This is a lovely park in the panhandle of Florida, not far from Tallahassee. The "jungle" cruise is worth $6 for adults although once you've seen 20 alligators, seeing another is not such a big deal. There are plenty of photo ops on the cruise an I would estimate it takes about 1 hour. The water is crystal clear and you can see schools of mullet cruising past.
I did not go into the lodge but it is highly regarded and reasonably priced. The swimming beach is interesting but unguarded and there is a lot of aquatic vegetation to deal with. Be careful on the lower level of the observation/diving tower as we watched a bunch of idiot 20 year olds waiting on the top deck for people to come on the lower deck and then would jump in and try and soak the lower people with the splash. Juvenile.

Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park and Lodge is about 20 minutes from Florida's capitol, Tallahassee. This is one of the world's largest and deepest freshwater springs. If you are not staying at the Lodge, as soon as you get there, buy a ticket for the River Tour. The day we visited, the Glass Bottom Boat tour was not operating due to poor water conditions, but, honestly, it was very, very clear. You could see fish swimming. The river boat seats a bunch of people, so get in line and sit in the front if you can. This is NOT an air boat ride; it is about 40 minutes long and well worth the 6 bucks a head. You will see tons of birds, ducks, snakes, turtles, and alligators, alligators and MORE ALLIGATORS!! If you came to Florida to see gators up close and personal, this is it!! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED! So, sit down, shut up, and hold on!
After the tour, go to the Lodge for an ice cream. While you are licking your cone, take a gander at "Ole Joe," a 14 foot stuffed gator in a glass case. Ole Joe was brutally murdered in 1966 and his killers have never been found. Ole Joe never harmed a human or pet and he rests in his first and only cage. If you find this disturbing, it is. Not much has changed in 40 years. Man is still the most dangerous predator to wildlife.

We visit Wakulla Springs every spring on our family vacation to visit relatives in Tallahassee. We really enjoy the local flavor of the guided boat tour. The Spring and the surroundings are beautiful. Don't visit without putting bug spray on! There are 2 boat tours, a glass bottom boat and a regular tour boat. Call ahead to see if the glass bottom boat is operating, it depends on the flow of the spring, and when it rains, the water is too cloudy.

There are also lots of hiking trails and a small swimming beach at the park with a 2 level diving platform. There are changing facilities in the park, and a restaurant in the hotel lobby.