The Shields Painting Difference: Perfection with Every Brush Stroke
Many painting companies in Florida rely on flashy marketing and big promises to try and attract new clients. But when it comes time to work, they fall short of their promises. This is often due to a lack of experience, qualified painters, and a drive to overachieve. At Shields Painting, we do things a little differently than other painting companies in Citrus County. We believe that a professional paint job should be as close to perfect as possible. Our goal is to leave you 100% satisfied, whether we're touching up an old residential paint job or performing a complex commercial project. It might sound simple, but we achieve that goal through honesty, hard work, beautiful results, and reasonable pricing.
As a family-owned and operated painting company in North Weeki Wachee, FL, we strive to provide personalized, professional, and friendly service. Shields Painting has been in business since 1968 for a good reason. Whenever possible, we go the extra mile to make sure our customers are happy. Unlike some of our competition, we want to know all about your house or business painting project: your vision, your preferences, your challenges, and your goals. When we understand your needs, we can present you with a fantastic final product - one that you're proud to show off to friends and neighbors.
At Shields Painting, we combine our extensive experience with time-tested, meticulous painting processes, resulting in the highest quality painting results around. As a painting contractor in Citrus County, we can take on a variety of residential, commercial, and industrial projects in Florida.
A few of our most popular painting services include:
- Interior Painting
- Exterior Painting
- Residential Painting
- Commercial Painting
- Cabinet Painting
- Ceiling Painting
- Fence Painting
- Sign Painting
- MUCH More!
Our commercial, industrial, and residential painting contractors take the proper steps to protect your property and belongings while we work. Our team will clean up after ourselves, so your property is left clean and free of debris when we're done. After all, we think there's only one way to do a job, and that's the right way.
Painting Services
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Eco-friendly & clean work area.
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PDCA Certified Member.
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Your Go-To House Painting Company in North Weeki Wachee, FL
Your home is a haven of relaxation and solitude. It is uniquely you - a place where you can express who you are through style and design. Whether you need interior touch-ups for your crown molding or a new exterior coat of paint, hiring a reliable painting contractor is the best way to get quality results.
At Shields Painting, we know how important it is to have a home that highlights your tastes and personality. That's why we offer an extensive array of residential painting services in Citrus County. As tempting as it might be to try a DIY paint job, without the proper skills and experience, there is a good chance that the results will turn out less than satisfactory.
High-quality painting requires skill, experience, and patience. If you're a homeowner who needs residential painting services but doesn't have the time, patience, or skills to handle the job, look no further than Shields Painting. We offer accuracy, precision, and longevity with each paint job we perform. Our customers choose Shields Painting for their home because they receive:
- Free Quotes with Detailed Project Breakdowns
- Affordable Pricing
- Expert Painting Contractors
- High-Quality Paint Products
- Combo of Traditional and Modern Techniques
- Well-Maintained Tools
- Unmatched Craftsmanship
- Friendly, Personalized Service
- Good Old-Fashioned Hard Work!
The majority of our house painting services come in two forms: interior and exterior.
Interior Residential Painting
As an interior painting contractor with decades of experience, our expert technicians have developed an interior painting process that maximizes quality and emphasizes customer satisfaction. We understand that interior painting goes beyond aesthetics. It protects your ceilings and walls and helps you sustain a healthier place to live for your family. When only the finest craftsmanship will do inside your home, Shields Painting is here for you.
Our seasoned team of painting experts and craftsmen is dedicated to respecting your space and providing you with the look and feel you're craving inside your home. Whether you bought a new house and want to make it your own or need minor touch-ups but have no time, Shields Painting is ready to tackle the job, no matter how small or large.
Unlike some painting companies, our interior house painters take the time to get the details right, every time. For instance, color is only one aspect of your interior paint job. The paint sheen or finish is just as important. Certain finishes are better for living rooms and bedrooms than in kitchens and bathrooms. We'll help you find the right finish and paint colors for your home, so you don't have to worry about touch-ups or repainting.
Some of our most popular interior house painting services include:
- Ceiling Painting
- Popcorn Ceiling Removal
- Living Room Painting
- Bathroom Painting
- Basement Painting
- Color Consultations
- More
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Cabinet Painting
Citrus County cabinet painting deserves its own section on this page because it requires more time, skill, and quality paint than most sections of your home. If your home's cabinets are built into its woodwork, replacing them can be obnoxiously expensive. Compared to the cost of installing new cabinets, painting your kitchen cabinets is much more affordable.
