Animal Action

At a newly minted seven years old, Lindsay kind of finds herself in a bit of a no-man’s land when it comes to Busch Gardens Tampa. She’s outgrown many of the rides at the Sesame Street Safari of Fun area, both in terms of interest level (she pointed out the lack of excitement on the Big Bird’s Whirly Birdie Ferris wheel–style ride) and size (she’s taller than the height limit on some of them). But she’s nowhere near brave enough for many of the park’s thrill rides, even if she’s got the height to ride them.

So during our most recent visit to Busch Gardens, we wound up exploring areas that we’ve often overlooked or quickly passed through during Lindsay’s younger days. One of our new favorite sections is the Jungala area, home to all kinds of cool animals and a couple of rides just right for our first grader.

 

The Wild Surge has become a Lindsay must-do. We strapped ourselves in four times on this ride, which shoots up four stories out of a rocky outcropping and plunges back down several times over. Think of it as a slightly less intense version of the Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Another newfound fave is the Jungle Flyers. Lindsay was disappointed that it wasn’t operating during our recent visit; it was a highlight from our time at Busch Gardens last spring. The zipline-style ride soars fifty feet above the Jungala area, offering riders a bird’s-eye view of the animals below. I admittedly experienced a few moments of panic as I stood below and watched Lindsay take off, but seeing the smile on her face as she flew overhead quickly calmed me down.

Opportunities for interesting animal encounters abound in the Jungala section. I’m usually not a fan of the often-crazy, playground-style climbing structures at theme parks. (We can go to a playground for free, I always tell Lindsay.) But the one here has some nooks and crannies kids can scramble into for out-of-the-ordinary views of animals like gibbons and flying foxes.

In another portion of Jungala, a trail leads visitors to all of the different viewing areas for observing the park’s Bengal tigers, including a very cool “pop up” spot where folks can get an incredibly close look at the fierce creatures. “I could see the tiger breathing!” Lindsay exclaimed after emerging from the enclosure.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a thrill-seeker myself, but I’m happy that Lindsay’s in-between age has afforded us the chance to explore things at Busch Gardens Tampa we might miss otherwise. After all, it’ll only be a matter of time before she’s ditching mom and dad and running off for the twists and turns of a heart-stopping roller-coaster. So I’ll take these more sedate kinds of experiences while I can get them.

Smooth Sailing

Disney Cruise Line recently announced its itineraries for 2015, and it’s got me wishing for another ocean voyage with the company. We enjoyed our first and (so far) only Disney cruise on the Dream last fall, an experience that exceeded our expectations.

Not surprisingly, Disney’s attention to detail stands out, whether it’s the space-saving designs of its staterooms or the staffers standing at the entrance to all of the restaurants passing out hand wipes (a relief to this mom who’d read too much about norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships). There were almost too many activities from which to choose, from the upper-deck mini-golf course and frequent photo ops with Disney characters to the first-run movies and nightly Broadway-style productions.

 

After a tour of the space before we left port, Lindsay couldn’t wait to spend time in the Oceaneer Club and Lab, two of the ship’s kids’ clubs. So one night we dropped her off there and, with one of the ship’s phones in hand, enjoyed an adult dinner overlooking the ocean at Palo. We returned to find her with a face-painted, pirate eye patch and lots of stories about the new friends she made while crafting, playing games, and dressing up like Tinker Bell and other Disney heroines.

 

There’s almost no need to leave the ship; it would take days to see and do everything on board. But you don’t want to miss Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay. Free fun includes two water play areas and alfresco game zones (think table tennis, foosball, shuffleboard), while excursion options range from parasailing and kayaking to snorkeling with stingrays.

 
If you’re not into magical mice or think a Disney cruise would be nothing but a floating preschool, think again. Sure, there will be lots of families on the ship, but there are plenty of adult-only spots and activities to entertain even the biggest curmudgeons. Don’t believe me? Read this story I wrote on Disney cruises for adults for Gulf & Main magazine and use it to convince your kiddo’s childless uncle or grumpy grandpa to join in on the fun.

Garden Variety

During our past visits to the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida, Lindsay has always enjoyed playing among the sprawling roots in the site’s Banyan Grove. But during our most recent trip she played above and within the trees, thanks to the new Children’s Rainforest Garden.

 

The years-in-the-making, recently opened spot helps kids understand the interconnectedness of the natural world while giving them a new perspective on what might be growing around them. A canopy walk and wobbly rope bridges offer a bird’s-eye view of the banyans’ gnarly roots and the plants growing among their upper branches.

As a waterfall splashed in the background, we meandered along the walkway, darting in and out of caves and examining lithophytes, the types of plants that grow in or on rocks. Several spots along the way offer opportunities for hands-on fun. An elevated, thatched-roof hut houses binoculars, magnifying glasses, and a tent set-up for playing field biologist.

 

Additional huts on ground level contain please-touch-style stations where kids can check out shells, pinecones, and seed pods and try their hand at building their own tree house–like structures. There’s even a “hugging tree,” where Lindsay enthusiastically made like one of the epiphytes or “air plants” clinging to the giant banyans.

