On November 1, 2008, Weeki Wachee Springs became Florida’s 162nd state park. Its crystal-clear blue spring waters draw about 420,000 visitors annually. You can kayak or swim in Florida Springs and see native Florida wildlife in many places.

However, there is only one place where you can see live mermaids swimming in those springs, often accompanied by some native wildlife like a turtle or fish. That’s the draw at Weeki Wachee Springs in Hernando County.

History

Weeki Wachee Springs started its run as a tourist attraction in 1946. This was before the huge theme parks, when kitschy attractions, usually featuring live alligators, began drawing visitors to Florida. Newton Perry purchased the land containing the spring. He pulled out all the rusted junked autos and boats dumped in it and began putting together an idea for an underwater show. Perry was familiar with diving and underwater survival, and as a naval officer, he had trained Navy SEALs to swim underwater. His idea was to put girls in mermaid costumes and perform underwater. To that end, he invented an underwater breathing device using an air hose that pumped oxygen from an air compressor so they could remain submerged. His first mermaids performed at Weeki Wachee on October 13, 1947. Perry had excavated a small underground theater where visitors could watch the young women doing water ballet, eating apples, and drinking underwater. Sitting in the theater I didn’t feel as if I were underground. It’s like being in a regular theater but instead of a screen in front of you, there are a series of glass windows looking into the spring.

Weeki Wachee moved into the big time in 1959 when the American Broadcasting Co. (ABC) purchased the spring. It upgraded and built the current 400 seat underwater theater. Shows became more elaborate.

Buccaneer Bay, its water park, opened in 1982 with four water slides and a white-sand beach. There is a special kiddy area and visitors can rent kayaks or canoes to paddle the Weeki Wachee River.

Until recently, there was a boat tour on the river, but that closed down.

Natural Features

“Weeki Wachee” means “little spring” or “winding river” in the Seminole language. It’s not really little. The spring is the deepest known freshwater cave system in the United States. The temperature remains at 72 degrees Fahrenheit all the time. Weeki Wachee River winds over 7 miles before flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. I love kayaking on it and seeing cormorants and anhinga drying their wings in the cypress or bay trees near the bank.

The park covers 538-acres. There are alligators that usually stay near the shore in the marshy area or sunning on downed tree trunks. In winter, manatees sometimes venture into the park. Turtles abound. You may see deer or raccoons on the shore. Watch for eagles overhead.

Shows

Mermaids perform the traditional show, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, and some other underwater feats. The shows last about a half-hour and are normally at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. but that changes often. The water is so clear, you can see the actors perfectly. The mermaids have a breathing tube in hand to allow them to breathe underwater. The characters’ voices speak from speakers in the theater. After the Little Mermaid gets her legs, there is one out-of-water scene on the stage inside the theater when she and her prince dance, then the underwater show resumes with the prince proving that “Love conquers all on land and sea” when he vanquishes the evil sea witch. When I visited, a couple of turtles swam into the scene. A ranger told me that once a manatee spontaneously entered the show; and another time, an alligator. The show stopped for the alligator.

Dining

The park had several dining options. Mermaid Galley to the rear of the park has indoor and outdoor seating. It serves burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, ice cream, and snacks. Captain’s Quarters, near Buccaneer Bay, serves ice cream, snacks, and drinks. Pirate’s Grubb, also near Buccaneer Bay, offers outdoor dining with burgers, hot dogs, chicken fingers, and snacks. Tiki Bar offers adult refreshments, including beer, wine, and frozen drinks near Buccaneer Bay’s beach. It has some grilled food choices. Snack Shack near Buccaneer Bay’s swimming area has ice cream and soft drinks.

Other Attractions

The Hernando Historical Museum Association has three museums that tell Hernando County’s history. The May-Stringer House, sometimes called Heritage House, began as a simple four-room cabin in 1842 during the midst of the Seminole Wars, when the government passed the Armed Occupation Act, giving 160 acres to settlers who moved to Florida, farmed at least 5 acres, and helped fight the Seminoles. Richard Wiggins homesteaded the land and built the first small shelter. After the Civil War, the Saxon family, who owned it then, renovated it to its present look, a four-story gabled house with a lot of gingerbread trim. It has 14 rooms and is believed to be haunted. A tour gives a feel for life in Florida during the Victorian era.

