Buccaneer Bay

My kids loved it. From a parents perspective, not many places to sit because people throw there towels down to mark the chairs and then leave to not return for hours. Cheap entry fees. Take plenty of drinks and snacks because they don't have many places to get it and where they do, the line is lonnnng. Arrive early because the park fills up early! Really really early. My photos were taken on the way out because they closed the park down due to electrical storm was coming . They closed the mermaid show down 4 minutes in after we stood in line for 40 minutes & sat in the theater for 30 minutes we ended up seeing 1 mermaid (I attached her picture) before the curtain came down but we hung around in the parking lot & ate at a restaurant down the street & never saw a lightning strike or a drop of rain. I understand keeping the staff & customers safe but geeze, who makes the call to close & where was this storm, in Clearwater. The diappointed crying kids leaving the mermaid theater was torturous. With all that being said yes we would return because the water was delightful but if it would have costed more than the $15 bucks I would have been upset.

Our recent visit to Buccaneer Bay was a mixed bag of experiences. Upon arrival, we quickly noticed that seating was minimal. All the available chairs were taken, forcing us to settle in a grass area that was mostly dirt—not the most comfortable option for a day of fun in the sun. The park features two slides, but they were underwhelming at best, lacking the excitement we hoped for. The main attraction seemed to be the swimming area, where we spent some time splashing around. One notable feature was the lazy river, where you can rent tubes for a leisurely float. However, the ride was quite short—about 10 minutes—and you’re not allowed to get off the tube, which felt a bit restrictive. The highlight of the day was the mermaid show, which was interesting in its own right, though perhaps not as captivating as we anticipated. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by an incident in the parking lot. Someone backed into our car, causing some damage, and they didn’t leave any contact information or attempt to take responsibility. This added to our overall disappointment with the trip. In the end, while Buccaneer Bay has potential, the experience didn’t justify the price of admission. We left feeling less than satisfied, and I would suggest considering other options for a fun day out.

Natural cool spring waters to refresh yourself on a hot and humid day. There is a diving area where the kids and adults can dive off of. The water is clear with large gentle sucker fishes. The lazy river is short and slow. The cost to tube down all day is an extra $10 dollars per person. There is only a snack bar to get chips and candy and a bar for adults. There is an auditorium where an audience can view the mermaid show happening several times daily. There is also a gift shop. You can bring in a wagon to pull kids and your belongings. Umbrella rentals are available.

Inexpensive family treat to cool down on hot days ☀️ water is spring fed and 🧊 cold. Lifeguards are on duty. Beach area is nice and sandy. Walk ways are super hot 🥵 only 2 slides look forward ti coming back soon

Grate experience! I recommend early arrival or renting a cabana to secure your entry.

So this place is ok and water looks amazing and they have like a little mermaid show a floating dock to jump off of and 2 little water slides. Now for the bad and why it got 3 stars. The water is freezing cold. The price getting in isn't to bad but nowhere does it say till your in that the tube's for the lazy river are 10 extra each. Ok np bought them at 335 and didn't tell me that part closed at 4. Overall not horrible but they should specify things better.

I Haven’t been here since I was a kid, I took my kids today to show them the park & mermaids. I was surprised the price was still $13 for adults and $8 for kids. But after entering I realized why, NOTHING has changed with time, it is VERY VERY outdated. My kids said it looked like a place you see in an old movie made in the 60s🙄🤣 one of the snack options in buccaneer bay was named “snack shack” ..”shack” is a really fitting name by the look of the building. The kiddie area was closed meaning everyone was forced to be in the spring, and there were only 2 slides with the same line that overflowed down to the side walk. Not enough to do and to many people. There were also LOTS of pop up tents like you see at the beach, it reminded me of a festival, lots of ppl camped out with wagons jammed in a little area with tons of stuff. It was a very messy scenery we had nowhere to sit to eat our packed lunch out of our normal sized back pack cooler. We made it to the first mermaid showing. I remember it being a little mermaid skit when I was younger. I’m not sure if each show time is a different show but my kids were very bored with the one we saw today. They talked about the parks history, added a couple puns, and Danced a little. I guess you get what you pay for but definitely won’t make the drive to do it again but it was something different and an adventure for the kids and I so I gave it 2 stars. Park also hit capacity by 11:30am

Had a pleasant morning with my husband floating in the lazy river, taking in the beautiful scenery, and enjoying the nice cool water. The mermaid show was cute and definitely is for the kids. They put on a good performance and swam their butts off! As a mermaid lover myself I do feel as tho with all the moneys brought into the park a few should go to updating their props, tank, and tails. The tails look like they cost $5 from amazon when there’re so many other beautiful ones out there. But other than that we had a great time!

