Awesome animal encountes
LWhen you take your children to a museum or on a nature hike, does the sound of giggles permeate the air and include lots of hands-on activity?It does when you're in Florida!

These museums and eco tours have made it their goal to educate through sight and touch, integrating as much realism as possible into every visit...

hands-on fun
The Gulfarium Fort Walton Beach, situated on a sun drenched beach along the Gulf of Mexico display some of the world's most beautiful underwater life. Inside the Gulfarium's Touch Pool, children of all ages can get their hands wet while exploring the extreme differences between the top and under sides of horseshoe crabs, or pick up a hermit crab and be surprised at what lives inside.
In addition to hands-on fun, the Gulfarium features Fort Gator, Shark Moat, Dune Lagoon, and Saltwater Aquariums. Dolphin and Sea Lion shows are the park's highlight with three live shows daily!
850-244-5169 | www.gulfarium.com

unique interactions
One of the world's premier marine adventure parks, SeaWorld Orlando, features more than 200-acres of world-class shows and unforgettable animal encounters! Some of the more unique programs include the Beluga Interaction Program where guests can experience up-close, hands-on interactions with beluga whales during a shallow water encounter.
For the more daring, Sharks Deep Dive immerses guests in an underwater experience as they come face-to-face with more than 30 sharks of seven different species, with only a shark cage between them.
800-327-2424 | www.seaworld.com

board an airboat
An exciting new adventure awaits you at Central Florida Airboat Tours. Located one hour from Orlando attractions, operating out of Jolly Gator Fish Camp, visitors can board an airboat and travel into the heart and soul of Lake Jesup and Lake Harney. See areas that ordinary boat tours cannot access, large alligators in their natural habitat, beautiful bald eagles, moss covered cypress, serene surroundings - this and much more from the boat.
407-321-0753 | www.centralfloridaairboattours.com

a day at the zoo
Relive your fondest childhood memories by spending a day at the zoo! Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in America by Parent's Magazine, features one-of-a-kind animal encounters and interactions. Visitors wanting to experience Florida's native animals, the Zoo features a Florida Manatee & Aquatic Center, exploring Florida's underwater life. The boardwalk is an ideal way to see all the wonderful creatures that make Florida home. Don't miss the two interactive areas in the boardwalk, The Harrell Discovery Center and Stingray Bay where visitors can feed and touch Florida's stingrays. Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is recognized as a state center for Florida species conservation and biodiversity. Visit their Website for a complete listing of animal exhibit areas.
813-935-8552 | www.lowryparkzoo.com

see, feel, and immerse yourself
The Florida Aquarium Tampa is the ultimate location to see, feel, and immerse yourself with Florida's underwater life.
Kids love exploring the "No Bone Zone" featuring low tanks and plenty of hands-on opportunities. This unique 1,200-square-foot exhibit is the Aquarium's focus on invertebrates (animals without backbones).
In addition to the touch tanks, visitors are given the opportunity to swim with either fish or sharks during two specialty adventures.
An off-site eco tour is the ideal way to journey onto the water and experience what really lives in Tampa Bay. From dolphins to birds, eco tourists can savor the area's natural surroundings.
Kids needing to expend some energy can let loose in the Aquarium's Explore A Shore, a two-acre outdoor water adventure area.
813-273-4000 | www.flaquarium.org

educate and entertain
Sarasota's Mote Marine Laboratory educates and entertains their visitors with an in-depth look at research and rescue in combination with the sea life that lurks beneath the water. In addition to viewing rarely seen sea horses, and giant stingrays, visitors are able to experience first hand what a sea urchin feels like or touch the back of a starfish at the laboratory's touch tanks.
A number of exhibits are on display including a shark habitat, ray touch pool, and the colorful creatures that inhabit the dramatic beauty of Florida's reefs: French angel fish and damsels, spotfin butterfly fish, and hogfish, to name just a few.
800-691-MOTE | 941-388-4441 | www.mote.org

up close and exotic
Getting an up close animal encounter is easy at the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. New to the zoo's many animal exhibits is Leopard Rock, a display with deceivingly no separation between you and the leopards. Seven-foot-high glass panels are set within a recess of a rock textured concrete pad, with no curb or edge to break the illusion. The cats and zoo guests can stand nose to nose on the same even surface separated only by just over an inch of clear zoo-grade glass. Living trees, deadfall logs, and other features provide natural elements for the leopards to interact with.
239-262-5409 | www.napleszoo.com

wilderness ranch adventure
If you find yourself traveling with the adventuresome, Babcock Wilderness Tours offers its guests a wilderness ranch adventure! Visitors can enjoy a 90 minute Swamp Buggy Tour through the Babcock Ranch and Telegraph Cypress Swamp in Punta Gorda, as experienced guides offer in-depth descriptions of birds, animals, plants, and the cattle and horses that are raised on the ranch. Participants will see panthers, bison, alligators, and many other animals living in Southwest Florida.
800-500-5583 | www.babcockwilderness.com

underwater excursion
At Florida's southernmost point, the Key West Aquarium treats visitors of all ages to an underwater excursion! A Window of Wonder comes alive as expert guides explain the mysteries of the water surrounding the Florida Keys. Daily shark and turtle feedings and the Touch Tank offer guests hands on experience with sea life. The Aquarium features a wide variety of fish including grouper, moray eels, barracuda, tropical fish, tarpon, sharks, parrotfish and more.
800-868-7482 | www.keywestaquarium.com