At Shields Painting, we specialize in transforming old cabinets into new, gorgeous features that are just as usable as they are beautiful. Each step of our cabinet painting process is meticulous and thorough. And we'll take care of the entire job, from cleaning, prep, and sanding to priming, painting, and reassembly. This unique service lets you enjoy a brand-new look in your kitchen without having to go into debt by replacing your cabinets.
Whether your cabinets are new, but you want to change their color or you'd like to transition wood cabinets to a painted finish, Shields Painting has the expertise and experience to give you a new look you'll love.
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Exterior Residential Painting
Your home - it's a place that not only keeps your belongings safe. It protects your family and loved ones, too. It's one of your largest investments, and like anything else of value, it should be protected. However, Florida weather can take a toll on your home's structure and paint, lowering your home's value and even putting your family at risk.
While it's true that a beautiful exterior affects your house's value, it shouldn't take thousands of remodeling dollars to make a positive change to your home. There's a fine line between reasonable pricing and top-quality painting, and that sweet spot is what Shields Painting aims for. If you want to transform how your friends and neighbors see your home, never underestimate the power of a professional paint job.
Our exterior residential painting services are designed to boost curb appeal, give your home a fresh look, and help it stand up to Florida's unique weather. But we provide more than that. When you hire Shields Painting for your outdoor painting project, you will enjoy peace of mind in knowing that your home is in truly capable hands. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and help bring out the best in your property, whether you need to re-stain your deck or remove old, peeling paint from your siding.
If you're on the hunt for the very best exterior painting contractor in North Weeki Wachee, FL, look no further than Shields Painting.
Some of our most popular exterior house painting services include:
- Vinyl Siding Painting
- Deck Painting and Staining
- Stucco Exterior Painting
- Wood Exterior Painting
- Porch Painting and Staining
- Soffit Painting
- Fascia Painting
- Window Painting
- Front Door Painting
- Thorough Painting Prep
- More
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The Premier Commercial Painting Company in North Weeki Wachee, FL
When it comes to first impressions, your businesses' appearance plays an important role. Your commercial property's paint job factors into its overall aesthetics. A great-looking, well-maintained paint job can mean the difference between a customer walking in your storefront and passing by. Conversely, an old, worn-out commercial paint job can send the wrong message to prospective customers. If you can't take the time to keep up your property's appearance, why would a customer spend their hard-earned money on your products?
The same goes for your businesses' interior paint. Would you want to do business with a company that has peeling paint or unsightly crown molding? At Shield's Painting, our goal is to create a beautiful environment that your customers and employees will love inside and out. When you work with our business painters, you can rest easy knowing we treat your business like it were our own. We always clean up after ourselves and know that operations cannot come to a halt just because we're painting. As such, we'll work with your busy schedule to ensure the job gets done right the first time without disrupting your day-to-day commitments.
With decades of commercial painting experience, we know the demands of a commercial painting project necessitate a disciplined and focused approach from the start. Our team of business painters is committed to delivering quality, on-time results on every project, every time - no excuses
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We offer professional business painting services to a variety of building types, including:
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Industrial Painting
A high level of care and finesse are required to effectively paint an industrial property. At Shields Painting, we know that industrial paint jobs involve much more than aesthetics. That's why our industrial services are customized to your specifications, using industrial-grade materials that stand up to heavy-duty operations.
02
Retail Store Painting
Our commercial painters apply effective, yet appealing interior and exterior paint that stand up to the daily rigors of busy retail environments.
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Small Business Painting
Do you own a restaurant franchise? Have a small "mom and pop" location that needs a fresh coat of paint? Shields Painting has the resources and reliability to efficiently get the job done the first time. That way, you can focus on serving your customers, not having your business repainted.
04
Healthcare Location Painting
From walk-in clinics to long-term care facilities, Shields Painting is sensitive to your patients' needs. We know you must protect your patient's privacy while maintaining productivity. Our approach to healthcare location painting centers around your schedule to avoid disruptions in care.
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Apartment Complex Painting
Erase signs of wear and make your apartment complex or multi-family building a more desirable place to live with a stunning, professional paint job.
Florida's Most Trusted Painting Contractor
Shields Painting has been in the business since 1968. In a world where so much has changed, we are proud to uphold the ideals that make us successful: hard, honest work, getting the job done right, and excellent customer service. Providing you with trustworthy, quality work will always take priority over rushing through a project to serve the next customer. That is just not the way we choose to do business.
