Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE PANHANDLE FOR CHILDREN
The down-to-earth Panhandle is one of Florida's most family-friendly regions, with laid-
back beaches, aquariums, amusement parks, ice-cream shops and fudge museums.
Traveling families will appreciate Destin and Panama City Beach for their range of attrac-
tions. For the kidlets, we recommend:
Manning your own fighter jet and watching the dazzling Blue Angels formation flying at
the
National Museum of Naval Aviation
in Pensacola.
Watching the dolphins frolic at Destin's long-established
Gulfarium
.
Exercising the gray matter at Panama City Beach's hyperstimulating, wacky
Wonder-
Checking out cool, interactive exhibits on dinosaurs or bugs or ships at the
Mary Brogan
850-513-0700;
www.thebrogan.org
; 350 S
Duval St; adult/child $7.50/5;
10am-5pm Mon-Sat, from 1pm Sun;
) in Tallahassee, the state
capital.
Learning about Pensacola's rich history at the hands-on
Pensacola Children's Museum
.
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Every US WWII pilot was trained at the Naval Air Station Pensacola (NAS), known as
'the cradle of naval aviation'. Today, some 6000 young aviators train here, and the base is a
major part of Pensacola's social fabric. Southwest of downtown Pensacola, NAS has a
number of interesting attractions for visitors. To get here, take Hwy 295 to the NAS en-
trance, south of the bridge at the end of Navy Blvd, across Bayou Grande. You'll be
stopped at the gate for a security check of your car, so be sure to bring photo ID.
National Museum of Naval Aviation
MUSEUM
850-452-3604;
www.navalaviationmuseum.org
;
1750 Radford Blvd;
9am-5pm Mon-Fri; )
A visit to Pensacola is not complete without a trip to this enormous collection of military
aircraft muscle and artifacts. Adults and children alike will be fascinated by the range of
planes on display: over 150! That's before we even get to the high-tech stuff like flight
simulators and an IMAX theatre. You can watch the
Blue Angels
practice their death-defy-
