We have a 2014 National Parks Pass, and we're not afraid to use it.
Dry Tortugas National Park
“A more God-forsaken place, except it be the Dry Tortugas or Desert of Sahara, could not be imagined.”
Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas National Park
Photo Courtesy National Park Service
Accessible only by boat or seaplane about 70 miles west of Key West, Dry Tortugas is considered one of the most remote national parks in America. We're planning a one-night-only camping adventure just steps from Fort Jefferson, a Civil War-era military prison where men accused of conspiring in President Lincoln's assassination were imprisoned.
This 1890 article in The New York Times gives an overview of the fort's history.
A 1935 New York Times story about the fort's addition to U.S. National Parks called it "eery."
The Park Service has a great overview of Dry Tortugas in its curriculum and teacher guide.
Here's a video about the park:
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
The conservancy just re-opened its nature center after a huge renovation, and it is awesome. Tons of information, tons of volunteers, kayaks for rent, picnic tables for picnicking -- this place is great.
C'Mon Golisano Children's Museum of Naples
This children's museum is Callie's favorite place to visit in Naples. It's got a big banyan-tree climbing playhouse, an outdoor play area, an arts and crafts room and plenty of fun. For the most part the museum is geared toward younger kids (Doyle complains about going but has fun once he gets there). They now have a room upstairs for kids 8-14 with activities to keep them occupied while the younger crew runs hither and thither around the museum. The little cafeteria sells healthy fare, a nice change from chicken nuggets and fries.
C'Mon hosted an excellent engineering homeschool class that all three kids loved.
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
The J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island could keep you busy for days. Tarpon Bay Explorers offers boat rides and tram tours in addition to the fantastic birding, biking paths, and a great nature center - there's plenty to do. During high season, especially from Presidents' Day weekend through Easter, make reservations ahead of time for the tours. Believe us, we speak from experience.
Disney World
Perhaps you've heard of it?
Actually, you may not have heard about Disney's Youth Education Series. Will and Doyle took two classes during our trip.
The first course required us to arrive at the Magic Kingdom at the ungodly hour of 7 am. The class, Properties of Motion Physics Lab 101, reviewed the scientific method and explained things like centripetal force, hydraulics and pneumatics via Space Mountain (twice - once with the lights on, and then lights out), Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad rides. It's hard to say how much the boys really understood. But as a student who first learned these properties in class with Sister Marilyn, I found this class to be a pretty fun way to learn.
Disney's Animation History at Hollywood Studios took the boys through the history of animation, the steps involved in making animated features and included a biographical movie about Walt Disney. It gave them an appreciation for how much thought, planning and work goes into the movies they've seen.
The classes all happen before the parks open, so it was a rare opportunity to see the parks before the chaos begins. When we first walked up Main Street in the Magic Kingdom -- after having been there among casts of thousands the previous day -- Doyle looked over at me, spread his arms wide and grinned. "Look, Mom, I'm not touching anyone!" he said.
Thomas Edison and the banyan he planted in 1927.
Edison Ford Winter Estates
Twenty acres of beautiful grounds and historic buildings. A show-stopping banyan tree. Phenomenal gift shop. Tours, classes, science camps!
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park is one of three national parks in Florida. <<<I know there's more to say about this. Hold, please. I'll get back to you.
Kennedy Space Center
As NASA ramps up its next era of space travel, Kennedy Space Center remains a great place to explore America's space history. A rocket park gives visitors a sense of the scale that can't be appreciated from watching on television. IMAX movies, a retired space shuttle, a museum filled with exhibits from moon missions and shuttle launches, a great playground for kids and an opportunity to have lunch with an astronaut make for a fun, engaging visit.
You can also watch a launch, and you don't have to pay for a good seat -- park along the Titus River to watch, and listen to Mission Control updates on your car radio at AM 1300.
MythBusters: The Explosive Exhibition
Museum of Science & Industry, Tampa
MythBusters is one of the boys' all-time favorite TV shows. We probably would have visited the Museum of Science & Industry even without this exhibition. Probably.
But MOSI was so much fun, we ended up spending the entire day at the museum. Which may be a first for us.
(The MythBusters people even put together a cheat sheet for educators.)
Rookery Bay
From the website: Located at the northern end of the Ten Thousand Islands on the gulf coast of Florida, the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America.
We took a boat tour with Captain Randy McCormick to learn more. He was easygoing, great with the kids and good company. Highly recommend, but book well in advance.
Sanibel Sea School
I tend to hear moans anytime tell the boys they're signed up for a class, but never when they go to Sanibel Sea School. Sanibel Island is about an hour's drive north from Naples.
Located within walking distance of the Sanibel Island Lighthouse beach, the sea school's instructors are energetic, enthusiastic and engaged. The boys took classes about pirate legends, dolphins and sea turtles, and also about sharks and pelicans. They loved every one.