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Located on U.S. 41, two miles south of Osprey and six miles south of Sarasota, Oscar Scherer State Park consists of more than two square miles of natural Florida landscape. A large acreage of scrubby flatwoods makes this park one of the best places to see Florida scrub-jays, a threatened species found only in Florida. The park protects scrubby and pine flatwoods that were once widespread throughout Sarasota County. Fifteen...

Home of the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the Arena Football League’s Tampa Storm, this venue changed names in August 2014 and is now known as Amalie Arena. The arena is Tampa’s premier entertainment venue hosting more than 150 events annually, including sporting events, concerts, political debates, comedy and family shows. The doors to the 670,000-square-foot Amalie Arena (originally called the Ice Palace) first opened on October 12, 1996 with its first...

A native of Holmes Beach, Captain Logan Bystrom is a fourth-generation Islander who grew up roaming the waters around Anna Maria and Tampa Bay. He knows the waters like the back of his hand and loves to show those who book his charters his fishing skills while helping them catch a variety of fish such as tarpon, snook, trout, permit, and kingfish. Captain Logan is U.S.C.G. licensed and insured and commands a 2009 25-foot...

Robinson Preserve is a 487-acre coastal preserve located in northwestern Bradenton, just east of Anna Maria Island, in the Palma Sola area, across the street from the Palma Sola Botanical Gardens. The preserve features numerous recreation activities that are low-impact to the environment.  There are miles of hiking and biking trails throughout the preserve, as well as a canoe/kayak launch. In addition, there is over three miles of  waterways throughout the...

Sarasota Jungle Gardens is the area’s only zoological gardens featuring 10 acres of tropical vegetation and jungle trails. One of the oldest continuously operating attractions in Florida, Sarasota Jungle Gardens evokes memories of Florida days gone by, full of flora, fauna and fun, yet remains current and exciting for today’s families, locals, and tourists alike. See animals such as endangered exotic birds, prairie dogs, Florida crocodiles and other reptiles. Most of the animals...

The beautiful Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is located in a brick-laid residential section of Sarasota and is home to thousands of colorful and exotic plants in an open air and glass museum environment. Many of the exotic plants have been collected during scientific expeditions into the rainforest by the Selby Gardens research staff. The Gardens have been noted in numerous magazines, such as named “One of the Top Ten Botanical Gardens” by Country Living Gardener Magazine. The...

Located across from Walgreen’s off of East Bay Drive in Bradenton, Florida, Grassy Point Preserve is great for the whole family. It includes picnic tables, a shell foot path and a non-motorized watercraft launch for access into the bay. The preserve is open to the public from 7 am to dusk.

No matter what you call it — putt putt, mini golf, miniature golf, mini putt putt or adventure golf — you will enjoy 18 holes of outdoor fun at Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf. Play amid rushing waters, mysterious caves and waterfalls on mountainous tropical terrain for a truly unique Florida miniature golf experience. Make it a true Florida adventure by taking the opportunity to feed the real live alligators that...

The Florida Railroad Museum offers one of the most unique museum experiences in the world . . . it’s where you “Ride the Exhibits!” Founded as The Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum with the stated goal of preserving Florida’s railroad history, over the years the Museum has acquired and restored rolling stock and equipment to operate for the public’s enjoyment. To achieve its goal of operating equipment and recreating the...

Big Cat Habitat is a nonprofit safe haven for exotic cats, bears, primates, birds, and other animals. The Rosaire family is a respected family of animal trainers originally from England from the Rosaire Circus. Now mostly retired, they dedicate themselves to the care and rescue of unwanted big cats and other animals in need. See lions, tigers, ligers, leopards, cougars, bears, monkeys, birds and much more when you visit Big Cat Habitat!...