Photos: Courtesy Weeki Wachee
DAYCATION—WEEKI WACHEE
‘A Retro Delight’ By Dean Blinkhorn
This attraction got noticed well before a well-known mouse in Orlando. More than 70 years since—and an adoption into the state park system later—Weeki Wachee stands ready to enthrall visitors of all kinds to a more natural side of the Sunshine State. 30
WHY GO? Weeki Wachee, one of Central Florida’s original tourist attractions, is a retro delight. Spend the day kayaking its crystal-clear namesake river, bring the grandkids for a day at Buccaneer Bay, or enjoy a leisurely stroll through its exhibits and world-famous mermaid shows. An added bonus is that it’s a little over an hour from most parts of Marion County. WHAT TO DO: The mermaid show is the centerpiece of the park. They swim in and out of the underwater “stage,” which is actually in the spring itself, as the audience watches behind
OCALA’S GOOD LIFE retirement redefined
a panoramic series of clear glass. The mermaids dance to different songs and tell stories of the history of the park, all while wearing their oversized tails and a bikini top and breathing through a tube that founder Newt Perry designed specifically for these synchronized theatrical productions. The mermaids were trying out a new show the day we were there and it was a fun way to start our day at the park. It had a refreshingly wholesome and Andrews Sister-like vibe, much appreciated by the parents and their children, especially all the little girls who probably could imagine themselves in the water alongside them,
