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From the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of the stars, many attractions feature summer programs that will keep kids off the couch.
By AMY ABBOTT
© St. Petersburg Times, published May 24, 2001
School is out. What are you going to do with the kids? If you still don't know, we may be able to help. And without plugging in the electronic babysitter, a.k.a. video games.
There are many activities that can fill a day or afternoon right in your back yard. And if you dare take the infamous summer day trip, we have a few places worth checking out.
Kid City -- The Children's Museum of Tampa
7550 North Blvd., Tampa
Call: (813) 935-8441 Ages: 1-6
A summer camp to get the tiny ones involved with arts and crafts, singing and dancing to Mother Goose rhymes, and role playing. Older kids can explore the interactive exhibits at the town hall to learn how to run a town. They can also learn puppetry and find out what a day in the life is like by getting suited up at the fire station and running some drills. You can visit the museum with your children or send them to day camps ranging from $20 a week for hourlong sessions to $60 a session for four hours.
9335 E Fowler Ave., Tampa
Call: (813) 986-2067 Web site: www.canoeescape.com Ages: All ages
If a day at the beach sounds been-there-done-that to you, maybe you can entice the little ones with turtles, white ibises and gators. Treks range from 2 hours to a full day and let you slip through a wild, natural side of Hillsborough County many never see. A guidebook and a paddling debriefing set you on your way. Then it's off to the canopy of twisting trees that line the river. Whether you're in a canoe or kayak, how long and how far you go is all up to you. CanoeEscape picks you up at the end. If it's your first time in a boat, you may want an interpretive guided trip that sets off every Wednesday but requires a week's advance reservation. Prices range from $8 to $30 depending on route, age and type of boat you rent.
1101 W Sligh Ave., Tampa
Call: (813) 935-8552 Web site: www.lowryparkzoo.com Ages: 4-13
It would take this entire section to list all of the classes and summer camps available at the zoo. There are classes for juniors, kids and small frys. There are classes called Pre-Zoo, classes called the Bugginning. Get a complete list from the zoo's Web site or call to have a packet mailed to you. Programs are hands-on, informative, on-site, satellite, travel, daylong, weeklong, zoo-sponsored, Audubon Society-sponsored . . . you get the picture. Just take your pick. Prices range from $52 to $210.
701 Channelside Drive, Tampa
Call: (813) 273-4000 Web site: www.flaquarium.net Ages: 3 and up
Besides exploring the aquarium as a day trip, there are several day camps and weeklong Aquacamps for children. Aquatots must be accompanied by an adult. Groups are guided through lessons to learn about the theme of the week, ranging from how whales eat to how caterpillars change into butterflies. On-location camps are geared for elementary-age children. If your child eats like a bird, then he or she is one step ahead. The theme classes can teach them how to eat like a wild animal one day and assist in a shark dissection the next. Behind-the-scenes sessions are for grades five through eight. They explain what it takes to run some of the aquarium's exhibits and delve into the work of marine biologists. Day trips take children in grades 5 through 8 off for kayaking and snorkeling at area beaches to conduct tests. Family excursions are also available. Prices range from $25 a week for tot programs to $813 for a Key West adventure.
600 N Ashley Drive, Tampa
Call: (813) 274-8130 Web site: www.tampamuseum.com Ages: 7-13
Day camps designed to help kids understand classic works and the history of art are offered throughout the summer. Children can be enrolled in these hands-on sessions for the full six weeks or by session. Every week, Hillsborough County art teachers and high school student volunteers guide the class through exercises based on different themes. During Georgia on My Mind, kids learn about Georgia O'Keefe. Others are Picturing Picasso, Mad About Monet and Dancing With Degas. Most classes arm the children with markers, pencils and pastels and send them off into the museum's gallery to create their own works. Choose between morning and afternoon sessions for $70 a week for museum members, $80 for non-members. If kids want to stay all day, you can pay for two sessions plus $25 for extra afternoon activities.
Call: (813) 969-1518 Web site: www.bigredballoon.com Ages: All ages
Parents may welcome the traditional champagne toast when the balloon lands, but the flying experience is both breathtaking and educational. A guide takes up groups of four once a day at sunrise. At one of 30 sites, chosen by weather and wind direction, the 61/2-story cherry red balloon is inflated to glow in the predawn hours. The usual route is over rural Odessa, Lutz and Land O'Lakes. A history of ballooning and some factoids about the area you are gliding over are recounted during the flight. Afterwards, a champagne toast and brunch are served at First Watch on Dale Mabry. A larger, 10-passenger basket balloon is offered. Adults $160. Children 10 and under $145.
16400 Morris Bridge Road, Thonotosassa
Call: (813) 987-6211 Web site: www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks/regional_parks.html Ages: All ages
A 7-mile loop wanders through wetlands, open fields and cypress glades where you can see herons, rabbits and armadillo. The paved trail can be traveled easily by bike or in-line skates. The last few miles are a bit bumpy on skates, but plans are in the works to smooth them. There are shaded rest stops complete with water coolers and paper cups in case you forget your bottles or don't want an extra thing to carry. Off-road biking is almost endless. A map at the trailhead lets you know which routes to choose based on your ability level. Best bet is to start small and work your way to longer rides in the future so little ones won't get worn out. Admission is a donation on the honor system.
