Fun Friday

Good Morning we have made it through another week and now it's time to go on our weekly Friday adventure.

Can you guess where we are going this week? We are going to the beautiful sunshine state of Florida

1.) The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum located in Key West  hours of operation are 9-5pm Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote in this for ten years. During that time he wrote seventy percent of his life-time works. Today we operate as a museum providing guided tours every fifteen minutes from nine to five. The Museum is available for weddings and corporate events. Visit this National Historic Landmark, Literary Landmark and recognized by the Library of Congress for its importance in the U.S. History. Grand Architecture, Lush Gardens, Educational Tours, Bookstore/Gift Shop and the world famous Polydactyl (six-toed cats).

2.) Fun Spot America located in Orlando hours of operation are 10am-12am A top-notch family fun theme park, with Orlando's only wooden roller coaster White Lightning, Freedom Flyer, a family suspended steel coaster, multi-level go-kart tracks, the world's 2nd tallest SkyCoaster at 250 ft, a 101-foot high Ferris wheel, Bumper Cars, Bumper Boats, and of course, a giant Arcade along with other assorted family and thrill rides for adults and children. Includes Gator Spot, a 15,000 sq ft oasis with over 100 gators, exotic reptiles and birds!

3.) McCarthy's Wildlife located in West Palm Beach  hours of operation are 11am-1pm RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! : Eight lush acres of endangered wildlife surrounded by a botanical garden situated in the palmetto and pine forest of West Palm Beach! Over 200 animals from White Tigers to African Lions, Black Leopards, Ligers, Lynx and Amur Leopards seen from just four feet away. You can't get any closer than this by law! Hands-on experiences with alligators, snakes, tarantulas, and who knows what else. You will have to come by and experience it for yourself! We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit wildlife rescue facility that takes in injured native wildlife, orphaned babies, and unwanted exotic pets! Your experience here helps us with the tremendous expense of caring for our animals. Price is $50.00 for adults and $40.00 for children (ages 5yrs.-15yrs). Tours are approximately 1 1/2 hrs long.

4.) Stetson Mansion located in DeLand hours of operation are 10-1:30pm Stetson Mansion is a spectacular Victorian mansion built for famed hat maker and philanthropist John B Stetson in 1886. Situated right between Orlando and Daytona in DeLand makes it convenient for all visiting the central Florida area. This is Florida's first luxury estate and houses some of the most beautiful and intricate parquet floors in the world. The mansion is one of the first homes in the world to be designed and built with Edison electricity. The owners have painstakingly renovated every square inch of the 10,000 sq foot masterpiece while incorporating today's modern conveniences. All this was done without compromising the architectural or historical integrity. Every room on every one of the three floors is magnificently decorated and every room features a different style floor and window design. Reservations are required $20-$30 per person and children are $15. Payment is cash at the door and we do charge applicable sales tax. See you at the Mansion!

5.) St. Augustine Wild Reserve- The St. Augustine Wild Reserve offers tours by appointment on Mon, Wed, & Sat at 2pm, and Sat. at 11am. We also offer a VIP tour Friday at noon. Email for reservations. Guests will be given a tour of the Reserve by a wildlife professional. An intro to each species & how the species arrived here will be discussed. Visitors will have a close-up view of the exotic animals, and will venture closer to adult lions and tigers than they ever imagined. Meet our amazing white tigers, orange tigers, golden tabby tigers, white lions, cougars, bears, servals, lynxes, leopards, hyenas, & wolves. We feed big cats on the tours, and set up a tiger bubble bath. It gets exciting when the big cats eat! You will also howl with the wolves at the tour's end. We don't allow photography; we offer a photo flash drive for a small donation, as well as refrigerator magnets of your favorite animals. To book a tour, log onto bookeo.com/tigertours. Cost is $35/adults; kids 10 & under, $25.00; and kids 2 and under, $5.00.

6.) Revs Institute located in Nepal-  Revs Institute® will be closed from August 1 to September 30, 2023 for annual maintenance and will reopen to visitors on October 3, 2023. Revs Institute is dedicated to the study of the automobile past, present and future. Revs Institute offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to view over 100 of the most influential automobiles of our time. Many of the cars are unique or exceptionally rare, and each meets rigid standards of historical, technical, aesthetic or social significance. Revs Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.

