Florida: Discover 8 places to visit with children and grandchildren – 05/07/2023 – Tourism

What can be boring about visiting grandparents in Florida when the weather is cold and gray in the rest of the US? From the point of view of children and adolescents, a lot. Of course, seeing family is great, but for Charlie Abisror, 17, of Demarest, New Jersey, a walk to the Circle K convenience store for a Little Debbie cake is pretty much the best thing ever.

“I don’t really like visiting Florida because it’s so boring,” said River Mason Eromosele, 12, of Newark, who traveled with her mother to visit family. “I honestly think the trip is for older people to relax. There aren’t many things for me to do.”

As a teenager, Rachel Charlupski, 38, flew frequently from Detroit to visit her grandparents in Palm Beach County, but they led such busy lives that she sometimes felt bored and lonely. While the amenities at their clubs were great, there wasn’t much a teenager wanted to do alone.

Charlupski’s experience led her to found the Babysitting Company, which offers escorts, in South Florida and elsewhere, to take children to the pool, to the mall or to the movies, or simply to hang out with them and let them play outdoors. free.

But you don’t have to hire a babysitter for the kids to have an enthusiastic visit. Nor is it necessary to change your trip itinerary to include Miami Beach or Orlando, rich in theme parks.

Palm Beach County — which includes Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Delray Beach — has more than enough attractions for kids from preschool to teens.

The area is known for its many consignment shops and cheap items. Some offer upscale second-hand accessories, like Posh Consignment by V in Boca Raton, where shoppers can leave thousands of dollars worth of Chanel or Gucci purchases.

But there are also plenty of affordable stores, perfect for a day of cheap shopping with the teens.

On how to identify which is the profile of each store, the realtor Baron Hanson, 52, said that it is necessary to know if the establishment seeks profit or if it is a non-profit organization.

One of her favorites is Church Mouse, a well-organized store in Palm Beach with lots of nice clothes at discounted prices. The best item he found was a Polo Purple Label linen shirt, worth US$525 (about R$2,600), but which he took for only US$25 (or R$125).

When Aleda Frishman, 56, who lives in Delray Beach, welcomed her Virginian grandchildren, they spent an entire day in the bargain shops. Her favorite spots include the Faith Farm store in Boynton Beach, where she bought her 11-year-old granddaughter roller skates for $2 (R$10), and a Rafe wallet for $20 (R$100 ). At World Thrift in Lake Worth, the oldest grandchildren, ages 14 and 15, were thrilled to find a new collection of Minecraft-themed t-shirts.

enjoy the water

Palm Beach County has a 75-kilometer coastline, and there are many ways to enjoy it. West Palm Beach offers kayak, stand-up paddle board and jet ski rentals and tours, as well as snorkeling equipment. You can also rent equipment and take lessons at Island Water Sports in Deerfield Beach.

A truly relaxing option at the end of the day is a sunset catamaran cruise departing from downtown West Palm Beach. A family favorite is Riverbend Park on the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter.

“The Riverbend is truly a magical place,” said Carli Brinkman, 41, a New Yorker who visits Florida six to eight times a year and often brings her daughters, ages 3 and 9. “It’s a place we love and have many memories.”

In addition to the possibility of renting canoes, kayaks or stand-up paddle boards, visitors can take guided tours and walk along the trails or cycle through them.

“My daughters found everything from a family of wild deer grazing a few steps down the trail to baby owls in a nest waiting for their mother to return to an alligator casually swimming nearby,” Brinkman said.

Another popular spot for all ages is Peanut Island, a 32-hectare man-made tropical island in the lagoon of Lake Worth. To get to the island, take a ferry or water taxi from the Riviera Beach marina, for a ten-minute journey; on your own, it is possible to rent a stand-up paddle board, jet ski or kayak. There are people who even swim or, at low tide, walk to the island.

There is no food for sale and the consumption of alcohol is prohibited, so it is advisable to bring your own picnic. There are restrooms, showers, shaded picnic areas and campsites. The island also offers a fishing pier, swimming areas with lifeguards and a two-kilometer paved path.

Look for colorful fish and other sea creatures in the clear, calm waters, but watch out for jellyfish.

See turtles and manatees

Young children often enjoy visiting the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton and the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, where sea turtles are treated for illnesses and injuries. A disabled turtle equipped with a flotation device is among Gumbo Limbo’s permanent residents.

The site also includes a butterfly garden, a laboratory where baby marine animals are treated, saltwater aquariums filled with seahorses and other creatures, and a trail through a grove of leafy trees that takes visitors to observation points. from the Intracoastal Waterway.