As professionals dedicated to perfection, we strive to provide a unique painting experience for every customer - one that focuses on their needs and desires instead of our own. Whether you need residential painting for your home or commercial painting for your business, we encourage you to reach out today to speak with our customer service team. Whether you have big ideas about a new paint project or need our expertise and guidance, we look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Latest News in North Weeki Wachee, FL
I went to Florida’s west coast looking for mermaids – here’s what I discovered
Tracey Davieshttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/florida/i-went-to-floridas-west-coast-looking-for-mermaids/
Legs encased in shiny blue Lycra and powered by a monofin, I dipped and dived through the warm spring waters like a dolphin. Here in Florida, I couldn’t help but picture myself as something from The Little Mermaid. Admittedly, at 51 I’m more akin to Ursula the Sea Witch than youthful Ariel, but to quote Sebastian, the film’s crooning crustacean: “We got no troubles, life is...
Legs encased in shiny blue Lycra and powered by a monofin, I dipped and dived through the warm spring waters like a dolphin. Here in Florida, I couldn’t help but picture myself as something from The Little Mermaid. Admittedly, at 51 I’m more akin to Ursula the Sea Witch than youthful Ariel, but to quote Sebastian, the film’s crooning crustacean: “We got no troubles, life is the bubbles, under the sea.”
Disney’s new live-action remake of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytale will no doubt inspire a new wave of wannabe sirens. But I harbour nostalgia of my own for the genre: a child of the Splash! era, I longed to be Darryl Hannah, falling head over fin in love with Tom Hanks.
The Mermaid Camp at Weeki Wachee Springs, on Florida’s Gulf coast, might be the closest I’ll ever get. Decades before Disney moved in, the mermaids here were the state’s original theme park attraction. Weeki Wachee Springs State Park – which incorporates Buccaneer Bay waterpark and a river cruise – sings with retro Floridian charm, from the candy-hued mermaid theatre and crumbling stone statues to the pirate-themed snack shacks.
The mermaid show – which takes place here 365 days a year – celebrated its 75th anniversary last year (although celebrations were pushed in 2023 due to hurricanes), marking three-quarters of a century since the first show in 1947. The idea came from Newton Perry, a former US Navy officer who invented a unique way of breathing underwater using compressed oxygen, inhaled through free-flowing pipes. Newt, as he was known, cleared the spring of rubbish and carved an auditorium out of limestone. The stage was set for his pod of mermaids, who would perform shows in the water, aided by discreet puffs from the oxygen pipes.
Still using the same technique today, the mermaids perform three 45-minute shows a day. One weekend a month, the park hosts the Sirens of the Deep Mermaid Camp, led by the Formers, a group of mermaids who performed between the 1950s and the 1980s.
“I was 17 when I first became a mermaid,” said Vicki Smith, a sprightly 83-year old who ruled the Weeki waves between 1957 and 1962. “Being underwater is so quiet and serene. It’s like heaven for me. Our motto was “once a mermaid, always a mermaid”.”
Vicki and her pod of mermaids – Becky, Cheryl, Bev, Rita and Mirt – giggle away as they show our group of eight novice “guppies” the ropes. I’m relieved to hear we’re not allowed to breathe from the air pipes – it takes weeks of training and a scuba diving qualification – instead, we spend 30 minutes at a time in the water in our tails learning the basic underwater ballet moves, including spins, backward flips and, most importantly, how to smile underwater. It’s basic stuff, but the professionals would perform complicated underwater tricks like eating a banana or drinking a bottle of pop. “Back then I could hold my breath for three and a half minutes,” said Becky.
The natural spring is a constant 23C, and the mermaids share their underwater stage with various sea creatures, including turtles and garfish, with the odd sharp-toothed predator known to make an appearance. “We had a special hand signal if an alligator swam into the spring,” grinned Vicki. A fact I’d rather not know.
My camp is a mix of best friends, mothers and daughters, and single women from all over the country. “My parents came here in 1969 and I’ve always dreamed of coming,” said Tracy, an artist from Gainesville, Florida. “I’m recently divorced, so now I can do whatever I like. And I want to be a mermaid!”
For an authentic taste of Old Florida, Weeki Wachee is pretty hard to beat. Although only a 45-minute drive north of busy, cosmopolitan Tampa, this corner of Florida is all about the whimsy. Aside from frolicking with mermaids, you can swim with manatees (nature’s mermaids) in Crystal River, visit Spongeorama in Tarpon Springs, the sponge diving capital of the world or join the locals scalloping in Kings Bay.
