Weeki Wachee, FL

Weeki Wachee is a small community in Hernando County built around Weeki Wachee Springs, the source of the Weeki Wachee River. People come for the live mermaid shows, the Buccaneer Bay water park and paddling one of the clearest rivers in Florida.

Where is Weeki Wachee?

Weeki Wachee sits where US 19, SR 50 and CR 550 meet, about 12 miles west of Brooksville, the county seat. The Suncoast Parkway runs a few miles east and connects to Tampa. Tampa International Airport is about 50 minutes to an hour away by car. Weeki Wachee was a tiny incorporated city from 1966 until the state dissolved it in 2020, and it is now an unincorporated community.

Things to do in Weeki Wachee

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is the reason to come. Mermaid performances in the underwater theater have entertained audiences since 1947, and the park also has animal shows and, in season, Buccaneer Bay, a spring-fed water park with a sandy beach and slides. Kayaking down the spring run is a favorite way to see the river’s clear water and wildlife. River conditions change, so check the park’s current notices before you go.

Nearby, Rogers Park is a Hernando County park on the Weeki Wachee River at Shoal Line Boulevard. To the west, Alfred McKethan/Pine Island Park off CR 495 has a small Gulf beach with a swimming area, picnic shelters and an observation point.

When to visit Weeki Wachee

Spring and fall are comfortable for paddling and shows. Summer is peak water park season, so arrive at opening on weekends. Winter is quieter, with cool, clear mornings, and manatees sometimes move up the river.

Weeki Wachee is part of the Nature Coast.