WEEKI WACHEE SPRINGS, Fla. — (WFLA) — Our delicate Floridan aquifer is a matrix of tunnels that flow silently under our feet every day. The Karst Underwater Research group –or KUR– works to explore new areas and document the miles of caves that our drinking water is pulled from.

One part of documentation is filming these caves that are hundreds of feet below the surface. Their hope is that if people are able to see what is under the ground and where the water is coming from, they will be more empowered the help protect it.

The group recently made a breakthrough discovery about a mile and a half inside the cave after looking for new leads for two years. They named the area ‘Minas Tirith’ and it consists of three large rooms between 200 and 400 feet deep.

It took a pair of 13 hour dives to do the initial exploration of this area in 2019. They were able to film it in high definition during a 14 hour dive just recently, at the end of January earlier this year.

Brett Hemphill is the director of KUR and is one of the exploration divers who initially discovered this area. He said it takes many hours of planning to carry out this dangerous exploration that takes them miles back into a cave. He said, “I feel like I have a sense of responsibility for other people to see it so that they can turn around and go “you know I may never do that but it’s amazing and that needs to be protected”.”

While the springs are a perfect spot to cool off in the crystal clear waters during the hot summer, the water quality is changing. With a higher concentration of nutrients from fertilizer, algae grows turning the water green. The springs are also slowing down from too much water being pulled from the aquifer.

The ‘recharge zone’ of a caves is an area on the surface where water gets absorbed back into the ground and replenishes the aquifer. It is typically very localized area to each spring. In Weeki Wachee’s case, it is only an area of about 50 square miles in Hernando County making it very important for everyone there to be mindful of water usage and limiting fertilizer on lawns.

Correspondent

ST. PETERSBURG — Back in the day when motorists drove the few roads available through a mostly-undeveloped state of Florida, a series of roadside attractions tempted them to pull off the highway and linger and spend a dollar or two to see oddities that were both natural and entirely unnatural to the state.

This was long before the “mouse” was even conceived by its creator Disney. Those attractions, often family-owned and operated, of the early 1900s were usually small in scale, but big in hyperbole. Gaudy signs with fluorescent lighting and garish colors and graphics announced their presence.

They included attractions like Cypress Gardens (with its antebellum maidens in hoop skirts); the Monkey Jungle; Weeki Wachee (“real mermaids!”); Marineland and a Seaquarium in Miami; Gatorland; St. Augustine's Alligator Farm; the ubiquitous citrus stands that dotted the highways (“Freshly squeezed delicious juice!” and “See the orange grove!”); McKee Jungle Gardens and Sunken Gardens are a few of that era.

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Many are gone now, but some are still there, competing today with the likes of more than one “world” of epic manufactured entertainment and amusement. And some of them are better than ever, and are still drawing crowds. Sunken Gardens in St. Petersburg is one of the survivors with almost a century under its green “belt” of lush foliage and flowers still awing visitors.

Sunken Gardens actually dates to about 1903 when local plumber, George Turner Sr., looked to cultivate a tropical garden at a 4-acre site at what was then the center of town. His plumbing skills were put to a test as he excavated the site to drain a small shallow lake which exposed rich peat soils under the surface. Then he began creating a network of pools and waterfalls that would punctuate the meandering pathways through his exotic jungle.

Over the years he added more and more plants, trees and shrubs, and today those specimens are some of the oldest of their kind at any botanical garden in Florida. According to Sunken Gardens’ literature, by 1925 word of those gardens had spread and visitors were paying a quarter to tour them. Many of the plants were imported from tropical regions (St. Petersburg being in a marginal subtropical growing zone) and in some winters citrus grove heaters were employed to protect those tender, cold-sensitive plants as well as huge native royal palms.

In 1998, Sunken Gardens was designated a local historic landmark and the City of St. Petersburg purchased the property in 1999. What followed that was an extensive, years’-long restoration. So from being one of the state’s oldest family-owned roadside attractions, the gardens are now a restored botanical garden still welcoming visitors to enjoy this little gem of an attraction with its color, vibrancy, lush tropical jungle and many water features.

