The Collier Children’s Advocacy Center (Collier CAC) holds its annual “Pinwheels at the Pier” event on Friday, April 3, at 8 a.m., at Lowdermilk Park, 1301 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples. The event marks National Child Abuse Prevention Month and is free and open to the public.

Pinwheel gardens sprout up all over the U.S. each April to symbolize every child’s right to a safe and happy childhood. Pinwheels at the Pier is thought to be the largest pinwheel garden in the country, and the only one planted on a tropical beach.

Now in its 10th year, the pinwheel garden takes a unique art form, each created by a different team of volunteers under the direction of Collier CAC, The Children’s Advocacy Center of Collier County. In prior years it has bloomed as a giant pot of flowers, a heart embraced by loving hands, and an undulating silver and blue ribbon along the shore. In 2023, it was a giant palm tree. In a gentle breeze with sunbeams dancing on the shiny metallic pinwheels it gave the illusion of swaying feathery fronds. The sparkle is visible more than a mile along the beach in each direction.

The design is traditionally secret until the morning of the event. Early morning walkers can watch it evolve and guess what it will be. The child-friendly display makes a memorable family selfie spot, and a supply of pinwheels is kept aside for children drawn to the sparkle who would like to plant one in the garden.

Planting begins around 8 a.m. and continues until noon. Beachgoers, members of the media, law enforcement, and several local children’s support agencies stop by to plant a pinwheel. Afterwards, the pinwheels are gathered up to be re-imagined as next year’s creation. The pinwheel team ensures that nothing remains except footprints and seashells. 

To learn more about “Pinwheels at the Pier” or to purchase a pinwheel, visit caccollier.org/patp.

“Their plight is often invisible.”

“Unlike many nonprofit organizations, we aren’t able to put faces to the need,” says Jackie Stephens, CEO of Collier CAC. “Our work is privacy-driven for the children’s safety.  So, this colorful, artistic approach is our way to spotlight the often-invisible plight of abused children and the services we provide. Pinwheels at the Pier generates surprise and delight, resulting in new awareness and more children being helped.”

“As a community we can all become more alert.”

  “It’s always a beautiful experience.” says popular NBC-2 anchor Peter Busch, who has been a supporter of Collier CAC’s work for nearly a decade and often comes to give a dedication. “As the parents of three daughters, my wife, Rachel, and I are acutely aware of the dangers children can face, even within a family or from trusted adults in their lives. We take our responsibility very seriously to provide a safe and happy place to grow up. As a community we need to know that child advocacy organizations like CAC are available, at no cost, day or night, 24/7, and my hope is that we all become more alert to the plights of children in crisis. That’s why I’m honored to be part of this awareness event every April.”  

About the CAC

Collier CAC is a 501(c)3 immediate response facility serving victims of physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect. Its medically directed Child Protection Team (CPT), therapists, counselors, and advocates assist over 2,500 children and their family members each year. While they come from all socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds, they share a common experience of lasting emotional scars. CAC often works with a child for several years. To learn more about Collier CAC or to become involved, visit CACcollier.org. To report abuse, call 1.800.962.2873 

The post Pinwheels at the Pier to Commemorate National Child Abuse Prevention Month is on April 3, 2026 appeared first on SWFL Family.

Every year the invitation comes. This fall, I finally said to my shellfish-loving, beachcombing self, “Why not?” I packed a bag and went.

Chincoteague Island is barely 71/2 miles long and half a mile wide. Across a narrow channel lies Assateague Island, with 37 unbroken miles of dune-fringed beaches and maritime forests rich with wildlife; most remarkably, the ponies.

