When my sisters returned from their run and we had lunch, we decided that the hour was getting late and the time spent driving to Tampa to see one of the gardens, zoo or museums would be lost in anticipated heavy traffic. So we decided to try a more local venue - the famed Wichie Wachee.
Having no idea where it was (just closer than Tampa!) and what it was (more a theme park than a place to walk), we headed out one more time, directionless, on Highway 19. We saw signs along the way and felt confident we were 'close.' After about 45 minutes when the signs disappeared, we again made one of our famous "U-turns," filled the gas tank once again, stopped and asked for directions.
Sure enough, we had passed the entrance--right on Highway 19. Apparently, it's still winter in this part of Florida, even with temperatures in the 70s and 80s, so many of the venues are on winter hours. And that's what we found.
After driving yet another hour and a half, we arrived at the entry gate at 2:50 pm, and with winter hours, the park closed at 3:00 pm. We begged the attendant to let us in for a quick 'looksee,' which she kindly did.
Wichie Wachee must have been one of Florida's earliest theme parks. It offers mermaid shows, a waterslide, riverboat ride, and a few gardens for strolling, a tiny gift shop. This time of the season, all they could offer was a mermaid show (we missed it) and the walk around about 3 acres of gardens (all in need of weeding).
I asked the attendant about the grounds and she assured me that next week was their opening season and much repair work would be done. The grounds could be lovely and I photographed many of the trees and azaleas just beginning to open. The mermaid show was letting out and so I snapped a few photos of the mermaid who was there for photographs with audience members, and asked one of the passersby to snap a photo of us. (and yes, that IS a sketchbook in my hands! LOL)
Although the venue didn't work out, and we wound up driving AGAIN, I am still laughing, along with my sisters, about how map and direction challenged we are, how much FUN we have just being together, how much we loved visiting mom, and how soon we can do this again.
It all went by too too fast!
3 comments:
What a good-looking and happy family you are!
This made me smile and smile! Your whole family looks as happy and enthusiatically sweet as you are!
And I see you got to meet a real live mermaid -- cool!
Oh, sorry you didn't get to enjoy the theme park in all it's glory??? It is an old one, and one that I loved going to when I was a little girl and we used to drive down here to Florida to go camping. Now I live here, but I can't believe I have never taken my daughter there. I guess I had heard that it was closing several times during the years, and I wasn't sure it was even open any longer. I imagine they are trying to keep it going, since it is such a part of Central Florida history.
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