A Tour of Hernando County, Florida: The Nature of Florida

Ah, summer. Time for relaxing and enjoying the sun. Hernando County, Florida offers many ways residents and visitors can enjoy this quiet area of Tampa Bay that sits between the Gulf of Mexico and the Weeki Wachee River.

There are many different activities to choose from, from a day at the beach, to fishing, cycling and visiting the wildlife preserve.

Perhaps one of the most famous attractions Hernando County has to offer is Weeki Wachee Spring, where visitors can see mermaids, reptile and bird shows, take a tour of the River on the River Boat Nature Ride and rent kayaks and canoes.

Across from Weeki Wachee Spring is Buccaneer Bay, Florida's only spring-fed water park. Visitors can have a picnic, play beach volleyball, play on the water slides, and relax in an inner tube while floating down the lazy river. There is also a pool just for kids and a Tiki Bar for the adults.

Hernando County is home to many other city, county and state parks. There are beaches on both the Gulf and the River, recreational parks and campgrounds. Boating, canoeing and kayaking are also available in many areas, as well as golf and fishing.

If you like nature, you'll love the WeekiWachee Preserve. The Preserve is comprised of about 6,000 acres of natural forests and 430 acres of man-made lakes. It contains a habitat for many rare and endangered species of plants and animals, including the Florida black bear, gopher tortoise, and bald eagle.

Hernando County also has wonderful nature trails for walking, hiking, bike riding, roller blading and horseback riding. Visitors can also play tennis and racquetball. For the night life, there are restaurants, movie theaters and bowling alleys.

If a weekend away is what visitors want, hotels and motels are available as well as Farmer Brown's Bed and Breakfast in Brooksville, which is part of a 45-acre working farm. Visitors are awakened to the sound of a rooster crowing and served a hearty country-style breakfast made with the farm's products.

And don't forget the shopping. No tour of any area should be completed without it. Hernando County offers many stores to choose from, including some very unique shops, like Rogers' Christmas House and Village, a huge Christmas store made up of five houses connected by pathways, each featuring its own unique style and theme.

There is the Main House, which features two nine-foot Christmas trees on either side of the fire place; the Storybook House, featuring stuffed animals, children's books and games; The Cottage, a tropical-themed house; the Magnolia House, featuring beautiful home décor; and the Little House Under the Oak, filled with Christmas lights, Christmas villages and Snow Babies.

Visitors will also want to visit the Hernando Heritage Museum. This four-story, twelve-room antebellum house was built in 1856. It is decorated in the civil war, Victorian era, with over 11,000 artifacts on display.

All of these attractions and more are just waiting for both residents and visitors of Hernando County, Florida. For more information, visit www.hernandocounty.us/visit.