I stayed in Neptune’s Grotto (rooms from £71), a kitsch former motel on the banks of a river, which has mermaid-themed rooms. It’s a short drive from Hernando Beach, where there’s a handful of lively bars, including Lazy Lizard (00 1 352-293-3307), which promises pumping reggae and beakers of “fat and juicy” cocktails.
Feeling the pressure of training with the legendary mermaids of Weeki Wachee, I booked myself a pre-camp mermaid lesson in Crystal River, a 30-minute drive north of Weeki Wachee. A charming coastal town fed by the region’s 70 freshwater springs, Crystal River Watersports offers SSI certification in mermaiding (sessions from $55/£44). At Hunter Springs public beach, qualified mermaid instructor Lauren Brady taught me how to swim with a tail, duck, dive and blow mermaid kisses underwater.
Crystal River is also home to The Mertailor, the world’s first tailor for merfolk, which has recently expanded into a full aquarium with daily mermaid shows. Owner Eric Ducharme is celebrating 20 years of making mermaid-inspired attire and proudly cites Lady Gaga and Ru Paul as clients. “When I was a little boy, I fell in love with the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs. I started making tails and throwing myself in a pool and before I knew it, I was performing at Weeki Wachee Springs and making their tails, ”he said.
But mermaids are far from the only draw here. Manatees flock to the warm springs of Crystal River each winter, earning it the nickname the ‘manatee capital of the world’. Centuries ago, these gentle giants were often mistaken for mermaids by tired seamen. After witnessing a trio of manatees surface off the coast of Haiti in 1493, Christopher Columbus wrote in his journal that “[mermaids] were not as beautiful as they were painted”.
An emblem of Florida, these charming, whiskered sea cows are protected by state and federal law and Crystal River is the only place in Florida where it’s legal to swim with manatees. However, it’s not a free-for-all, and it’s important to choose a sustainable tour, such as Salty Sirens (from $79). After a lunch of alligator mac ‘n’ cheese from the Seafood Seller bar and diner, I headed down for a three-hour boat trip, where Captain Jess explained how to behave in their habitat – watch from a safe distance, adopt the freeze-and-float position and don’t touch. However, once in the water, the inquisitive, friendly beasts had other ideas, brushing up whisker-close to say hello.
Perhaps the Formers’ mantra of “once a mermaid, always a mermaid” still rings true.
How to get there?
Tracey was a guest of Visit Florida, Florida’s Adventure Coast and Discover Crystal River.
Sirens of the Deep Mermaid Camp offers weekend camps from £455 (US$575).
British Airways flies direct from London Gatwick to Tampa, with return fares from £402.
A seven-night fly-drive holiday to the Gulf Coast with British Airways Holidays starts from £624pp, including return flights to Tampa from London Gatwick and car hire.
Weeki Wachee advocates say the central Florida river is being loved to death
Steve Newbornhttps://news.wfsu.org/state-news/2023-05-11/weeki-wachee-advocates-say-the-central-florida-river-is-being-loved-to-death
The Weeki Wachee River is where the Florida of the past flows headfirst into the Florida of the present. It has mermaids and manatees with propeller scars.Water the color of emeralds rumbles under a crush of boats, pontoons and kayakers. On its south banks, bald cypress, palms and oaks tower over a wildlife management area. To the north, homes with protruding docks bear signs advertising vacation rentals.The Weeki Wachee, many local residents say, is being loved to death....
The Weeki Wachee River is where the Florida of the past flows headfirst into the Florida of the present. It has mermaids and manatees with propeller scars.
Water the color of emeralds rumbles under a crush of boats, pontoons and kayakers. On its south banks, bald cypress, palms and oaks tower over a wildlife management area. To the north, homes with protruding docks bear signs advertising vacation rentals.
The Weeki Wachee, many local residents say, is being loved to death.
George Foster drives about a mile through pristine forest, then gets out of his pickup to walk over a fallen tree. The sound of music from partying boaters hits you first, before you can see the crush of boaters on a Sunday afternoon.
Foster, who owns an environmental consulting firm in Brooksville, co-owns a large, undeveloped lot on the north shore of the Weeki Wachee.
"I've lived here all my life," Foster said. "And this river is a mere shadow of its former self. It's nothing like it was when I was a kid. Nothing."
It's just another weekend when he walks to the riverbank and points to boaters moored on a sandbar that’s getting bigger as the shoreline erodes at the foot of his property.
"The edge of the river went out at least 20 feet — maybe 25 feet — beyond where it goes today, just five years ago," Foster said. "Now, everybody just crashes their boats into the banks, canoes, kayaks, whatever, party here, crawl out ... you know, just abuse the hell out of it."
