A Latte Fun - Downtown at the Gardens Mid- March 2010. 627-1782. This indoor playground and café has lots for little ones to do and a cozy coffee/snack shop for the grown-ups to hang out in. A carefully staffed play area is perfect for giggling, jumping fun, dress-up and curious exploration. It's a shoe- free environment so be sure the kids wear socks. Open daily.
Jupiter Lighthouse and Museum - US 1 and Alternate A1A, Jupiter. 747-8380. The lighthouse, completed in 1859, is the oldest landmark in the Palm Beaches. Open Sat. - Wed. 10-4. The last tour to climb to the top is at 3:15. You may also visit the Loxahatchee Historical Society Museum (747-6639) right nearby which houses a shell collection as well as pioneer and Indian artifacts. Open Tues.-Sat. 10-5.
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park - Singer Island. 624-6952. Over 300 acres of pristine Florida, nature walks, undeveloped subtropical shoreline and a nature center are open daily 8AM to Sunset. A 1/4 mile walkway brings you to a 45 acre oceanfront beach island. Bring a picnic and enjoy the solitude and beauty. During the summer months, this is a prime nesting sight for loggerhead, green and leatherback turtles and evening walks are given. This is an ideal place for fishing, kayaking, canoeing and snorkeling.
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.
Grassy Water Preserve - 8264 and 8537 Northlake Blvd. 804-4985 and 804-4980.
A community based conservation center that offers unique education and recreational opportunities on the edge of a vast 20 square mile wetlands resource. The Preserve today features nature center pavilions, boardwalk trails, hiking, canoeing, environmental education, interpretive programs and more. A quiet stroll just around the corner.
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 thousand 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 café.
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. Now at Downtown at the Gardens too.
The Elliot Museum on Northeast Ocean Blvd., in Stuart, currently closed for remodeling, 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.
Palm Beach Par 3 Golf Course 2345 South Ocean Blvd, Palm Beach (547-0598 is a fabulous 18 hole executive golf course with incredible intracoastal and ocean views. Totally redone by Raymond Floyd in 2009 and voted #1 par 3 course in the US by Golf Digest for 2010. Think small Pebble Beach and you have the feeling. Great pricing, specials, carts and trolleys too. You can book tee times online for convenience.
Solid Waste Authority Tours (640-4000 ext 4327) Tours run for about 2 hours on the last two Mondays of the month. This is an unusual and yes, very interesting, look at garbage and recycling. Call for more information.
Riverbend Park Indiantown Road, just west of the FL turnpike (748-2028) is the perfect place to rent a canoe or kayak and spend a lazy day paddling down Florida's only National and Scenic River, the Loxahatchee. Special guided tours along the park's trails are also available.
Burns Road Community Center on Burns Road just east of Military Trail (630-1100) has a terrific new children's playground area with loads of imaginative climbing, sliding, swinging apparatus for young children on artificial grass for extra safety. A fantasy water park for toddlers and non-swimmers has every conceivable water spout, sprinkler, splasher and slide all in water only 12 inches deep. A larger swimming pool has a tremendous water slide. Picnic areas, shaded loungers, changing rooms and even a snack bar add to fun.
Busch Wildlife Sanctuary 2500 Jupiter Park Drive off Central Blvd.in Jupiter (575-3399) is a non-profit educational based care facility for injured animals with nature trails and wildlife habitats exhibiting a variety of native animals. A hands-on discovery center is educational and entertaining. Call for hours and programs.
Palm Beach County History Museum opened to the public in March 2008 within the historic 1916 Courthouse in downtown West Palm Beach at 300 North Dixie Highway (832-4164). The restored building serves as the county-wide history museum that enriches the lives of children and adults alike by making local history accessible, interesting and meaningful. The Museum contains two permanent and one rotating temporary exhibits.
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