4801 E Fowler Ave, Tampa
Call: (813) 987-6100 Web site: www.mosi.org
Ages: 2 and up
Making edible gooey things, building bird feeders and programming HTML are just a peek into MOSI's 247 camps this summer. The science museum is impressive and will bring children closer to understanding the physical world. Satellite camps and classes in Brandon, south Tampa, Pinellas Park and Clearwater bring select classes to children who can't make it to the north Tampa museum location. Travel camps for children in fourth grade and above take children fishing, on airboat rides and camping, to name a few. In the museum, there are new exhibits and presentations to see, but one crowd-pleaser will be the longest high-wire bike ride in the United States. Prices range from $15 to $300 per week for camps depending on grade level and activity.
McKinley Avenue, Tampa
Call: (813) 987-5600 Web site: www.adventureisland.com Ages: All ages
Sometimes they just have to be kids. And it's summertime. So send them on their way to frolic in pools and zoom down the slides while you get a chance to close your eyes and kick back and get some rays. By the time they get get back, all their energy will be spent, and you can enjoy a quiet ride home. One-day tickets are $23.95 for children ages 3-9, $25.95 for ages 9 and up.
Hillsborough County
Call: (813) 273-3652 Web site: www.thpl.org Ages: All ages
Toddler Time, Story Time and storytelling festivals are some of the programs the Tampa library system plans for children throughout the summer. There are 26 programs designed especially for your child's age group and reading level. Sing-along books, evening reading sessions, visiting magicians, puppeteers and select movies are just a short list of activities. For a complete list and the 24 library locations, visit the Web site or call for information. The best part: All activities are free.
Capt. Memo's Pirate Cruise
Clearwater Marina, Clearwater Beach
Call: (727) 446-2587 Web site: www.captainmemo.com Ages: 4 and up
Approximate travel time from Tampa: 40 to 50 minutes.
Your children could be running wild on the deck of a ship, terrorizing people with squirt guns, fueled by the all-you-can-drink soft drinks they've been guzzling. So what's in it for you? All you have to do is sit back with a free glass of wine and let the ship's crew take care of everything. As soon as you enter, the swabbies strap a pirate hat on every kid's head and sweep them away to sing-alongs, dances, dolphin watching and face painting. The two-hour cruises are $28 for adults before 4:30 p.m. and $30 after. Children are always $18, and seniors are $22.
State Road 405 E, Titusville
Call: (321) 269-6100 Web site: www.astronauts.com Ages: 8-14
Approximate travel time from Tampa: 21/2 hours
The Stellar Expedition is a six-hour interactive tour held at the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. Groups will have the chance to try one of the astronaut training simulators and take part in the Strange Science Show. This is an informative course designed to educate people on the space program and to give a few life lessons on problem solving. The cost is $16.50 for children, and two adults enter free with every 15 children. Additional adults are $16.50. Classes begin at 9:30 a.m.
State Road 405 E, Kennedy Space Center
Call: (321) 449-4444 Web site: www.kennedyspacecenter.com Ages: 8-14
Approximate travel time from Tampa: 21/2 hours
One way to give your children the stars is the Overnight Adventure at the Kennedy Space Center. Get all the neighborhood's future rocket scientists together into a group of 10 or more and pack the sleeping bags. Before nodding off under the Apollo/Saturn V rocket, the kids will have an evening filled with space-related activities and a visit to Robot Scouts, a 3-D IMAX film, a briefing with an astronaut, a pizza party, a scavenger hunt and a midnight snack. The next day, you wake the kiddies for a sunrise tour of the space shuttle launch pads. Upon completion, everyone gets an authentic Kennedy Space Center patch. Prices are $60 per person, and reservations are required.
2641 S Lake Summit Drive, Winter Haven
Call: Toll-free 1-800-282-2123, ext. 213 Web site: www.cypressgardens.com Ages: School-age children
Approximate travel time from Tampa: 11/2 hours
This isn't the Cypress Gardens you remember. The waterskiing ladies are still part of the lineup, but there are more interactive attractions for children. Wacky Waterpark has new slides with names like Rio Raceway, Barracuda Blaster and Typhoon Twister. Gator Gulch has 50-plus gators and gator chow to feed them. There's a new show about birds of prey and reptiles called Calling All Animals, and a display with the world's most poisonous snakes. If you get a group of 10 or more children, each child can have full run of the park for $6, and one adult chaperone gets in for free. Each additional adult is $8. If you're a Florida resident, pay just $65 and you, one other adult and every child in your household under the age of 12 can enter as many times as you please until Sept. 30.
Call: (813) 223-1111 Web site: www.thcva.com Ages: All ages
There are 663 miles of beaches in Florida. Pick one. From the commercially developed beaches of Clearwater and Daytona to the beautifully rustic hidden finds of state protected beaches such as Honeymoon Island, there is a beach out there to suit your liking. Just call the Tampa Bay Visitors Bureau at (813) 223-1111 for local beach information.