South Florida Tribal Idea Book
Some Out-Meeting Ideas
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Bowling Night - Don Carter Lanes(SF) on University at Southgate, or Holiday Springs Lanes behind the Holiday Springs; reserve your lanes in advance Shopping Center on Sample Road at Riverside
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Craft Night Out - (At least you don't have to clean up the house afterwards) - offered by Michaels
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Field Day / Sports Night - Simplified track and field or war games activities; a Boys against the Dads soccer game is always popular; so is an obstacle coursr
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Treasure Map - Orienteering with a compass and a list of distances/drections - what we did before GPS and 'geocacheing' were invented
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Kite Night - (or afternoon) - once again try glow sticks if you fly at night
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Model Rocket Derby - Make sure you pick a big enough park or field (hard to come by in North Broward); tie mini-glowsticks to the rocket shock cords if you launch at night
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Picnic in the Park - Betty Stradling (Slide and Glide) North Community (Bicycling or walking)
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Pizza Night - (make your own) several of the Pappa John's locations are accommodating
Stomp Rocket Derby - Have contests for hang time, distance, or closest to a target
Day Trips or Weekend Activities - Miami - Dade County:
- Miami Metrozoo - lots of animals and LOTS of walking; ask about a group behind-the-scenes tour
- Gold Coast Railroad Museum - adjacent to Metrozoo
- Miami Seaquarium - when's the last time you fed sardines to a sea lion?
- Bill Bags State Park and Lighthouse- on Key Biscayne; good beaches, bike trails, climb the lighthouse
- Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium - across from Vizcaya
- Miccosukee Indian Village - on Tamiami Trail - best during a Pow Wow; the air boat rides across the street are probably the best around
- Shark Valley, Everglades National Park - on Tamiami Trail - Tram Ride (check the schedule) or a good bike ride for older boys; the tower at the end gives quite a view; best in dry season - lots of gators
- Coe, Royal Palm Visitor Centers, Everglades National Park - Florida City entrance - Coe Visitor Center, Anhinga Trail, Gumbo Limbo Trail
- Fruit and Spice Park - in Homestead
- Venetian Pool - exotic swimming venue in Coconut Grove
- Fairchild Tropical Gardens - just south of Matheson Hammock Park - extensive gardens, narrated tram ride, lots of room to hike
- Charles Deering Estate - south of Matheson Hammock Park
Day Trips or Weekend Activities - Broward County:
- Flamingo Gardens - the kids like the free-flight aviary; watch the paper for free or reduced admission days
- Anne Kolb Nature Center / West Lake Park (E) - raised nature boardwalk, nature center, observation tower, mangrove boat ride, kayaking/canoeing
- Fishing Hall of Fame - in Hollywood - ask about group activities
- Billie Swamp Safari - eat alligator at the swamp water cafe and then bounce around on air boat and swamp buggy rides; night buggy rides must be arranged in advance
- Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum - there is al long and pleasant raised boardwalk behind the museum; sometimes they have storytelling and other activities along the trail
- Incredible Ice - Check for Open Skating times
- Quiet Waters Waterpark - have a two-hour session at the water park, then picnic, hit the playground, or watch the cable water skiing
- Butterfly World - makes a good aftenoon; don't forget the Lorikeets; if you get bored there are batting cages across the street
- Museum of Discovery and Science - the IMAX films are pricey, but good; take a hike along the riverwalk while you're there
- Jungle Queen - morning or afternoon cruises, or an evening dinner cruise with a show
- Hugh Taylor Birch State Park - nature hike, beach, beware the Raccoons!