Foster points to a pair of men’s underwear hanging from a tree branch on his property.
He says there's not a blade of eelgrass that manatees feed on left in this stretch of the river.
Foster supports Hernando County's proposal to ban boaters from anchoring or leaving their watercraft. The ban would cover roughly two miles between the boundary of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park — where mermaids have frolicked in the water for75 years — to the popular Rogers Park boat ramp.
Not so fast, the state said. Instead, it wants to make 20 sandbars in that stretch off-limits to mooring.
"If you ban the people from the point bars, they're not going to go home, they're just going to move their party down the river, up the river, to a place that's legal, and destroy that part of the river," Foster said. "So it's just stupid to think that you can limit activity to certain areas on the river. The whole river's got to have the same protection."
John Allocco, chairman of the Hernando County Commission, has been pushing for a plan that would do just that.
"There is nobody who can honestly look at this plan that's been given forth after ours was denied — and Florida Fish and Wildlife modified it — there's nobody that can look at this and think that it's enforceable or that it will actually do anything to protect the springs," said Allocco.
The Hernando County study says the river is getting so much use that shorelines are eroding, as people get out of their boats and trample sand bars. The sand is flowing into the middle of the river, making it too shallow in places for manatees to glide. And trees are falling into the river because of the erosion.
When asked for comment, officials with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission referred to their proposal. There, they acknowledged that prohibiting mooring at the 20 sandbars could cause people to moor outside that zone — meaning they might have to "revisit" the rule in the future.
Allocco said they're stating the obvious.
"So there's a sign that says you can't moor on this point bar," Allocco said. "So what are you going to do? You're going moor adjacent to it and walk on to the point bar. So you're just destroying it."
The county is working with state officials in other ways to protect the river. Allocco says millions are being spent to hook up thousands of homes with septic tanks in the river basin to a central sewage system. This would reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into the river in an effort to reduce algae blooms that darken the otherwise gin-clear springs.
"There's so many other things that we're spending money on to protect this river. And what's the point of spending all this money to protect the river if you're not going to actually protect the river?" Allocco said.
John Prout says he’s been enjoying the river for over 20 years. Recently, he says he's seen a lot more manatees here than in decades past — even though the seagrasses they feed on are being trampled by feet and smothered by algae.
A short visit to the river yielded views of three manatees — a mother and her baby, and another one bearing propeller scars.
Prout is hanging out on the dock of the residence he shares with other renters. Behind him and his friend William Vislocky, there’s a sign on the dock dubbing it the No Tell River Hotel. Behind are signs saying "nude beach" and "manatee spear rentals."
Prout says he wants as many people as possible to enjoy the river — just like he has for decades.
"A lot of these people that have been here for a long time. They were used to it being more peaceful and not as many people out here, not as much chaos," Prout said. "And that's great and all, but things change. And now there's more people here. And they want an excuse to get rid of them. They don't want the people here. They want it all to themselves."
Allocco says the county’s plan doesn’t restrict people from enjoying the river; it protects it for future generations. If the state moves forward with its proposal at Thursday’s meeting, he says he’ll appeal to state lawmakers.
A Dip into Southern Mermaid History
CJ Lotz Diegohttps://gardenandgun.com/articles/dip-southern-mermaid-history/
At 78, the oldest still-performing siren shares stories of Florida’s Weeki Wachee mermaidsJuly 30, 2018Photo: Courtesy of Vicki SmithIn small-town Florida in the 1950s, young women had three options, Vicki Smith says: “You got married, went off to school, or you became a Weeki Wachee mermaid.”Smith, who grew up near Weeki Wachee Springs, chose the last option. At age 17, she began swimming at the longtime Sunshine State...
At 78, the oldest still-performing siren shares stories of Florida’s Weeki Wachee mermaids
July 30, 2018
Photo: Courtesy of Vicki Smith
In small-town Florida in the 1950s, young women had three options, Vicki Smith says: “You got married, went off to school, or you became a Weeki Wachee mermaid.”
Smith, who grew up near Weeki Wachee Springs, chose the last option. At age 17, she began swimming at the longtime Sunshine State attraction. Today, at 78 years old, she is considered the world’s oldest performing mermaid.
“Whenever I sink beneath the surface of that beautiful water, I don’t want to get out again,” Smith says. “There’s a freedom there. The movement of the current feels like silk wrapping you, and the bubbles become silver pearls all around.”
