Weeki Wachee Springs

Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida grew from a clear spring on the Weeki Wachee River into a distinctive attraction known for underwater mermaid shows performed in a theater built into the spring. Created in 1947 by stunt swimmer and promoter Newt Perry, it gained national attention through films, television, celebrity visitors, and a widely publicized underwater movie premiere in 1964. The site later expanded with Buccaneer Bay and became Weeki Wachee Springs State Park after the state took over in 2008. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020, and the cave beneath it is the deepest known freshwater cave system in the United States.

Florida · United States