The Train Depot was built in 1885. Today the former rail tracks are part of the Rails to Trails program and form the Good Neighbor Trail. Besides the depot, there is a restored boxcar, a 1925 LaFrance fire engine, and some farm equipment.

The Countryman One-Room Schoolhouse is a replica of the 1852 Lykes School, the first school in this county built by the Lykes family in Spring Hill.

Pro Tips: If you begin your paddle from the park dock, you need a timed reservation. You cannot swim within the park other than at Buccaneer Bay, but once outside, you are free to take a dip in the cooling waters.

Other Florida attractions to visit:

NOLA Creamery and Sweet Beignets both right next to the Garden Gate Café, is where to get sweet fried doughnuts that are a must at any Mardi Gras festival, and the options at Busch Gardens include traditional with powdered sugar, ones topped with Woodford Reserve bourbon chocolate drizzle and banana’s foster beignets. The Busch Gardens beignets also stand out for their flaky, croissant-like texture.

Busch Gardens brought Big Easy cuisine and entertainment to Tampa a little early with Mardi Gras. But the beads and bites filled festival is a festive way to kick off what’s sure to be an exciting 2022 for the Tampa theme park.

Mardi Gras and the park’s Real Music Series are the firsts of nearly a dozen events happening at Busch Gardens this year. There’s at least one special event happening every month at Busch Gardens – from Mardi Gras and Food & Wine to Summer Nights and Howl-O-Scream.

Mardi Gras—on now through March 6—is also a great primer for the park’s popular Food & Wine Festival, which kicks off on March 11. With two food stations for New Orleans-style main dishes, two more for desserts and several spots to drink around the park, it’s easy to get a taste of everything Mardi Gras has to offer.

If you’re planning to spend the day eating and drinking around the Mardi Gras festival, it’s worth it to buy one of the sampling lanyards. The five-item sampler is $35 and the 10-item lanyard is $55.

Beyond food and drinks, Mardi Gras sports several festive photo-ops around the festival area, a daily parade with music, performers and chances to snag beads and live local music and a brass band playing in the Bird Gardens and on the Coca-Cola Stage. Be sure to check out the Bird Gardens, which has been outfitted with a giant Fleur-de-Lis statue and about a dozen garden flamingos dressed in beads and Mardi Gras crowns.

Busch Gardens Mardi Gras runs weekends and select days through March 6. Find more information and tickets at buschgardens.com.

Here are all the desserts, drinks, bites and sights to eat and see at the event.

Creole-style jambalaya In Jackson Square across from the Coca-Cola Stage, a savory dish with a heavy serving, this time of homemade-tasting jambalaya with chicken, Andouille sausage and plenty of spices and tomatoes. Also in Jackson Square.

Smoked peppered brisket At Esplanade Street Bites (across from the bead garden), these are essentially Mardi Gras nachos with a generous helping of thick, crispy kettle chips covered with smoky brisket and cheesy chipotle cream. Don’t sleep on these.

Reimagined sundaes The festival Mardi Gras waffle cone sundae gets an upgrade with salted caramel ice cream and topped with popcorn, chocolate drizzle, whipped topping and morello cherries. There’s also the Bourbon Street cream and cookie, which is a cookie sundae with your choice of ice cream and chocolate drizzle. Also at NOLA Creamery and Sweet Beignets both right next to the Garden Gate Café. Drinks (at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar)

Xcursions The popular artisan gift shop near the festival area has rum tastings outside and a limited selection of Mardi Gras cupcakes inside – take home a two- or four-pack. This shop is also where to buy beads, hats and other Mardi Gras attire for the parade. Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar.

Smoked bourbon peach sour This cocktail includes Woodford Reserve bourbon, peach sour and club soda. Get it at Sweet Beignets food station. Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar.

