders may leave the resort and re-enter as long as their passes are valid. - Two admission passes are included per site. Additional Charges - 5% Service Fee will be added per site reservation. - Each additional guest will be subject to an additional charge of $15 per person, per night for admission to the park. Children Policy - Children 12 years and under require adult supervision at all times. Swimming Policy - Swim at your own risk, No lifeguards on duty. - No diving or jumping from docks, bridges, or trees. - All swim shop rental gear is due one hour before closing. Alcohol Policy - We ID at the time of admission. - A 21 and older wristband will be placed on you if you plan to consume alcohol. - If you are caught without such a wristband and you are consuming, you will be expelled with no refund. - No beer bongs, funnels, or kegs are permitted. - No excessive alcohol consumption. - No glass containers allowed on the property. Firearms - Firearms are prohibited. - No foul or abusive language, fighting, or any other behavior that may be offensive to families will be permitted. Quiet Hours - Quiet Hours are 10:00 pm until 8:00 am. - No excessive noise is allowed at any time. - For noise complaints please get in touch with the Holmes County Sheriff at 850-547-3681. - No foul or abusive language, music, fighting, or any other behavior that may be offensive to other guests will be permitted. Speed Limit - A 5 mph speed limit must be observed throughout the property. Vehicle Policy - No ATVs of any type are allowed on the property. - No motor-propelled watercraft. - No riding on exteriors of vehicles. - If you have a rig older than 10 years, please email or call the front desk! Fishing or Hunting - No fishing or hunting is allowed on the property at any time. Commercial Filming - No commercial filming is permitted without prior written permission. Prices - Prices are subject to change. - Taxes not included. Camping Rules - All campers must be 18 years old to camp without being accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. - Proof of legal guardianship is required. (We I.D.) - Campsites must be clean and orderly at all times. - No camping on the grassy areas surrounding Spring or the Spring run. - All other regular park rules apply. Camping Prices - Camping prices are per night. - Prices may be higher on major holidays/holiday weekends. - Prices are subject to change without notice. - Scuba diving fees are not included. Camping Site Quiet Hours - Quiet hours are from 12:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. - No excessive noise is permitted at any time. Trees - Lanterns should be hung from ropes suspended between trees. - Lanterns should not attach directly to trees, heat from lanterns will kill our trees. - No chainsaws allowed. - Do not cut or nail anything to trees or vegetation. Lodging Rules - A deposit is required for each reservation. - The amount of your first night's rate for each reservation is required in advance. - Prices may be higher and a minimum night stay may imposed over holiday weekends or during special events. - You must be at least 21 to make a reservation or stay in our accommodations without a parent or legal guardian. - If there are any items removed from your room or any damage done to the property, your credit card will be charged a minimum of $150.00. Scuba Diving Rules - All diving guests must register at the dive shop, pay applicable pass fees, and sign a waiver/release form. - Minors require the signature of a custodial, parent or legal guardian. - Diving passes expire at 11 pm. - All scuba rental gear is a 24-hour rental. - If you plan to return your gear after hours please contact a staff member for instructions. - The minimum age for scuba diving is 10, regardless of supervision or certification. - All minors must dive with a certified adult, regardless of whether the minor is certified. - Diver must be able to show proof of certification from a recognized agency or be under instructor supervision. - Divers must be able to read and abide by all posted diving rules. - Divers must follow all generally accepted safe diving practices. - Divers must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. - Divers must dive within their limits of certification. - Divers must not enter the cavern or cave system without such certifications.

Cancellation Policy

MODERATE If the guest cancels at least 1 week before your check-in day and time, they will receive a full refund (minus Spot2Nite convenience or resort fees). If the guest cancels within the 1 week before check-in, there will be no refund.