A maze of shaded walkways connect and divide the acreage with a series of plant-specific areas: a palm plaza; an oak pavilion; the orchid arbor; bromeliads; coconut grove; a meditation patio; butterfly garden; and so on. Throughout the gardens are the signature water features with cascading waterfalls, pools swimming with colorful koi fish or floating water lilies and tropical vegetation. In one, a small flock of flamingos struts and preens in a shallow pool.

On a recent sunny Sunday a crowd gathered at the entrance gate, just before noon when the gardens open for the day. As the morning wore on, more and more arrived to experience this tropical oasis in the middle of a bustling Florida city. Families with small children, young couples — people of all ages came to experience the beauty, the color and the tranquility of the lush gardens. It was proof positive that this little gem, Sunken Gardens, can still draw a crowd. Not bad for a few acres of exotic plants and a vision that came into focus more than a century ago. You could say that Mr. Turner had a pretty good idea there, knew what he was doing would endure and be appreciated for years to come.

Sunken Gardens offers educational programs, workshops, special events and tours throughout the year. Weddings, private parties and meetings are a frequent use of the facility with a special wedding lawn area and an indoor banquet facility dubbed The Garden Room, which offers stunning views of the Sunken Gardens from the second floor of restored historic 1926 building adjacent to the gardens.

Sunken Gardens is located at 1825 Fourth St., St. Petersburg, and is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sundays. For information, call 727-551-3102 or visit sunkengardens.org.

Lynette L. Walther is the GardenComm Gold medal winner for writing, a five-time recipient of the GardenComm Silver Medal of Achievement, the National Garden Bureau’s Exemplary Journalism Award and she is the author of “Florida Gardening on the Go.” She is a member of GardenComm, the professional organization for garden writers. Her gardens are on the banks of the St. Johns River.

Florida nostalgia lovers, rejoice. And maybe say a prayer for your pocketbook.

After a multiyear hiatus, Floridania Fest returns to Tampa Bay on May 21. Thousands of historic Sunshine State souvenirs, artwork and collectibles will be for sale at the Gulfport Casino, from postcards and felt pennants to orange blossom perfume and alligator-skin handbags.

“It’s just a super fun hobby because it can combine your love of history, and especially Florida history, with collecting,” said author Ken Breslauer, who has hosted the event on and off since 1994. “You can have lifelong friendships with people who have the same passion.”

Breslauer typically spends six months or so promoting his events and works with about 20 dealers, who are all devoted to scouting out fun and quirky artifacts. The event will also have plenty of Florida books for sale, from Breslauer’s own volumes detailing the state’s souvenir history to coloring books about Florida’s lost landmarks.

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Breslauer, 65, has an interesting history of his own: He grew up in Delray Beach and became a sports writer for the Pensacola News Journal, then spent 37 years at the Sebring International Raceway, where he retired after working as the media relations director. Along the way, Breslauer earned a master’s degree in historic preservation, publishing a thesis in 1999 based on roadside attractions in Florida.

“It wasn’t that big of a topic and then all of the sudden in 2003, Cypress Gardens went out of business,” he said. “Everyone was worried about the future of these roadside attractions, how they might be lost to development and so forth.”

Breslauer followed up his thesis with a book on the history of local roadside attractions. And he started collecting. His first show was at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, but over the years it’s traveled to other historic venues in cities around the Sunshine State.

Browsing the merchandise isn’t just a fun way to spend a Saturday. It’s also a way to understand how Florida has sold its sunshine over the years. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, most trinkets were handcrafted, including mementos made with natural Florida wood and gator skin.

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“The early attractions of Florida are based on the natural appeal of Florida,” Breslauer said. “The springs, the gardens, the wildlife.”

