8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS

Hello all,

Vacation time is upon us and we are all searching for something new to do. I have compiled a list of Florida's best zoos and aquariums for you to explore on your summer break. Take a look!

1. Discovery Cove(Orlando)- At this place you can swim with the dolphins, feed tropical birds, and snorkel through a saltwater reef. This place is pricey. Admission- $269-399 depending on if you want to swim with the dolphins.  It is located at 6000 Discovery Cove Way, Orlando. 407-513-4600.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - DISCOVERY COVE

2. Busch Gardens(Tampa)- This place is a lot of fun. Besides having many fun rides, they also have a lot of shows and animals. My favorites are Curiosity Caverns, Myombe Reserve, and Edge of Africa. Admission $89.00 and up for 3 and older. The park is located on the corner of Busch Blvd. and 40th St.   813-884-4386.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - BUSCH GARDENS

3. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium(Sarasota)- They have many close-up hands-on animal exhibits here. You can touch rays at their ray animal exhibit, and sea otters, sea turtle and manatees. They also have a shark encounter where you can prepare and feed sharks brunch with staff during a training session. There is a separate $45 fee for this. Admission- Adults (13 and older) $22.00. Kids (4-12) $16.00. It is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy.  941-388-4441.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - MOTE MARINE

4. Big Cat Rescue(Tampa)- This is one of the largest sanctuaries in the world for abused or abandoned big cats. They have 80+ lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars and others. You'll need to schedule a tour for here. Admission Adults $36.00, Kids (10 and under) $19.00. It is located at 12802 Easy St.  813-920-4130.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - BIG CAT RESCUE

5. Florida Aquarium(Tampa)- They have many animal exhibits here where you can view snakes, 30 species of free flying birds, a Goliath Grouper, eels, stingrays and sea horses. For and extra fee you can go on a dolphin cruise, swim or scuba dive with their fish, or a behind the scenes tour or penguin pass. Admission- Adults $26.95,  Kids(3-11) $21.95. It is located at 701 Channelside Dr. 813-273-4000.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - FLORIDA AQUARIUM

6. Clearwater Marine Aquarium(Clearwater)- This marine life rescue center is home to Winter the Dolphin from the movies Dolphin Tale 1 and 2. Both movies were filmed here. Here you can see marine animals and sea turtle exhibits. You can feed their stingrays and sharks. You can take a boat tour of the waterways or a trolley to Winters Dolphin Tale Adventure where you can see a museum of props and sets from the movies. Admission-Adults $21.95, Kids $16.95. It is located at 249 Windward Passage. 727-441-1790.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM

7. Sarasota Jungle Gardens(Sarasota)- They have over 200 animals including parrots, macaws, primates, amphibians, tortoises, reptiles and small animals. About 95% of the animals here are rescues. They have animals here you can touch like flamingos, skunks and snakes. Admission- Adults $17.99, Kids $12.99. It is located at 3701 Bayshore Rd.  941-355-1112.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - SARASOTA JUNGLE GARDENS

8. Monkey Jungle(Miami)- Here you can view wildlife like they would be in their natural habitats. Here you can experience unique up close encounter in this 30 acre park. you can see the Java monkey troop that numbers 90 monkeys. They dive into a monkey swimming pools collecting crabs and shellfish. You can also see orangutans and gorillas and take a rain forest adventure tour. . Admission-
$29.95, Kids(3-9) $23.95. It is located at 14805 SW 216th St.  305-235-1611.

8 TOP BEST FLORIDA ZOOS AND AQUARIUMS - MONKEY JUNGLE

So go take a walk on the wild side and enjoy!

AWESOME AUDIOBOOK CONTEST GIVEAWAY

Hello all,

I am sure by now you have all heard of my book The Guide To Surviving Florida Volume 1. It is available as an ebook and a paperback. But did you know it is also now available as an audiobook ?Yes, currently you can buy it on amazon, itunes and audible.

So in celebration of my blogs 1 year anniversary,  I am hosting a giveaway. It will run from July 6th through the 12th.  THe 5 best captions for the following photo will win a promo code for a free copy of my audiobook The Guide To Surviving Florida Volume 1 on audible.  Just fill out the following rafflecopter entry, comment  with your caption,  and add your email address. Its that easy! Be creative and good luck!!


If you want to purchase my audiobook, you can get it with a free trial from audible with this link!  free trial with audible.