Horse-lovers worldwide know of the wild ponies of Chincoteague, and the “Saltwater Cowboys” (plus a few cowgirls!) who watch over them. Each year before dawn in late July, the Cowboys, members of the island’s volunteer fire department, begin rounding up the 150 feral ponies that roam free on the Virginia side of Assateague, and herd them along the beach for their swim to Chincoteague for Pony Penning Days. Also called Pony Swim Week, it swells Chincoteague’s regular population of 3,340 to over 50,000. Most of the ponies sold at auction go home with their buyers, but a few with the strongest bloodlines are reserved as “buybacks;” that is, the buyer gets naming rights and donates the pony back to the herd.

This year, the highest selling buyback in history was a pinto filly for $100,000. Proceeds help care for the pony population and support the Chincoteague Fire Company. The week’s most dramatic event is the Return Swim, witnessed by tens of thousands of spectators on boats and on shore.

With its 500-year history of pirates and oystermen, Chincoteague is a place out of time. Reliable maps and the Chamber of Commerce insist that it’s a real place, but for me, it’s nothing short of mystical.

Morning coffee with homemade biscotti from the local farm market taste like heaven from my spot on the screened porch as the sun rises over the creek, where a lone fisherman glides by, his boat barely rippling the mirror-smooth water. Most of the vintage cottages and vintage-styled island homes are understated in weathered tones, many with rooftop widow’s walks and large screened porches.

Misty of Chincoteague

The wild ponies of Chincoteague became legend when a newborn gold and white palomino pinto captured the heart of a visiting writer named Marguerite Henry in 1947. Her first book, Misty of Chincoteague, remains among Amazon’s best-selling children’s horse books. Misty is still with us, in a sense, as her taxidermied figure lives forever in the Museum of Chincoteague. Her heritage dominates the bookstores, gift shops, galleries, public monuments, and her birthplace, the Beebe Ranch, where some of her descendants serve as greeters.

I’m lucky to be here during the quieter fall roundup, when the ponies again cross the channel for wellness checks and vet care. I meet a third-generation Saltwater Cowboy named Hunter, who runs Cowboy Cruises. His pony tour snakes through creeks, bays, and coves where small groups of stallions and their mares graze in the salt marsh and tidal pools. He can recite the name, heritage, and habits of each one. The wild ponies of Chincoteague, he explains, are neither wild nor true ponies. They’re feral, because they receive care from humans. Local legends say they survived a shipwrecked Spanish Galleon, but most likely they’re descendants of standard horses that evolved into a stockier, shorter breed to adapt to harsh seacoast conditions. Horses shorter than 14 hands (56 inches) are called ponies.

Family-friendly happenings, besides the carnival and events of Pony Swim Week, include the Blueberry Festival (July), the Oyster Festival (October), clam digging, fishing, hiking, and kayaking year-round. The Assateague Lighthouse is open for climbing in summer, and there’s clear viewing of rocket launches from NASA’s nearby Wallops Island Flight Facility.

What to bring home?

A knobbed whelk shell, of course! Whelks date back 540 million years — way before dinosaurs! No need to pity the beachcomber (me) who visits during a calm week and finds no whelks: many roadside stands are piled with them for a couple of dollars each. For young horse-lovers in your life, grab the book Misty of Chincoteague, and as many pony replicas as will fit in your carry-on. Sadly, my doggy friend Alba did not fit into mine.

chincoteague.com
cowboycruisecompany.com
nasa.gov/wallops/visitor-center

The post Chincoteague Island: Wild Ponies & Coastal Charm appeared first on SWFL Family.

In my view, Savannah’s four seasons are Spring (all flowers and romance), Summer Vacation, Holiday, and glorious October, when the humidity and summer crowds disappear, the days are often beachy-warm, and the nights have just the right touch of chill.

