By: Leo Jurcak
As the school week drones on and the work pile grows, you may find yourself needing a short vacation to recuperate and recover. A perfect spot for a weekend getaway is the Weeki Wachee River in Weeki Wachee, Florida. The river is about 45 minutes North of campus and is the ideal trip for groups of friends looking for some fun in the sun.
The first step for this trip is to schedule a boat rental with “The Kayak Shack” which is a family owned rental service that has canoes, kayaks and paddleboards for your journey down the river. After that, you get to embark on your trip down the six-mile river that will leave you in awe. The river’s clear and cool water has so much to offer including rope swings, platforms to climb and jump from and the crowd favorite: the river’s friendly manatees. All of these opportunities allow for amazing photographs and a little adrenaline rush if you can brave the rope swings and the platform jumps. The overall experience is just a great way to immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the refreshing waters and the warm sun as you drift with the current.
Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Since the river is six miles, it’s vital to bring along snacks and some cold refreshments to keep you hydrated on your journey because it is a bit of a workout as you navigate the river. However, if you forget to bring food you can always stop by the quaint riverside hot dog stand that’s about halfway down the river; fresh hot dogs, drinks and other snacks are offered at fair prices to all paddlers.
As mentioned before the river’s cool waters are home to the many fish and manatees that make their way through the river snacking on the vegetation. Although you can’t touch them because they are a protected species, the manatees constantly breach the water to say hello, and because the water is so clear it’s easy to snap some crisp photos of them that make for great trip memories!
Overall Weeki Wachee River is an incredible weekend destination! From the paddling to the swimming, to the beautiful scenery, it’s a great time to be had by anyone! So, if your school week has been a bit too rough and you need a breather in the sun then pack your bathing suit, round up some friends and make your way down the river!
