Weeki Wachee Spring State Park has real live mermaids and you can see them today in the Weeki Wachee mermaid show for only $13! Located an hour north of Tampa the freshwater spring of Weeki Wachee is the perfect place to spend a warm summer day.
Weeki Wachee is the deepest freshwater cave system in the US and stays a crisp 72 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. The Weeki Wachee mermaid shows started here in 1947 when Newt Perry opened the park as a roadside attraction.
Since then the stage has been expanded to seat more people and there are other attractions like the nature show, wilderness cruise and buccaneer bay. Despite all this the mermaids remain the main draw that brings people to the spring 365 days a year.
After closing for a year due to COVID-19 Weeki Wachee has officially reopened including the mermaid shows.
The wilderness cruise remains closed due to social distancing requirements and the water slides, kiddie area and lazy river are only open on weekends until May 29th, 2021.
This post may contain some affiliate links. This means I make a small profit from your purchase but at no increased cost to you. Thank you!
Visiting Weeki Wachee Spring State Park
Cost: Park entry costs $13 for adults and $8 for kids ages 6-12. Kids 5 and under are free.
Hours: The park is open from 9 am to 5:30 pm every day.
Address: 6131 Commercial Way Weeki Wachee FL 34606
Phone Number: 352-592-5656
Weeki Wachee Mermaid Show
The Weeki Wachee mermaid show runs a couple times each day. Currently, due to COVID, you will be given an assigned show time when you purchase your ticket. Show seats are first come, first serve so I recommend arriving earlier rather than later in order to make sure you get a seat.
There are two shows that are run. The first is a unique rendition of Hans Christiansan’s “The Little Mermaid” which tells the story of the little mermaid on her birthday and how she meets her prince. This is the show we saw, it was very cute!
The second show is called Wonders of Weeki. This show goes through underwater feats from the mermaids of yesteryear as well as history of the spring and the technical side of the show. I’d love to go back and see this one sometime.
After the show, near the gift shop, you can get your picture taken with one of the mermaids!
Mermaid Show FAQ’s
How much is the mermaid show?
The Weeki Wachee mermaid show is included in your $13 admission price. It doesn’t cost any extra!
How long is the mermaid show?
The mermaid show is about 30-40 minutes long.
More Fun Activities Around Tampa Bay
- 11 Fun Things to Do in Palm Harbor, FL
- Day Trip Guide to Devil’s Den, Florida – A Prehistoric Spring
- Flower Picking at Hunsader Farms in Bradenton, FL
- Peach and Sunflower Picking at Southern Hill Farms
Other Weeki Wachee Atractions
Buccaneer Bay
Buccaneer Bay is the name the park has given to the swimming area of the spring. There is the spring itself where everyone can swim. The spring is crystal clear and has a shallow end where you enter the water that comes up to about mid-calf. It then gets progressively deeper fairly quickly. There is a floating dock that you can swim out to and sit on as well.
There are also two water slides, a kid area and a lazy river to enjoy as well. Beside the spring is a man made beach with lounge chairs. The sand is soft and fun for kids to play in. This makes it feel as though you’re on the coast.
Just a note, stairs are the only way down into the spring.
Nature Show and Wilderness Cruise
Weeki Wachee also offers a small nature show that is about 10 minutes long where they show you a couple animals native to Florida.
When we visited they had a turtle, a tortoise and a snake. The show was very short but had some fun facts in it.
The wilderness cruise is a boat that will take you along the river where you can see local wildlife like manatees and turtles. It is currently closed due to social distancing requirements but they are hoping to find a way to reopen it soon (as of May 20th 2020).
Food and Souvenirs
You can purchase food inside the park at several different locations. They offer grilled food items, ice cream, snacks and cold drinks including alcoholic beverages. You can also bring in your own coolers with food and drink although you cannot bring your own alcohol.
There is a souvenir shop across from the theatre area. They have many fun mermaid themed souvenirs. My favorite was the matching mermaid sets for girls and their dolls or barbies!
Kayaking + Paddleboarding
Weeki Wachee also offers kayaking and paddleboarding on the river. It is not included in the $13 entrance ticket.
- Reservations are required.
- It costs $32 for a 1 person kayak or paddleboard.
- Or $38 for a 2 person kayak.
- Rentals are for 2 hours and shuttle service is included.
- Self launch with your own kayak is $6.
Weeki Wachee Day Trip
All in all Weeki Wachee is a great day trip from Tampa. For $13 you get a full day’s worth of activity and fun. Between swimming in the spring, the mermaid show and the nature experiences, the whole family will have a great day together.
The spring is a true Florida roadside attraction but it is definitely worth a visit if you are in the Tampa area. The Weeki Wachee mermaid show is worth it alone but getting to swim in the spring makes it a fun all day excursion.
