Year Visited: 2025

Time of Year: January

Ever since my boss told me there was a mermaid documentary on Netflix (after people from Weeki Wachee stayed at our hotel!), I have wanted to go to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Florida and see the mermaid show!!

So, for my birthday this year, I decided to visit my local friend in Tampa, and take a day trip up to see the Florida mermaids! We watched the show, explored the park, dressed up as mermaids, and of course, took lots of selfies.

Here is my review of the Weeki Wachee mermaid show, as well as tips for visiting and other things to do at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park.

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What’s in this Article:

• About Weeki Wachee Springs
• Best Time of Year to Visit
• Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show
• Things to Do at Weeki Wachee Springs
• Tips & Things to Know
• Other Places to See Mermaids in Florida
• What to Watch Before Visiting

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About Weeki Wachee Springs

Weeki Wachee Springs opened in 1947, and is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Florida (much older than Disney World!). It is based around a natural spring, where warm 74 degree water constantly bubbles up from deep underground caves.

The spring itself is so deep, that no diver has ever found the bottom. The farthest they’ve reached is 400 ft deep, but it just keeps going!

It was named by the Seminole, and means “Little Spring” or “Winding River.”

Where is Weeki Wachee Springs?

Weeki Wachee is about one hour north of Tampa, Florida, and just under two hours west of Orlando.

It is located close to Florida’s west coast. The waters from the Weeki Wachee River flow 12 miles out into the Gulf of Mexico.

History of Weeki Wachee Springs.

Newton Perry came across Weeki Wachee Springs in 1946. The natural spring was filled with trash and old rusty appliances, but he knew it was somewhere special.

The former Navy man set to work clearing the spring, and training young women how to perform underwater. He developed a method of breathing from a tube, instead of with a bulky tank on your back, so that the women could perform acrobatics underwater. In fact, they still use that same method to breathe and float underwater today.

He built a small theater and tried to attract visitors from the small two-lane road out front. As its popularity grew, the broadcasting company ABC bought the park in 1959, and rebuilt the theater from an 18-seat theater to a 400-seat theater.

The park grew and added more attractions, and in 2008 was bought by the state of Florida and is now run as a state park.

You can find more information on the history of Weeki Wachee Springs online if you are interested.

Park Hours & Cost

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is open every day, all year long (though parts of the park close down in winter).

The park hours are 9:00 am-5:30 pm.

Cost is:

• $13 for adults
• $8 for kids 6-12
• Free for kids 5 and under

You buy tickets at the gate when you arrive. Be sure to arrive early during the summer season, as the park can fill up.

Plan to spend a few hours here in the winter. You could easily fill up all day in the summer if you do the water park, and especially if you kayak as well.

Who should visit Weeki Wachee Springs State Park?

Is the park just for families with small kids??

No! Weeki Wachee Springs is for everyone. When we went on a weekday in January, it was mostly retired folks and us (2 childless 30-somethings…).

Weeki Wachee is a family-friendly park, but it is also a fun location for grandparents, young couples, or anyone who wants to experience it!

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Best Time of Year to Visit

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is open year-round; however, it is important to note that not everything in the park is open year-round.

We visited on a weekday in January, which was good, because the weather was mild and there were hardly any crowds. But just the week before had been in the 40s (F) with potential snow! So honestly, I don’t think January is the best time to visit, plus you can’t swim in the springs in winter.

Overall, I think the best time to visit would be late May or early June. This should be before peak summer and hurricane season, but the temperatures will be great for a swim in the water! It’s definitely better to visit when the water park is open.

• Good to Know: The park can fill up during the summer months, so be sure to arrive early to make sure you can get in.

When does Buccaneer Bay open?

The “water park” here is called Buccaneer Bay, and it is only open seasonally. I asked one of the employees when it would open, and he told me that parts of it would open in the spring, and it would be fully open in the summer. Which was not very specific…

I would estimate that the water park should be open around May, and stay open through September or October. But you can also call the state park to double check if Buccaneer Bay will be open during your visit.

When can you see manatees?

There are not a lot of manatees in the Weeki Wachee River, but if you do want to see them, your best chance will be in the late winter time, as cooler water causes them to seek warmer inland spots. We did not see any manatees when we were there in January.

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The Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show

The highlight of Weeki Wachee Springs (and the reason for our visit) is definitely the underwater mermaid show! The show takes place at the Newton Perry Underwater Mermaid Theater, one of the first buildings you come across when you enter the state park.

The shows last about 1/2 an hour, and run multiple times throughout the day. Seating is on a first come/first served basis.

I’m not sure if they run more shows during the busy summer season, but when we were there in January, there were two showtimes:

• 11:00 am
• 3:00 pm

The doors open 30 minutes before the show, but you can get in line earlier than that. I would suggest getting in line early! You will see people forming a line out front of the theater, by the playground.