Cute place for a family fun day at a very reasonable price. Me and my wife took our grandchildren to see the mermaid show. The show was very entertaining to my grandchildren as well as to my wife and I. We enjoyed swimming although the water was extremely cold as you first go in. They have some other attractions such as animal shows, kayaking, boating and a water slide. I suggest calling before to see if you'll be able to enjoy all attractions as there are not so many of them. Also check the time schedule for the mermaid show, it is a must see. Boating wasn't available during our visit. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and the kids had fun. The park is clean, staff is friendly and tickets are cheap. We will definitely be back.

Pretty affordable springs, 19$ per adult. The water is naturally super cold, they say it's about 72 degrees but it really felt colder. I suggest wearing a wetsuit if your not use to cold water. The boat tour was actually the best part to me as you were able to see a lot of fishes aand the water was clear. For the springs part that you actually go in, the water was not as clear but not sure if that's because recently there was a passing hurricane. Goggles are a great idea. You are allowed to bring your own floating devices or can pay to rent one. They have a mermaid show, which there pretty famous for, but the inside of the area is freezing like so cold your body is shaking. You must have shoes on to see the under water mermaid show. We had went after we were in the water so that didn't help the cold water plus the freezing cold show. Now we know

Watching the performers in the underwater mermaid show is a unique experience. I can see how kids could believe they are real mermaids. It is a simple show, but entertaining for the whole family. For $13, you can watch the show and enjoy the rest of the park's amenities. It is handicapped accessible and has plenty of parking.

It was a great experience! There are so many wild life around, like peacocks, bald eagle, fishes and much more. Also, the Spring water was very relaxing. The water was a little cold, as expected so I would suggest bringing a wetsuit or a long sleeve shirt. Also I would highly recommend bringing a snorkel set or goggles so you can see the fishes when swimming. I absolutely loved Weeki Wachee Springs. It is a must at least once!

The mermaid show was a ton of fun for the kiddo and she loved swimming in the spring. This place isn't high tech nor is it high adrenaline. This is a place for family fun without breaking the bank. I absolutely enjoyed my quick visit. My biggest gripe is the River cruise. Apparently you need bracelets or something? But I paid just like everyone else and the park was pretty much empty but we still couldn't go.

I can't say that I had been to Weeki wachee in a very LONG time, like maybe 3 decades. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I'm glad to see that most things haven't changed. I arrived at 3:30 pm, which means all the shows and stuff is over, and in November there's not a lot blooming, I asked the gate price and was told to just come in The park is lovely. The tribute to the Mermaids that made this a world known attraction made me feel something, and that's good. There was plenty of wild life to look at and some nice walks to be had. I recommend you come out to visit this piece of Florida history.

Beautiful amusement facility with a live mermaid show! It was magical. I visited off season, so there wasn't as much to do. We visited primarily for the mermaids and were not disappointed. Looking forward to returning during my next visit.

It's an older establishment. So it's cool if you want to step back in time and revisit the 90's. Everyone was friendly and the kids all seemed happy and excited. I loved that you could bring your own food and drinks in. But if you forgot yours, they have a restaurant. To find the beach area, it's a little confusing despite signage. The water was too cold for me to enjoy lol. But the floats were cool, maybe during summer when it's hotter. The parking lot was huge and no worries finding a spot close to the entrance. The mermaid show was interesting.

Great Old Florida experience. What to know - there is limited entry per day to protect the springs. 1400 people a day max. They open at 9am so get there early! You are allowed to bring in your own food and drinks which is great for families! Coolers are even allowed. The mermaid show is a classic and you have to see it at least once. The underground theater is air conditioned and very comfortable. The mermaids perform in the natural spring so that's very cool. The show is about 30min. You can meet a mermaid for a photograph after the show! Buccaneer Bay is the "water park" area which is the swimming area, lazy River, kids pool, bar, beach, water slides, rental cabanas. It's basically awesome. The water is cold for Florida (72 degrees) but in summer is perfect. The park also offers a river cruise, playground, and learning opportunities about Florida wildlife. We met the resident peacocks while we were there and mama even had 4 chicks! I highly recommend visiting this sweet, simple place. It's a bit of a time warp but in such a good way.