This new addition adds even more pint-sized appeal to the already family-friendly spot. To learn about other ways to explore Selby Gardens with kids, read this story I wrote for Visit Sarasota County.  

Hello Again!

After a long period of dormancy, I'm finally getting back to Kiddo on the Go. Be on the lookout for more frequent posts about kid-friendly museums, attractions, restaurants, and other fun places to head with your little ones in tow. Adventure awaits, and I look forward to writing about some of the cool spots we come across in our travels near and far. Thanks for reading!

Get into the Act

At the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, kids don’t just get to learn about the circus. They can actually pretend they’re in the circus themselves, thanks to all of the interactive exhibits found in the site’s Circus Museum and Tibbals Learning Center.

Ever wondered what it would be like to take to the high wire? Kids (and adults) can make like Nik Wallenda and test their balance on the museum’s tightrope. Just a few inches above the floor, it starts off wider than usual but narrows as it goes along. It’s not that hard at first, but by the end both Lindsay and I were wiggling and wobbling (and gaining a whole new appreciation for Wallenda’s recent Niagara Falls feat).

We had a hard time getting Lindsay off of the bareback “horse,” where she practiced her arabesques and other tricks. She also squeezed into a clown car and admired all the sparkly costumes and ornate circus wagons on display.

The Tibbals Learning Center is home to one of the museum’s coolest exhibits: the Howard Bros. Circus Model. The largest miniature circus on the world, it includes eight tents, 152 wagons, 1,300 circus performers and workers, and more than 800 animals, capturing all of the spectacle that surrounded the arrival of the circus in town.

But it’s not just all clowns and acrobats at the Ringling Museum. The site also includes the over-the-top Cà d’Zan mansion, a 56-room Venetian Gothic estate right on Sarasota Bay. Wannabe princess Lindsay was ready to move right in.

The Museum of Art houses the collection of Old Masters artwork amassed by circus magnate John Ringling and his wife, Mable. It’s impressive but might feel a bit highbrow for most kiddos. (And be warned—all the naked statues and cherubs on view might lead to giggles, uncomfortable questions, or some combination of the two.)

Ticket prices for adults are a bit steep at $25, but kids six to 17 are just $5, and kids under six are free. Want to save some cash? Plan your visit for September 29, when the Ringling Museum will be participating in Smithsonian magazine’s Museum Day Live! program. Register in advance for free admission for two and you can enjoy the site’s cultural riches even if you’re on a budget.

Wondering No More

I will admit it: That upside down building on International Drive in Orlando has always intrigued me. So much so that I suggested a trip to WonderWorks Orlando during a recent visit to the city. But after I got my husband, daughter, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law on board, I started to worry a little about what we might find there. Would it be wackily whimsical or weirdly woeful?

Luckily, WonderWorks exceeded my expectations. Yes, it was teeming with tourists and summer campers. But it also offered opportunities for many entertaining and educational experiences.

In the course of a couple of hours, Lindsay felt the force of a simulated magnitude 5.3 earthquake, created some monster bubbles, lay (very briefly) on a bed of nails, climbed into a replica Mercury space capsule, and stuck her hand into some icy cold water meant to demonstrate the conditions faced by the passengers on the Titanic.

We all got a good laugh when she posed in full astronaut gear, and again when her body appeared to disappear thanks to a mirror-covered box. And we adults got to put our powers of perception to the test in the Far Out Illusion Gallery, where we marveled at an image of Jesus floating on the wall and other tricks that our eyes and minds played on us.

“I love WonderWorks!” Lindsay shouted as we neared the end of our visit. And I was just happy that our trip to what could have been a tourist trap didn’t wind up being an experiment gone wrong.

Streetcar Simplicity

My daughter knows what a tweet is. She can navigate an iPad with the best of them. So during a recent visit to Tampa, it was heartening to see that she got just as much of a thrill from an old-fashioned form of transportation as from a spirited session of Angry Birds.

We were cruising around the city on the TECO Line Streetcar System, which travels between Tampa’s Ybor City neighborhood and the southern edge of its downtown area. In car-centric Florida, we don’t get many chances to try out different modes of public transportation. So Lindsay excitedly climbed aboard the bright yellow, vintage-looking electric streetcar that pulled up to our stop in Ybor City.

We were the first passengers to board, so we had our pick of the car’s polished wood seats. Soon we began to make our way to the Channel District. My husband and I were happy to let someone else do the driving; Lindsay enjoyed watching the driver as he maneuvered the streetcar down the tracks, tooting its horn now and then to alert cars and pedestrians to its movements.

Thanks to this throwback to the early twentieth century, we were able to cover a lot of ground during our day in Tampa, without having to traverse unfamiliar city streets or search for parking spaces. And Lindsay got a taste of what life was like before everyone just punched coordinates into their own GPS devices.

Want to read more about our day riding the TECO Line Streetcar System? Check out my story in the July/August 2012 issue of RSW Living (free registration required).