Weeki Wachee Springs
9780738542478
Regular price $24.99 Sale price $17.00 Save 32%Wander through the pages of this book and meet the mermaids of Weeki Wachee in their magical underwater theater.
Mermaids are like leprechauns: it's very hard to sneak up and catch a glimpse of one. But in a hamlet on the Gulf Coast of Florida, people have been able to do just that since 1947, when Newton Perry opened a small roadside attraction with an underwater theater. For nearly 60 years, live mermaids have been the unique focal point of Weeki Wachee Springs. Mysterious and enchanting, these young performers have done everything from teaching a class to typing a letter underwater. They are carefully trained, completely enthusiastic, and delightful to see.
Lost Attractions of Silver Springs
9781467139564
Regular price $23.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 248): Computation results in '-Infinity'%For more than 50 years, there was no more iconic Florida tourist attraction than Silver Springs.
Its sheer popularity meant that the surrounding area--indeed, the entirety of Marion County--serviced the entertainment, gas, food, and lodging needs of millions of tourists annually. Visitors flocked to places like Ross Allen's Reptile Institute, Tommy Bartlett's Deer Ranch, and natural attractions like Rainbow Springs and Ocala Caverns. Sadly, as Florida tourism moved into the theme park era, scores of smaller attractions and their related businesses were abandoned. Author Tim Hollis revisits these once-thriving tourist spots and what happened when those tourists stopped coming.
Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park
9781467113243
Regular price $24.99 Sale price $17.00 Save 32%Travel to the Gulf of Florida and discover the inception, growth and final end to the sunshine state's Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.
John ""Brandy"" Siebenaler and his wife, Marjorie, founded the Gulfarium, the first marine attraction of its kind on the Florida Panhandle. Since the gates first swung open in 1955, guests flocked to the Gulfarium. Displays of live specimens collected from the nearby Gulf of Mexico waters by Brandy, his associates, and Destin's fishing families gave visitors a chance to view life below the sea as they had never seen it before. The park's spectacular dolphin shows gained national recognition, and the high-flying porpoises were trained by none other than Marjorie, who quickly became an acclaimed expert for her innate ability to connect with the animals. Beyond the on-cue performances of sky-high leaps, hoop jumps, and clever antics in the pool, the Gulfarium is part of a greater mission. It plays a critical role in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of stranded marine mammals, sea turtles, and other native wildlife--a need it has continued to serve for more than half a century.
Marineland
9780738582207
Regular price $24.99 Sale price $17.00 Save 32%Cypress Gardens
9780738543390
Regular price $24.99 Sale price $17.00 Save 32%Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
9781467124959
Regular price $24.99 Save Liquid error (snippets/product-template line 248): Computation results in '-Infinity'%How Busch Gardens Tampa Bay became a hit upon its late 1950s opening and grew into a zoological facility and theme park beloved by millions.
When Busch Gardens Tampa Bay opened in 1959, the Florida park became an immediate hit with locals and tourists alike. Over the decades, Busch Gardens has grown to become an internationally acclaimed and accredited zoological facility and world-renowned theme park. Serving as a sanctuary for thousands of exotic and endangered animals from around the globe and offering up unique thrilling rides and world-class entertainment, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay proudly welcomes millions of guests each year.