[Villager Joyce]

Weeki Wachee Springs ($&@? Autocorrect). we made a trip to WWS last month. My guess is it has been 50 years since I was there last. This was Florida before Disney. Two different mermaid shows, boat tour down the river, and one of the best burgers and fries I've had in a long time. Also a spring fed water park area. The water is always 74.2 and 110 million gallons a day. From Brownwood, it's a 90 minute drive if you drive like a grandma. No tolls. $13 per person. Free parking. I not a grandparent, but I think this would be a great day trip. You can rent kayaks, but I don't do kayaks in waters with gators, but that's just me.

[JMEZARIC3]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Weeki Wachee Springs ($&@? Autocorrect). we made a trip to WWS last month. My guess is it has been 50 years since I was there last. This was Florida before Disney. Two different mermaid shows, boat tour down the river, and one of the best burgers and fries I've had in a long time. Also a spring fed water park area. The water is always 74.2 and 110 million gallons a day. From Brownwood, it's a 90 minute drive if you drive like a grandma. No tolls. $13 per person. Free parking. I not a grandparent, but I think this would be a great day trip. You can rent kayaks, but I don't do kayaks in waters with gators, but that's just me.

A great day trip when you have people visiting TV.Show them old time Florida.My sister still talks about our trip to see the mermaids.

[Sandtrap328]

Did you know that Wikki Wachee is a Florida State Park? If you are a disabled veteran, you and your spouse (or signicant other) can get free admission for life to any Florida State Park. Just bring your VA card showing that you are a service connected disabled veteran and the park will give you the pass.

[Villager Joyce]

I didn't know about the VAs. It is excluded from the senior program.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

I didn't know about the VAs. It is excluded from the senior program.

Yep, the admission is covered for the vet plus one other person at Weeki Wachee and at Homasassa Springs. All other Florida State Parks are up to 8 people.

Check it out at floridastateparks.org. It tells all the specifics in the FAQ's about the disabled veteran pass.

[John_W]

Originally Posted by Villager Joyce

Weeki Wachee Springs. we made a trip to WWS last month. My guess is it has been 50 years since I was there last. This was Florida before Disney...

My first trip was in 1962, but we were turned away. Elvis was filming his movie 'Follow that Dream' in Yankee Town, which is around Crystal River area. They put a notice in the St. Pete Times that he would be making a personal appearance at WWS on Saturday. My dad was a big Elvis fan, so we drove the 60 miles to WWS and arrived around noon. The parking lot was packed and they had cones blocking the entrance. Handlers were out in the street waving the cars by, no more entrance, so we missed out.

The last time I went to WWS was in 1989 when I lived in Spring Hill, which is where the place is located. They have a sandy white beach at the springs for swimming. It's very nice and is closer than driving the 15 miles south to Hudson Beach. I can't remember if we had to pay to use the beach, but if we did, it wasn't much. The place was packed every weekend. In this photo you can see the stadium for viewing the underwater show and also see the beach. As I remember, the springs is over 100' deep in places and they do have gators.