Photo: Andrew Brusso
Forty-five minutes north of Tampa, Weeki Wachee is by far the most popular (and still running) of a group of kitschy dancing-mermaid tourist traps that popped up across the South in the midcentury heyday of road trips and car travel. The entire springs and amphitheater became a state park in 2008, but the shows originated as a private business.
Photo: Florida Memory
In 1947, entrepreneur Newton Perry founded the mermaid attraction in a sandy-bottomed natural pool that connects with the springs and a seven-mile river. Perry carved out a limestone theater where viewers looked through glass and into crystal clear water. He was also strategic in his early marketing—within a year of opening, Hollywood producers paid the park a visit. It was then used as the setting for the 1948 film Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid.
Photo: IMDB
The attraction’s rise and mystique was all about timing, says Carolyn Turgeon, author of the new book, The Mermaid Handbook, which shares mermaid lore and interviews with performers from around the world. “You take beautiful springs in Florida, the development of underwater camera equipment, and the fact that Hollywood came calling early,” she says, “and you get a picture of why the place was and is considered very glamorous.”
Although “Weeki Wachee” comes from the Seminole language and means “little spring,” it’s so deep in parts that its lowest point has never been found. Performers swim 16 to 20 feet below the surface, and because the setting is part of a river, fish, manatees, and other aquatic wildlife do show up for visits.
“At first, we did not swim to music underwater, and there was no sound piped in,” Smith says. “But someone would do hand gestures through the windows, like if there was a gator in the spring or a snake nearby, they could motion to us and we knew to get out.”
Photo: Florida Memory
The breathing hoses Perry developed allow mermaids to stay underwater for long periods of time without having to carry around a tank. “We would swim over to breathe from the air hose on each side of the springs,” Smith says, “And then swim toward the audience and do tricks like eat a banana or drink a whole bottle of pop. Today’s girls each have their own air hose, but back in the 50s, we had two air hoses on each side, out of sight of the audience.” Air flows from compressors and performers take frequent sips to stay underwater.
Photo: Florida Memory
More than 100 million gallons of fresh water bubble up through underground caves each day, maintaining a crisp 74-degree temperature. “It’s cold, and you stand there, and you look at it, and you can think of a million reasons why you don’t want to jump in,” Smith laughs. “But the minute you go under, you’re in another world. And you don’t want to ever get out again.”
Early performers wore one-piece bathing suits and performed in front of small audiences, but today’s mermaids don costumes of shiny tails and bikini tops and swim four daily shows in front of a 400-seat auditorium. Mermaid camps—which Smith helps run—for both children and adults sell out quickly. If you’re hoping to catch one of Smith’s performances, she and a group of other “Legends” who swam from the 1950s to 1970s will perform multiple dates this year.
“I might not have the stamina I had when I was a teenager,” Smith says. “But I can still dance, eat a banana, and drink a pop underwater. Once a mermaid, always a mermaid.”
Discover mythical mermaids at these five hot spots in Florida
Linnea Baileyhttps://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/lifestyle/2022/10/12/seeking-adventure-see-mermaids-these-five-florida-hot-spots/10167919002/
If you (or someone in your life) dreams of mermaids, you’re in great company. Woven through mythology from as early as 1000 B.C., merfolk continue to feed our collective fascination and inspire legends worldwide.From ancient Greece to the beloved 1837 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Little Mermaid' and the 2021 Disney hit "Luca," the siren call draws us all in — and there’s one U.S. state that has truly mastered the art of mermaid culture.In diverse locales across sunny Florida, you can ...
If you (or someone in your life) dreams of mermaids, you’re in great company. Woven through mythology from as early as 1000 B.C., merfolk continue to feed our collective fascination and inspire legends worldwide.
From ancient Greece to the beloved 1837 Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Little Mermaid' and the 2021 Disney hit "Luca," the siren call draws us all in — and there’s one U.S. state that has truly mastered the art of mermaid culture.
In diverse locales across sunny Florida, you can swim with mermaids, indulge in an underwater burlesque show in a retro shipwreck-themed bar and take an Instagram-worthy photo with the world’s largest roadside mermaid sign.
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Get out your explorer maps.
Here are five top destinations for mermaid fans in the Sunshine State:
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Decades before Walt Disney World existed, Florida was known for its magnificent roadside attractions — the oldest of which is Weeki Wachee Springs, which has been wowing audiences with its world-famous mermaid shows since 1947.