Ghostly things

October is perfect for a ghost tour in one of the most haunted cities in the world. The bony fingers of bare tree branches draped in ghostly tangles of Spanish moss make you shiver just a bit more. Two walking tours are designed especially for families with kids. On the Fraidy Cat Ghost Tour, local guides tell the tales and secrets of those who lived and died either tragically or mysteriously hundreds of years ago (and possibly never left?). The perfect amount of spookiness earns all the feels with thousands of five-star reviews (madcattours.com). The Grave Tales Ghost Tour will both spook you out and make you laugh with ghostly tales of goings-on among the gravestones, historic homes, restaurants, and inns.
ghostcitytours.com/savannah/grave-tales-tour

“Where’s Noble’s Bones? A Bone-Chilling Scavenger Hunt” happens each Saturday in October at the beautiful Wormsloe State Historic Site. Kids and grownups follow clues to find lost “bones” of the plantation’s first owner. Prizes are involved. Free with admission to Wormsloe.

Quidditch, anyone?

Each October, the Georgia State Railroad Museum and Savannah Children’s Museum transform into a Harry Potter-style wizarding world. Immersive activities involve potions and spells, wand-making, muggle studies, owls, and other magical creatures. Games include Frogwarts Quidditch and Frogwarts Summon. This year’s event is on Sunday, October 19. For advance tickets to Frogwarts visit https://bit.ly/Frogwarts2025

Both museums are in Tricentennial Park along with Battlefield Memorial Park. Savannah Children’s Museum, designed for kids 18 months to 10 years, is a massive outdoor play-and-explore museum, built into the ruins of the old Central of Georgia Railway repair shops. There’s an exploration maze, puppet theater, art maker space, sensory garden, nature kitchen, and activities that include the museum’s mascots, Tippy the Tortoise and Pogo the Turtle.

The huge Georgia State Railroad Museum includes historic steam and diesel rail cars, with train rides on weekends through November, and a vintage handcar ride on the railroad track (think Wile E. Coyote vs. the Road Runner). Artifacts and exhibits tell a century of stories of railroad history and technology, industrial slavery, and segregation. The complex operates the oldest functioning railroad repair and restoration facility in the U.S.

The “See 3” pass is good for any three of Coastal Heritage Society’s participating museums over a three-day period, including Georgia State Railroad Museum, Savannah Children’s Museum, Savannah History Museum, Revolutionary Battlefield Memorial Park, and Old Fort Jackson. chsgeorgia.org

Old Fort Jackson, 10 minutes from downtown, is one of the oldest standing brick forts in the U.S. With its impressive collection of tools and weaponry, it’s very cool to visit —never mind that it lost to the British in the Revolutionary War and to the Union in the Civil War. Still, historical interpreters proudly offer daily weapons demonstrations and, sometimes, to the delight of passing riverboat passengers, they unleash some awe-inspiring cannon fire.

Wiener dog races

How much do Savannahians love their doggies? The springtime Dog Carnival draws thousands, and there is even a historic tour for dogs and their humans. oliverbentleys.com.

October has two wiener dog events: The Wiener Dog Races and Costume Contest on the Riverfront on Oct. 11, and the more laid-back Wag-O-Ween, Oct. 25-26, which also draws costumed dogs of all varietes and their humans go trick-or-doggie-treating at over 100 businesses throughout downtown. Wiener dogs (dachshunds) are not particularly fond of following directions, so watching their humans try to inspire them to move at all, much less in a straight line, you will laugh your tail off. Fees apply to race contestants only; spectating, costume contests, and other activities are free.

Pirate Shenanigans

Despite Savannah’s sophistication, there’s not an ounce of elegance on nearby Tybee Island. It celebrates the 1950s with sherbet-colored cottages, seafood shacks, and sea oat-covered dunes, plus its circa 1733 lighthouse and crumbling fort dating back to the Spanish-American War. And its festivals. Best for kids is the annual Tybee Island Pirate Festival and Parade, which is Oct. 11 this year. There’s a pirate encampment, face painting, kids costume contest, juggling, puppet shows, sword show, and carnival. The parade starts at 3 p.m.