Even though the park wasn’t busy when we were there, the theater got pretty full, and having a good seat is going to improve your experience. Try to sit in the middle and/or towards the front if you can.

• Good to Know: The theater is “amphitheater style” seating, and the benches were not very comfy!

Review of the Mermaid Show

I have to say, I had very high expectations for the mermaid show, and it ended up being… well… cheesy.

They had some really great music choices, and it was fun to watch! But it definitely didn’t blow me away the way I was hoping. It also was a little bit boring…

All of the underwater tricks the Weeki Wachee mermaids do are incredibly difficult to perform. But since they do them in such slow motion (and maybe since I was a little distracted taking pictures), they don’t always look as impressive as they should.

The other thing is… we were expecting to watch an actual “story.” The show that was currently on when we visited was The Little Mermaid, and we were very excited to see this! However, since they only had one “prince” fully trained, and he was out sick, we didn’t get to see this show. I think if we had, I would have been more interested.

• Fun Fact: It takes an entire year of training to become a Weeki Wachee mermaid or merman.

Instead, we watched a series of songs and acts, where the mermaids did tricks and explained the history and ecology of the park. And told corny jokes.

So, if you’re expecting a cheesy roadside Americana type attraction that was famous in the 1960s… then you’ve set your expectations correctly!

That being said, it is still incredibly cool to watch people in mermaid tails flip around underwater in an amazing crystal-clear spring. Especially if you’re a 5-year-old girl dreaming of being a mermaid. Or a five-year-old-girl-dreaming-of-being-a-mermaid at heart…

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Things to Do at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

There are quite a few other things to do at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park besides just the mermaid show. All of these attractions (well, besides the snacks and gift shop items that is) are included in the entry fee.

• Good to Know: Do keep in mind that some of these attractions are only open seasonally, and most of them will close due to inclement weather.

Wilderness River Cruise

Be sure to take the moseying cruise down the Weeki Wachee River while you’re at the park! The river cruises start running at 9:30 am, and run continuously (about every 30 min.) until 4:00 pm.

Cruises are first come/first served. You can reserve a time for the river cruise when you first get to the park, so you don’t have to worry about spots filling up. When we visited in January, we just stopped here on our way to the Ranger Experience, and got tickets for the next cruise coming up.

The river itself is very clear, and only a couple of feet deep. It’s by far the shallowest river I’ve ever seen!

Discovery Point & Ranger Experience Show

For me, the highlight of Weeki Wachee Springs was the Ranger Experience (though remember, we didn’t get to swim in the water park).

The Ranger Experience is a show about some of the wild animals you can find in the state park, like the red-bellied turtle, snakes, and alligators! The park ranger was super knowledgeable and passionate about these animals, and the show was (while cheesy) amusing (especially the part where the turtle accidentally peed on her hand…!).

The Ranger Experience show is about 20 minutes long, and runs several times throughout the day. When we were there, showtimes were:

• 12:00 pm
• 2:15 pm

When they’re not doing the show, you can see all the animals (and others) at Discovery Point.

Tranquility Trail

Tranquility Trail is a little walk through the woods, in between the boat dock and Discovery Point. It’s a nice trail, but we were disappointed in how short it is. It literally took 2 minutes to walk through!

Buccaneer Bay Water Park

Buccaneer Bay is the water park side of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. It was not open when we visited in January. According to the park ranger, it will start to open in spring, and fully open in summer.

I think it would be so much fun to visit when the water park is open, and be able to swim in these amazing waters! This is also where you have the best chance of spotting manatees, if there are any around.

Buccaneer Bay has:

• Water slides
• A lazy river (you can rent inner tubes)
• A kiddie pool
• A beach to lounge on

I really think this would be the best part of a visit Weeki Wachee Springs, to be able to swim in the actual waters from the springs!

Mermaid Statues & Photo Ops

There are tons of mermaid statues and mermaid photo ops all over the park! Be sure to take some time to look for hidden statues and snap photos for social media (and maybe bring your own mermaid tail dress to wear!).

You might also have an opportunity to take a pic with one of the Weeki Wachee mermaids! We grabbed a picture with a “real life” mermaid after the morning show.

• Fun Fact: Some of the sculptures are part of the Mermaid Tale Trail, a group of 27 mermaid sculptures throughout Hernando County that were painted by local artists!

Spot Wildlife

For some reason or other… there are lots of peacocks just wandering around the park. We found one searching for a snack outside of the Mermaid Galley cafe. You can also see them in the hidden nature area when you first walk into the park.

Other wildlife you might see (besides the ones at Discovery Point), are Bald Eagles (we saw a nest on our river cruise) and other birds, and manatees (though they are not super common in the park).

