Eyewitness Travel Family Guide Florida Read online

  4. Lightner Museum

  • Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse State-of-the-art Audio-Animatronic teachers and pupils re-create life as it was in this cedar and cypress school building more than 200 years ago.

  • Oldest House The González-Alvarez House is the oldest home to survive from the city’s Spanish Colonial period. The complex has two museums, an exhibition gallery, and an ornamental garden.

  Left One of the marble lions on the Bridge of Lions Middle One of the artifacts at the Villa Zorayda Museum Right The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse

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  Kids’ Corner

  Beach mouse

  The Anastasia Island beach mouse is an endangered species and is rarely spotted these days. Here are some interesting facts about this little creature: Home. It usually digs burrows in the sand dunes or lives in the abandoned homes of ghost crabs.

  Food. Sea oats, other coastal plants, and small insects make up its diet.

  Appearance. Its light-colored coat helps it hide from predators such as cats, dogs, and raccoons.

  Anchored to the ground

  The Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse building may have survived several centuries, but it is fragile. In 1937, the city was so worried it might blow away in a hurricane that they wrapped a giant chain around the house and tied it to an anchor!

  Stone-faced lions

  The Bridge of Lions, built at great expense, is as much a work of art as a functional bridge. The “Medici lions” were carved from Carrara marble – a white or blue-gray marble often used in sculpture – and were a gift to the city from former mayor Dr. Andrew Anderson, who commissioned them from a studio in Florence, Italy.

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  8. Lightner Museum/Ponce de León Hotel

  The charm of bygone days

  The splendid Victorian Music Room at the Lightner Museum, St. Augustine

  Commissioned by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler, (see Flagler Museum) these gorgeous Spanish Renaissance-style buildings were created as the ultimate luxury hotels. Flagler intended the Ponce de León Hotel to be “the world’s finest hotel” of its time. Now a part of Flagler College, its splendid carvings and curved arches are worth a look.

  The Hotel Alcazar – now the Lightner Museum – was not quite as luxurious as the Ponce, but it still offered a three-story ballroom, tropical gardens, a courtyard for concerts, and spa facilities that included everything from Turkish baths to the nation’s largest indoor swimming pool. The Lightner now displays an elegant collection of items from the 19th century, including cut glass, furniture, and paintings.

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  Kids’ Corner

  Pirate vocabulary quiz

  When it comes to pirate lingo, most of us know what it means to “walk the plank,” but have you also heard these terms? Davy Jones’ locker

  Pieces of eight

  Grog

  Avast!

  The Jolly Roger

  >> Answers

  Avast, me hearties!

  Not every pirate flew the same flag – in fact, some famous pirates customized the Jolly Roger or designed flags that incorporated their own symbols. In one, the pirate Black Bart is toasting death, and in another Christopher Moody, an 18th-century pirate, is threatening violence if the victims don’t surrender – an hourglass warns them time is running out.

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  9. Castillo de San Marcos

  Cannons and a castle

  Cannon on the gun deck of Castillo de San Marcos, St. Augustine

  After the pirate Robert Searle attacked St. Augustine in 1668, the town’s Spanish colonists decided they needed more protection, and in 1672 they began constructing the massive Castillo de San Marcos fort. Built of coquina rock quarried from just across the river on Anastasia Island, it took 23 years to build. The Castillo’s design included a seawall with floodgates that could be opened to fill the moat if an assault threatened. Often attacked, the fort was never taken by force, though it sometimes surrendered when faced with overwhelming odds. For much of its history, this oldest existing masonry fort in the US was used as a military prison.

  There are lots of things to do here, such as exploring the gun deck and secret chamber, and watching re-enactments. Kids will enjoy the frequent cannon firings on weekends.

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  < The Northeast

  10. Environmental Education Center

  Marine encounters

  Natural exhibits in the Exhibit Hall of the Environmental Education Center

  A 10-minute drive north of St. Augustine is the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM NERR), an environmental education center that is worlds away from the average handful of exhibits visitors might expect to find there. The $6.2-million center serves as a place for eco-educational activities for the GTM NERR, a water system that protects more than 109 sq miles (282 sq km) along northeastern Florida’s coast.