As the 20th century progressed, the rise of the roadside attraction ushered in a new era of keepsakes: ashtrays, decals, plates and View-Master reels. Before Disney made a splash in the ‘70s, spots like Silver Springs, Sunken Gardens and Cypress Gardens reigned supreme.

Certain attractions have big crossover appeal among collectors and will be very present at the show, like Weeki Wachee’s mermaids and Cypress Gardens’ water skiers. Tiki Gardens, a now-defunct Indian Rocks Beach attraction that capitalized on the midcentury tiki craze, is popular with tiki enthusiasts. A 33 RPM record put out by the attraction now can go for up to $500.

“Whatever people tend to remember from their childhood tends to be what they go crazy for,” said author Rick Kilby, who will be selling his history books at Floridania Fest.

When Kilby was working on his last few books about Florida’s springs, he attended Breslauer’s events to find artifacts he could use. These days, he’s going more to have some fun shopping.

“Ken buys the cream of the crop,” Kilby said. “He has stuff no one else has.”

Kilby’s advice: If you see something you like, grab it. He still remembers unique items from previous festivals that he didn’t buy and hasn’t seen since, like tiny hand-drawn billboard inserts that Silver Springs sold to be added to model train sets from the 1950s and ‘60s.

“This is really a good chance to find your Florida treasure,” Breslauer said.

If you go

Floridania Fest takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 21 at the Gulfport Casino. The last admission is at 3:30 p.m. $5, children 14 and under are free. 5500 Shore Blvd. S, Gulfport.

Go off the beaten path and enjoy these roadside wonders.

iStock/bloodua

Florida is full of unexpected and awesome roadside attractions.

Many of these destinations date to the 1920s and ’30s, when the state was an up-and-coming tourist hotspot and the great American road trip still in its infancy. But several more have sprung up since then, joining the tradition of weird and wonderful sights to lure passing motorists — or, just as often, becoming the destination themselves.

Here are the best roadside attractions in Florida for your next trip.

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1. Sarasota Jungle Gardens

Sarasota Jungle Gardens has been delighting tourists since 1939. Beloved for its flamingos, which you can hand-feed, it’s also home to macaws, lemurs, turtles and alligators.

True to theme, the garden feels like a tropical jungle, with the occasional ceramic elephant or giraffe to liven up the scenery. Kids will love the petting zoo and playground while adults admire vibrant plant life from around the world. The animal shows are a hit for all ages.

If you have more time: Sarasota has another unusual destination, the Amish and Mennonite community of Pinecraft. Visit Der Dutchman for authentic Amish comfort food like broasted chicken, mashed potatoes and stuffing. Don’t skip dessert — their peanut butter pie is legendary — or the sprawling, homey gift shop.

2. Weeki Wachee Springs

Long before a certain red-headed siren came to Orlando, there were mermaids performing in Florida at Weeki Wachee Springs. You can view mesmerizing aquatic ballets in the underwater amphitheater, just like they did back in 1947.

Even better, Weeki Wachee has its own water park. At Buccaneer Bay, woosh down the water slides, laze on the sandy beach or go tubing down the river. With the tiki bar, kayak rentals, snorkeling and more, you can easily make a day of it.

If you have more time: Hang out in Brooksville. Hunt for mini mermaid sculptures downtown or swing through the trees at FLG X Adventure Course, one of the most extreme zip line and aerial obstacle courses in the state.

3. Bok Tower

Florida’s famed Singing Tower, an intricately carved neo-Gothic and art deco masterpiece, could hardly be more picturesque. The 205-foot carillon, which gives daily concerts, opened with Bok Tower Gardens in 1929 and quickly became an icon of Central Florida, immortalized on everything from Coke bottle caps to The Saturday Evening Post, some on display in the visitors center.

After wandering the beautifully landscaped grounds, take a tour of El Retiro, a 1930s Mediterranean Revival-style mansion, complete with period furnishings and pocket windows to the gardens.