Spiced vanilla old-fashioned Jackson Square boasts this drink that includes Woodford Reserve bourbon, vanilla and bitters. Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar.

Smoked bloody mary Esplanade Street Bites has this smoky brunch cocktail featuring Tito’s Vodka, hickory and fresh lemon. Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar.

The Garden Gate Café also has other Mardi Gras cocktails including the Tampa Vice (Pina Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri mixed together), the Gold Coin Mojito (Fleur de Cana rum, turmeric, mint) and the Green Fairy Margarita (tequila, green apple, lime). Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar.

Heavy on buttery, cheesy grits, the shrimp and grits are likewise not too spicy and perfect comfort food on the days when Florida actually gets a little chilly. Also in Jackson Square.

In Jackson square, don’t miss out on the meatless twist on classic dirty rice, which is perfectly spiced with chunks of savory crispy-chewy Impossible meat.

Get a frozen or iced Hurricane at the bar near the Coca-Cola stage and at the new Giraffe Bar at Serengeti Overlook near Cheetah Hunt. You can also “Spike DAT” for $3.50. Available at every Mardi Gras station and at the Garden Gate Café and Giraffe Bar. Traditional Hurricanes are a fruity and sweet concoction of rums, juices (orange, passion fruit and lemon or lime) and grenadine.

These are essentially Mardi Gras nachos with a generous helping of thick, crispy kettle chips covered with smoky brisket and cheesy chipotle cream. Don’t sleep on these also Esplanade Street Bites (across from the bead garden).

At Esplanade Street Bites (across from the bead garden), this is where to get your (two) hands on some Big Easy staples, including the shrimp po’boy slathered in Creole remoulade, and the new smoked chicken po’boy topped with bourbon BBQ.

NOLA Creamery and Sweet Beignets both right next to the Garden Gate Café, is where to get sweet fried doughnuts that are a must at any Mardi Gras festival, and the options at Busch Gardens include traditional with powdered sugar, ones topped with Woodford Reserve bourbon chocolate drizzle and banana’s foster beignets. The Busch Gardens beignets also stand out for their flaky, croissant-like texture.

Make beignets your dessert appetizer and then finish off (after a walk around the park) with a French Quarter waffle cone with amaretto ice cream, chocolate drizzle, Mardi Gras sprinkles and topped with a chunk of cheesecake. You can also get it with salted caramel ice cream if you don’t want the booze. Head to ?NOLA Creamery and Sweet Beignets both right next to the Garden Gate Café to get it.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A severe thunderstorm warning was declared for Hardee, Sarasota, Pasco, Manatee, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Polk counties until 10:15 a.m. Saturday.

Western Hernando County was under a tornado warning until 11:00 a.m. after a radar-indicated water spout was spotted seven miles off Weeki Wachee Gardens, according to the National Weather Service.

So far, power lines and trees were said to be down around State Road 50 and US-19 amid the storms’ heavy winds.

A strong cold front is moving through the entire region and will bring a line of showers and thunderstorms through as it passes.

The storms will begin to move in from the northwest between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. in Citrus and Hernando County. The thin band of storms will slowly move southeast throughout the morning and clear Sarasota, Highlands and DeSoto Counties by 1:00 p.m.

It will not rain everywhere during that time. As the line of showers moves into your area, expect a brief period of heavy rain, gusty winds, lightning, and the threat for strong winds and an isolated tornado. Once the heavy rain has moved out of your area, the severe threat will be over but winds will stay gusty throughout the entire afternoon.

Winds will switch directions and come in out of the north bringing in much colder air. Temperatures will begin to drop after 12:00 p.m. into the 60s. Temperatures will drop all afternoon and night into the 30s and 40s for Sunday morning.

A Freeze Warning is in effect for all of Citrus and Hernando Counties. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect tonight everywhere in the Tampa Bay area. Wind chills could be as low as 25° farther to the north, and in the mid-30s elsewhere Sunday morning.