  The GTM center presents information about marine creatures in several interesting ways. Visitors can see small specimens in one of the three aquariums. Larger marine creatures are represented by full-scale models. The very largest – a North Atlantic right whale – hangs from the ceiling. There are also interpretive exhibits at the center, a high-tech theater that screens nature films, and an outdoor amphitheater.

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  Kids’ Corner

  Is that right?

  Why is the North Atlantic right whale, sometimes seen off St. Augustine’s coast, known as the “right whale”? The standard answer is that whalers of the 18th century saw the huge creature as the “right” whale to hunt, but nobody knows if that story is true.

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  11. Anastasia Island

  A spooky lighthouse

  Fun at the beach in Anastasia State Park, Anastasia Island

  The 165-ft (50-m) St. Augustine Lighthouse is definitely the high point of a visit to Anastasia Island, but there are many other attractions, too. At the northern tip is Anastasia State Park, whose 2.5 sq miles (6 sq km) include 4 miles (6 km) of beach with a surf break, a maritime hammock, a tidal salt marsh, and a sheltered lagoon favored by windsurfers. It is possible to fish, hike, or bike around the park, although most beachgoers come here to surf, sail, swim, or just enjoy lazing in the sun.

  Energetic families can climb the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse. Older kids and teens may be interested in a “Dark of the Moon” ghost tour – the lighthouse was featured on Ghost Hunters, a paranormal reality TV show. There is also an activity area for younger kids.

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  Kids’ Corner

  Haunted lighthouse

  Don’t think ghosts exist? You might become a believer after a nighttime “Dark of the Moon” ghost tour of the St. Augustine Lighthouse. Visitors claim to have seen and heard the ghosts of two little girls from the 1800s, among others.

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  12. Marineland Dolphin Adventure

  Is Flipper home?

  A bottlenose dolphin at Marineland Dolphin Adventure

  This attraction right on the Atlantic Ocean focuses on research on Atlantic bottlenose dolphins and dolphin encounters. If swimming with dolphins is on the “must-do” list, Marineland may be the high point of a Florida vacation – a low-key, uncrowded environment where it is possible to get close enough to rub bottlenoses. There are several programs that offer visitors interaction with the dolphins, but these
must be booked in advance.

  Children will enjoy exploring the dolphins’ natural habitat in the adjacent Matanzas River Estuary. A Marineland partner here offers kayak tours that are guided by certified naturalists. The stable tandem- and triple-seat kayaks make the outing possible for complete beginners, and even for kids as young as 6.

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  Designer dolphins

  Some dolphins at Marineland have been trained to take soft bottles of paint in their mouths and squeeze the paint up onto a canvas being held above them.

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  13. Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

  For a fantastic day out

  Picturesque view of a gazebo on a pond in Washington Oaks Gardens State Park

  Roses in the ornamental gardens, Ice Age rocks on the beach – the two sides of Washington Oaks Gardens State Park couldn’t be more different. Add to that the chance to see manatees hanging out in the river shallows – and this state park is definitely not a run-of-the mill picnic stop. Saltwater anglers can fish from the rocky beach on the east side of A1A. The rocks make it a good place to hunt for sea glass that’s been tumbled smooth. Budding anglers can try their hand at freshwater fishing from the seawall on the Matanzas River on the west side of A1A. In the cooler months, this is a good place to spot manatees. The park gardens are also attractive – developed in the 1930s, they include both native and exotic species. In early spring, visitors are greeted by an especially beautiful sight: colorful azaleas and camellias in full bloom.

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  Kids’ Corner

  Manatee quiz

  Manatees need to breathe air every 20 minutes. Is that true?

  Are manatees (a) herbivores (plant-eaters)

  (b) carnivores (meat-eaters)

  (c) omnivores (plant- as well as meat-eaters)?

  Manatees are most closely related to: (a) elephants

  (b) cows

  (c) whales

  Florida manatees can live for up to: (a) 10 years

  (b) 35 years

  (c) 60 years.

  >> Answers

  More about manatees

  Manatees are intelligent and can learn complex tasks. But they move slowly and don’t hear the sounds of propeller-driven boats very well, so they’re often injured or killed by boat strikes.

