10 Ways to Explore Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, Florida
The blog has been filled with posts featuring Florida attractions this year (see the complete index here). This week, we’re sharing a post we never got the chance to publish from the last time we visited family in the Delray Beach area: our top 10 guide to Butterfly World, located 45 minutes north of Miami and 45 minutes south of West Palm Beach. Butterfly World in Coconut Creek is located in Tradewinds Park, which includes dozens of outdoor activities- see the full list “here. Opened in 1988, it is the largest butterfly park in the WORLD and home to over 20,000 butterflies, as well as insects, birds, macaw and more! Butterfly World typically has up to 50 varieties of live butterflies for guests to see each visit. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits and most guests follow the one way path (and walk over the suspension bridge) through six aviaries, gardens, and a tropical rainforest.
City Guide: 12 Places Kids Will Love in Palm Beach County, Florida
While most people head to the pristine beaches or pools of Palm Beach County, Florida, there is plenty to do off the sand and surf. We’re lucky to have family who live in Delray Beach and over the years, we have enjoyed exploring a wide variety of family friendly attractions. Palm Beach County includes 39 cities, towns, and villages from Jupiter (the northern most part) to Boca Raton in the southern part of the region- see the full list here.
Five Ways to Explore the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse & Museum in Jupiter, Florida
We’ve explored Palm Beach County, Florida many times when visiting family in Delray Beach. This past trip, we finally had time to stop at the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Museum that we’ve passed several times and enjoyed exploring the ever expanding complex. Operated by the Loxahatchee River Historical Society, the first lighthouse museum opened in 1973 and now welcomes over 800,000 visitors to the complex each year. The nonprofit manages the 1860 Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse and Oil House, 1892 George Washington Tindall House, 1929 Lighthouse Keeper’s Workshop, and 1940 Naval Housing Building (currently closed due to nearby bridge construction). The lighthouse and museums are located on a complex, owned by the town of Jupiter, which also include large sports fields, nature trails, and a large playground.
Eight Ways to Explore Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge in Boca Raton, Florida
Established in 1951, the 145,000+ acre (one of the largest in America!) Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge preserves the remnants of the northern Everglades, which includes a cypress forest for 250+ species of birds; indoor, interactive exhibits; access to boat launches; and tons of hiking, biking, and paddling trails.
10 Ways to Explore the Green Cay Nature Center in Boynton Beach, Florida
On a recent visit to Delray Beach, Florida to visit family, we explored the nearby Green Cay Nature Center in Boynton Beach and ended up spending the better part of a morning enjoying the beautiful wetlands and exhibits. Originally farmland, the 100 acres property was sold by the farmers at a significantly reduced rate to the County with the promise the lands would be made into a wetland. It took two years, but in 2004 the property opened to the public and thousands of birds and wildlife began calling it home. Green Cay is part of the Palm Beach County Nature Center system, which includes six additional centers throughout the area- check out the full list and details here.
10 Ways to Explore the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum in Florida
Located across the street from Lighthouse Park and Cox Recreation Facility (both maintained by the city of St. Augustine), the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum complex features indoor and outdoor exhibits, walking trails, and the opportunity to climb to the top of the lighthouse. Built in 1856, the first watchtower was 350 yards closer to the ocean than the current complex. The second tower, 165 feet tall, followed less than 20 years later, including the addition of the 1876 home for Head Keeper William Farn, Assistant Keeper Joseph Rantia and their families. Lightkeepers tended to the lighthouse until the mid 1950s when the light became automated. The Junior Service League saved the property from being bulldozed in the 1970s and spent almost 20 years restoring the lighthouse tower, innkeeper’s home, and the original Fresnel lens. The museum officially opened in 1994 with a collection of over 19,000 artifacts and documents providing a timeline of the history of the lighthouse, its occupants, and the greater St. Augustine area.