Now a state park, the attraction has stayed true to its roots and features thrilling daily performances in its cavernous underwater theater. Looking through huge glass windows facing a crystal-clear natural spring basin, audience members are treated to exhilarating full-length musical shows by mermaids in colorful tails. Specialized underwater hoses allow the performers to breathe unencumbered by tanks, and the swimmers lip-synch entire musical shows such as like the park’s original "The Little Mermaid" while performing intricate synchronized swimming moves.
Even better: Via popular two-day mermaid camps for both kids and adults, guests can transform into merfolk for the weekend (tails included!), with underwater ballet training sessions and an exclusive behind-the-scenes peek at the mermaids’ backstage lair.
Located in Weeki Wachee, an hour north of Tampa by car, the park also includes the refreshing natural springs water park Buccaneer Bay, which features a white-sand beach, swimming area, wading pool, natural river and two water slides.
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Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquarium Encounter
Just up the road from Weeki Wachee in neighboring Citrus County is the tiny-but-mighty Mertailor’s Mermaid Aquarium Encounter, a dazzling new business that’s making waves of its own. The attraction is the brainchild of Eric Ducharme, a local tailor and former underwater performer at Weeki Wachee Springs who began his career designing mermaid tails as “The Mertailor” as a teenager.
The business took off, and before long, he was receiving orders from all over the world for his custom-made, swimmable tails. Today, his creations can be seen in movies, TV shows and music videos — and the young entrepreneur opted to kick his business up a notch in 2020 with the aquatic adventure i Lecanto.
Boasting a lively mermaid-themed gift shop, his professional aquarium encounter invites families to journey to a whimsical world of mermaids and marine life.
Mermaid buffs can observe fish, sharks and rays in a colossal 30-foot tank and even become merfolk for the day with a variety of spectacular tail-swimming experiences. Enchanting mermaid performances take place daily in the larger tanks, with smaller interactive tanks that include encounters with friendly seahorses, starfish, snails and crabs.
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Mermaid Shows at B Ocean Resort’s World-Famous Wreck Bar
If you’re an aficionado of Florida’s Golden Age of tourism, get ready – because this mermaid attraction will enthrall and dazzle. Located in the midcentury-modern hotel B Ocean Resort on Fort Lauderdale Beach (formerly the Yankee Clipper), the ship-shaped hotel’s historic wreck bar is designed to resemble a sunken Spanish galleon, complete with mahogany shiplap, aquariums, nautical de?cor and six large porthole windows above the bar that offer an underwater view of one of the hotel’s pools. It’s there that the magic happens: mermaid shows that are exciting, fresh and new.
Guests will find stunning mermaids in the rousing adults-only Aqua Burlesque Show or hot mermen in the popular Aquamen Boylesque show (both of which are the only underwater burlesque shows in the U.S.).
The family-friendly show The Coral Reef Mermaids is wondrous for children, while the signature Mermaids and Mimosas brunch offers guests of all ages the chance to watch mermaids frolic while enjoying a delicious meal. Other themed events at the hotel include a beach yoga class followed by the mermaid brunch. Photo opportunities abound! Come join the fun at this vintage slice of Old Florida heaven.
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Annual Key West Mermaid Festival
For those looking to party with fellow mermaid enthusiasts, look no further that the annual Key West Mermaid Festival each July. A five-day event held in Florida’s fun-filled southernmost city, the festival draws thousands of attendees to captivating mermaid-themed entertainment, dancing “under the sea” and, of course, swimming together with glittery mermaid tails.
With a mission of bringing awareness to ocean conservation and safe tail swimming, the event includes opportunities to lounge poolside or shop for mermaid-themed clothing and artwork at specialized vendor markets. Held at locations across the bustling island, most of the festival’s events are completely free and family friendly.
And why not make a vacation of it? Mermaid aficionados can stay at the dreamy, centrally-located bed and breakfast The Mermaid & The Alligator, grab a bite to eat at the popular seafood restaurant Thirsty Mermaid or spend a day on the water with Mermaid Charter Boat Tours. A plethora of vacation homes also beckon: with names like The Salty Mermaid, Mermaid Cove, The Mermaids House and Mermaid Manor, it’s easy to see why this tropical oasis is the perfect spot for a mermaid fest.
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Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar
Established in 1952, Islamorada’s famous waterfront bar and restaurant began as a bait store and evolved first into a bar and bait shop, then a thriving restaurant in the 1980s. Today, the island’s Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar – located bayside at Mile Marker 82 – boasts one of the most famous landmarks in the Florida Keys: the enormous Lorelei mermaid, a roadside sign that has attracted tourists for decades to stop and take their photo with her.
