Weeki Wachee Springs

In the late 1800s, unique tourist attractions emerged along the state's highways and, luckily for the nostalgic traveler, many remain open to this day.

1878 - Silver Springs (Ocala) began a glass bottom boat service.
Famous for being "Florida's original attraction", Hullam Jones began his passenger glass bottom boat service, which provided visitors with the opportunity to gaze down through the crystal clear waters at the aquatic life below the surface. (352-236-2121) (www.silversprings.com).

1893 - St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (St. Augustine) was established.
More than just an attraction, the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Originally established along South Beach, the zoo moved to its current location in 1922 and is currently the only Alligator Farm in the world where visitors can view a complete collection of gators. (904-824-3337) (www.alligatorfarm.com).

Historic Bok Sanctuary

1900-1916 - Viscaya (Miami) completed construction.
This grandeur Miami mansion was originally built as a private home for philanthropist James Deering. After Deering's death in 1925 and hurricane destruction in 1926, severe deterioration of the home set in. Deering's family donated the home and estate to the county in 1952, which has since restored and maintained the house and grounds for visitors to enjoy. (305-250-9133) (www.vizcayamuseum.org).

1929 - Historic Bok Sanctuary (Lake Wales) was host to President Calvin Coolidge as he dedicated what was then known as Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower and later as Bok Tower Gardens.
As a child in Holland, Edward W. Bok, the sanctuary's founder, was charmed by the majesty and melodies of Old World carillons and upon opening his gardens for the public, integrated a "singing tower" into his plans.
Currently there are four carillons in Florida, more than 200 in North America and about 400 in Europe. (863-676-1408) (www.boktower.org).

1930-1934 - Key West Aquarium (Key West) was built.
Built originally as an open-air aquarium, the attraction was famous for being one of the first and largest aquariums at the time. Today, the aquarium has grown to nearly twice its original size and features an Atlantic Shores exhibit, large outdoor holding pen and daily shark and turtle feedings. (800-868-7482) (www.keywestaquarium.com).

Gatorland

1935 - Sunken Gardens (St. Petersburg) opened.
Neighbors enjoyed wandering through Mr. Turner's gardens so much that by the early 1920s, he was charging a nickel to take neighbors on a guided tour.
After the City of St. Petersburg purchased the gardens in 1999, the goal was to preserve this historic botanical garden and provide cultural and educational opportunities. (727-551-3100).

1935 - Monkey Jungle (Miami) officially opened.
As a young man, Joseph DuMond wanted to establish North America's first colony of free-ranging monkeys so that he and other researchers could study primate behavior and ecology. When DuMond opened Monkey Jungle, the Java monkeys, territorial by nature, aggressively defended their jungle homes to visitors. DuMond didn't have the heart to cage his wild monkeys so he placed cages where his visitors roamed. Today the park is known as the only jungle where visitors are caged and the monkeys run wild. (305-235-1611) (www.monkeyjungle.com).

1936 - Everglades Wonder Gardens (Bonita Springs) opened.
Considered one of Florida's earliest wildlife attractions, visitors can delight in seeing Florida panthers, black bear, deer and other wildlife. Observe alligator feedings and otter shows. Exit the park through a unique history museum with artifacts and relics from the prehistoric and Calusa Indian eras. (239-992-2591).

1936 - Parrot Jungle (Miami) opened.
After talking with his friend, Joe DuMond of Monkey Jungle in Miami, Franz Scherr decided to open his own jungle. On Dec. 20, 1936, about 100 curious visitors paid 25 cents admission to see and listen to Scherr describe his birds, trees and flowers. Parrot Jungle is now home to 1,100 tropical birds, 2,000 varieties of plants and flowers and the best trained bird show in the world. (305-258-6453) (www.parrotjungle.com).

1938 - Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour (Winter Park) began operation.
A Winter Park tradition, visitors to the area can view panoramic vistas as they experience a Scenic Boat Tour on the pristine Winter Park Chain of Lakes. On any given expedition, participants may observe large cranes swooping waterside and snagging a large fish, or a lazy alligator languishing on a nearby bank. (407-644-4056) (www.scenicboattours.com).

1947 - Weeki Wachee Springs (Weeki Wachee) presented the first public mermaid show.
The "world famous" mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have been entertaining audiences with the only underwater theater of its kind! There is no tank or aquarium here. The theater is built into the spring itself and the mermaids perform in the natural and pristine water. Visitors enjoy the show from a viewing area located 16 feet below the surface of the water! (352-596-2062) (www.weekiwachee.com).

1949 - Snake Village and Alligator Farm, later renamed Gatorland (Kissimmee) opened.
Success to Gatorland came in the form of a huge crocodile that Owen Godwin Sr., the park's founder, acquired. Known as Bone Crusher, the 15-foot-long leathery giant weighed an astonishing 1,080 pounds. Godwin billed it as the world's largest captive crocodile and offered a $1,000 reward to anyone who could prove him wrong. No one rose to the occasion and Bone Crusher remained a major attraction at the theme park for years. (800-393-5297) (www.gatorland.com).

1950 - Ripley's Museum (St. Augustine) is the first permanent Ripley's to open.
In the first half of the 20th century, Robert Ripley was one of the most famous people in the world. His Believe it or Not! cartoon featured tales that were too incredible to believe, but Ripley claimed they were all true.
Today more than 27 Ripley's museums are available worldwide for visitors to test their common sense. (904-824-1606) (www.staugustine-ripleys.com)

1950 - Junior Museum of Miami (Miami) was established.
The Junior League of Miami's "Project Finding Committee" determined that Dade County's children needed a science museum. It was then that a private non-profit organization was established in 1950 in a house on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 26th Street. The Junior Museum expanded so quickly that in 1952 it was forced to move to the Miami Women's Club building on Bayshore Drive and was christened the Museum of Science and Natural History. Today, the museum is known to visitors as the Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium. (305-646-4200) (www.miamisci.org).