Spring Hill, Florida: Mermaids, Manatees & the Nature Coast's Family Basecamp

Florida's Family Basecamp

Spring Hill is the Nature Coast's hometown heart — a big, easygoing community on Hernando County's coast with quick access to the Gulf, the springs, and Tampa an hour south. It's where families set up for a week of mermaids, manatees, and a private pool in the backyard.

Weeki Wachee Springs

Spring Hill's crown jewel is Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, home of the legendary underwater mermaid show that's been running for more than 70 years. The park's Buccaneer Bay is Florida's only spring-fed water park — a white-sand beach, flume slides, a lazy river, and 74° spring water all summer long. Take the river-boat cruise, catch a wildlife show, or paddle the gin-clear Weeki Wachee River past turtles and manatees.

Swim With Manatees

The Nature Coast is one of the only places in the country where you can legally swim with wild manatees in their natural springs. In the cooler months they crowd into the warm spring runs by the hundreds — a genuine bucket-list morning, whether by guided tour or your own kayak.

More to Do

Pedal the 54-mile paved Suncoast Trail, hit the Gulf sand at Pine Island Park, pick blueberries at a local farm, or wander the free Nature Coast Botanical Gardens. Golfers have their pick of more than a dozen courses. And the Hernando Beach canals and Weeki Wachee's wild lower river are minutes away.

Where to Stay

Families come to Spring Hill for one thing above all: a home with a private (often heated) pool, room to spread out, and the springs a few minutes up the road. That's the core of our Spring Hill rentals — comfortable, well-equipped, and built for a slow week of Florida. Browse our Spring Hill rentals →

Best Time to Visit

The springs and a pool make Spring Hill a year-round stay. Summer is peak for Buccaneer Bay and the river. Winter is the magic window for manatee season, when the springs fill with them — book well ahead.