The Answer to your mother’s question you assumed should have been obvious you assumed. That Answer being the Merfolk Lagoon “We’re going to see the Merpeolpe and the Lagoon of course” You answered before confirming the best route on the map, your mother following behind.
And even though the mere chance at seeing genuine mermaids had been enough to draw you to the Lagoon you and your mother were still taken back at what awaited you. Honestly at first you assumed the lagoon would be a 5 mile long body of water with the merfolk swimming about.
What awaited you was a vast body of water starching almost 20 miles bordered by sandy outcrops and having a few tiny isles dotted about. Also based on signs and stairways there were places to go below ground to view the Merfolk swimming about under the waterline.
Not that you or your mother needed to head down to see the merfolk as their were indeed many of various ages and human ethnic backgrounds swimming about. In terms of tails they came in various colors with a transparent Mono-like tail fin and matching fin-belt at the point their tails replaced their lower bodies. Their level of dress variated just as much per combination as there were those that were fully nude, some wearing seashell bras, a number wearing either Makeshift or normal Bikini and Tankini tops among the females while the males while more often nude did occasionally wear rash-guards or armor of some sort.
“OK this is crazy? How’d they create something this big in such detail?” your mother asked. “Oh who cares just look at them” You countered as you watched the merfolk swim alongside looking out for evidence of this experience route advertised: