Philippe Park, the oldest park in Pinellas County, features an Indian mound listed in the National Register of Historic Places and majestic shade trees. Visitors may stroll down a 1-mile shoreline, enjoy picnicking, fishing, a rock climbing park, a ball field and plenty of open spaces to roam. Kids will love the playground. There is a public boat ramp with access to Tampa Bay, which is open during park hours.
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The privately owned Sea Lion Caves is part of the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve for wildlife and birds. As America's largest sea cave, the location serves as year-round shelter to a large colony of Steller sea lions free to come and go as they like. The cave, which formed about 25 million years ago, is as long as a football field and as tall as a 12-story building.
Best and worst time to go to the Sea Lion Caves
The best time to visit the cave is during the fall and winter when sea lions are more likely to be inside the natural amphitheater. During the spring and summer the creatures migrate to the rookery -- rock ledges outside the cave -- to breed and give birth. Staff at the Sea Lion Caves urge those who visit in the fall and winter to dress warmly, as the cave is prone to be drafty and damp.
Must see/do at the Sea Lion Caves
Those who are interested in the biology and anatomy of sea lions should be sure to take a look at the skeleton on display at Sea Lion Caves. On permanent loan from the Hatfield Marine Science Center in nearby Newport, the skeleton was a 3-year-old female Steller sea lion when she died after sustaining a fatal gunshot wound. The skeleton is more than 7 feet long.
Admission to the Sea Lion Caves
Tickets to the cave range in price from free to children age 4 and younger to $14 for adults. Admission for seniors is $13 per person, while children ages 5 to 12 may enter for $8 each.
Parking at the Sea Lion Caves
Parking is free and located just across U.S. Highway 101 from the cave and entry area. There is plenty of RV parking as well.
Public Transportation to the Sea Lion Caves
There is no regular public transportation available to Sea Lion Caves.
Food at the Sea Lion Caves
There is no food available at the attraction. However, there are many restaurants, cafes and grocery stores in the city of Florence, which is located about 11 miles south of the attraction.
Insider tip for visitors to the Sea Lion Caves
Those who plan to visit Sea Lion Caves should be prepared to walk down and back up a flight of stairs consisting of 37 steps to reach outside trails, followed by about 400 yards of pathway that includes uphill and downhill grades of 10 to 20 percent. At this point, visitors reach the elevator that transports them to the cave. The cave is not wheelchair-accessible.
Author's bio: LeeAnn Neal is a journalist, blogger and Pacific Northwest native.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park is a zoo with a hands-on and up-close approach located in Goddard, Kansas, which is a city located directly to the west of Wichita. The zoo houses over 300 animals, including some of the most rare and endangered species in the state, in an intimate and family centered setting. Tanganyika is known for the interactivity of its exhibits and as such is an ideal day trip for families and nature enthusiasts. The zoo is also popular with school groups due to the knowledge of the Tanganyika staff and its four meeting rooms are perfect for conferences and events.
Best and worst time to go to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
The best time to visit Tanganyika is during the morning between the beginning of May and Labor Day weekend. During this stretch the park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the combination of intense Kansas sun and animal activity makes the morning the best time to visit. This will also lessen the chance that you will bump into large school groups. Tanganyika is closed from the second weekend of November until spring break week in March. It also runs limited weekend hours in April, September and October, so if you are visiting during these months it is best to check ahead.
Must see/do at Tanganyika Wildlife Park
- Lemur Island: This exhibit is the most unique feature of Tanganyika as visitors are able to come face to face with Ring-tailed Lemurs. Assisted by a zoo guide, guests sit on one of the rocks in the lemur habitat and are given food to hold as the lemurs crawl onto your lap and take the snack for themselves. Tanganyika is one of the only places in North America where this experience is available.
- Feeding Kangaroos: Tanganyika takes the concept of the petting zoo to the next level with an open area where you can walk among, pet and feed kangaroos.
- Baby animals: One of the first areas you encounter when entering the park is a baby animal nursery. Here you can look through the windows into the various cages and see anything from baby snow leopards to baby honey badgers as they are cared for at the zoo.