A tourist spot at best. Employees are unwelcoming. Told me I need a reservation lmao. Feels like a Busch Gardens gone wrong. Some guy telling me I cut the line for the bathroom twice, plus left the water running when I entered the bathroom. Some idiot on the outside of the springs was rude so I said I am looking for my boyfriend. Absolute weirdo. Never going there again and good luck.

Had a pleasant morning with my husband floating in the lazy river, taking in the beautiful scenery, and enjoying the nice cool water. The mermaid show was cute and definitely is for the kids. They put on a good performance and swam their butts off! I do feel as tho with all the moneys brought into the park a few should go to updating their props, tank, and costumes. The tails look like they cost $5 from amazon when there are many other beautifully done ones out there. But other than that we had a great time!

Had a great time. The lazy river was short with a long walk back to the start while carrying your tube. I had a TIA and the park response was amazing. Will be going back soon I hope. Tristan was the best.

This is for the kayaking, it's a great spot! Beautiful clear water and the current will help take you and then a bus brings you back. It's pretty easy except it can get narrow at times and difficult when there's a lot of people. I don't know why they allow boats on it. We did see a manatee once and there are always tons of fish.

I love visiting Weeki Wachee. The river is a busy place on weekends or holidays but during the week or other times, you've got it almost to yourself. Watching the manatee is incredible. Crystal clear water flowing is totally amazing.

Brought my grandkids here and had a wonderful day. They have a beautiful "mermaid" show that the kids loved. The slides were fun for them too but none of them would wear sunscreen.

Our first amazing visit with the mermaids ‍ The park is lovely, the people friendly and helpful. The Ranger was very good and informative. The boat ride and narration is a must. Thank you Weeki Wachee for the beautiful memories.

The experience this week at - "Weeki Wachee" was superb the spring is nature at its finest- However the "Spectacular Experience" Was the interaction with Tyler Shugarts a incredible customer centric young man. after loosing my wallet on the River- He went above and beyond once the wallet was found to locate me- and return it- I had given up on the wallet what are the odds of recuperating it- However it was found turned in and Tyler took the initiative to find me- everything inside the actual wallet was replaceable the actual wallet a gift from my youngest son the sentimental piece was not- Tyler made that possible- THANK YOU see attached picture- Also thank you to Carlos the Manager absolutely building a Great Team of Customer Centric staff- (See attached pictures) Overall a memorable spectacular experience! Thank you Team Rafael Gonzalez

Fantastic experience today. Where else in the world would you be able to watch a live mermaid show? Staff was extremely friendly today and the river ride on the boat was perfect For the price and what you get it's well worth it Perfect place to spend the summer as they have a good size beach

I definitely recommend this park. It's beautiful, peaceful and the mermaids show is one of a kind. Love the peacocks birds all over the park. Thank you for the amazing experience.

Boy, Florida really is a weird place. Not sure how to review this. There's a lot of diversity in State Parks in this once-great nation of ours but...this might be the most unique. It's an official State Park that is pretty much a Theme Park. Very on-brand for Florida. The (state park) land includes two sections: Theme Park section: water slides and mermaid shows. River section: functionally free if you have place to park, or you can rent a kayak. Then paddle upstream as far as you like, then let the current take you back to where you parked/rented from. I love the river section. The water is fantastic. And there are so many scenic "no trespassing" and "let's go Brandon" to marvel at as you paddle by angry homeowners! I haven't been to theme park section, but it's probably not my thing, I'd rather just go full-plastic and go to Adventure Island.

Skip this place its awful. It was dirty, and didn't look like a spring at all... the so called "sand" was black and looked more like dirt . The bathroom was nasty and full of flies. . My husband and son ragged on me all the wayyyy back home. No - we Will NOT return.

This park sucks. The swim area is tiny Tubing is closed. Half the attractions were closed. Totally misleading about this park. Maybe it's good for babies

Impressed with the mermaid show. Such athleticism and lung control. They swim under water for 30 minutes only using tubes of air occasionally! With only one fin and two hands. Going to the springs next to swim. This is a beautifully kept park and only costs $13. To get in the park. At the swimming and springs area, there is no shade. Be sure to bring your beach umbrella and they do have chairs but they're hard white plastic chairs, not real comfortable. The issue is shade. We did not stay to swim. Sun too hot. Springs too crowded. We did have a good time! Worth the admission price to see the show!

