Tag: Florida

Along the natural beaches of Cedar Key, Florida, you can experience an abundance of marine animals in their natural Gulf habitats. Sand, surf, and the everchanging tides make way for starfish, shells, crabs, jellyfish, barnacles, seaweeds, and more! I took a few hundred photos, so I broke them down into a few albums: Album One: Starfish of Cedar Key! Album Two: Shells of Cedar Key! Album Three: Sisters Walking on Cedar Key Beach! Album Four: Random Shots on Cedar Key Beach! To learn more about anything you see, just click a photo! CLICK HERE for Florida Shell Guides! To explore…

Cedar Key is a quaint, but spirited, old fishing village nestled in a series of islands of the northwestern Gulf Coast of Florida. In town, you will find waterfront seafood shacks, old fashioned ice cream parlors, and and unique shopping opportunities. Along the natural beaches, you can experience an abundance of marinelife in their natural Gulf habitats. Sand, surf, and the everchanging tides make way for starfish, shells, crabs, jellyfish, barnacles, seaweeds, and more! I took a few hundred photos, so I broke them down into a few albums: Album One: Starfish of Cedar Key! Album Two: Shells of Cedar…

We spent a lovely evening exploring Cedar Key, Florida. Cedar Key is a quaint, but spirited, old fishing village nestled in a series of islands of the northwestern Gulf Coast of Florida. In town, you will find waterfront seafood shacks, old fashioned ice cream parlors, and and unique shopping opportunities. Along the natural beaches, you can experience an abundance of marinelife in their natural Gulf habitats. Sand, surf, and the everchanging tides make way for starfish, shells, crabs, jellyfish, barnacles, seaweeds, and more! Be sure to look closely at the photos below to see how the starfish move their little…

We spent the day in Ocala, Florida, visiting with Grandpa Ken, sitting on the porch, watching the brown anoles lounge in the flowers and trees, occasionally entertaining us as they sunbathe on the screens! To learn more about anoles and other Florida wildlife, click on any of the photos below! Each photo will take you to a different educational product idea! For fun things to do with the family in Ocala, Florida, CLICK HERE! Or check out our other Florida Family Guides HERE!

It’s definitely been a challenge over the course of the last year to spend time safely with family. But, the bittersweet fact remains, that life is fleeting. So, make time for family when you can, as soon as you are safely able to do so. Today, we spent an afternoon with Grandpa Ken, cooking out, and eating all the yummy foods to celebrate his 91st birthday… Fruit plates, veggie platters, stuffed mushrooms, nachos, salads, burgers on the grill, and fries… Followed with celebratory Birthday Cake, and scrumptious cheesecake. Happy Birthday, Grandpa Ken! What are your favorite foods to grill, or…

Climb aboard a behemoth open-air monster truck for a birds-eye view of orange groves, blueberry bushes, farms, fields, swamplands, and more! Take in the sights and sounds of wild animals, magnificent birds, exotic species, and domesticated farm animals. This approximately hour-long Monster Truck Super Swamp Safari is something EVERYONE in the family will love! Sure, rollercoasters are fun… But, include time in your Orlando-Area Theme Park Itinerary to travel the road less taken! In GIANT Monster Truck Style! Real Florida awaits your family at Showcase of Citrus in Clermont, Florida, just outside of Orlando! Read more about our full day…

Showcase of Citrus boasts a farm full of fun faces! On your way to the orange groves, or when you are done picking oranges, grab some animal feed and make some memories with your new furry and feathered friends! Emus, miniature horses, zebus, turkeys, sheep, pigs, duck, ostriches, goats, geese, donkeys, and maybe even a kangaroo! Meet all the Animals Here! Read more about our full day of adventures at Showcase of Citrus below! Be sure to browse through all our photos and albums! When in Central Florida, we all think of the theme parks. But, honestly, I HIGHLY recommend…