Despite a lot of sunshine on Sunday afternoon it will be a chilly and breezy day with highs only in the mid to upper 60s.

The cold snap doesn’t last long with normal temperatures returning to start the work week. Lows will be in the upper 50s and low 60s and highs will be back in the upper 70s Monday and Tuesday.

Another cold front moves through on Tuesday with a chance for showers and thunderstorms but this one is not as strong and we will not get as cool behind it. Temperature stay in the mid to upper 70s for the rest of the week.

Monday night, the universe decided to teach stickler fans of the Eagles a lesson: If you don’t like the fact that Deacon Frey is covering for his late father Glenn, you don’t get to have a Frey onstage at all.

Right before the current leg of the group’s Hotel California tour, it was announced that the new kid in town had come down with an unspecified illness, and will be sitting out until further notice. Obviously, the show had to go on, but Tampa did get to witness a rare Eagles show without anyone in the Frey clan present. That just left sole co-founder Don Henley, shred wizard Joe Walsh, and The Long Run-era bassist Timothy B. Schmit, along with the strange but cool addition of Vince Gill (yes, that Vince Gill).

At 8:15 p.m, a ghoulish bellhop slowly sauntered onto the gray curtain-draped stage, holding a vinyl copy of Hotel California. He made his way to a record player on far stage-right, blew the dust off of the record, and set it down. The needle dropped and the curtain rose.

Don, Joe, and Timothy were all dressed conservatively while performing the band’s best-known album front to back. Henley, donning a Robert Fripp-style white button down and black vest, sang a transposed version of the album’s title track while behind the drum kit, which would only happen a few times throughout the show. Don Felder has been out of the group for two decades now, so dueling Walsh on that legendary guitar solo was touring guitarist Steuart Smith, who even held a double-neck axe. Whether that was a salute to Felder, or a giant middle finger, the old guys still managed to crack out the solo almost exactly as it appeared on the original album.

Gill did Frey’s vocal parts on “New Kid In Town,” and Walsh harmonized with Schmit’s bass during one of the instrumental segments of “Life In The Fast Lane.” Nobody had any issues whatsoever watching Henley shine centerstage on the album’s regretful side A closer, “Wasted Time,” which saw a surprise appearance from a full, all-local orchestra, laid out right behind the band.

A woman in black came onstage to flip the record over, to which the orchestra would immediately launch into “Wasted Time (Reprise).” It would then leave the stage to let Don and friends continue doing their thing, until the album’s closer, “The Last Resort,” which not only saw the orchestra’s return, but also the appearance of a 20-piece local choir. Finally, right around 9 p.m., the last note was struck, and the crowd lost it.

“Thank you,” Henley finally mumbled.

A 20-minute intermission took place, and while members of the orchestra hung out backstage, Don, Joe, Tim, Vince, and Steuart launched into a breathtaking rendition of Steve Young’s “Seven Bridges Road,” a favorite of the Eagles' for several years. Vince Gill did Glenn Frey’s vocals during “Take It Easy,” and whoever took on those high harmonies on “One Of These Nights” deserves a major pat on the back. Once the latter ended, Henley, now dressed much less conservatively, finally came to the mic and spoke. “It’s not that we don’t care about what’s going on in the world right now, it’s just that we need a break,” he explained. “Makes a fella want to drink.”

The rest of the set was nothing but wall-to-wall greatest hits that fans in the sold-out Amalie Arena shelled out over $120 to hear. Schmit powered through Glenn’s vocals during “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” Henley returned to Phil Collins mode (singing and drumming) on a slightly slowed-down “Witchy Woman,” and Gill carried “Take It To The Limit.” Nothing against Joe Walsh, but this live version was infinitely better than when Joe sang it while opening for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers in the same building, five years prior.

Come to think of it, Joe might have actually been the star of the show. He very generously gave us a healthy mix of his own Eagles songs (“In The City,” “Pretty Maids All In A Row”), as well as a few cuts of his from outside the Eagles. He saluted the James Gang with “Funk #49,” and during the band’s post “Heartache Tonight” encore, the obligatory “Rocky Mountain Way,” talkbox and all, and God love him, but did anyone understand what the hell he was saying during his pre-“Life’s Been Good” banter?

