Weeki Wachee Springs State Park — better known for its live mermaid shows over natural spring water — turns into a holiday lights display for four nights this December with its Winter Waterland Experience.
The event runs across two weekends, Dec. 8-9 and Dec. 15-16, 2026, with the park open from 6 to 10pm each of those nights for a festive stroll through areas of the park lit up for the season. The Gallery restaurant stays open during the event alongside the gift shop, so it works as a holiday-shopping stop as much as a lights display.
It’s worth knowing before you go that this is a separate, ticketed event from regular daytime park admission — entry is $10 per adult, kids two and under get in free, and a Florida State Park annual pass does not cover it, since this runs outside normal park hours and programming.
For families who’ve already done the mermaid shows and the regular springs tour, Winter Waterland is a reason to come back to the same park for something completely different — no swimming, no shows, just a lit-up evening walk and holiday shopping.
Good to know: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, 6131 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL 34606. Dec. 8-9 & 15-16, 2026, 6-10pm. $10/adult, free for kids 2 and under. State Park passes not valid for this event.