Be sure to spend some time checking out the wares in the Showcase of Citrus Old Country Store! They offer an extensive collection of Local Honey, Toys, Gifts, Soaps, Drinks, All Things Citrus, and so much MORE! You can even shop online! Read more about our full day of adventures at Showcase of Citrus below! Be sure to browse through all our photos and albums! When in Central Florida, we all think of the theme parks. But, honestly, I HIGHLY recommend getting off the beaten path for a day to experience something a little more, well, Florida! And The Showcase…

It may be hot in Florida, but Showcase of Citrus will keep you oh-so-deliciously cool! Two Rounds of World Famous Orange Creamsicles, a Frozen Lemonade, and Orange Cold Brew Coffee on Tap! Read more about our full day of adventures at Showcase of Citrus below! Be sure to browse through all our photos and albums! When in Central Florida, we all think of the theme parks. But, honestly, I HIGHLY recommend getting off the beaten path for a day to experience something a little more, well, Florida! And The Showcase of Citrus, Florida’s Fresh Air Attraction® offers just that. And…

When in Central Florida, we all think of the theme parks. But, honestly, I HIGHLY recommend getting off the beaten path for a day to experience something a little more, well, Florida! And The Showcase of Citrus, Florida’s Fresh Air Attraction® offers just that. And a WHOLE lot more! Start off with a property full of fun things to see and do, such as gem mining and watching the gators swim around the beautiful waterfront. Lots of photo opportunities abound with old tractors, a replica of the Southernmost Point Buoy in Key West, and even a giant shark. Inside the…

Sometimes you can find educational things in the most unlikely of places! Make a pit stop to use the facilities at the Interstate 75 Welcome Center, and you can learn about the tracks made by animals that live in Florida! What will you see on YOUR trip? Click on any photo to learn more about wildlife! CLICK HERE to find FUN Things to Do With Your Family in Florida!

Hard to believe it’s December with such beautiful skies! But, we were absolutely grateful for the gorgeous weather while exploring the Florida State Capitol Building and the surrounding grounds. A perfect day, indeed, to scratch another Capitol Building off our list! Because, one day, we will have seen them all!

After a fun day in Pensacola, we decided to get in a little beach time. Sun, sand, and a little splashing in the waves of the Gulf.

If you’re ever in the Pensacola, Florida area, you’ll definitely want to check out the schedule for the Blue Angels. The U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron runs hour-long practices that are free and open to the public. After the demonstration, check out the National Naval Aviation Museum, with exhibits both outdoors and inside their beautiful, state-of-the-art facility. Loads of hands-on exhibits will walk you through various branches of the U.S. Military, as well as the Space Program.

Trillian and I took a Mommy-Daughter Day Out this afternoon and headed into Pensacola, Florida for lunch, shopping, and a few caffeinated beverages. We chanced across al Fresco in the middle of Downtown Pensacola, and thought it was a SUPER cool choice for grabbing a fun bite to eat. al Fresco is a little corner where permanently parked food trucks boast several fun international cuisine selections. And it was a tough decision to choose only one…. But we decided on Z Taco, and were very glad we did. We ate ourselves silly with an El Gigante Shrimp Burrito, the Z…

If you have seen the movie Dolphin Tale, you will recognize the Clearwater Marine Aquarium as the home of Winter the Dolphin. If you haven’t seen the movie, definitely check it out! Here are some fun shots from our visit to the CMA! We got to hang out with Winter, Panama, and Nicholas! Click on any photo below to learn more about Winter the Dolphin and the movie Dolphin Tale! Be sure to visit Clearwater Marine Aquarium if you are in the Clearwater, Florida area!