7.) Bear Creek Feline Center hours are 9am-12pm Bear Creek Feline Center (BCFC) is home to Florida wildcats and exotic felines located in Panama City, FL. BCFC's mission is one of , feline rescue/rehoming and public education designed to illuminate the plight of threatened and endangered felines. We have logged thousands of hours to obtain five licenses and we now make permanent homes to exotic species of felines including the 3 native species of Florida. We work with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the USDA and the Feline Conservation education to preserve and "Protect Florida's Wildlife Treasures". Tours are by Appointment only. There are no additional charges for great photo opportunities. Tours are scheduled BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please wear long pants and closed-toe shoes for your comfort and safety. A $100.00 donation per person. These donations are 100% earmarked for the care and feeding of the big cats. process.

8.) Wonder House located in Bartow Wonder House tours can only be booked online in advance by going to our website. Please note that the Wonder House is a private residence and we cannot sell tickets at the door. A must-have tour to take for history buffs, architect geeks and those who love historic curiosities. The tour is led by the owner who provides entertainment and brings the home's idiosyncrasies alive with personality and interesting facts. The house itself is simply amazing and the fact that it still has secrets for us to learn in the future is amazing. The tour is geared towards teens and adults. Take the evening tour and you will be privileged to sample the owner's homemade Estonia and traditional desserts. 

9.) Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum located in Miami hours of operation are 10-4pm This museum's mission is to acquire, preserve, display, and promote collections of a historical nature that will be of educational value to the preservation of African American history as it relates to the struggles and accomplishments of Black Police Officers in Over town, as they served during the pre-Civil Rights era of the 1940's, 50's, and 60's. We are the only museum of our kind in the country.

10.) Shy Wolf Sanctuary Education & Experience Center located in Golden Gate Shy Wolf Sanctuary is located in a private residence and is not open to the public. Reservations are required. In 2001, Shy Wolf became a 501(c)3 charity with an independent board of directors and volunteers who have helped it grow to what it is today. Shy Wolf Sanctuary is a refuge for a cougar, numerous wolves and wolfdogs, as well as several exotic species of fox from as far south as Brazil and as far north as the Arctic Circle and West as North Africa. Other rescues also include Prairie Dogs, Florida Gopher Tortoises, Sugar Gliders and a North American Bobcat. Shy Wolf Sanctuary is one of the few places permitted to care for the threatened Florida Gopher Tortoise. To date, Shy Wolf has rescued over 1,260 animals and provided valuable educational experiences to tens of thousands of human visitors from around the world. Far more than rescue and sanctuary, Shy Wolf has been offering educational programs and therapeutic animal encounters for more than twenty years.

11.) The Great Magic Hall located in Kissimmee  hours of operation are 11am-10pm Explore the many rooms of wonder and experience the mysteries of magic! We have many types of magic performances as well as an amazing array of magic tricks in our shop. Come and see the place where magic lives!

12.) Fun 2 Dive Manatee Tours located in Crystal River Fun 2 Dive Manatee Tours is a professional Manatee Eco-Tour guide service that has been guiding snorkelers and swimmers from all over the world into the Crystal River National Wildlife since 1995. We offer daily trips to swim and snorkel with the manatees in the beautiful Crystal River and are open daily, year round. All snorkeling gear including wetsuit is included in the tour pricing, and all tours are limited to small groups with only 6-12 guests maximum per boat. Private trips are also available to reserve. This wonderful adventure is suitable for the whole family. Children 3 years old and up are welcome as long as they are comfortable in the water and are able to float quietly with the assistance of a foam swim noodle or life preserver. Our tours are all-inclusive, no hidden fees or additional charges for snorkeling gear, parking, etc. It's all included!. Picture packages are available on every tour. Thanks for looking!

13.) Little Toot Dolphin Adventure located in Clear Water hours of operation are 9am-7pm cost is about $34 per adult Dolphin watching boat tour! Guaranteed dolphin sightings in Clearwater, Florida aboard our forty foot Tugboat. A wonderful tug boat ride throughout Clearwater Harbor and the Gulf of Mexico. Excellent dolphin sightings.Departures at 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 5pm and Sunset. 5pm & Sunset times vary with the season. Trips subject to change. We are available for private charters. Enjoy the great outdoors-Birthday parties, Anniversaries, Youth and Church groups, Bachelor and Bachelorette parties and Ash scatterings at sea.

14.) Babcock Ranch Eco Tours hours of operation are 9:30-2pm Babcock Ranch Eco Tour takes you on a 90 minute eco-tour through the Babcock Ranch. You will travel through the working cattle ranch and learn its history, wander through Florida ecosystems, all the while getting up close and personal with the local wildlife. There is a picnic area, gift shop and exhibits to enjoy as well.So come on out and get back to nature!