Admission to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Admission is free for children two and under and adults 90 and over. Admission for others is between $15 and $18, with discounts for seniors and children under 12. Tanganyika also offered a military discount of 15% for service members. The gate is also the best time to buy passes to feed and interact with the animals at a discount as opposed to buying food in each area.
Parking and Public Transportation to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
The zoo is located just of off of Highway 54/US 400 to the west of Wichita. Public transportation to this area is limited, so people are encouraged to drive to the zoo where free parking is offered on its expansive parking lot. From Wichita just take Kellogg/US 400 west toward Goddard and Tanganyika is signposted from before the city limit.
Food at Tanganyika
The zoo allows guests to bring their own food so save money by packing a lunch and eating at one of the many picnic spots provided. The only rules for food brought into the park is that there must be no alcohol and no glass. The zoo also has a concession stand which sells deli sandwiches, hot dogs and other concession style food. Pepsi products and Gatorade are also available for purchase.
Insider tip for visitors to Tanganyika Wildlife Park
Visit on a "Wild Wednesday" during June and July. The park will be open until dusk with free child admission with a paid adult and live music from some of the best local bands being played from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Author's bio: Michael Wright has lived in Wichita for 10 years and is a frequent visitor to the Old Town district. He writes for a living and loves to instill a passion for traveling into others.
The Oak View Community Center is located on a tree-filled campus on the east side of Oak Lawn. Its field house contains many museum-quality nature displays of the area's early history, as well exhibits of sea creatures, animals, shells, rocks and minerals.
The center offers a diverse selection of programming, including art classes, fitness, recreation programs and pre-school classes.
The Oak Lawn Community Theater is also stationed at Oak View, staging four critically-acclaimed family musicals per year in a newly renovated gymnasium complete with stadium seating.
Rooms in the community center are available for rental for private parties. The center also has chairs and tables available for rentals. Room rentals range in price from $25-$59 per hour and can accommodate private parties of up to 200 people.
The outdoor park grounds include a baseball field, picnic grounds, playground and a sand volleyball court.
Residents can also register for park district programs at Oak View.
QWR: 75 Years of History!
The Quogue Wildlife Refuge celebrated its 75th year of existence in October, 2009. The Refuge has a fascinating history that started in 1934. Several exceptionally cold winters in the early 1930s caused a decline in the Black Duck population which alarmed many local duck hunters. During a meeting at the Hampton Bays Firehouse, Charlie Belt explained the severity of the waterfowl plight, and suggested they establish a waterfowl refuge, a place where they could propagate and rear
waterfowl “…to put two ducks in the air for every one we take.” From this meeting, the Southampton Township Wildfowl Association (STWA) was formed with 45 charter members; all were duck hunters and pioneer conservationists from the town of Southampton. Their signatures are on the charter which hangs over the fireplace in the Charles Banks Belt Nature Center at the Refuge.
STWA used the land that was formerly the Quogue Ice Company to create a sanctuary. The easterly 104 acres of the former Ice Company was donated by Richard and George Post, sons of charter member Abram Post. This land was given to the Incorporated Village of Quogue who appointed STWA Trustees as the official stewards of the land. In 1938, STWA rallied friends to purchase the westerly half of the Quogue Ice Company, 107 acres for $1,400 from charter member Erastus Post. Another 100 acres of land was added to the
Refuge for preservation by Southampton Town in the 1980s, when town officials agreed to rezone a nearby subdivision from two- acre lots to one- acre lots.
Feeding the birds was a top priority. This was a huge undertaking, requiring two men for at least two hours a day. These men volunteered their time to cut ice from the pond and feed the famished flocks. In one year alone, over thirty tons of grain-potato mix was prepared and fed by STWA volunteers.
In 1936, STWA was awarded First Prize in a National Waterfowl Contest, sponsored by More Game Birds in America (Ducks Unlimited, Inc.) for the vast amount of work accomplished through volunteer efforts. The engraved Silver Cup remains on the mantle.
What was known as the Quogue Waterfowl Sanctuary on old maps is now known as the Quogue Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge has evolved over time to take school groups on tours, to care for permanently injured animals in the Distressed Wildlife Complex, and to offer educational programs for people of all ages throughout the year. The 305 acres remain a safe place for plants and animals, and a peaceful haven for people to visit.