If you have more time: Tour another architectural marvel: the Wonder House of Bartow, FL. Once world-renowned as the “Crazy House” and the “House of a Thousand Gadgets,” this 1920s landmark boasts six floors, 10 porches, around 60 doors and underground escape tunnels. But wait! That’s not all. Take the guided tour and be amazed.

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4. Mixon Fruit Farms

This third-generation family-owned citrus grove serves some of Florida’s finest orange ice cream. It began in the ’30s as a modest fruit stand. Now the Bradenton spot has a tram tour, play park, wildlife refuge, bamboo forest, koi pond and deli.

Stock up on fresh fruit like pomelos, starfruit, lemons and oranges galore. During citrus season (November to May), you might even see the packinghouse at work. And there’s always a free cup of OJ waiting for you.

If you have more time: Step back to yesteryear at the Showmen’s Museum in Riverview. This strange yet fascinating collection documents the saga of America’s traveling shows. See one of the world’s first Ferris wheels, a miniature midway, costumes, carnival games and so much more.

5. Ancient Spanish Monastery

Once called the largest jigsaw puzzle in history, the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux was first built in 12th-century Spain, then shipped piecemeal to the U.S. in 1925 before finally being reassembled in the 1950s as a tourist attraction.

Along with weekly services, the Ancient Spanish Monastery still welcomes travelers. You can browse the exhibits, stroll vaulted cloisters or simply soak up the serenity of the 20-plus acres of flowering trees and greenery.

If you have more time: Off U.S. 1 in Hallandale Beach is a much newer roadside attraction: the 110-foot, 715-ton “Pegasus and the Dragon.” The giant winged horse defeating evil (symbolized by the dragon) is the second tallest statue in the continental U.S.

6. Fairgrounds St. Pete

Technicolor, trippy and utterly immersive, Fairgrounds St. Pete is more than a roadside attraction. It’s an ode to roadside attractions. Their signature installation, FLORIDARAMA, reveals tiny worlds where palm trees grow upside down, swamps ooze sugar and a mermaid will check you into your motel.

Elsewhere, this interactive art museum invites guests to hunt for clues, snap Instagrammable pics or discover wacky Florida stories reimagined by local artists.

If you have more time: Drive by WhimzeyLand, where masks, mosaics, beads and bowling balls overflow from a suburban home in an explosion of color that’s more than worth the detour.

7. Silver Springs

Here’s a roadside attraction that predates the automobile.

While people have enjoyed Silver Springs for centuries, the site got a kitschy Florida twist in the 1870s when two entrepreneurs upgraded a rowboat with a glass bottom and started offering tours.

On a glass-bottom boat tour today, you’ll glimpse marine life, Native American artifacts and even old Hollywood props. Other attractions include a replica pioneer village and natural history museum.

If you have more time: Cross to the other side of Marion County for Rainbow Springs, another roadside attraction turned state park. This one featured “jungle waterfalls” created in the 1960s to dazzle tourists.

8. Shell Factory

Claiming to be the world’s largest collection of seashells and shell specimens, the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers has morphed over the years into its current expansive state. Founded in the 1930s, it now includes everything a Florida roadside attraction needs: a wildlife park, mini-golf, zip line, restaurants, petting zoo, dinosaur exhibit, gem mining … you get the idea.

Inside, find shells of every shape, size and color plus shell-adjacent treasures like coral, shark teeth, sand dollars and sponges. Then, walk past the fudge shop, taxidermy display and arcade to find the year-round Holiday Palace stocked with thousands of ornaments. Santa on a jet ski, anyone?

If you have more time: See more seashells. Across the bridge from Fort Myers, Sanibel is famous for shelling. After a morning of beachcombing, stop at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum to dive into the mysterious world of mollusks.

9. The Fountain of Youth

Ponce de Leon may have found his fabled fount of immortality in St. Augustine. See for yourself at the 15-acre Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park.