Inside Tips

There is always plenty to do, eat, and buy along Savannah’s historic Riverfront where the sight of incoming cargo ships and blasts of airhorns are breathtaking. Be sure to score free samples at the candy, fudge, and popcorn shops, hop aboard the free riverboat shuttle for a short trip across the river and back, and enjoy Octoberfest happenings Oct. 4-19. You will need a car to visit Tybee, Wormsloe, or Old Fort Jackson, but for everything else you can walk or grab the DOT, a free off and-on-trolley that makes 20 stops around the Historic District from the river to Forsyth Park connectonthedot.com.

Much more at visitsavannah.com

The post Top Family-Friendly Things to Do in Savannah This October appeared first on SWFL Family.

In other places – really faraway lands drenched in centuries of history, from Europe to the Far East – sightseeing by carriage has been a must-do experience for visitors, but traffic and animal welfare concerns created a real dilemma: how to hold onto the charm while keeping humans and horses safe.
Guadalajara, Mexico, was among the first heritage-rich cities to transition to a new, battery-operated horseless carriage. The fancy covered “calandrias” are all velvet and gold, with embossed leather seats and costumed drivers. In Brussels, Belgium, a joint venture between a carriage company and city officials resulted in a carriage inspired by the electric carriages of the 1830s. The first ones rolled out last year. Mumbai, India, now has eVictorias, reflecting the opulence of the original horse-drawn Victoria carriages in 1700s Bombay. Scores of other cities around the world are moving in that direction.

Mount Dora

The historic Central Florida town of Mount Dora, founded in the 1880s as a winter retreat for wealthy sportsmen, was the first town in the U.S. to introduce the new horseless carriages. Two very creative entrepreneurs, a pilot and a real estate agent, established the Olde Mount Dora Carriage Company to create a Victorian-style, clean, and green carriage service that complements the city’s charm. The shiny white carriages that rolled out in 2022 have a fun sense of glam with available extras such as treat boxes, chocolates, wine, and sparkling wine.

Mount Dora has so many themed festivals year-round that it is known as the Festival City of Florida. Magic is especially in the air during the holidays, as the entire town immerses itself in over two million lights! mountdoracarriageco.com; www.mountdorabuzz.com/fall-festivals

Retiring the Reins

Chicago, San Antonio, Salt Lake City, Breckinridge, Colorado, Key West, and many international cities, including Montreal and Toronto, already have bans on horse-drawn carriages. In gracious southern cities, including Savannah, Charleston, Key West, St. Augustine, and Biloxi, concerned citizens, animal welfare activists, and civic leaders are in heated discussions to ban or restrict horse-drawn carriages.

Philadelphia’s last horse-drawn carriage company ceased operations in 2023. Meanwhile, animal advocate Janet White, founder of Carriage Horse Freedom, was already working toward bringing e-carriages to her native city. Her Philadelphia e-carriage tour program is anticipated to start in 2026. Until then, her first e-carriage Caroline is busy appearing at special events and visiting other cities where interest in e-carriages is high. www.carriagehorsefreedom.com

Royal Carriages of New Orleans decks out their mules, a cross between a horse and a donkey known for their strength and hardiness in extreme temperatures, to pull their carts. They’re not elegant, but they are very cute. Still, there are movements to either ban cars or the mule-drawn carriages (or both) in the French Quarter.

Last month, after decades of accidents, animal injuries, and deaths, the Central Park Conservancy in New York officially advocated for the ban of horse-drawn carriages from Central Park, citing visitor safety and a kinder future for the animals.

So here’s my question: Is the new e-carriage awesome enough to reconcile the graceful ambience and Old-World charm with 21st century realities? Janet White is sure of it. Maybe the enchanting clip-clop of hooves could be achieved with an audio loop. And come to think of it, a splendidly appointed e-carriage could be more appealing than riding directly behind a horse’s rear end.

Personal, Slow, and Meaningful

A few places where horse-drawn carriages make sense

Due to public health and safety and animal safety issues, horse-drawn carriage tours are no longer compatible with the realities of modern, heavily trafficked areas. While it’s time to turn the page on their use in city tourism, some rural horse-drawn carriage destinations still exist.

