Weeki Wachee

Fed by a deep freshwater spring, the Weeki Wachee River is a winding ribbon of emerald water shaded by cypress and palm. Kayakers share the slow current with manatees, turtles, and fish, drifting past banks lined with wading birds. At its headwaters, the famous Weeki Wachee Springs State Park keeps a decades-old Florida tradition alive — underwater mermaid performances in the clear, 74-degree waters that flow straight from the Earth.