The Fountain of Youth’s heyday as a roadside attraction began in the 1920s, but along with the fun and lore, it’s always been about uncovering real history. So explore the recreated Timucuan village and Spanish mission. Marvel at a 16th-century night sky in the planetarium. And, sure, drink from the spring as travelers and natives have for centuries.

If you have more time: See more old places — the 17th-century Castillo de San Marcos, the Oldest Wooden School House and the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, a collection started in 1893 now the only facility in the world featuring all 24 crocodilian species.

10. Solomon’s Castle

When woodcarver, welder and all-around craftsman Howard Solomon bought swampland in Hardee County in 1970, he built a most unconventional home: a castle covered in shiny aluminum printing plates. Go inside on a pun-peppered tour written by the artist himself to see such wonders as a papier-mâché mermaid mummy, a 190-pound lion made from oil drums and a reconstructed tortoiseshell and wig (“The Tortoise and the Hair,” of course).

The encore tour includes additional upcycled artwork alongside over a dozen immaculate antique cars. Top it all off with lunch at The Boat in the Moat.

If you have more time: Just 30 minutes west is Florida’s only dairy with public tours. Dakin Dairy Farms takes you behind the scenes from the milking parlor to the processing plant. Meet the calves, feed the goats, and order their “ultimate” grilled cheese.

(Stacker) —It goes without saying that the coronavirus pandemic has sparked a wave of uncertainty across myriad industries, and not other market has quite felt its impact like that of real estate.

The pandemic has become a driving force behind the continued real estate boom, with high demand for vacation homes and a limited supply of housing that has prompted buyers and investors to bid up prices for affordable properties, causing home prices to skyrocket. The ability to work remotely played a role in the vacation home demand in mid-2020, as affluent Americans opted to ride out the pandemic with more amenities and space outside dense urban areas.

Stacker compiled a list of cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL metro area using data from Zillow. Cities are ranked by 1-year price change as of July 2022. The typical home value in the United States increased over the last year by +19.8% to $354,165. Data was available for 79 cities and towns in Tampa.

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#30. Dover, FL

– 1-year price change: +$106,979 (+31.4%)– 5-year price change: +$217,277 (+94.2%)– Typical home value: $447,991 (#24 most expensive city in metro)

#29. Gibsonton, FL

– 1-year price change: +$108,145 (+40.1%)– 5-year price change: +$189,956 (+101.0%)– Typical home value: $377,996 (#45 most expensive city in metro)

#28. Greater Northdale, FL

– 1-year price change: +$108,720 (+30.6%)– 5-year price change: +$216,667 (+87.7%)– Typical home value: $463,759 (#21 most expensive city in metro)

#27. Safety Harbor, FL

– 1-year price change: +$110,396 (+27.9%)– 5-year price change: +$243,693 (+93.0%)– Typical home value: $505,817 (#18 most expensive city in metro)

#26. North Weeki Wachee, FL

– 1-year price change: +$111,078 (+38.6%)– 5-year price change: +$210,124 (+111.3%)– Typical home value: $398,983 (#38 most expensive city in metro)

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#25. Riverview, FL

– 1-year price change: +$111,616 (+36.9%)– 5-year price change: +$197,155 (+90.9%)– Typical home value: $414,124 (#35 most expensive city in metro)

#24. Wesley Chapel, FL

– 1-year price change: +$111,868 (+34.1%)– 5-year price change: +$201,406 (+84.3%)– Typical home value: $440,205 (#26 most expensive city in metro)

#23. Weeki Wachee Gardens, FL

– 1-year price change: +$113,331 (+34.0%)– 5-year price change: +$254,589 (+132.6%)– Typical home value: $446,654 (#25 most expensive city in metro)

#22. Valrico, FL

– 1-year price change: +$113,337 (+33.4%)– 5-year price change: +$212,072 (+88.1%)– Typical home value: $452,725 (#23 most expensive city in metro)

#21. Wimauma, FL

– 1-year price change: +$115,168 (+38.2%)– 5-year price change: +$184,985 (+79.9%)– Typical home value: $416,636 (#33 most expensive city in metro)