15.) BlueFoot Pirate Adventures located in Fort Lauderdale price of admission is roughly $25 hours of operation 7am-10pm 1 hr interactive cruise please arrive 30 minutes before departure Upon arrival the "soon to be pirates" will enjoy face painting and lessons in pirate slang. Once we have set sail, the adventure begins. The discovery of a message in a bottle will lead us in search of a key to a treasure long lost at sea. We shall ward off the notorious "Barnacle Bill" with our real water cannons! Will our tale end with excitement and fortune... Of course it will. All junior pirates will leave with a bag of booty, an official pirate certificate, and an experience that will not soon be forgotten!!!! Parents and Grandparents as well get a great sightseeing tour and some detailed information about homes and mega yachts along the way.

16.) Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park located in Kissimmee  price of admission is roughly $60 for 3 hours Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park is Orlando's newest attraction. The park is a 15 acre outdoor adventure park located in the Disney area, off Exit 60 on Interstate 4. Open 7 days a week, 8 am to dusk, rain or shine, the park has 6 color-coded courses, giant zip lines and 97 challenging elements. This 2 to 3 hour experience takes adventurers through the Florida tree canopy, across swinging bridges, up ladders and zipping along a giant 425' zip line. Kids, Junior and Adult courses range from a height of 10' to 60' and get progressively more challenging. A ground level walking path as well as a large deck and snack bar are available for those who would like to observe.

17.) Shark Addicts located in Jupiter  Shark Addicts is an international wildlife dive charter based in Jupiter, Florida. Its mission is to educate the public about the true behavior of sharks and the vital role they play in our ecosystems by allowing customers opportunities to freedive and snorkel alongside our oceans' most prolific shark species including Bulls, Tigers, Hammerheads, Silkies, Duskies, Sandbars and the Great White. Top side viewing of sharks is also available without entering the water! Visit our website SharkAddictsjupiter.com to book your experience in one of our famous dive locations!

18.) Jones Brothers Air & Seaplane Adventures located in Tavares Providing Seaplane Tours, Training, and Charters over Tavares, Mount Dora, and the Central Florida Area, with flights starting at only $89 per person! We offer a variety of scenic tour routes, as well as fly-in breakfast, lunch, and dinner excursions - as well as our WORLD FAMOUS Seaplane Bar Hop! Half day and full day charter flights are also available. Jones Brothers is a Gold Seal Certified flight school that offers Single Engine Seaplane (SES) instruction and has trained pilots from all around the world! Our fleet includes: Searey (light-sport), Cessna 172, Cessna 185, and Cessna 206.

19.) Discover Florida Tours located in St Petersburg price of admission is roughly $14 Reservations are required. Journey through 1,000 years of Florida History on the Jungle Prada Tour. This is a 75-minute guided history tour of a historic attraction in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Jungle Prada Site was part of an American Indian village. You'll learn about the lives of the Tocobaga people at one of the best-preserved shell middens in Florida. The Jungle Prada Site is generally recognized as the landing place of the 1528 Narváez Expedition. The survivors, led by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca, walked from Florida all the way to the Pacific Ocean (1528 - 1536). Come and discover a side of St. Pete that you never knew existed!

20.) Fossil Funatics located in Davenport Fossil Funatics is a Hand-on Fossil and Shark tooth hunting guide service. We offer Family friendly Walk-in and Canoe/kayak tours on the beautiful Peace River and her tributaries in Central Florida. We provide all the necessary gear and give you the knowledge to find fossils RIGHT AWAY! Each guest, under most circumstances, will get to take home ALL of their Finds! We walk and wade in the river and dig for gravel containing 10,000 to 5 million year old Fossils! tours start at 90.00 per person for a walk-in, and last 4 hours.

21.) Canaveral Tours Offering Lighthouse & Spaceflight Tours and Wildlife Tours. Pickup is dependent on the tour. General Pickup is at Port Canaveral. Free parking is available. We accommodate custom tours, private tours and special requests. The Lighthouse & Spaceflight tour is on the Space Force Station and requires advance reservations with ID information for clearance. It includes a guided tour of the lighthouse, history of the expansion of the cape, port and space program, as well as stops at memorials, launch complexes, and Space History Museum. Wildlife tours are for your private group and take you to see the natural wonders and beauty of Florida through the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Canaveral National Seashore or St Johns River. We take care of transportation, supplies and itinerary while pointing out interesting wildlife and landscape. Binoculars & identification charts are also provided. Offering tours of 4 hours or 6 hours with lunch options.

22.) Apalachicola Bay Fishing and Cruises Apalachicola Bay Fishing and Cruises. Inshore and offshore fishing. Sea shelling, dolphin, sunset cruises. St. George Island, Apalachicola, Cape San Blas, Fl. This little stretch of area is called the forgotten coast because so few people visit, but it is one of the most beautiful areas in my opinion.