You should definitely do your research before coming here. We went on a Monday. If you want to rent a paddle board or kayak RESERVE way ahead of time as they do sell out. We traveled about 3hrs in hopes something would open up, we saw there's a "lazy river" and a place to swim so regardless we were looking forward to that. On a hot day the water is very refreshing but yes it is cold! Upon arrival it's $13 for adults Locker rental is $7 - not huge Rent a circle tube for the lazy river $10 To be honest the lazy river is not big at all... probably fun for kids... it took barely 5mins to float... ALOT of kids (again didn't do enough research) A great place for families and young kids.. they have a kiddie pool and 2 water slides We brought our own food Towels to buy is $15 if you forget to pack one There's other places around this area where you can rent a kayak or paddle board that're more open. I look forward to a kayak experience next time I visit.

If I could only choose one activity to do again in Florida, I would choose being on the Weeki Wachee River. It was worth every minute.

The mermaid show is for all ages so we brought kids ages 5, 3, and 18 month old. It was great until "Ursula" slams open a theater door and screams bloody murder extremely loud over the intercom. It scared every kid in the theater (including me) and many kids along with my own were crying and a lot of families ended up leaving without finishing the show. Thankfully they didn't stay because Ursula does the same blood-chilling scare and scream at the very end of the show after they introduce the cast. Ursula also ends up beating up the other mermaids. This is supposed to be a family-friendly place with sweet mermaids. It felt like a horror show with violence. Now instead of a fun mermaid memory for my little girl, all she can talk about is the scary mermaid and how she never wants to go back - which we won't. So disappointing.

The perfect kayaking destination! I love Weeki Wachee Springs and I highly recommend traveling there for kayaking. It is great experience for kayaking beginners and experts. I rate Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Kayak Rentals a 4/5 because it was a great experience and the staff was very helpful, but we were disappointed that we could only rent the kayak for two hours (their new time limit). If you want a shorter trip, it is perfect for you. I recommend bringing your own kayak or trying a different kayak rental company if you want to be on the water for more than two hours. I have heard that The Kayak Shack has longer rentals. Regardless, it was a great experience and we enjoyed ourselves. Make sure to bring reusable water bottles and a wet bag to keep your items dry and please respect the wildlife!

This is a must see attraction in Florida. The mermaid show is amazing with very talented young people performing the shows. The park staff is very nice and the grounds are kept very clean. This is a great spot for seeing old school Florida.

I know some folks moan about The Glory that was Rome, or what this place was like when Dad took them here in the station wagon in 1968, but I am thrilled that the State took it over, and that this place is still here. So many Roadside attractions are gone yet this blast from the past survives. I read so many people scratch kitty sand on the Mermaid show that my expectations were quite low, but golly gee, it was well done. It even had a surprise that made me jump in my seat, bravo. The girls hair are beautiful flowing in the clear water. So worth going out of your way to see, if you you read some of my other reviews, and are on the same wave length as me.

WW has been in business for 76 years! Imagine how many people have been here! Florida state parks took over management of WW in 2008. One senses that the "golden days" of WW are long gone. However, one can have a good time here. First of all, the water park Bucaneer Bay with water slides is only open seasonally, after mid March. Second, inasmuch as WW is a state park, if you have a Florida state park pass you are in free. Otherwise, it is $13 for adults, $8 for children. The main attraction is the mermaid show. There are two 30 minute shows daily, at 11 am and 3 pm. The door to the underwater theater opens 30 minutes prior to each show, and once filled (400 seats), they close the doors. Also worth doing is going on a 20 minute wilderness river cruise. These run throughout the day, departing on the hour and the half-hour. Or, if you want, you can rent a kayak and paddle down the river. There are also lectures by park rangers about wildlife native to this area. The park also has places to purchase food, drink, and gift shop items. So, WW is an enjoyable day trip.

This was such a fun experience! I loved seeing all the shows and going into the stores. They do close down some of the attractions for the season, but during the summer everything should be opened. For everything I got to do, I think the price was worth it and cheap. So if you're looking for something fun to do with the whole family without going broke, this is the place!

This is not one of my favorite places to go. The kayaking is gorgeous. You really feel like you're in a foreign country. The trees provide lots of shade from the hot Florida sun, but there is nowhere to get out and swim. In the big pool is overrun by crazy people with their kids, screaming and yelling. It is not enjoyable.

Fantastic family getaway celebrating its 75th anniversary! Such a great value with so much to enjoy for all ages

This place is really fun! The water is cold but you get used to it faster when the sun comes out. I really enjoyed the mermaid show and I think they did a great job! The price is also unbeatable for everything that is included for the day. They have water slides, a cruise ride, kidee pool, restaurants, etc. I would come back if I had a chance to.