Cars have long-been banned on Mackinac Island, which is eight miles long and three miles wide. Mackinac Island Carriage Tours is the world’s oldest and largest continually operated horse and buggy livery with approximately 100 carriages and more than 400 horses. Their high-stepping hackneys are bred for their power and serenity. When the tourists and summer residents leave, most of the horses go on vacation until spring (mict.com). In Amish country, Abe’s Buggy Rides in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, offers country rides through Amish farmland and sites dating to the 1700s. It’s a kids’ favorite and pets are welcome (abesbuggyride.com). And to book the absolute ultimate in private royal horse-drawn carriage experiences, Windchase Farm, headquartered in Central Florida, provides exquisite White Shire horses and liveried carriages for milestone events anywhere in the state. Drool over the photos at windchase.farm.

The post Why Horseless Carriages Are Making a Comeback appeared first on SWFL Family.

Decades ago, the Jensen brothers set him up to humorously depict the kind of fisherman who waits too long at the bait shop for shrimp big enough to suit them. He valiantly took wind and weather beatings until he started losing fingers, toes, and then one limb and then another. His replacement didn’t reign long before Hurricane Ian took him. But today, “Mr. Bones the Third” is not giving up. He’s perched in the same spot as his ancestors, in his t-shirt and jaunty cap, hoping for some selfie-takers to pass the time while he waits for decent size bait.It’s been 2 years, 9 months, and 10 days since Hurricane Ian flattened Sanibel and Captiva Islands. As one who’s convinced that her DNA is infused with Sanibel sand and ground-up mollusk shells, it took me every bit of this time to summon the courage to revisit my sacred places there. It was hard but, inspired by Mr. Bones the Third, I went. Here’s what I found.

Octopus Love

Do not, I beg you, miss a chance to meet the Giant Pacific Octopus (GPO) who took up residence at the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and Aquarium last November. Never have I fallen so in love with a creature that was not a puppy or a newborn baby squirrel than this magnificent, brilliant, mischievous creature. The largest species of octopus in the world, a GPO has eight arms, nine brains, and three hearts, and its arms at maturity can reach the height of a two-story building. Oh, and it has blue blood, which may account for its superior and maybe slightly snooty attitude.

How mischievous are these guys? Consider this anecdote about the museum’s first resident Giant Pacific Octopus, shared by the museum’s senior aquarist Carly Hulse with the Sanibel-Captiva Island Reporter in January 2021:

“Her arms are covered with sensorial suckers, (which) are loaded with taste buds. Tactile enrichment is super important because as she gets older and stronger, we want her to feel comfortable with us and our veterinarian, (so that) procedures are less stressful for both her and the staff. With tactile enrichment, I simply allow her to explore and taste my hand and reinforce this with some tasty salmon. Once, when she realized I was out of salmon, she threw her poop at me and retreated into her den. Just like a little kid, she was testing out her boundaries with me.”

The GPO is in the mollusk family. Its only shell-like part is its small, parrot-style beak made of keratin, so even at 90 pounds it can squish its enormous self through a hole smaller than a lemon. Among its other superpowers are its ability to change color and manipulate objects, like unscrewing jars (even from the inside!) and working puzzles.

After the hurricanes, a massive fundraising campaign exceeded all expectations getting the museum not just back up and running but even more spectacular than before, with more living aquariums, the enhanced Hall of Shells from its collection of some 600,000 shells, and thrilling new programs. Do. Not. Miss!

Need More Octopuses?

Well, who doesn’t? Two great options are back. Sanibel Sea School re-started its wonderful half and full-day marine biology-based beach and sea-life experiences for families, adults, and “sea squirts” age 4 and up. Adventures in Paradise offers the 2 1/2-hour Sea Life Encounter boat trip for net-dipping in the shallow grass flats just off the Causeway. The estuary is a breeding ground for tiny crabs, shrimp, seahorses, pufferfish, and even octopus.