During that encore, Joe wasn’t the only one with a solo tune. Believe it or not, Henley actually dusted off “Boys Of Summer,” written with Heartbreakers Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell—the latter of whom is in town for a show next week. The other two performed were “Desperado,” which saw the return of the orchestra, and closing up was “The Best of My Love,” which may have seemed like an odd closer compared to “Desperado,” but still gave us the lingering feeling that the Eagles were saying goodbye. “In case we don't pass this way again, I want to thank all of you for a wonderful ride, for a wonderful 50 years.” Henley explained.

But then again, how many farewell tours have the guys done?

Residents and visitors of the City Beautiful should watch their backs and their gold: Dragons are taking over Orlando.

From Leu Gardens to Orange County Regional History Center, these fabled, sometimes fire-breathing creatures are popping up in multiple exhibits taking place at the same time.

Curious knowledge-seekers can visit Orange County Regional History Center to gather historical context and centuries-old tales of mythical creatures. “Giants, Dragons & Unicorns” takes visitors on a journey of air, sea and land that includes mermaids, narwhals and alligators.

“Essentially what the exhibition covers is humankind’s interpretation of what they see or find in nature and how they try to make sense of it — without having the scientific backing of what it is they’re actually experiencing,” said Catherine Duffy, chief curator of the history center.

The traveling exhibit was organized by the American Museum of Natural History in New York but features local tie-ins with Orlando Magic mascot Stuff the Magic Dragon, the Weeki Wachee mermaids and historical accounts of Florida’s own dragon-like creature, the American alligator.

While many of these creatures have been disproven or explained by natural phenomena, such as the Kraken being explained by the giant squid, or manatee bones suggesting the existence of mermaids, other searches are still active. Consider the quest to prove the reality of the Skunk Ape, Florida’s Sasquatch.

“There are so many people who believe they saw something,” Duffy said. “They’re trying to make sense of what it was that they did see, they’re trying to explain it.”

Within Leu Gardens, the city’s 50-acre botanical oasis, guests of all ages can explore “Dragons: Hidden Treasure Quest,” which takes “seekers” on a journey to read tales and find clues during the exhibit’s run Jan. 17-April 3.

“There’s a lot of things that you have to do — finding the artifacts, reading the little stories, and then looking for the clues that will help you decipher where the hidden treasure is in the garden,” said Tracy Micciche, marketing and special events coordinator at Leu Gardens. “It’s a lot of fun and creativity for guests of all ages.”

In recent years, the gardens have served as home to fairies, dinosaurs and now dragons. These exhibits help to draw in a broad group of visitors who might not typically be interested in botanical gardens.

“We’re really trying to reach out and get people to see the beauty of the gardens. At the same time, we’re trying to add some fun entertainment value as you come through,” Micciche said. “I think it’s for all ages. If you like to come out and do scavenger hunts, it’s a great place.”

The winged creatures will be stationary for daytime garden visitors but at night, the dragons come alive in a theatrical performance presented by Creative City Project. “Dragons & Fairies” provides an immersive outdoor production complete with lighting, costumes and animatronics that breathe life into this original story.

“Some conflict has taken place between dragons and fairies historically. There’s a young fairy who says, ‘This doesn’t seem right,’ and wants to reunite these two groups,” said Cole NeSmith, founder and director of Creative City Project. “She meets a young dragon character along the way, and the two of them embark on this journey to see the kingdom reunited.

This show follows the success of last year’s Alice in Wonderland-inspired “Down the Rabbit Hole” at Mead Botanical Garden and highlights the intersection of technology, theater, art and design.

“We have these nine animatronic dragons that range in size from eight feet tall to more than 20 feet tall and 35 feet long,” NeSmith said. “In the finale of our show, there are two massive dragons surrounded by 2,000 of these fiber optic flowers.”

If you go

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