Sorry - I have been neglecting my Blog

Sometimes I like being a tourist in my own back yard. Sometimes I want to take a trip to say.... Europe. Living in South Florida is pretty much like having the whole world over for the weekend. At any moment, in any location, you can run into someone from another country. I just wish they would leave their home town driving skills at home.

If you are interested in seeing the other side of the planet, or if you are from there, follow the link to my Vacation Photos. They are best viewed as a slideshow. Enjoy views of London, Norway, Shetland, Faroe, Iceland, Scotland, and Ireland while I work on a few more local blog entries.

Vista View Park - Davie

Mount Trashmore no more. Vista View Park has just completed a major expansion. It's hard to beleive this beautiful park was once the Davie dump. From the top of this relatively new Florida mountain, you can see all the way to Fort Lauderdale.

Looking for some family activities? How about bicycling, fishing, fitness trail, horse back riding, skating, and basketball to start. Two monster playgrounds will keep the kids entertained for the day or until they run out of sugar. Lots of picinic area. If you need a place to fly your model airplane or even yourself, there is room for that too. No kidding. If you get there early on a day with low winds, you can watch the paraplanes take off and land. There is a charge now but you get a lot for the $1.50 per person admission.

Bike Trails - Davie

I started exploring the Davie Bike Trails soon after moving to Davie five years ago. My typical ride is about 20 miles. While a lot of Davie's bike trails are sidewalks, I've managed to find a route that is mostly away from traffic and pedestrians. Some of the trails are well marked with mileage and direction. There are a few parks along the way for a rest and water break but it's best to bring plenty of water with you. I was bringing twice what I thought I needed and required a refill along the way. Even though many of the trails run behind housing developments, you get the sense you are on a private path all to yourself. You will see a lot of trees, canals, and nature and not much else. The trails that run along the road are far enough away from the traffic that you won't need to be endlessly vigilant for fear of getting run over. The trails are smooth for the most part and grass and trees well trimmed and out of the path. You will still need to watch for sand, pot holes, and areas where tree roots have lifted the pavement. Sometimes the occasional tree branch may be on the path or a group of horses may be crossing. No matter what part of the trail you are on, you are never far from a house or a main road should you run into trouble. This is one adventure that requires a lot of effort but you can't beat the price.

Miami Metro Zoo

The last time I paid a visit to the Miami Metro Zoo was before hurricane Andrew. This trip was long overdue. I had gone several times, years ago, and always enjoyed it. I knew the aviary was rebuilt but I had no idea the zoo had doubled in size. It's now a full day visit if you want to see everything. Maybe a little more if you want to stop and take pictures. So where are mine? Well funny thing about that. My camera had an issue on the very day of my visit. I'm sure I'll go back again.

Admission is $15.95 but there are plenty of discounts online. We walked the whole day but for a few bucks, you can get the monorail pass. If you are bringing the kids and all the stuff that goes with kids, consider the Safari Cycles. $32.00 seems steep to rent a 4 wheeled bike but it could save the day when the kiddies (or adults) poop out at the far corners of the zoo. We saw plenty of people peddling along and by the looks of it, they all thought it was worth the price.

The Miami Metro Zoo has put a lot of effort into making it appear the animals are running free and that means giving them plenty of room. You can get within inches of a gorilla. To him it looks like you are the one behind the glass. From huge cats to tiny poison dart tree frogs, they cover it all. I would suggest going now while the weather is still cool but if you want to wait a while, there are misting stations along the path. Check the link above for special events and make some plans for a great day out with family and friends.

Florida Renaissance Festival - Deerfield Beach

I have been neglecting my blog lately but not my favorite South Florida event. The 2010 Florida Renaissance Festival looks to be the best ever if opening day is any indication. Low temperatures and high winds did nothing to dim the enthusiasm of the performers or the crowd. I have been a regular visitor to this event for the last 10 years. If laughter is the best medicine, then this is the place to get a huge dose. So many acts this year I did not even catch them all. Click on the link above for the complete listing. My personal favorite was MooNie. Half mime, half acrobat, and half comedian. That's right! It's like a show and a half for just a dollar. I will be going back again this year to see the rest no doubt. Between shows, there are plenty of beautiful items for sale. "The ugly ones don't sell as well my lord" I was told. Makes good sense right? You can be certain a good many of them are not made in China. In fact many are made right there in front of you. I collect coins so this year I splurged and had a coin minted while I watched. Most of the vendors are a mini show themselves. Yes I even bought a bag of nuts from the guy who I remember seeing in a nightmare once. Just a tip - don't go to the Limeybirds show with your nuts in your hand. Trust me on this.

