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Family Outings Best Local Attraction South Florida Parenting
Want to take the family someplace cool for an afternoon? Check these winners out: MIAMI-DADE COUNTY GOLD Metrozoo 12400 SW 152nd St., Miami Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 4 p.m. Admission: adults, $11.50; children 3-12, $6.75; children under 3 and members, free. 305-251-0400, www.miamimetrozoo.com As most parents can attest from their own childhood, a trip to the zoo is both fun and educational. At Metrozoo, kids and grownups get to experience a variety of animals from all over the world in an open-air setting -- but you don't have to walk the whole way. Take a narrated tram tour or rent a quadricycle to get around this large zoo. Children also can enjoy playground fun while adults take a break and everyone can keep their cool with waterplay areas, fans and misters throughout the park. Metrozoo is definitely worth the drive. New features include a soon-to-be opened Giraffe Feeding Station and a Jeep Simulator Ride (with virtual African safari) in the air-conditioned Dr. Wilde's World. Simulator rides are $5 a person. Look for the new Tropical America exhibit to open in late 2007. The zoo also offers spring and summer camps, overnight stays, behind-the-scenes adventures and the Zoodler Academy for toddlers. SILVER Parrot Jungle Island 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission: adults, $24.95; military, student or senior, $22.95; children 3–10, $19.95; children under 3, free. 305-2-JUNGLE, www.parrotjungle.com BRONZE Miami Seaquarium 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami Hours: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 4 p.m. Admission: adults, $27.95; children 3-9, $21.95; parking, $6. 305-361-5705, www.miamiseaquarium.com PALM BEACH COUNTY GOLD Lion Country Safari 2003 Lion Country Safari Road, West Palm Beach Park hours: 9:30 a.m.-5:30p.m. Last car admitted at 4:30 p.m. Admission: adults, $20.95; children 3-9, $16.95; under 2, free. 561-793-1084, www.lioncountrysafari.com This unique, drive-through "zoo" is probably the closest many of us will come to an African safari. Your adventures here will bring you in close contact with lions, white rhino, African elephants, chimpanzees, zebras and giraffes, all from the safety of your car. Home to more than a thousand animals, Lion Country also includes a walk-through exhibit area with a petting zoo, merry-go-round, boat rides and aviaries, as well as bird, reptile, alligator and squirrel monkey exhibits. If you haven't been here for a couple of years, it's worth a return visit to hand-feed and be eye-to-eye with giraffes at the Giraffe Encounter and take a ride on the 55-foot Ferris wheel. And to beat the heat, there's Safari Splash, an interactive water "spray" ground. And here's a tip from the Lion Country staff: Rainy days are a great time to visit because the animals are usually more active. Safari Day Camp, birthday parties, and a full-service KOA campground are among the amenities available here. This summer, new group pavilions that can hold up to 400 guests can be rented for parties and outings with catering options. SILVER Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park 1301 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ticket booth closes at 4:15 p.m. Admission: adults, $12.95; seniors, $9.95; children 3-12, $8.95; children under 3 and members, free. 561-547-9453; www.palmbeachzoo.org BRONZE Sugar Sand Park 300 South Military Trail, Boca Raton Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-sunset Admission: free. 561-347-3900, www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/parks/Sugarsand.cfm BROWARD COUNTY GOLD Wannado City 12801 W. Sunrise Blvd., Sunrise Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m., hours subject to change. Admission: children 3-13, $29.95; children 14 and up, $15.95; children under 3, free. Discounts for Florida residents and after 4 p.m. 954-838-7100; www.wannadocity.com Even when kids don't know what they "wanna be" when they grow up, Wannado City is the perfect place to explore and imagine. Potential aviators might discover their first fondness for flight preparing for takeoff in an authentic cockpit. Chefs of the future may develop a taste for the culinary arts kneading dough and making tasty treats in the restaurant-style kitchen. Kids can be firefighters, archaeologists, surgeons, law enforcement officials and entertainers, among the more than 200 possible jobs. This interactive theme park is strictly for the kids. No thrill rides for parents, except for the thrill of watching your child grow before your very eyes, making his own choices and doing what he wants to do. Individual activities can take between 15 to 40 minutes, so be patient and encouraging. Part of the allure of this city is that it belongs to the kids. Their city, their choices, their rules. Grownups are encouraged to observe or serve as supporting cast to their child's lead, or just relax in the adults-only lounge. Safety is another major feature of this city for kids. Each group entering the park receives a WannaFinder locator bracelet, allowing parents to track their children in real-time from kiosks throughout the park. Upon exiting, kids may only leave with an adult member of their group. New this summer is "Camp Wannado City." SILVER Butterfly World Tradewinds Park 3600 W. Sample Road, Coconut Creek Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission: Weekends, $1; under age 5 or weekdays, free. 954-977-4400, www.butterflyworld.com BRONZE Boomers 1700 NW First St., Dania Beach Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-midnight; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Admission: all-day play pass, over 58 inches, $24.99; under 58 inches, $15.99; Attractions are available on a pay-as-you-play basis. 954-921-1411, www.boomersparks.com Back to Family Outing Awards Back to Main Awards Page |
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