AWESOME AUDIOBOOK CONTEST GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

8 BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS

Hello all,

Summer is here! I am sure a lot of you will spend it relaxing around the pool with family and friends trying to stay cool. What better way to do that than with a delicious tropical drink. I've  found some awesome drink recipes I wanted to share with you. Next time you're relaxing with friends and family you'll be ready to serve up some delicious refreshment.

1. Sex on the Beach- This one I found on wikihow:


    1 1/2 ounces of peach schnapps
    1 1/2 ounces of vodka
    2 ounces of cranberry juice
    2 ounces of orange juice
    2 ounces of pineapple juice
Mix ingredients together in a shaker with ice and serve.

 8 BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - SEX ON THE BEACH

2. Strawberry Margarita- I found the recipe below years ago, but you can find a similar one here from Guy Fieri:


   2 ounces of tequila
   1 ounce triple sec
   1 ounce lime juice
   1 ounce strawberry liqueur
Mix together tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and strawberry liqueur. Shake with ice and pour into a margarita glass with the rim dipped in salt. You can also blend with ice to make a frozen version.

8  BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - STRAWBERRY MARGARITA

3. Strawberry Daiquiri - this recipe is from Hawaii for Visitors:


   2 ounces white rum
   1/2 ounce of cointreau
   6 strawberries
   1 ounce of lime juice
   1/2 tsp of superfine sugar
Mix all ingredients and add ice and blend till smooth and serve.

8  BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI

4. Florida Tropical Storm- This one is from Bon Appetit:


   2 cups pineapple juice
   2 cups orange juice
   1 cup white rum
   3/4 cup dark rum
   3 tbsp campari
Mix together and serve with ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange wedges.

8 BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - FLORIDA TROPICAL STORM

5. Bahama Mama- This one I saw on All Recipes:


    1/2 ounce rum
    1/2 ounce coconut rum
    1/2 ounce grenadine syrup
     1 ounce orange juice
     1 ounce pineapple juice
Blend all ingredients with ice until its a slushy texture and serve.

8  BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - BAHAMA MAMA

6. Hurricane- This one is from Liquor.com:


    2 ounces dark rum
    2 ounces light rum
    2 ounces passion fruit juice
    1/2 ounce lime juice
     1 ounce orange juice
Mix all ingredients well with ice and garnish with orange wedges.

8  BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - HURRICANE

7. A Day at the Beach- This one is from  Chowhound:


    1 ounce coconut rum
    1/2 ounce amaretto
     4 ounces orange juice
     1/2 ounce grenadine
Shake ingredients well,  pour over ice and top with grenadine, a pineapple wedge and a strawberry.

8 BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - A DAY AT THE BEACH

8.  Beach Comber- this one comes from :The Rum Shop:


    1  1/2 ounce light rum
    1/2 ounce triple sec
    1/2 ounce grenadine
    1 ounce sour mix
Shake ingredients well with ice, and strain into a glass rimmed with sugar and garnish with a lime or orange slice.

8  BEST SUMMERTIME TROPICAL DRINKS - BEACHCOMBER

Enjoy the drinks and stay thirsty my friends!

7 AWESOME LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY

Hello all,

The 4th of July is upon us and I wanted to post some local places to go to celebrate the holiday. There are many choices this year so please enjoy with friends and family as we celebrate our great nation:



1. Light Up Tampa Bay Independence Day celebration- This is Tampa's largest 4th of July celebration. They will have live music, entertainment and fireworks. Party starts at 6pm, fireworks at 8:45 pm. Located at 615 Channelside Dr., Tampa.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - CHANNELSIDE

2. Tarpon Springs 4th of July Fireworks - The best place to view tarpon spring's fireworks is the beach at Howard Park , but they get launched off at Sunset Beach. They should start atg 8;30 pm. Howard Park is located at 1700 Sunset Dr., Tarpon Springs.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - HOWARD PARK

3. Clearwater Celebrates America at Coachman Park - This free celebration has music, food, and local vendors, also with family friendly activities. fireworks are at 9:30 pm. Located at 601 Coachman Rd., Clearwater.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - CLEARWATER COACHMAN PARK

4. Safety Harbor 4th of July Celebration  - They start their celebration off with a parade at noon. Then they have children's activities, live entertainment and food vendors. The fun starts at 5 pm, the fireworks at 9 pm. Located at Waterfront park, Safety Harbor.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - SAFETY HARBOR

