| The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens - 4000 Morikami Park
Rd., Delray Beach. 495-0233. A permanent exhibit, "The Yamato Colony",
offers a fascinating look at the early Japanese settlers in the area.
Other exhibits vary. Admission to the museum includes the recently
completed tranquil Japanese gardens.
Lovely Japanese restaurant for a lovely authentic lunch. Open Tues.-Sun. 10-5.
Lion Country Safari - Southern Blvd. W., West Palm Beach.
793-1084. Allow at least 2 hours to drive through this 500 acre wildlife
preserve and see over one thousand animals including lions, zebras and
giraffes. Picnickers are welcome and there is also an amusement park,
nature walk, boat rides, miniature golf and a petting zoo. Open daily
9:30AM-4:30PM.
The Rapids - Military Trail South of Blue Heron Blvd.,
West Palm Beach. 842-8756. Open Mid March -September, this is a
complete family entertainment complex. The facilities include 16 water
slides, a lazy river ride, loads of waterfalls, a 19-hole miniature
golf course and a games room.
Boomers - 3100 Airport Road, Boca Raton. (561) 347-1888.
Open 7 days a week including holidays. Attractions include batting
cages, bumper boats, go-karts, kiddy play land, laser tag, game room,
rock wall, miniature golf and snack bar. This huge amusement park
has something for everyone in the family.
Butterfly World - 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek.
(954) 977-4400. Open Mon. - Sat. 9-5 and Sun. from 1-5. In and
around a screened rainforest aviary are thousands of butterflies from
around the world. Another aviary contains hummingbirds. You can
actually watch butterflies emerge from their cocoons and even buy a
butterfly attracting plant for your garden. Beautifully done and
magical for children of all ages.
Henry Morrison Flagler Museum - Cocoanut Row, Palm Beach.
655-2832. Built in 1902 as a wedding gift to his third wife, it has
been carefully restored with much of the original decorations and
furniture. You can also tour "The Rambler", Mr. Flagler's personal
railway car, completely restored to its 1886 condition. Open Tues.-Sat.
10-5 Sun. Noon-5.
South Florida Science Museum - 4801 Dreher Trail N.,
West Palm Beach. 832-1988. Open Mon. - Friday 10-5, Sat. 10-6 and Sun.
noon-6pm. This is an outstanding facility with compelling exhibits that
teach visitors about scientific phenomena. Children love the big, colorful
fish in the aquariums. There is a Planetarium with laser light shows and
an Observatory for star gazing. Open Tues.-Sun. 10AM-5PM and until 10PM
on Friday evenings. Call 832-1348 for details.
Palm Beach Zoo - 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach.
533-0887. Open daily 9-5. Tropical landscaped habitats are home to
over 900 animals. Features include, petting area, carousel, primate
island, interactive fountain for splashing (bring your swimsuit) and
full service cafe.
Loggerhead Park - on US1 in Juno has picnic facilities,
a nature walk and best of all the Marinelife Center. 627-8280.
The enthusiastic staff explains all about the work they do caring
for turtles and conduct turtle walks during nesting season. There
are several salt water aquariums, shell and other marine exhibits
to see. Open Mon.-Sat. 10AM-4PM and Sun. noon-3PM.
John Prince Park - 2520 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth.
966-6600. Over 700 acres of family fun including fishing, miniature
golf, golf driving range, baseball batting cages, bicycle paths,
several children's play areas, nature trail and picnic pavilions.
Jonathan Dickinson State Park - 16450 S.E. Federal Hwy.,
Hobe Sound. 746-1466. Located on the Loxahatchee River, this is one
of the largest parks in south Florida. You can enjoy fishing, boating
(canoe and boat rentals), hiking, biking and horseback riding trails.
Be sure to take the ranger-guided, 2 hour wilderness tour to Trapper
Nelson's. Open year round 8AM until Sunset.
Roger Dean Stadium - 4751 Main Street, Jupiter. 775-1818.
The baseball here is a glorious, good, old-fashioned day out right down
to the peanuts, crackerjacks and hot dogs. The stadium is so convenient
too. Just go straight down Central Avenue, through Abacoa's main entrance,
and then follow the signs. Every seat has a great view of the ballpark and
you can get close enough to really see the players. Spring training season
is held February and March where you can see both the Florida Marlins and
the St. Louis Cardinals. Minor league teams play April through August.
Yesteryear Village at the South Florida Fairground - 793-0333.
A unique and fascinating collection of over 30 historic buildings and
artifacts. Special fair days will have costumed re-enactors that depict
the southern Florida lifestyle of days gone by, food, music and my
favorite, kettle corn.
Playmobile Funpark on Military Trail just south of Northlake
Blvd. 691-9880. An indoor play school heaven especially suited for
rainy day fun. Every conceivable Fisher Price product is available in
imaginative play areas. You can even bring a lunch box or snack along.
It's free, if you can get out without buying the kids lots of goodies
and it is open daily 10-6.
Sailfish Marina located on the tip of Singer Island, 842-7806,
has charter boats, a restaurant, water taxi excursions and a sunset
festival. This delightful, out of the way spot has small town charm.
Fully narrated tours by water taxi (683-8294) are limited to 16
passengers or less and run on a regular basis. It's fun to watch
the big fish come off the charter boats, stroll through booths of
crafts and watch the sun set at the weekly street fairs on Tuesday evenings.
Peanut Island - This man made island is in the Lake Worth/Palm
Beach inlet just across the channel from the Sailfish Marina can only
be reached by boat or water taxi. It has a dock, designated swimming
area, snorkeling, showers, restrooms, picnic area and extensive sand
bars to walk along. There is a small maritime museum and JFK's nuclear
bomb shelter. The water taxi runs at regular intervals so you won't
get marooned overnight!
Imagination Station at Don Schaaf Park in Jupiter is located
on Indian Creek Parkway off Military Trail. This is a unique fortress-like
playground that kids adore and is well worth the short drive. The park
also has a small lake with a walking trail and loads of ducks to feed.
Museum of Discovery and Science at 401 SW 2nd Street, Fort
Lauderdale, 954 467-6637, is the kind of place you could spend the
entire day, with or without children. Unusual exhibits include a
real coral reef with sea creatures and tropical fish, a gravity free
moon walk, simulated space flight and landing, a musical kaleidoscope
you can conduct with a laser wand and a five story high screen in the
IMAX theater. Open Mon.-Sat. 10-5 and Sunday 12-6.
Sloans on Clematis Street just west of Flagler Drive,
833-3335, in West Palm Beach is a charming, eclectic ice cream parlor
with an endless variety of ice creams, cakes, chocolates and crepes.
Assorted fun trinkets and wild decor make this a special treat for
any age. Why not let the kids enjoy running in and out of the Centennial
Fountain while you are there. Open Sunday through Wednesday 12-11 and
Thursday through Saturday 12-12. Coming soon to Downtown at the Gardens.
The Elliot Museum on Northeast Ocean Blvd., in Stuart houses
collections almost Smithsonian in scope. You'll find a complete
Victorian parlor, an old fashioned turn of the century apothecary shop,
an antique photographic collection and a hodgepodge of baseball artifacts.
Most spectacular is its lineup of classic automobiles, motorcycles and
bicycles in a fantasy garage illustrating the history of automotive
engineering. (772) 225-1961.
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