By Ileana Morales

Beer is better cold. Beer is better with friends. And, it’s better when you’re floating down a spring, slow and lazy the way a Saturday should be.
This weekend I spent my first glorious day at Ginnie Springs. It was well worth the 40-minute drive and $12 entrance fee. It’s only too bad that this was my first trip to this part of High Springs after four years at UF. Next time, I might take them up on camping and scuba diving.
My group spread out on a 10-person raft and smaller rafts tied together with one just for the coolers packed with drinks and sandwiches. Turtles gracefully peeked their heads out against a backdrop of radiant trees. A friend swung off a rope tied to a branch and splashed into the cool water.
We ate, drank, and laughed until we looped the spring twice.
No cellphones and no worries! It’s beautiful and peaceful enough to make you forget that Gainesville treated you to a mean winter of dry skin and unshaved legs. No, here you experience nature at its best. Pretty, hushed and suited for bikinis. As the afternoon mellowed, we made our way back onto land. We sobered up and dried off by playing a friendly game of football.
Fellow Florida natives suffering from Gainesville’s lack of a beach need to visit Ginnie Springs this semester for a fix. The dirty apartment complex pool won’t cut it, but don’t just take my word for it. The New York Times thought it was pretty great, too.
Tips:
  • Bring your own rafts and instead spend that money on food and drinks to fill your coolers.
  • Bring extra beer (Cans, not bottles)
  • Don’t forget sunscreen.
  • Leave your shoes in the car along with your purse.
  • Don’t wear your favorite sunglasses.
  • Make some sweet tea!

Don’t get lost.

The fastest way to reach Ginnie is by hopping on I-75 N.
Editor’s note: Like I said in the previous post, thank Ileana Morales for sharing her experience at Ginnie Springs. She’s a UF political science senior.
Better yet, give her a shout on her new tumblr blog.
Or leave a comment here with your fave Ginnie memories or suggestions (we’d both like that).
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