Travel with Children - Florida - page 84

Siesta Key Crescent of soft white sand, plenty of activities and a lively village scene at
night.
Fort Myers Beach Party atmosphere, lots to do, yet quieter beaches just south (we like
Lovers Key State Park).
Gasparilla Island Intimate, easy, and blissfully free of high-rises and chain restaurants and
hotels; ditch the car and toot around in a golf-cart.
St Pete Beach Activity-filled social epicenter of Tampa Bay area.
Pensacola Beach Mix of unspoiled strands and low-key tourist center.
Destin & Fort Walton Beach Family-perfect Panhandle beauty.
Apalachicola Tiny historic fishing town on Apalachicola Bay; close to excellent beachside
state parks.
Zoos
Lowry Park Zoo Tampa; fantastic zoo with up-close encounters.
Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Gulf Coast, 70 miles north of Tampa; Old Florida
don't-miss staple emphasizing Florida wildlife; underwater manatee observatory.
Zoo Miami Extensive, with all the big-ticket species.
Monkey Jungle Miami; the tagline 'Where humans are caged and monkeys run wild' says it
all. Unforgettable classic, opened in 1933; don't miss the wild monkey swimming pool.
Jungle Island Miami; tropical birds and exotic species such as the liger, a tiger-and-lion
crossbreed.
Lion Country Safari West Palm Beach; an enormous drive-through safari park and rehabilit-
ation center.
Brevard Zoo Melbourne, on the Space Coast; little old-school favorite; feed giraffes and lori-
keets.
Aquariums
Florida Aquarium Tampa; another stellar aquarium, with an excellent recreated swamp,
swim programs and sea-life tours.