Resort Perfect

Sundial Beach Resort is a perennial fave because it has everything: big beachfront pool, cabanas, poolside grill, access to bikes, kayaks, and other beach recreation, and delicious dining overlooking the gulf. Exceptional family activities include arts, crafts and games, tennis, pickleball, a fitness center, and spa. Right now, there are excellent quiet season discounts and Florida resident package deals on one, two, and three-bedroom suites.

Beachy Eats

Among the local businesses that barely missed a beat after the back-to-back hurricanes is Cheeburger Cheeburger, with its 100-plus varieties of milkshakes and sundaes, burgers, and iconic beach fare. Kids love sitting on the famous bright-yellow 1999 Indian Chief motorcycle that was featured in movies and Chiquita Banana commercials, and the perfect meal ends with a trip to the ice cream sundae bar atop a 1959 red Corvette.

Pinocchio’s Original Italian Ice Cream is back with its famous Dirty Sand Dollar, PB&J, and other flavors with an animal cracker cookie on top. A newer place, The Shack, rocks frozen custard and a vast menu of shakes, cakes, and floats, plus hot dogs, barbecue, and chicken sandwiches.

Which beach?

Bowman’s Beach Park is Sanibel’s most popular family beach with ample parking, playground, grill, and picnic areas, a super-wide beach, restrooms, and showers. A picturesque boardwalk to the beach crosses a pretty creek and protected sand dunes. Families with gear can rent a beach wagon at one of several spots on the islands.

RESOURCES

▶ jensensmarina.com
▶ sundialresort.com
▶ cheeburger.net
▶ pinocchiosicecream.com
▶ sanibelshack.com
▶ sanibelseaschool.org
▶ adventureinparadiseinc.com
▶ leegov.com/parks/beaches/bowmansbeach

The post Family Fun at Sanibel & Captiva Islands appeared first on SWFL Family.

Sand dunes but no sea turtles

Those dramatic snow-white dunes at White Sands National Monument near Las Cruces, New Mexico, aren’t sand at all. They actually make up the world’s largest gypsum dune field, dating back to the Ice Age.

Look for roadrunners, coyotes, jackrabbits, foxes, and (my fave) Dipodomys merriami, also known as Merriam’s kangaroo rat. If you see one, try not to frighten the little guy. When startled, it can jump up to 10 feet in the air!

Indiana Dunes is America’s newest national park, just upgraded in February from Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Gorgeous 200-foot sand dunes (of actual sand) stretch for 25 miles along Lake Michigan’s South Shore, about 50 miles from Chicago. Adjoining the lake are stunning prairies, pine forests, oak savannahs, and more than 2,000 species of wildlife. nps.gov

Attention sports fans: check out the brand new Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, Indiana, about halfway between Indiana Dunes and Chicago. Among the mascots you’ll meet are Slider (Cleveland Indians) and Mr. Met (New York Mets). mascothalloffame.com

Oh, and who could pass up joining about 250,000 others for Whiting’s annual Pierogi Fest, July 26-28? A pierogi is a yummy Slavic potato dumpling, and the locals celebrate it with a pierogi. pierogifest.net

Lady Liberty’s torch & toes

Wait till you see what’s new on Liberty Island! The Statue of Liberty’s original torch and full-size replicas of Lady Liberty’s face and left foot are among the highlights of the brand new interactive Statue of Liberty Museum, just opened this spring. Tell the kids – it’s perfectly okay to get a selfie while seated on her toes. If you want access to the lady herself, including the actual crown and pedestal, get your tickets ASAP! Liberty Island (home of the Statue of Liberty and the new museum) and Ellis Island (home of the National Museum of Immigration, the American Family Immigration History Center, and more) are accessible only by ferry. Traveler alert: stick to the official ticket site, statuecruises.com.