Winter’s Dolphin Tale Adventure is a brand new, state-of-the-art facility displaying props and story boards from the film, Dolphin Tale. (This album is very dark, because of my broken flash; but this museum is too neat not to share!) If you have seen the movie Dolphin Tale, you will recognize the Clearwater Marine Aquarium as the home of Winter the Dolphin. If you haven’t seen the movie, definitely check it out! Winter the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium Winter the Dolphin at Clearwater Marine Aquarium For all our adventures visiting Winter at the CMA, CLICK HERE! Click on any photo…

Earning a Junior Ranger Badge in the Dry Tortugas was not only an honor because of its uniquely remote location, but it was an incredible experience to be hanging out in such a gorgeous National Park all by ourselves, long after the boat leaves with everyone else. But, most importantly, Ranger Riley was an absolute joy to work with while we were here. He was most attentive to the kids; and he engaged them in so many details of the fort and the island that we would not have realized by ourselves. Ranger Riley really was the cherry on top…

After three days on a remote island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico, 70 miles from civilization, my camera batteries all died. So, unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of photos from Day Three. But, suffice it to say, more grand adventures were had. More beautiful memories were made.

We’ll just group most of Day Two’s Adventures into one post for now, but I might come back later and break them up a little more specifically. A little more snorkeling to finish out the afternoon… We explored Fort Jefferson again once when we had the place to ourselves for the evening, spending some time in the cell of Dr. Samuel Mudd, where he was imprisoned for his suspected role in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. A walk around the outside of the fort to view marine life in and around the moat walls, such as sea stars, anemones,…

Spending our days frolicking in the clear waters and exploring the marinelife was definitely the collectively preferred way to enjoy our time here! If you are brave enough to venture out, lots of unique corals and bright, colorful fish can be viewed around the submerged areas of the fort walls. But, you don’t even have to venture too far from shore to enjoy countless species of fish of all sizes, and other aquatic life! Observing several different levels of the marine food chain in action was fascinating. All those poor little fish, swimming in their school for safety in numbers,…

Our first night of camping in the books, as we wake to our own peaceful solitude; with calm waters and billowing clouds as far as the eye can see! Wake up, Sleepy Heads! Day Two in the Dry Tortugas awaits! Adventures beckon us! And we shall answer with enthusiasm!

When all the elements align, you know you are experiencing MAGIC! On top of everything else, the full moon over our own personal paradise was icing on the already wonderful cake!

Such glorious sunsets in this perfect paradise. Where the sun melts into the Gulf Water Horizon… We find joy. Togetherness. Where priceless family moments, Melt into treasured family memories.

Ahhh… A trip to the Dry Tortugas was one of THE top things on my Bucket List for many years of my life… And here we are! Pitching a tent! Because we’re staying as long as we can! And we’ve got the entire island to ourselves! And that last photo? That’s the view from our campsite, Fort Jefferson, in all it’s sunny splendor… Paradise, indeed. Bucket List, CHECK!

Snorkeling in these perfect, warm, crystalline waters was an experience like no other! The kids had a blast splashing, playing, and enjoying the vast marine ecosystems beneath their toes! Hands on Marine Biology, for the win! You CAN bring your own snorkeling gear if you like, or you can use the gear provided by the Yankee Freedom staff!

Exploring the Dry Tortugas National Park spent many years in one of the highest spots on my Bucket List! And we finally decided to make it a reality! The first step of your Dry Tortugas adventure, is getting there! One option is a Seaplane. The most popular option is the Yankee Freedom Ferry Ride! The Yankee Freedom high speed catamaran leaves out of Key West, and takes you the 70 miles to Fort Jefferson in high class surroundings! The boat remains docked at Fort Jefferson, and you can utilize its services throughout the day. If you are just up for…

Although Key Deer live on about 25 different islands in the Florida Keys, they are most heavily concentrated in Big Pine Key and No Name Key, in the Lower Keys. In the 1950’s only a few dozen animals remained, and the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge was eventually established to protect their declining numbers. Today, almost a thousand deer are out there! And on Big Pine Key, especially, there are so many you’d never know the species was once so dangerously close to extinction. Be careful, though! Follow all speed limits through the area. They are there for a reason!…