5. Sparklebration at Pasco County Fairgrounds - This one isn't free, $5 admission and $5 parking. They will have many activities like a bounce house, watermelon and hot dog eating contest, pony rides, petting zoo and more. Gates open at 4 pm, fireworks at 9"15 pm. It is located at 36722 St. Rd. 52, Dade City.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - PASCO CO SPARKLEBRATION

6. Family Funfest and Fireworks at SS American Victory Steamship Museum - This is one of the best places to watch the fireworks at channelside. I have been here many times. You can explore the which is very interesting. It is one of the only fully operational WW11 ships in the country. They will have music, food, and games. The doors open at 6:30 pm. and it costs $7-13. Located at 705 Channelside Dr., Tampa.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - FAMILY  FUNFEST

7. 2017 Kiafest Main St. Blast - New Port richey's 18th annual fest runs from June 30th to July 1st. It will have music, games and a beer garden. fireworks will be 8:30 pm on July 1st. This free event is located at Sims Park, on the corner of Grand Blvd, and Bank St., New port Richey.

7 AWESOME  LOCAL PLACES TO GO FOR THE 4TH OF JULY - KIAFEST

Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July! Don't forget the sunscreen!

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

I received compensation in exchange for writing this review. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.



Hello,

There is so much to do in orlando! One of my favorite things to do there is to go to one of their many dinner theatres there. Over the weekend I was very fortunate to visit the dinner theatre Medieval Times in Orlando. If you have never been, it's definitely worth going.



One of the things they emailed to let me and others know was to arrive a few hours before the start of the show. We got their 2 hours early among many others. They tell you this so you have time to walk through their Medieval Village, which was very nice by the way. And also because the table seating is first come first served, meaning first in line get the tables located in front. They let us inside an hour before showtime.

This is something I think they should address and fix. I witnessed a 14 year old girl collapse from the heat from standing in line so long. After she sat down for awhile and had gotten some water, she recovered. But management should provide a cooler place for patrons to wait, especially if they are telling people to get their a few hours early as was us. Fans or misting fans appropriately placed would work wonders against the heat. or if they passed out numbers as you came, so then you didn't have to wait in line but could come back before the show starts to retrieve your place in line would help also. Also, the first come first served encourages some adults to act as children. When I was speaking to the lady at the window, a tall gentlemen who thought standing in line was beneath him was pushing me out of the way to get tickets he needed for his party while ignoring everyone else in line.

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

Besides those issues the show was truly awesome. I really enjoyed walking through the Medieval Village. It consisted of several rooms linked together with exhibits from the time period. They had rooms with a kitchen, bedroom, candlemaking, a loom, wine making, black smith, and a torture chamber.

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

The meal was quite good. It consisted of a chicken leg quarter, a small corn on the cob, a half potato wedge, a small bowl of tomato soup, and a piece of pineapple pound cake for dessert. To drink they offered pepsi, water or lemonade. I was able to get a refill on my pepsi. My husband got beer at $7.00 a piece. After dinner they offered coffee. While it is true they don't offer eating utensils, they do give you a wetnap.

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

Before the show, they had the king come out onto a small stage. Their he knighted children and adults for a small price. It was nice. The show was a sight to see. It was beautiful with all of the lighting and music. It was easy to follow, with knights battling each other in a tournament. Some of the falls were a little fake, but all in all it was well acted. It was awesome to see the horses parading around, and also to see them perform in a dance routine. They had a gentleman with a hawk flying around doing tricks. They even had a villain in the story! I really enjoyed watching the jousting, it looked very realistic. They had them battling with swords and maces, it all kept you on the edge of your seat! The costumes were very authentic looking. We really enjoyed our visit, and it definitely was a lot of fun and  is appropriate for all ages. We definitely will be going again, and this time we want to take our granddaughter!

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL TIMES ORLANDO

MY REVIEW OF MEDIEVAL

ONE OF A KIND AWESOME TARPON SPRINGS SPONGE DOCKS

Hello all,

Florida has a lot to offer in things to do and enjoy.  With my family living within close proximity to Tarpon Springs we love going to the Sponge Docks.

Tarpon Springs is a leader in the worlds natural sponge market. Greek immigrants built the Tarpon Springs signature sponge industry. It has the highest percentage of Greek Americans than any other American city.

One of the main things we like to do is shop there. They have many one of a kind shops, over 125 to be exact. They have shops for unique Florida gifts and spices. They also have many stores where you can buy authentic sea sponges. One place the Spongeorama Sponge Factory also houses a small museum with daily showings of a movie about the history of the Sponge Docks.

