On Oct. 1, 2026, a day of soaking at Warm Mineral Springs Park cost the same as it did on Sept. 30. An adult pays $15 with North Port residency, $18 with Sarasota County residency and $20 otherwise. The price that did change belongs to the people who come most often. On that same date, the 30-visit pass for a North Port resident went from $225 to $270. That increase is the second step in a plan the City set out in 2025. It comes while construction crews work on the historic buildings a short walk from the water.
Put the rebuild and the fee schedule side by side and the picture is clear. Under this setup, the occasional visitor's price stays flat, and frequent visitors pay a growing share of the park's long-term costs.
Three Buildings, One Fund
The City held its "Hats on for Progress" ceremony on July 27, 2026, to mark the start of the Warm Mineral Springs Park Building Rehabilitation Project. The City's announcement put the cost at about $16.7 million. The City's project page gives a slightly lower cap, stating a total budget not to exceed $16,281,229. Each of the three historic buildings gets different treatment:
- Admission Building: rehabilitated and floodproofed, with space for admissions, staff, public restrooms and meetings.
- Spa Building: becomes an open-air pavilion with shaded gathering space, family-style restrooms and outdoor showers, while keeping its Jack West exterior.
- Cyclorama: roof repairs, floodproofing and stabilization, then mothballed under historic preservation guidelines until funding for a full restoration comes through.
The money comes from several pots. In July the City Commission added $4.08 million to the $12.6 million already set aside. Funding sources include the Warm Mineral Springs Fund, the Environmental Protection Fund, the Utilities Revenue Fund, park impact fees and surtax. Wharton-Smith is the construction manager. Kimley-Horn and Associates, Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, and the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation are project partners. The City expects about 16 months of construction and says a grand opening is "potentially" planned for late 2027.
The pass change connects to the rebuild through the park fund. When the City announced the new multi-visit pricing on Sept. 8, 2026, it said the extra revenue "will remain within the Warm Mineral Springs Fund 125 to support infrastructure improvements and long-term capital needs." The City Commission approved the change through Ordinance 2026-21, with a first reading July 7 and a second reading July 21. That was the same month it added money to the construction budget.
The Discount That Shrinks Every October
The Sept. 8 announcement calls the new pricing "part of the phased fee approach originally outlined during the City's fiscal year 2026 budget process." The City's 2025 fee presentation lays the phases out year by year. The North Port resident rates show the pattern most clearly:
| North Port resident, adult | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027, now in effect | FY 2028, proposed in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily admission | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| 10-visit pass | $112.50 | $112.50 | $120.00 | $127.50 |
| 30-visit pass | $150.00 | $225.00 | $270.00 | $315.00 |
| Effective cost per visit, 30-visit pass | $5.00 | $7.50 | $9.00 | $10.50 |
In fiscal 2025, a resident buying the 30-visit pass paid $5 per soak, a 66.67 percent discount off the gate price. Now that resident pays $9, a 40 percent discount. The daily rate held the whole time. The FY 2028 column is the figure the City presented in 2025. The fiscal 2027 prices now in effect match that same presentation exactly, but no later vote on the FY 2028 step turned up in our research.
The other rate tiers follow the same pattern. County residents now pay $144 for 10 visits and $324 for 30, up from $135 and $270. Nonresidents pay $160 and $360, up from $150 and $300.
The Sarasota County tier is new as of last year. The schedule that took effect Oct. 1, 2025, created it and limited the resident rate to North Port residents. It also reduced the 30-visit discount. The North Port Sun reported objections at that fee hearing and a 3–2 Commission vote on the schedule.
Which Pass Fits How Often You Go
Because the multi-visit discounts shrank, the best option now depends on how often you go. The City's announcement says that "for guests who visit frequently, annual passes continue to provide the most cost-effective admission option." The current fee table lists annual passes at $1,125 for North Port residents, $1,600 for Sarasota County residents and $2,000 for nonresidents.
Here is the math for a North Port resident at this year's prices:
- Seven or fewer visits in six months: Pay at the gate at $15 a visit. Eight gate visits cost $120, the same as the 10-visit pass, so at eight or more visits the pass comes out ahead.