With long blonde hair, blue eyes, a green tail and a recent repainting from renowned marine artist Wyland, the Lorelei mermaid tempts continuous crowds to the laid-back waterfront locale for some of the best fresh seafood and sunsets in the Keys.
Her name refers to the centuries-old German legend of Lorelei, a beautiful maiden who jumped into the Rhine River over an unfaithful lover and was transformed into a siren who lured fishermen to destruction.
The giant mermaid in this island village, too, is impossible to resist; an alluring temptation that summons visitors to stop and stay awhile. But is that a bad thing? Mermaid devotees will be thrilled with this larger-than-life display of impressive sea maiden magic, 365 days per year.
If you go
5 Natural Springs in North & Central Florida
visitflorida.comhttps://www.visitflorida.com/travel-ideas/articles/outdoors-nature-top-5-florida-springs/
Florida's freshwater springs, the real fountains of youthGot five days you want to spend well? Do what visitors to the Sunshine State and native Floridians have been doing for generations: spend time at natural springs in Florida. By Kevin MimsFreshwater springs are the ultimate year-round Florida attraction, and we've got more of these crystal-clear natural wonders than any other place ...
Florida's freshwater springs, the real fountains of youth
Got five days you want to spend well? Do what visitors to the Sunshine State and native Floridians have been doing for generations: spend time at natural springs in Florida.
By Kevin Mims
Freshwater springs are the ultimate year-round Florida attraction, and we've got more of these crystal-clear natural wonders than any other place in the country.
The highest concentration of natural springs in Florida is in the north and central regions, making it super simple to create your own personalized trip, depending on your schedule and how much you've previously traveled in the area. If you haven't had the privilege of visiting many Florida springs in the past, here's a sample trip that follows a fairly linear route with a stop at a spring a day. Let's hit the road:
Located just 15 minutes south of Tallahassee, Wakulla Springs State Park is the perfect northern anchor for a road trip exploring springs in North Florida.
For starters, this is the deepest freshwater spring in the world; don't miss a chance to perform your best cannonball from the swimming platform. History, nature and film buffs, if the scenery looks like something from a Tarzan movie, that's because it is. Wakulla Springs is the location of many Hollywood classics, including "Creature from the Black Lagoon." Be sure to take the famous river cruise while you’re there, too.
If you've been in Florida for any length of time, this is probably the spring your parents told you about.
While there are several places around the state where you can take a tube trip, the Ichetucknee River rules them all. It's a no-frills, easygoing adventure that can be enjoyed by all, no matter if you’re 8 or 80. While there, hang out at headsprings and take the half-mile trail to Blue Hole Spring, another outstanding gem located in the park.
Trust me, this is Old Florida at its finest and one of the best springs in North Florida. See more at this website.
The next three stops happen right along scenic U.S. 19 along Florida's Nature Coast. Make a stop at Fanning Springs State Park for a relaxing afternoon of swimming and picnicking.
If you have a kayak, make sure to bring it along – Fanning Springs feeds the legendary Suwannee River, so you'll definitely want to spend some time paddling while you’re there. Alternatively, Manatee Springs State Park is located just a few miles north of Fanning Springs in Chiefland, so you have a couple of great options in this area.
Folks, this is manatee country. While you'll be out of the water at Homosassa Springs, you will be entertained by plenty of wildlife exhibits and attractions. Make sure to visit with Lu the Hippo, one of Homosassa's most famous residents. So famous, in fact, that he was granted special Florida citizenship in 1991 by Gov. Lawton Chiles.
You have another option for adventure just seven miles away – Crystal River's Three Sisters Springs, one of the most magnificent jewels in the state. In the winter, expect to see more manatees than you've most likely ever seen in once place. Most visitors access the spring by tour boat, kayak or paddleboard, but the new Three Sisters Springs boardwalk is open on a limited basis.
For the grand finale – or a grand start if you’re beginning your trip in the south – you'll be greeted by the world-famous mermaids who have made Weeki Wachee Springs State Park loved by visitors from around the globe.
The mermaids have been delighting guests since 1947 and the tradition continues during several regular performances, 365 days a year. Also, in the summer months, hang out at the park's Buccaneer Bay attraction, with water slides and a white sandy beach that's perfect for getting the ultimate Florida tan. Round out the whole experience with a kayak trip on the Weeki Wachee River, one of the most scenic paddling trips found anywhere. No equipment needed – just head over to Paddling Adventures, the park's outfitter.
Florida Travel: Kayaking the Weeki Wachee River
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