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  14. Daytona Beach

  Fun on the run

  The Southeast Museum of Photography

  Daytona Beach has been drawing adrenaline junkies since the early 1900s, when automobile-racing on the beach’s firm sand pushed the boundaries of speed. Although the city is still popular with race fans, it has also become a favorite destination for millions of visitors each year, thanks to its beautiful beaches, superb attractions, and great weather for outdoor activities.

  Key Sights

  1. Daytona Lagoon Although this amusement park is all about water rides from May to October, it also offers exciting year-round “dry attractions” such as laser tag, miniature golf, and go-karts.

  2. Daytona Beach Boardwalk Enjoy old-fashioned arcade games and rides, such as a Ferris wheel, Slingshot, and Hurricane, here. Check out the renovated pier and restaurant.

  3. Public beaches Car-friendly sands and crowds of festive beachgoers have helped Daytona’s 23 miles (37 km) of beaches gain a reputation as “The World’s Most Famous Beach.”

  4. Halifax Historical Museum This museum features vintage toys and exhibits on Native American culture, along with beach racing. A 20-minute movie covers 130,000 years of local history.

  5. Southeast Museum of Photography This is the largest museum of its kind in the Southeast, with exhibits, lectures, and seminars, plus Family Photo Fun Days and photo workshops for kids.

  6. Daytona International Speedway Young speed demons will like a tour of the legendary racetrack of the Daytona 500, one of the most famous NASCAR meets.

  7. Gamble Place This Florida Cracker-style property preserves the Citrus-Packing House – the only one in Florida at its original location.

  Left Daytona International Speedway Middle Ferris wheel at the Daytona Beach Boardwalk Right Exhibit at the Halifax Historical Society Museum

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  Turtles in trouble

  Unfortunately, there are many reasons why sea turtles can end up needing some help at places like the Marine Science Center. Those reasons can include: Upwelling (really cold water rising from the bottom of the ocean that can shock and even kill hatchlings)

  Washbacks (rough weather pushing baby hatchlings back onto the beach)

  Illegal fishing equipment (hooks and fishing line that can get entangled or swallowed by turtles)

  Red tide (an algae bloom in the water)

  Picture this

  When Joseph Niepce took the first photo in 1827, it took 8 hours. Since then, technology has made possible some amazing photographs. One of the most famous photos is “Earthrise,” taken by astronaut Bill Anders in 1968 while orbiting the moon. See it on www.nasa.gov.

  Lighting up the sky

  The lighthouse at Ponce de Leon Inlet features a beacon from the 19th century. Can you guess how far out at sea the light could be seen?

  Do you know how long it takes for the beacon to flash six times?

  How many bricks did it take to build the lighthouse?

  >> Answers

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  < The Northeast

  15. Museum of Arts and Sciences (MOAS)

  Not just another museum

  Mold of the iconic Coca-Cola contour bottle

  Set in the lush Tuscawilla Preserve, this museum not only houses a superb collection of art, science, and history exhibits, but also allows kids to discover important scientific principles through hands-on exhibits, including the chance to design cars and test their designs by racing against competitors. The domed planetarium is another attraction here, with a Minolta MS-10 sky projector. The preserve also has an environmental education center, trails, and discovery stations.

  Key Sights

  1. “Sumar Special” Indy car Housed in the Root Family Museum, the Sumar Special reached the amazing speed of 172 mph (276.5 km/h) in 1957. It was designed by Frank Kurtis and Chapman Root, whose company created the famous Coca-Cola contour bottle.

  2. Coca-Cola The mold of the original Coke bottle is part of Chapman Root’s huge collection of historic Coca-Cola memorabilia on display in the Root Family Museum.

  3. Teddy bears See more than 800 teddy bears, each depicting a different theme or historical period, in the Root Family Museum. Kids will love the large wedding party in full costume, with a bride, a groom, and even a ring bearer.

  4. Giant ground sloth This 130,000-year-old 13-ft- (4-m-) tall skeleton of a giant sloth is a major draw in the Bouchelle Gallery of Changing Exhibitions.

  5. Planetarium Located near the Root Family Museum, this facility hosts thrilling solar system-related shows using images from NASA space probes and 3-D special effects.