23.) Sanibel Island Lighthouse This lighthouse, built in 1884, offers a storied history, unusual architecture and quiet spots for romantic interludes.

24.) Tarpon Springs Aquarium and Animal Sanctuary hours of operation are 10-5pm  Adventure Awaits! The Tarpon Springs Aquarium offers a variety of shows and interactive encounters with animals. Get to hold an alligator, hand feed a stingray, and more. Family owned and operated since 1990.

25.) Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum located in Clewiston Located on the Big Cypress Reservation, this museum celebrates the history and the traditions of the Seminole Tribe. Winner of a 2015-2019 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence!

26.) Solomon's Castle located in Ona  hours of operation are 10am-4pm Visit the home, galleries and workshop of internationally renowned artist Howard Solomon. Tour the Castle, walk our beautiful nature trails and enjoy a delightful lunch at the Boat in the Moat Restaurant. Spend the day!

27.) The Gulf Breeze ZOO hours of operation are 9-5pm This 50-acre wildlife sanctuary is perfect for families. Experience our animals in a variety of ways. Observe them in their habitats while strolling through the park or from our boardwalk or safari line train. Interact with them during a unique animal encounter, an animal feeding, or a visit to our farm. The Gulf Breeze Zoo is home to over 800 animals from nearly every continent and of almost every size – from 1-ounce budgies to 6,000-pound rhinos. Learn more about all of them, especially our featured animals.

28.) Museum of Science and Industry located in Tampa Explore a World of Possibilities at Tampa’s Museum of Science & Industry with more than 150 hands-on activities, Gaze into the starry night sky in MOSI’s Saunders Planetarium, and don’t miss exploring Mission: Moonbase where you can perform missions with iterative exhibits that lead to colonizing the Moon! There is also CONNECTUS, an area that showcases the technology behind many modern devices we use in our everyday life, plus get a rush from MOSI’s Sky Trail® Ropes Course. There is all of this and more at MOSI!

29.) Coral Castle located in Homestead hours of operation are 9am-7pm Chosen TOP 35 out of more than 35,000 Museums in the United States "...guaranteed to be the highlight of your trip." Holiday Lettings from TripAdvisor!! TripAdvisor rates Coral Castle “Top 35 out of 35,000 museums across the U.S.” Top ratings from Yelp, New Times Magazine: “Reader Choice Awards: “Best of Miami” Ed Leedskalnin secretly built Coral Castle at night; excavating, carving, and moving 1,100 tons of coral rock. Experience Coral Castle’s “Love Story”, the History, the Science, and how Ed’s items work even after 93 years! Referred to as a Modern Megalith, Coral Castle is compared to the Ancient Megaliths of the Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge, and is considered by many, to be “one of the Wonders of the World”. Since 1923 Scientists, Engineers, Scholars continue to be amazed! See a hand-carved 9-ton gate, a Polaris telescope, the world’s only Sundial with seasons. Enjoy a short movie about the mysteries of Coral Castle, its creator; Edward Leedskalnin. Relax at the Coral Castle Cafe and enjoy our delicious gourmet menu. Visit our unique gift shop with Coral Castle collectables, science, natural stones, jewelry and much more! Seen on the History Channel, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, Ancient Aliens, Univision, Telemundo, Sabado Gigante's Don Francisco, BBC! Even though Billy Idol wrote his famous song; “Sweet Sixteen” in 1987 about Ed and his Coral Castle, Billy continues to talk about Ed all over the world and sings "Sweet Sixteen" in concerts today. Continuous live tours! Free parking.

30.) Space Shuttle Atlantis located in Merritt Island  hours of operation are 9am-5pm  A ship like no other, the space shuttle launched like a rocket and landed like a glider while transporting astronauts to space and back for thirty years. Stand in awe of this American icon at Space Shuttle Atlantis®, permanent home of the orbiter. Explore shuttle missions that secured the future of the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. Learn how to dock and land the shuttle with training simulators, and then strap in for lift-off at Shuttle Launch Experience®. Discover the legacy of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

With over 4000 different things that you can do while visiting this state I am sure that you can find something to appeal to even the most picky person in your home. There are so many opportunities to get out of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico and experience wildlife in their natural habitat and immerse yourself in nature that you won't want to be cooped up inside during your visit.

I hope that you have enjoyed this week's tour and come back next week for another amazing adventure. Remember to always be kind as it costs nothing and if you see someone without a smile stop and give them yours a smile is contagious.

Written by: BeautifulChaos318

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