Go Kayaking

You can kayak in the Weeki Wachee River. But, the kayak rentals are not through the park, they are through Weeki Fresh Water Adventures, another company that shares the same parking lot as the state park.

If you want to rent a kayak, you can reserve one online before you come. When you’re in the parking lot, the park entrance is to the right, and the boat launch is to the left (there’s a huge banner to point it out).

They have guided tours, or self-guided kayak rentals. You can also bring your own kayak, just be sure to book a time slot online.

• Good to Know: You do not have to purchase a park entry ticket if you are just coming to kayak.
• If you’re visiting the area, you can also kayak with other companies along different sections of the river, like this clear-bottom kayak tour.

Explore the Gift Shops

Like any good park, there are plenty of mermaid themed gift shops where you can spend your money! The park has several shops throughout, but they will not all be open during the off-season. When we visited, only one gift shop was open (which was still enough for me to spend about $50 in…).

You can snag yourself a mermaid tail… orrr maybe just a T-shirt and some mermaid earrings.

Get Something to Eat

There are several cafes at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. Like the gift shops, not everything is open all year-round, but there will at least be some place open to get a meal or a snack while you’re here.

You can also bring your own food in, and there is a picnic area to eat in.

Playground

If you’re visiting with small kids, you will be happy to know that there is a little playground at the park for them to enjoy.

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Tips & Things to Know About Weeki Wachi Springs

I have so many tips and thoughts about visiting to share, so let me just word vomit everything you need to know about Weeki Wachee right here:

• Line up for the mermaid show early.
  • The theater fills up fast, and the best seats are in the middle.
• You can bring your own food into the park.
  • There are picnic tables, and you can bring in food. They also sell food.
• If you want to rent a kayak, do that through Weeki Fresh Water Adventures.
  • There is a separate boat launch outside the park.
• The water park is not open all year.
  • Late spring through early fall is best for swimming at Weeki Wachee.
• Attractions will shut down for inclement weather.
  • They do not offer refunds, so check the weather before you go.
• You can dress up!
  • My friend wore a “mermaid tail” dress, and I wore a mermaid crown.
• You can write a letter to the mermaids/mermen!
  • For kids 17 and under, write a “tail mail” letter to a mermaid and get an answer!
• You can attend a camp at Weeki Wachee (even adults!)
  • They offer weekend and week-long camps for kids and adults.

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Other Places to See Mermaids in Florida

If you like mermaid shows, you’ll be happy to know that there is actually another place where you can see mermaids, and it is only 30 minutes from Weeki Wachee!

Mertailor’s Aquarium Encounter is an aquarium and mermaid show just 30 minutes north of Weeki Wachee Springs. They are open from 11:00 am-4:00 pm, and do shows at:

• 12:00 pm
• 1:30 pm
• 3:00 pm

Mertailor is also featured in the Netflix documentary (he used to be a Weeki Wachee merman!). I would love to visit his aquarium and see the mermaid show, but unfortunately since it was another half hour north of Tampa (where we were staying) we didn’t visit on this trip. Next birthday I guess!

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What to Watch Before Visiting

There have actually been a lot of movies filmed at Weeki Wachee Springs! Here are some suggestions of movies to watch before (or after) your visit.

• Bonus: If you’re doing a mermaid movie marathon, try some of the recipes from this Disney Princess cookbook! I loved the cinnamon pear seashells!!!

Merpeople

I’ve already made mention of this documentary a few times, but I highly suggest the 4 episode mini series Merpeople on Netflix. It gives you a lot of background on Weeki Wachee Springs and Mertailor, and opens your eyes to what is going on in this whole world of “mermaiding,” of which I am completely oblivious. Plus, the cinematography is amazing!

The Little Mermaid

I suppose you should also watch The Little Mermaid, because why not!

Jaws

I’ve actually never seen Jaws, and I don’t plan to… But, fun fact, the swimmer at the beginning of the movie was one of the Weeki Wachee mermaids! So, you could add this to your watch list.

Movies Filmed at Weeki Wachee

There is a long list of movies filmed at Weeki Wachee Springs. From old classics like Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid, to modern movies like Waves, and even more documentaries like We are Mermaids. So take a gander at the list, and maybe watch a few before your trip.

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Is Weeki Wachi Springs worth visiting?

Now that you know all about the park and mermaid show at Weeki Wachee Springs, we come to this question: Is it worth visiting?

And the answer is… well it depends on your personality/travel style. Weeki Wachee is not for everyone. But here are my basic ground rules:

• If you have young kids who like mermaids, then yes.
• If you come in the summer when you can swim in the springs and lay out in the sun all day, then yes.
• If you have realistic expectations, that it’s a small park with a cheesy attraction, then yes.
• If you dream of being a mermaid… then yes.

Any more questions?

If you have any more questions about visiting Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, please feel free to email me or comment below. Or share your own experiences in the comments below!

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