Drove hours to come here at a fairly early time, and they were already at capacity, no longer accepting new visitors. Said they didn't know when they would reopen. Very frustrating experience. I imagine it wouldn't be worth calling ahead either as it appears to be a busy establishment. Wouldn't recommend for tourists making the drive!

Not a bad place, everything is quite old, but the theater with the mermaid show is amazing. For this show alone, this place is worth visiting.

It's been a lot of time over the years there. It's a wonderful place to be especially on a hot summer day. Highly recommend it's a great getaway.

Loved it, wanted to go to rainbow springs but it is too far from us, we drove up from miami. Kids loved it, they have a cool food boat mid spring. I would definitely do it again, and I recommend renting a canoe. If you time it right (high/low tide) you don't even need to paddle, the current will take you. They have a park that is basically a big cold basin with a ramp that you can swim to and jump. You can skip that I just do the actually springs on a canoe

On the weekend if you get there after 11 expect to almost not find parking and miss the mermaid show at 11 and the boat ride will not be available the rest of the day. So you walk around a small area with do not enter trails and no view of the spring close up. So you leave and waste your entry money. Summer no manatees or wildlife. Don't know where the kayaking rentals are. No signs or facilities for that.

Drove with my kids from Orlando to see the mermaid show. When we arrived at 11:30, the person guarding the parking lot said it was full and wouldn't let us in. Great way to run a business, but not really. Never going back. If I could give it negative stars I would.

My friends and I LOVED kayaking at Weeki Wachee -- it was so peaceful with the most perfect weather and the water was beautiful and clear (the video says it all). Overall, it was do-able even for beginners (ignoring the 20 times we crashed into the bushes L O L) & was a reasonable price (~$30/person) for 2hrs down the 3 mile trail. We even got to see a manateeee and little fishies!!

Weeki Wachee is such a unique gem located north of Tampa and west of Orlando. There is a reason why it's the home of mermaids. The show we saw on Saturday Jan 8. Was very cute. It had clean humor, the park was cleaned and maintained well. I think it is reasonably priced. If I had children I would probably buy a season pass because there is a lot of shade for picnics and there is a playground. There are two mermaid shows a day and the one we caught was more of the historical context of the park, which was great timing since I love history. I got there around noon, which by that time the final boat tour was full and the park was fairly empty. The gift store had a very nice store clerk behind the desk. The gift store uses paper bags which made my heart happy considering the amount of waste that ends up in our springs. I think the park could potentially have more sales if it had a better maintained site, but I realize that's probably not their fault. If not an updated site, perhaps an app people could get updates on if the park meets their quota, etc. There is a small restaurant in premises but I did not get to pop in. The nature tranquility trail could be updated with signs on plant species names and if it's native. There is a bit of remodeling in outside theatre entrance area and the ramp area near I think captains quarters. The show was super super cute!! Masks were not posted if they were needed or not and that was not so great since hardly anyone in theater was wearing one. The area talking about the burial mound was very cool and interesting, but was very difficult to read. All in all, check it out it's a nice little stop.

Drove all the way from kissimmee with my family just for it all to be closed down an hour after opening. Paid $71 dollars to sit and not do anything. Then manager denied refunds or even a pass to come again another day. Terrible place. Run down with slides supported by just wood?? Also super cramped and very little open space. What a way to scam you out of your money.

They let you pay for entrance for everything but the boat cruise that's an hour and a half behind and the small children pool everything else is closed waste of time and money won't be coming back Only let you swim around blue bobbers nothing or nowhere else

My family and I really enjoyed the springs. Highly recommend if in the area. Beautiful

What a day! I would highly recommend any one in the Tampa area to adventure over to Weeki Wachee and rent their kayak! It was absolutely beautiful. Very quiet and relaxing. You are not able to take any disposable items and also definitely don't need a towel as it will just get drenched. It was a two hour tour and boy did we not want it to end!

We had a great experience today, Weeki Wachee truly is a special place. Staff was nice and got us in our kayaks in no time. 10/10 would recommend!!

Staff was great and accommodated us into the schedule the same day we called. So thankful for that because the weather and views were amazing! Loved being immersed and nature! My friends and I had such a fun and great time even though we ran into some of the branches (haha). Also, spotted a manatee, which was very exciting! Definitely, recommend this place to anyone looking for a kayaking adventure.

Such a fun family experience, so much to do. There's the mermaid show, which is historic and incredible, the river cruise which was beautiful, informative and our guide was knowledgeable and hilarious, there's a playground and waterslide, and the grounds are very beautiful and well-maintained. It's very reasonably priced, too!