- John U Lloyd State Park - best swimming beach in Broward (and the only shady one); decent food at the canteen
Day Trips or Weekend Activities - Palm Beach County:
- Sugar Sands Park - excellent creative playground (3 stories tall), small adjacent hands-on science museum; hotdog stand out front or bring a picnic lunch
- Blowing Rocks Preserve - some of the most beautiful coastline around to hike; call ahead to find when the rocks will be blowing; there is a swimming/picnic beach about 1.5 miles south
- Gumbo Limbo Nature Sanctuary - on A1A just north of Red Reef; nature center, boardwalk, observation tower, marine tanks in the back with sea turtles and fish
- The Marine Life Center of Juno Beach - nature center and sea-turtle rescue
- Red Reef Park - swimming and picnicing; 'reef' comes up to the shoreline for easy snorkeling
- Morikami Museum - a small museum, beautiful gardens, and a small restaurant; watch for special events
- Spanish River Park - swimming and picnicing
- Loxahatchee River Canoeing - you can take the short trip - down to I-95 and back, past Trapper Nelson's and down to the Mangroves near Hobe sound and take the bus back; call ahead for reservations and times
- Coconut Cover Waterpark - a nice mini-waterpark in west boca - with splashing fountains, waterslides, and a lazy river - in west Boca off Glades Road
- Rapids Waterpark - a much larger commercial waterpark off Military Trail, a few miles north of Okeechobee; eat in or picnic in front
- Palm Beach Zoo - A small zoo but one where you can get close to things; lots of renovation recently completed
- Loxahatchee Airboat Tours closest one to home - 15% discount coupon on web site; also a good bicycling trailhead; make sure you have your license if you go fishing
- South Florida Science Museum and Planetarium - In the same park complex as the Palm Beach Zoo
- Arthur R. Marshall Wildlife Refuge - Nature Center, boardwalk through cypress hammock, and extensive paddocks covering many acres with all kinds of birds, plants and bugs (and gators)
- Lion Country Safari - a little expensive but where else can you get caught in a water-buffalo traffic jam; eat-in or picnic areas; numerous small attractions included (putt-putt, merry go round, paddle boats, etc.)
Sleepovers:
- Miami Metrozoo - "Zoo-In" available September through June
- Miami Seaquarium - "Overnight Adventure"
- Spanish River Park - youth camping
- Museum of Science and Discovery - "Overnight Camp-In"
Events to watch for:
- Bon Festival at Morikami Museum - Check out the Hatsume Festival in February, the Bon Festival in August or Children's Day in April
- Rennaisance Festival - at Quiet Waters Park - all weekends in February - Don't miss Daniel, Duke of Danger or The Mud Show
- Seminole Tribe Pow-Wow - in Hollywood, Early February - watch the Seminole Tribe web site for details
- Seminole Rodeo at Big Cypress - on the Reservation, Early February - watch the Seminole Tribe web site for details
- Kissime Slough Shoot-Out - on the reservation, Early February - watch the Seminole Tribe web site for details - Tribal food, crafts, contensts, encampments, and re-enactments of the Seminole Wars
- Davie Rodeo - on several weekends every fall
- Cinco de Mayo - Northwest Regional Library - Mexican music, crafts, art, history, and food
- Pompano Beach Airport - Air Show - in January; historic airplanes, airplane and helocopter rides, over-flights by historic aircraft
- Our Town Fair at Coral Springs Sportsplex - close by and relatively inexpensive - in March
- Coral Springs July 4th Fireworks - Best viewed from across the lake
Camping Trips
- Billie Swamp Safari - Chickee huts - individual and group available - scroll to th bottom of the web page
- Big Cypress Campground - full facilities, just down the road from Billie's
- Jonathan Dickinson State Park - camp, canoe, hike, bike; nearby: beaches, Jupiter lighthouse
- John Pennicamp State Park - camping, beach, canoe rental, snorkeling and glass-bottom excursion boats
- Bahia Honda State Park - best beaches in the keys - but you have to reserve WAY in advance
- Peace River Campground - canoeing and fossil hunting
- Fish Eating Creek - camping, fishing, canoeing
- Long Pine Key - Everglades N.P. - recommended for the cooler, less mosquitoed months
- Flamingo - Everglades N.P. - an awesome setting, adjacent to the Green waters of Florida Bay; recommended for cool weekends with a stiff wind - the hotel was a hurricane casualty
Camp Wilderness (Disney) - almost too much to do; almost too many amenities to call it camping
Wekiva Springs State Park - camping, canoeing
- Collier Seminole State Park - camping, canoeing - off Tamiami
- Myakka River State Park - camping, canoeing
- Long Key State Park - another spot in the keys
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