Hi! Most of my snorkeling is done in the springs of Central Florida. Of course there is no such thing as a snorkeling license. My experiences, and the results of my research, are that the best springs are contained within parks and these parks invariably have an admissions fee. The book, "Diving Guide to Underwater Florida," is very useful. Springs are usually fairly small scale affairs. Since they often are also safe for children, there is, in my opinion, only one thing left to do: If the park opens at 8:00 AM, and you are waiting at the gate when it opens, you can have this amazing and beautiful experience of walking to the still pool through a an empty park, everything very beautiful, and then have the spring to yourself for long enough to explore it and see the whole thing. By the time you are leaving, vast hordes of families, German tourists, church groups, and SCUBA diving students will be pouring towards the defenseless little pool. Don't look back, just walk away. My favorite spring, a very unusual phenomenon in the whole world, is the Itchetucknee Springs State Park. I wrote a report here some time ago about it: "Snorkeling Ichetucknee Springs." Imagine! The entire creek, from the huge springs at its start almost to the its end where it pours into a large river, is contained in a park and preserved untouched. Worth the price of admission!
