Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

In 1947 a stunt swimmer named Newt Perry built an 18-seat limestone theater into the side of a Florida spring north of Tampa and trained women to perform ballet underwater using hidden air hoses. He called the place Weeki Wachee, after a Seminole word meaning little spring. The mermaids have been performing ever since — through Hollywood's golden age, through Elvis visits, through ABC's purchase of the park in 1959, through near-closure, through the state's takeover in 2008, and now through its National Register listing in 2020.

Underneath all the theatrics, Weeki Wachee is also a first-magnitude spring with the deepest known freshwater cave in the United States. The mermaids are the show. The spring is the wonder.

• Location: Weeki Wachee (Hernando County), 45 minutes north of Tampa
• Address: 6131 Commercial Way, Weeki Wachee, FL 34606
• Hours: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., 365 days a year
• Adult admission (13+): $13
• Child admission (6–12): $8 (5 and under free)
• Includes: Mermaid show, Buccaneer Bay, riverboat cruise, ranger program
• Water temperature: 74°F year-round
• Magnitude: First-magnitude (~117M gallons/day)
• Cave depth: 407 feet — deepest known freshwater cave in the US

The park sits at the intersection of US-19 (Commercial Way) and SR-50 in southern Hernando County. Approximate drive times:

• Tampa: 45 minutes (I-275 north to Suncoast Parkway / SR-589)
• Orlando: 1 hour 30 minutes (I-4 west to SR-50 west)
• Gainesville: 1 hour 30 minutes (US-27 south to SR-50 west)
• Jacksonville: 2 hours 30 minutes (I-75 south to SR-50 west)

The nearest major airport is Tampa International (TPA), about 45 minutes south. Parking is free on-site, but there is no overflow lot — once the lot fills, no more tickets are sold.

Weeki Wachee is a first-magnitude spring discharging an average of ~117 million gallons per day. The vent emerges from a karst window in the limestone bedrock and feeds the Weeki Wachee River, which runs about 12 miles southwest to the Gulf of Mexico. In 2007 cave divers confirmed the spring's underwater system reaches a maximum depth of 407 feet, making it the deepest known freshwater cave system in the United States.

The water is a constant 74°F. The river is technically off-limits to private boats inside the park but is open to kayaks and canoes through the in-park concessionaire.

Three shows per day at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. The 400-seat submerged theater is embedded in the limestone springhead — you sit on the dry side and watch performers through large underwater windows. Current rotating productions include "The Little Mermaid" and "Fish Tails." Mermaids breathe through hidden air hoses, but every move is live; nothing is recorded.

Seating is first-come, first-served, and theater doors open exactly 30 minutes before showtime. On peak summer days the line forms well before that. Aim for the 11 a.m. show if you can — afternoon thunderstorms occasionally cancel the 3 p.m. show.

Florida's only spring-fed water park sits adjacent to the mermaid theater. Four water slides (height requirements 42" and 48" for the bigger drops), a sandy spring-fed beach, a natural lazy river running off the spring, and a kiddie pool. Two of the four slides empty riders directly into the spring run.

Buccaneer Bay operates weekends from late April through early June, daily from June through August, then weekends-only through September. Closed weekdays in spring and fall, closed entirely in winter. Confirm the calendar before planning your day around the water park.

• Wilderness River Cruise — a narrated 40-minute wildlife tour down the Weeki Wachee River. Departures every 30 minutes during peak hours. Manatees are common in winter. Note: paused as of late 2025 due to low water levels — confirm operation before visiting.
• Kayaking — Weeki Fresh Water Adventures (in-park) runs a 2.8-mile downriver float with shuttle return. The longer 5.5-mile route ends at Rogers Park, a Hernando County facility. The current is strong; paddling back upstream is not feasible.
• Manatee viewing — November through March, manatees move upriver to the warm spring water. The "Hospital Hole" deep pool ~12 minutes upstream by kayak is a known winter manatee gathering spot.
• Junior Mermaid Camp (ages 7–14) and Sirens of the Deep Adult Camp (30+) operate seasonally.
• Ranger Experience wildlife show at noon and 2:15 p.m.

• Weeki Fresh Water Adventures (in-park) — single kayak $35, tandem $51, paddleboard $35. Reservations required. 352-597-8484.
• The Kayak Shack at Rogers Park — downstream endpoint. Self-guided up-and-back paddles. Reservations strongly recommended March–September.
• Weeki Wachee Kayaking — private dock at 8103 Cortez Blvd. Open-ended paddles with no time limit.

All within 5–10 minutes of the park on Commercial Way (US-19):

• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Spring Hill — 3528 Commercial Way; outdoor pool, free breakfast.
• Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham — 4881 Commercial Way; budget-friendly, pool.
• Motel 6 Spring Hill / Weeki Wachee — 6172 Commercial Way; pet-friendly, pool.
• Brooksville (~10–15 miles east) — additional chain options along Broad Street.

• Florida Cracker Kitchen — 966 E. Jefferson St., Brooksville (~12 miles east). Florida soul food: shrimp and grits, smoked mullet, MeMa's cinnamon rolls. Tuesday–Sunday breakfast and lunch.
• In-park dining — Mermaid Galley, Salty Sirens, Seadog Cafe, and Buccaneer Bay Tiki Bar. Coolers up to 45 qt allowed (no alcohol, no glass).
• US-19 / SR-50 corridor — Applebee's, Cracker Barrel, Sonny's BBQ, and other chains in Spring Hill.

• Arrive at opening on summer days. The parking lot fills by mid-morning; once at capacity, no more tickets are sold. There is no overflow lot.
• Get in line for the mermaid show 30 minutes before the show. The 11 a.m. show is the safest bet — afternoon thunderstorms can cancel the 3 p.m.
• Reserve a Wilderness River Cruise time the moment you enter the park. Cruises sell out.
• Buccaneer Bay is closed weekdays in the off-season. Confirm the calendar before assuming the water park is open.
• Kayak rentals require advance reservations. Walk-ups accepted only if spots remain.
• The water is 72–74°F year-round. Refreshing in summer, bracing in winter.
• Lightning shuts everything down. Florida summer thunderstorms are routine — check the afternoon forecast.
• Weekiwachee Preserve (the unrelated nature preserve across town) is sometimes confused with the state park. The state park is on US-19 at the SR-50 intersection.

Last verified: May 28, 2026. The Wilderness River Cruise has been paused for low water levels; confirm operation before your visit. Verify show times, water park calendar, and reservation requirements at floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/weeki-wachee-springs-state-park. Historic mermaid photo via Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons; manatee photo by Fredlyfish4, CC BY-SA 3.0.