Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

Weeki Wachee is the kind of place that only Florida produces: a crystal-clear first-magnitude spring on the Nature Coast where women in mermaid tails have performed in an underwater theater since the late 1940s. Today it is Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, about an hour's drive north of Tampa, and the mix is wonderfully odd. The park lists a Mermaid Show, a Ranger Experience, a Wilderness River Cruise and Buccaneer Bay, a seasonal water park with slides, a lazy river and a spring-fed swimming beach. Underwater explorers confirmed in 2007 that the spring feeds the deepest known freshwater cave system in the United States, which gives the glowing aquamarine water an edge of real geology beneath the kitsch. The day trip suits families with children who still believe in mermaids, retro-travel fans, and paddlers who want a spring-run float. The way into this entry is a guided, all-inclusive kayak trip from St. Pete that takes you down the spring run itself; the park's own entry lets you build a land-based day around the shows, the cruise and the swim area. Whichever you choose, treat it as a half-day-plus excursion from the bay, not a quick stop.

The park sits at 6131 Commercial Way in Weeki Wachee, on the Gulf side of the state north of the Tampa Bay region, and opens from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission to the state park is modest, with a lower rate for children aged 6 to 12 and free entry for those 5 and under, and the park does not refund tickets for weather-related cancellations, which matters in Florida's afternoon-storm months.

Beyond the entrance, the attractions are split between the show side and the water park side. The Mermaid Show and the Ranger Experience share a theater: doors open 30 minutes before showtime, seating is first-come, first-served, and the doors close once the theater is full, so arrive early for the bigger crowds. The Wilderness River Cruise boards on the same first-come basis, and your whole party must be present to board. A wildlife show also runs and can close for weather.

Buccaneer Bay is the water park to the right after you enter, with water slides, lockers, tube rentals and a lazy river. It operates seasonally, so some of its attractions may be unavailable outside the warm months; the slides close at 4:30 p.m. and swimming stops at 5 p.m. Park rules are practical rather than precious: coolers must be 45 quarts or smaller, glass, alcohol, personal speakers, bikes and scooters are not allowed, and only 10-by-10 pop-up tents may be set up on the grass.

Guests on the show side must wear a shirt and shoes, and swimwear with buckles, rivets or sharp objects, denim shorts, life jackets, masks and goggles are not allowed on the slides. Tubes and rafts brought from home are not permitted, though child floats and noodles are; tubes rented from the concessionaire can be used on the lazy river.