ONE OF A KIND AWESOME TARPON SPRINGS SPONGE DOCKS - SPONGEORAMA SPONGE FACTORY

They also have many Greek bakeries and restaurants there. One bakery that stands out is the Hellas Bakery where the Greek pasties are delicious. Mr. Souvlaki and Rusty Bellies are good restaurants to try for seafood.

Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks boasts several cruises such as Spongeorama Cruise Line, Odyssey Dolphin Cruises, and the Viking Gulf Star Fishing Cruises. We went fishing on the Viking one year and had a blast!

They also have a nice, but small aquarium, the Tarpon Springs Aquarium. It is located at 850 Dodecanese Blvd.The admission is cheap, $7.75 for adults, kids $5.75. Now with paid admission kids get into Puffy's Playground for free. They have a shark tank in there where they have a diver go in and do a show. A few years ago they helped us out with jumping a shark for Gishwhes.You can also pet small stingrays in their petting tank (Of course the barbs have been removed), along with a few other small sea creatures you can pet and feed.

ONE OF A KIND AWESOME TARPON SPRINGS SPONGE DOCKS - TARPON SPRINGS AQUARIUM

Tarpon Springs holds their Epiphany celebration every January. Its a 100 year old tradition highlighted by local boys diving into the Spring Bayou to retrieve a cross thrown into the water by an archbishop. The boy who surfaces with the cross is said to have good luck for the following year. Afterward they have a lively celebration with food, drink and live music.

With many things to do and see, this is surely a place to stop and see! The Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks are located on Dodecanes Blvd. Tarpon springs, Florida 34689.

ONE OF A KIND AWESOME TARPON SPRINGS SPONGE DOCKS

TOP 5 INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

Hello all,

It's summer, and this is the time of year for outside activities. I know my family schedules most of our outside fun time this time of year. I love Florida, but especially certain cities. One city I love is Tampa. It has so many things to do, and it's close to me. I find myself there often. Here is a list of the top 5 fun incredibly fun things to do in Tampa. If you visit, you should definitely check these out!:

1. Nearby Beaches - First we should start with the most obvious reason people come to Florida, our beaches.  Fort DeSoto Park is a great one located in Tierra Verde on a barrier island. It is a 1136 acre park with a beautiful beach, campsites, two fishing piers and a historic fort. If you've never been, I recommend it, the fort is a site to see!
Clearwater beach is another tourist favorite. This was chosen as one of the best US beaches! It has sugar fine sand, a pier, and plenty of rentals for beach chairs and jet skis. Be forewarned though, this one is always crowded.
Another beach I should mention is Caladesi Island State Park located in Dunedin. You take a ferry to this one and they have a beautiful beach, a lookout tower, and a dock, and a three mile nature trail. Many come here to collect shells.

TOP 5 FUN INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

2. Busch Gardens - This is definitely on everyone's to do list vacationing here. This theme park, located in Tampa, boasts many popular roller coasters like Sheikra and the Cheetah Hunt, along with water rides and shows. And let's not forget the animals! It's hailed as one of the biggest zoos in North America with more than 12,000 animals representing 250 species.

TOP 5 FUN INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

3. Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) Tampa - This is a not- for- profit science museum located in Tampa. It has IMAX movies, planetarium shows, ropes course, a zip line, and more than 400 hands on exhibits. The exhibits teaches us about how our bodies work, weather, the future and there is even a hands on children's science center.

TOP 5 FUN INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

4. Florida Aquarium - This is an amazing aquarium and one of my local favorites. It boasts over 20,000 aquatic animals and plants. It is ranked one of the top 10 aquariums in the country. It showcases Florida's aquatic life and ecosystems. It has 8 large exhibits showcasing this, along with a children's splash pad, shows and add on behind the scenes adventures, a lot of fun!

TOP 5 FUN INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

5. Lowry Park Zoo - This is a 63 acre zoo located in Tampa boasting 1200 animals. It has many animal interaction experiences like touching and feeding stingrays and lorikeets, a petting zoo, giraffes and giant tortoises. They have a splash play area, shows and many behind the scenes events like safaris and sleepovers. So much for the kids!

TOP 5 FUN INCREDIBLY FUN THINGS TO DO IN TAMPA

While this is just a small list, Tampa has so much more. Got out and explore this wonderful city. Enjoy!