WEEKI WACHEE, Fla. - The name means "Little Spring" or "Winding River."
Nestled at the corner of U.S. 19 and Cortez Boulevard in Hernando County, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is a haven for wildlife and an all-around water-themed attraction.
"We've got a riverboat cruise that takes our guests a little further down the Weeki Wachee River," said John Athanason, a spokesperson for the park. "Behind me is Buccaneer Bay, Florida's only spring-fed water park, where our guests actually swim in the spring itself."
But the main lure for the park is more mythical.
"We get a lot of visitors from out of state, out of country, who have heard of the world-famous mermaids, and have made that pilgrimage to the city of live mermaids to watch them perform," said Athanason.
The park's 30 young mer-ladies show their skills up to four times a day during the summer, and the springs become their theater.
"The spring is a constant 72 degrees year-round, 99.8 percent pure spring water, and out of the aquifer pumps 117 million gallons of water each and every day," said Athanason.
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The girls make the water choreography so flawless, and for the brave, the park offers camps to learn how to channel your inner mermaid.
Camps are for seven to 14-year-olds, and also for ladies 30 and up. Participants can get a mermaid makeover, try some basic water ballet, and get a behind-the-scenes look at a show.
Another big draw for the park, Buccaneer Bay, is open daily for a week, starting April 3. Hours switch to a weekend-only basis after that, then back to daily hours on June 4th.
Click here for more information on the park and its activities.