As the sun begins to lower in the sky, the swamps come alive! Frogs, insects, birds… And who knows what else! All filling the air with song! And alligators, calling to one another, with deep bellowing grunts! Everglades National Park

Gorgeous skies, from pinks and purples, to deep blues, and ultimately blacks… Storm clouds and lightning bolts… And stars… Oh, and mosquitoes as big as birds! Yikes! The Everglades National Park

Flamingo is the Southern Terminus for the Everglades National Park. In the bays surrounding the Southernmost tip of the Florida Mainland Peninsula, you can find tons of playful Manatees! It is also one of the only places you can find American Crocodiles. If you are lucky! We were not so fortunate to see any… But, manatees are AWESOME. And so was all the other wildlife and vegetation we encountered along the way. So, taking the road all the way down to Flamingo is HIGHLY recommended!

The Everglades National Park boasts an unimaginable quantity of wildlife! Turkey vultures, black vultures, birds of prey, shore birds, song birds and more! As well as snakes, anoles, alligators, and the list goes on! We even saw the coolest snails! And, wow, those Golden Orb Spiders are a sight to behold… Unless, of course, you are terrified of spiders! And, in that case, my apologies!

If you complete Junior Ranger Badge Programs at Big Cypress National Preserve, Biscayne National Park, and Everglades National Park, you get full access to bragging rights that you have earned the South Florida Junior Ranger Trifecta! And we definitely worked hard to earn ours!

Biscayne National Park was #2 out of 3 on our South Florida Trifecta Mission! We had a lot of fun interacting with the specimens on the touch tables, as well as walking the boardwalks outside. There is a LOT more to do at Biscayne if you have your own boat! But we still enjoyed seeing Pipefish and other unique aquatic species as we learned about the South Florida Coastal Reefs. Earning our Junior Ranger Badges here was an awesome experience!

While the bulk of resources protected by Biscayne National Park do take a boat to appreciate, such as coral reefs, islands, dive sites, and more, you can certainly get a lot out of hiking the trails behind the Dante Fascell Visitor Center in Homestead! From spider webs and flowers, to shorebirds, crabs, pipefish, and maybe even a seahorse! We really enjoyed our time here, and the rangers were super cool and showed us a lot of specimens inside when we were working on our Junior Ranger Badges!

The first park for the South Florida Junior Ranger Trifecta… Big Cypress National Preserve in Ochopee, Florida and beyond. This NPS unit preserves freshwater wetlands across the Southern tip of Florida, and the important ecosystems that depend on the health of these environments to survive. When coming from the West Coast of Florida, out of Naples, across the Tamiami Trail, and into West Miami, you will traverse the Big Cypress National Preserve. There are two NPS Visitor Centers along that route. We enjoyed exploring the Westernmost facility, the Big Cypress Swamp Welcome Center. We earned our badges engaging with the…

Cirque style avian acrobatics team up with the strength and grace of gorgeous marine mammals and their trainers in this lively land, air, and sea production at Sea World in Orlando, Florida! Blue Horizons has been stunning audiences since 2005! Be sure to stick around and meet the performers for a VIP style experience!

Hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa down in Florida! Click on any photo for gift ideas for the Grandparents in YOUR life!

Haven Lake in Oviedo, Florida is a private community lake, but we got to experience tons of Florida wildlife just the same! And the kids had a lot of fun playing, marching, and climbing trees!

Canaveral National Seashore is, hands down, our favorite Florida Atlantic Coast Beach. Anytime someone asks for a recommendation, this is my immediate suggestion. Clean, beautiful, natural, not-crowded…. For us, it doesn’t get much better! Let’s Play!

We spent the day hiking with good friends on the Cruikshank Trail along the Blackpoint Wildlife Drive! We saw thousands of birds and tons of alligators! Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge Titusville, Florida

Click on any photo to learn more about Florida Coastal Birds and Wildlife! You can see so many different species driving through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Titusville, Florida!