Boston Tea Party

The four-day Boston Harborfest, one of the country’s largest Fourth of July festivals, features more than 200 family-friendly events (many are free) including reenactments such as the Redcoats Changing of the Guard, performances, strolling musicians, Boston Harbor tours, and, of course, the very tasty Chowderfest! bostonharborfest.com

Just 30 minutes away is the Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts, site of the opening battle of the American Revolution. All summer long there are living history tours and musket firings. On July 4th visitors can witness the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence. nps.gov

Cannon blasts and plenty of fudge

Fort Mackinac, the site of two years of battles in the War of 1812, is on super-charming Mackinac Island (pronounced Mack-in-awe). Except for the fort’s seriously impressive reenactments involving cannon blasts and soldiers all over the place, the island is a throwback to a bygone era with gardens spilling over with lilacs, the fragrance of fudge, gracious inns, and the clip clop of horse-drawn carriages (no cars!). On July 4th there are fireworks and a world-famous stone-skipping tournament. If you plan to enter (there’s a category for kids 12 and under), I suggest you start practicing with this inside tip from Kurt Steiner, the Guinness World Record stone skipper: “pick a very smooth flat-bottom stone, between 1/4” and 5/16 ” thick, weighing 3 to 8 ounces.”

Mackinac Island’s many fudge shops offer free samples, so the locals call us tourists Fudgies. I don’t care, do you? Fudgie alert: this year’s Mackinac Island Fudge Festival is October 2-4. mackinacisland.org

Giant forest

I’m not a fan of General William Tecumseh Sherman (he torched some perfectly lovely towns), but the General Sherman Tree is a whole ’nother thing. The 2,500 year-old giant sequoia 24 

tree in California’s Sequoia National Park is reportedly the largest living single stem tree on earth, and it doesn’t stand alone, so to speak. The General’s neighbors in the Giant Forest include five of the world’s 10 largest trees. Consider going during the sixth annual Dark Sky Festival in Sequoia and King’s Canyon National Parks, August 23-25. Otherwise, weekdays get the smallest crowds. visitsequoia.com

No mooses, no meese

…But there are plenty of moose (yep, that’s the plural), plus beavers and foxes in Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. Want to skip fireworks this year and share a remote wilderness with about 1,500 of those majestic creatures? As a special bonus, Isle Royale, the largest island in Lake Superior, is a National Park Service wolf restoration location. The wolf pack is still small, though, so sightings are rare. Accessible by boat or seaplane from the town of Houghton, Isle Royale is a dream destination for hiking, camping, canoeing, and kayaking, and even shipwreck diving. Check out the excellent wilderness ranger programs for kids. nps.gov

240th annual Fourth of July parade

No town has a more legitimate claim to the title Most Patriotic Town in America than Bristol, Rhode Island, about 20 miles from Providence. Cases in point: its July 4th parade, started in 1785, is three hours long; the centerline of the main route is painted red, white, and blue; the town is draped in more bunting and flags than anyplace else on earth; and there are enough soldiers, muskets, drums, and bugles to satisfy even the most avid parade freak. Stake your spot early; you’ll be sharing the moment with 200,000 or so of your closest patriots. explorebristolri.com

Free days!

Are you a fourth grader (going into fifth grade this September), or related to one? You and your family get in free at all U.S. national parks, preserves, and lands through the Every Kid in a Park program. Veterans and those 62 or better: check into the free and low-cost lifetime passes.

The National Park Service celebrates its anniversary on August 25 with free passes for everyone. nps.gov.

The post Patriotic National Park Vacations for Families to Explore This Summer appeared first on SWFL Family.

Historic downtown Fernandina Beach is a charming enclave of gift shops, boutiques, and restaurants, plus a delicious smattering of bakeries and fudge and ice cream shops. At the wharf end is a small but cool maritime museum and the old train depot, now the welcome center/museum. Pick up lots of adventure ideas and then go out and play!