Anyone who finds all the items mentioned in the park’s curiosities guide receives a shark tooth as a gift.

At Loggerhead, you can see sea turtles like Nemo, who are recovering well after undergoing a partial amputation of an injured fin.

The center monitors a 15-kilometer area from Juno Beach to Blowing Rocks Preserve, which is considered the most densely populated sea turtle nesting area in the Western Hemisphere.

Gumbo Limbo and Loggerhead offer free admission, though there are fees for some excursions and activities, like kid- and adult-oriented kayak rentals.

Tours that allow you to see turtles nesting on the beach are usually held in June and July, and are also offered by the MacArthur Beach Nature Center in North Palm Beach.

Manatee Lagoon in West Palm Beach is the best place to spot manatees. These strange and gentle marine mammals are drawn to the lagoon by warm water flows from the Florida Power & Light power plant. There is no guarantee that they will be visible, but their most frequent appearances are in the coldest months, from November to March.

Walk through the wetlands

Nature lovers of all ages will be thrilled by the many creatures that can easily be spotted on a leisurely tour of the Green Cay Wetlands in Boynton Beach or the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach.

More than 150 species of birds have been recorded in the parks, and even casual birders are guaranteed to see some in the water, in trees and sometimes just sitting on a fence a few meters away.

Among them there are different types of heron, hawks, eagles, cormorants, pelicans and, if the visitor is lucky, he can enjoy the unforgettable sight of a pink and white spoonbill. Both parks are free.

visit science attractions

After a five-hour visit to the Cox Science Center, in West Palm Beach, a 4-year-old child was still running around, investigating every corner. His favorite activities: the water table reproduction, a game of fishing with magnets and the hurricane simulator.

Other exhibits will interest older children, including the journey into the human brain on neuroscience; “states of matter”, which explores solids, liquids, gases and plasma; and “Science in a Sphere,” a six-foot globe that uses data and video to illustrate climate change, storms and other aspects of Earth’s climate and atmosphere.

There’s also an aquarium, an outdoor science trail, a miniature golf course, and an observatory that occasionally hosts “museum nights.”

Admission to the scientific center costs US$ 20.95 (R$ 103.63) for adults, US$ 16.95 (R$ 83.84) for children from 3 to 12 years old, and US$ 18.95 (R$ 93.73) for elderly aged 60 years or older. Planetarium tickets cost an additional $5.

go on safari

As you cruise through scenery reminiscent of Las Pampas, the Kalahari, the Serengeti and other themed habitats, on a 6.5-kilometer drive through Lion Country Safari park, you’ll see herds of rhinos, giraffes, zebras and dozens of other species.

But “watch out for the ostriches,” said Lesley Carter, 42, of Texas, who came to the park with her children, ages 2 and 10. “Even if you’re in the car, they like to stretch their long necks and really invade your personal space in search of something to eat.”

The ticket costs US$ 45 (R$ 222.59) and taxes, for visitors aged 10 and over; US$ 34 (R$ 168.18) for children from 3 to 9 years old, and it’s free for children under 3 years old.

Visit a Japanese Garden

In the early 20th century, Palm Beach County was home to a colony of Japanese farmers, but George Morikami was the only one of its residents to remain there after World War II. He ended up donating his lands to the county, and they now form the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens.

A 1.5 kilometer path winds through a series of gardens, each area inspired by a Japanese tradition. Its features include bonsai trees, rock gardens, bridges, waterfalls and carps. Tickets cost from US$ 9 (R$ 45) to US$ 15 (R$ 74.20).

Kids who love natural wonders (or are looking for a unique backdrop for a TikTok video) will especially love the bamboo grove, where they can immerse themselves in a magical soundscape as the bamboos sway, hiss, snap and creak with the breeze.

The museum has an exhibition and film about the history of the Japanese agricultural colony, and also offers temporary art exhibitions.

And some more suggestions

The Silverball Retro Arcade in Delray Beach is a fun spot for gamers young and old, featuring arcade machines, “Skee-Ball”, “Pac-Man”, sports and superhero themed games and many more, both vintage and contemporary.

Not all kids like art museums, but if your child is one of them, try the Norton Museum of Art and Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens in West Palm Beach. “Art After Dark,” an event the museum holds on Friday nights, is popular with teens and adults alike, offering live performances, films, art workshops and more.

The Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens, with nine massive sculptures in a lush garden that showcases 250 species of tropical palms, is a great spot for selfies. Admission to the museum is free for children 12 and under, US$5 (R$25) for students, US$15 (R$75) for seniors 60 and over, and US$18 (R$89) ) for adults.

The New York Times, translated by Paulo Migliacci