Every year I leave the Ren Fest with a sense that I've done something special. If it were not for these dedicated people who work rain or shine and sometimes risk their lives in gale force winds to entertain me, I would have been home watching old DVDs. Everyone I know has been at least once. Have you?

$20.00 gets you in. Have plenty of singles for the shows. Yes, these people make a living at this and work for tips. The food court is the best of any festival I've been to and $10.00 gets you fed. There is an amazing assortment of items for sale so bring a few extra bucks. Do your part to save the American economy and get yourself a big fat dose of comedy to remedy that stressful life.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden - Miami

I was fortunate to visit Fairchild Topical Botanic Gardens on the last of the Free Weekends in August. Normal admission $20.00. I have been to Fairchild twice before but for the Chihuly Glass exhibits. There are still some examples of Chihuly Glass on display. This time I went just for the nature. I was very impressed. The gardens are big. On a hot day, you will want to bring along a hat and a bottle of water. Don't forget the camera. There are some very unusual plants and flowers worth a shot or two. There is a tram for the less adventurous. The day we went, there were plenty of volunteer guides to explain the history or plants. The web site contains all the information you may need. Getting there could not be easier. I would suggest visiting the gardens while it is cool, then head a little up the road to CocoWalk for a nice late lunch before heading home. There are not a lot of open spaces left in South Florida. This is certainly one filled with treasures, close to everything, easy to locate, and no excuse not to experience.

Bonnet House - Fort Lauderdale

I have been neglecting my blog so I thought I would visit a site I have also been neglecting. The Bonnet House Museum & Gardens in Fort Lauderdale. I've been in South Florida 31 years and this was my first visit. Hard to believe as this is about the easiest place for me to get to and I have passed by maybe a thousand times. Anyone familiar with the beach area of Fort Lauderdale would find it amazing that this oasis exists. Just 100 years ago, Fort Lauderdale consisted of just a hand full of buildings. Now an entire city surrounds the site. It is worth the visit just to see how Florida looked such a short time ago. The house and grounds are beautiful and the history is well told by the guides. $20.00 gets you in. Another $2.00 for a golf cart ride around the property. Look for the 2 for 1 coupon online. Bring the mosquito repellent if you plan to tour the gardens.

Cauley Square Historic Village

If you are fan of "Old Florida" sites, then Cauley Square Historic Village is a place you might consider visiting. Plenty of old Florida buildings connected by a winding brick path completely engulfed in shade trees. Easy to get to - exit 11 off the Turnpike, US 1 and SW 224th st. My girlfriend and I managed to spend a few hours checking out the shops and antiques and finished with a nice meal at the Village Chalet. We plan to do it again soon and try the Tea Room in the near future. Check out their web site calendar of events. I found this for June 6th.

MUSIC UNDER THE STARS
AT CAULEY SQUARE
A MAGICAL NIGHT OF MUSIC AND ART

Fruit and Spice Park - Miami

One of the more unusual places I have visited is the Fruit and Spice Park in the Redlands near Miami. It is basically a 37 acre farm dedicated to fruits and spices. During the tour, our guide let us sample various fruits and spices right off the trees. I learned more about bananas than I thought possible. I had never seen so many mangoes in my life. The staff is very well versed in the plantings at the park. Check the website (above) to see the full list and see how really impressive that is. A great place to show the kids that not everything in this world comes from a box. I don't know if I would go back but it's now crossed off my to do list of off beat South Florida sites to visit

Cypress Gardens

Cypress Gardens opened in 1936 and like anything else is starting to show it's age. I was last there in the early 80's. I actually performed on the lake with an amature ski show team. It was a fascinating experience I will never forget. On a recent road trip with my daughter, I decided to pay a long overdue visit.

Cypress Gardens is, to be kind, past it's prime. There was a recent attempt to revive the park with a ride park which appears to be closed at this point. The water slide area was fairly well visited the day we went but the main gardens area was a ghost town. The ski show was as good as I remembered. The gardens are still the main attraction and were even more beautiful than I remembered. If you are passing by, and have some time to see an old, original, Florida theme park, by all means, stop by. Be sure and charge the camera. Something I forgot to do.