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#20. Land O Lakes, FL

– 1-year price change: +$115,721 (+33.9%)– 5-year price change: +$210,555 (+85.5%)– Typical home value: $456,944 (#22 most expensive city in metro)

#19. Lutz, FL

– 1-year price change: +$124,543 (+33.2%)– 5-year price change: +$228,186 (+84.2%)– Typical home value: $499,216 (#19 most expensive city in metro)

#18. Pebble Creek, FL

– 1-year price change: +$131,595 (+36.0%)– 5-year price change: +$233,249 (+88.5%)– Typical home value: $496,669 (#20 most expensive city in metro)

#17. Apollo Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$133,101 (+35.5%)– 5-year price change: +$231,406 (+83.5%)– Typical home value: $508,504 (#17 most expensive city in metro)

#16. Westchase, FL

– 1-year price change: +$141,158 (+32.5%)– 5-year price change: +$245,361 (+74.3%)– Typical home value: $575,795 (#16 most expensive city in metro)

#15. Saint Leo, FL

– 1-year price change: +$154,700 (+33.5%)– 5-year price change: +$264,072 (+74.9%)– Typical home value: $616,685 (#15 most expensive city in metro)

#14. Belleair, FL

– 1-year price change: +$162,617 (+31.4%)– 5-year price change: +$306,048 (+81.6%)– Typical home value: $681,039 (#12 most expensive city in metro)

#13. Harbor Bluffs, FL

– 1-year price change: +$165,457 (+30.9%)– 5-year price change: +$324,322 (+86.0%)– Typical home value: $701,259 (#10 most expensive city in metro)

#12. Odessa, FL

– 1-year price change: +$175,364 (+33.6%)– 5-year price change: +$311,529 (+80.6%)– Typical home value: $698,024 (#11 most expensive city in metro)

#11. Treasure Island, FL

– 1-year price change: +$180,586 (+36.6%)– 5-year price change: +$320,811 (+90.7%)– Typical home value: $674,600 (#13 most expensive city in metro)

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#10. Hernando Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$187,557 (+41.6%)– 5-year price change: +$338,178 (+112.7%)– Typical home value: $638,230 (#14 most expensive city in metro)

#9. Indian Shores, FL

– 1-year price change: +$188,415 (+35.3%)– 5-year price change: +$338,814 (+88.4%)– Typical home value: $722,001 (#9 most expensive city in metro)

#8. Saint Pete Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$190,312 (+34.7%)– 5-year price change: +$346,034 (+88.2%)– Typical home value: $738,472 (#8 most expensive city in metro)

#7. Redington Shores, FL

– 1-year price change: +$214,557 (+32.6%)– 5-year price change: +$394,192 (+82.4%)– Typical home value: $872,628 (#6 most expensive city in metro)

#6. Madeira Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$218,545 (+36.2%)– 5-year price change: +$399,328 (+94.3%)– Typical home value: $822,821 (#7 most expensive city in metro)

#5. Indian Rocks Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$228,977 (+35.3%)– 5-year price change: +$430,521 (+96.2%)– Typical home value: $877,855 (#5 most expensive city in metro)

#4. Tierra Verde, FL

– 1-year price change: +$235,598 (+34.6%)– 5-year price change: +$430,689 (+88.7%)– Typical home value: $916,055 (#4 most expensive city in metro)

#3. Belleair Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$255,856 (+35.1%)– 5-year price change: +$459,506 (+87.4%)– Typical home value: $985,016 (#2 most expensive city in metro)

#2. Redington Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$284,869 (+41.0%)– 5-year price change: +$500,551 (+104.3%)– Typical home value: $980,286 (#3 most expensive city in metro)

#1. North Redington Beach, FL

– 1-year price change: +$288,571 (+37.6%)– 5-year price change: +$497,471 (+89.1%)– Typical home value: $1,056,082 (#1 most expensive city in metro)