Hernando Beach is located in Florida, about 35 miles north of Tampa. This quaint town has uncrowded beaches, wildlife parks, and so much more! On our way down to south Florida, we were able to yard camp with family in Hernando Beach. We really enjoyed our time with family, not to mention the view and location was pretty amazing!

Weeki Wachee is located about one hour north of Tampa and offers water and land adventures, as well as attractions and parks! It is located at the headwaters of the Weeki Wachee River. For over six decades, the mermaids have dazzled audiences from all over! Between their current “Little Mermaid” style show to drinking and eating under the water, it’s bound to impress! In 1982, they opened Buccaneer Bay which is a small water park with plenty of water slides into the fresh spring. Today Weeki Wachee is one of the nation’s smallest cities, with a population of four, one being the mayor who happens to have been a mermaid previously! Talk about quaint! 🙂 In 2008, Weeki Wachee Springs became part of the Florida State Park System so I highly encourage you to go for a visit and support the state and national park systems!

If you’re ever in the area, or just passing by, I highly suggest you visit this little gem! Having gone during the winter, it was much quieter with the water park closed. We took in the mermaid show, which was pretty much the reason we went. The children and adults alike will enjoy this one-of-a-kind unique underwater experience! We had a blast and heard that an occasional manatee will even make an appearance for a show! We then stopped off for some hot chocolate to keep us warm for our boat ride. We learned about various local plants and animals, but the highlight of our trip was seeing the eagles nest which is home to an eagle with a wing span of 8 feet! The other highlight was having a manatee swim alongside our boat for a little while! It was gliding so smoothly and effortlessly. I’m not sure if it was an off day or off season, but the outdoor wildlife show was not scheduled for the day we were there. I feel like this would’ve been an enjoyable show, so if you get a chance, check that out as well! During the summer months, this place becomes a popular scene for travelers and locals alike to enjoy the attractions and cool off in the Florida heat!

Have you seen the mermaids? Did you enjoy it? When did you go and what was your favorite part? We would love to hear about your experience!

After the Mermaid Show at Weeki Wachee Springs, we headed over to Homosassa Springs which has been a tourist attraction since the early 1900s. This is a 150 acre site where you take a short boat ride over to the animal area where you will find crocodiles, alligators, birds, flamingos, tons of manatees, deer, etc. There is some wonderful history that you’ll hear about on the boat ride, as well as visiting the children’s educational center and visitor center upon check-in. We really enjoyed the small town feel and can appreciate smaller zoo-like attractions that help take in injured wildlife that may not survive out in the wild.

Have you been here and what did you enjoy about Homosassa Springs?