- Between 8 and 30 visits in six months: The 10-visit pass is $12 a visit if you use all 10. The 30-visit pass is $9 a visit, but only if you use all 30 within 180 days of buying it.
- About 75 visits a year or more: At $15 a day, 75 visits cost $1,125, the price of the resident annual pass. If you'd otherwise buy 30-visit passes, the annual pass wins at about 125 visits a year.
County residents reach the same point at about 89 gate visits a year. Nonresidents reach it at 100.
The 180-day limit makes a big difference here. The City says remaining visits "hold no cash value and will be forfeited" once a pass expires. Passes also can't be used outside the buyer's household, and the City may ask for proof of residency when you use one. A seasonal resident planning a winter of soaks should buy a 30-visit pass after arriving, not in a rush before leaving for the summer.
Swimming Next To A Construction Site
The City is keeping the spring open during the work, and that changes how a visit feels. Its Aug. 21, 2026, notice to visitors and pass holders said the City "is making every effort to keep the park open and accessible during construction." It also said construction equipment and loud noise may occur during regular park hours. In the same notice, the City said it will not give refunds or price adjustments because of construction. It also promised that if the City closes the park because of construction, active passes will be extended by the exact number of days it is closed.
That promise was tested three days later. On Aug. 24, a contractor hit an underground line at the construction site and the park closed for safety. The North Port Sun reported that the park reopened after a few hours that Monday.
Pass holders can count on three kinds of closure protection. Construction closures extend passes day for day under the Aug. 21 notice. Named storms, hurricanes and other emergency closures automatically extend multi-visit passes. Lightning closures don't extend the 180-day clock. Instead, if you have been in the park less than two hours and the closure is expected to last over an hour, you get a rain check good for 30 days.
The day-to-day setup is the same as before construction started. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The historic complex, including the gift shop, permanent showers, restrooms, changing rooms and lockers, is still closed after damage from Hurricanes Elsa and Ian. Visitors use a temporary admissions building and a portable restroom trailer. The City's construction update page ends at August 2026, with site mobilization, clearing, erosion controls, selective demolition and structural evaluation. It hasn't posted any parking or entrance changes. If you want project news sent to you, the park page has a sign-up for City email updates.
Packing For A Park With No Snack Bar
The park has no concessions. You can bring a small cooler, and the City notes that food trucks often set up outside the gates. The rules for what comes in are specific. No glass, alcohol, tobacco, umbrellas, tents or throwing toys are allowed. Food and drinks must stay four feet from the water. Same-day re-entry is allowed with proof of admission, as capacity allows. The City also suggests leaving jewelry behind, since the spring's minerals can tarnish it.
With re-entry allowed and a 9 a.m. opening, it's easy to grab food on Tamiami Trail before you go in or after you leave. These spots are close by:
- K&K Bakery, 13661 Tamiami Trail, bakes bread and pastries fresh every day, with bread out of the oven in the morning.
- Dutch Bros Coffee, 14914 Tamiami Trail, opens its drive-through at 5 a.m. daily, well before the park gate opens.
- Pink Fire Pizza, 13001 Tamiami Trail, is a family-run neighborhood pizzeria that takes orders ahead.
- Anna Maria Oyster Bar, 14132 Tamiami Trail, has its North Port location on US-41 and takes online orders.
- Blue Tequila Mexican Restaurant & Cantina, 14525 Tamiami Trail, is open daily with online ordering.
- La Rocca Italian Restaurant & Bar, 12500 Tamiami Trail South, describes itself as near Warm Mineral Springs and serves dinner. Its own site says hours can vary and suggests calling ahead.
The spring itself hasn't changed. The City describes it as Florida's only natural warm spring, averaging 85 degrees year-round. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and draws more than 150,000 visitors a year. The City's 16-month construction estimate means this winter's soaks will happen beside an active work site, with a grand opening potentially in late 2027. The 2025 fee presentation lists the next proposed multi-visit step under fiscal 2028.
At Jennifer & Philip Taberski, we check the fine print on a house the same way this post checks the fine print on a park pass. We put real numbers, time windows and the reasoning behind each choice in front of you before you commit. If you're thinking about selling a home near the springs or anywhere in North Port, get your free digital listing plan and see the numbers first.
