Paddle boarding with a beautiful manatee! 😍

Don’t mind me, I’ll just be in the tree. Perhaps the best-known symbol of the yesteryear of Florida tourism, Weeki Wachee’s iconic mermaids perform in pure aquamarine water that flows from a first-magnitude spring. Kids and adults alike can splash and play against a background of stunning blues and greens, and a kayak trip down the spring run offers an escape into the quiet of nature. In 2007, underwater explorers discovered new passages in the spring’s cave system and confirmed Weeki Wachee as the deepest known freshwater cave system in the United States, marking another unique feature of this classic Florida destination. Florida's springs are windows into the past and places of tremendous natural beauty. No two springs are the same, and each one has its own unique place in human history and in Florida’s ecosystem. Florida’s springs were what first lured tourist to the state, with their refreshing waters and wildlife viewing opportunities. Silver Springs State Park was the site of a 19th century tourist operation which showcased the spring’s beauty, a tradition which continues today. Each visitor is transformed by the therapeutic quality of the clear flowing water and lush banks of Florida’s springs. Springs also played a substantial role in the settlement of Florida. They were centers of American Indian communities and were used for places of permanent settlement or respite on long journeys. Evidence of Florida’s history, including Pleistocene fossils, Timucuan artifacts and early 20th century equipment dots the landscape and spring runs of the state. In fact, a mastodon skeleton recovered from Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is on display in the Florida Museum of History. Florida is the premier location to experience springs worldwide, because of the abundance and magnitude of our many springs. The natural wonders are created when rainwater collects underground and flows to the surface through the aquifer. The aquifer is a network of limestone caves and crevasses which form the drinking water reserve for most of Florida. Researchers from around the world use parks like Wes Skiles Peacock Springs and Lafayette Blue Springs to map this underground system.
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