The Fort

Fort Clinch sits atop some of the highest sand dunes in Florida. Visitors can stand on the gundecks of the five bastions, and peek inside restored guard rooms, prison barracks, a hospital, kitchens and bakery, and a blacksmith’s shop furnished with supplies of the period. There’s always a Union soldier on duty in his 1884 uniform, happy to share stories and pose for selfies. On the first weekend every month, reenactors and interpreters make it real, with cannon firings and battlefield maneuvers.

Fort Clinch is a 1,400-acre state park, providing accessible campgrounds with fire rings, restrooms, playgrounds, a store with fishing and camping gear, and ranger programs. Among the best trails are a mile-long nature trail through the oak forest and a paved bicycler’s dream route beneath a shaded canopy of live oaks. Shark’s tooth hunters head for the rock jetties to sift through the sand at low tide.

The Boneyard: A Beach Full of Skeletons

Well, sort of.

“Boneyard” is an old-timey word for graveyard, and many of the spooky apparitions that lie on the beach of nearby Big Talbot Island look like the skeletons of dinosaurs and giant sea serpents slithering back to the sea. These giant sculptures are only the skeletons of fallen live oak and cedar trees, smoothed and bleached by strong tides, sun, and salt water. Their massive root balls are popular backdrops for family portraits, graduation, and quinceañera photos. Climbing is allowed; taking a souvenir piece is not.
There’s no swimming, due to strong tides and more sharp skeletons lurking below the surface. Access to this secret beach is a 1.2-mile hike through the forest from the parking lot.

The Pippi Longstocking Connection

In 1877, a river captain built himself a fine Victorian home, with no clue that a century later it would be invaded by Pippi Longstocking. The movie, that is. The New Adventures of Pippi Longstocking was filmed on Amelia in 1988. Her fictional house, Villa Villekula, is on Estrada Street in Old Town. Get a
selfie in front (but not on the property—it’s private).

Wild Horses, Too

Hop aboard the Cumberland Island River Cruise with ameliarivercruises.com and glide past Fort Clinch, the Pippi Longstocking House, and Cumberland Island, where passengers often get to see the cavorting of the island’s wild horses. Some say their ancestors came over with 16th Century Spanish Conquistadors. The narrated excursion is a fun way to learn about pirates, battles, and wildlife … and the kids can help steer.

To be more hands-on and get closer to the horses, book a paddle with ameliaislandkayak.com, or join an exciting tour of two-person, 30 mph Cat Boats with backwatercatadventure.com. Both land on the beach near the ruins of Dungeness mansion.

Amelia Island Light, Florida’s oldest lighthouse at 187 years old, is closed for repairs, but see it by kayak through the grasslands of Egan’s Creek Estuary with Amelia Island Kayak, or via standup paddleboard at ameliaislandpaddlesurf.com.

Beaching It

Main Beach is a family favorite, with sand volleyball courts, grassy playgrounds, picnic shelters, and a skate park, plus restrooms, showers, and lifeguards. The Salt Life Food Shack, with its vast menu, is across the road.

Electric Skateboarding on the Beach

It’s true! And so cool! Zero experience is required to cruise the hard-packed sand on your remote-controlled e-board. ameliaislandboardrental.com

Horseback Riding on the Beach

Ride at dawn to watch the sky turn pink and the sun peek over the horizon. Or sleep in and go for a later ride. Suitable for all abilities, age 6 and up. Kids especially love the gentle mares, Tundra, Zirc, and Cutter. ameliaislandhorsebackriding.com

Surf’s Up!

Amelia lies at the tip of Florida’s best stretch of surfing beaches. Do some body surfing or grab a board and gear at a local surf shop and hit the waves.

Super-fun Escape Rooms

All five themed rooms at Amelia Island Escape Rooms are family friendly. Greybeard’s Treasure and Return to Tiger Island are especially fun for younger players. ameliaislandescaperooms.com

Putt-putt, putt-putt, putt-putt, putt-putt

Play a different mini-golf course every day, if you wish, with four courses to choose from.

Crab Grab and More

The Nature Center at the Omni Amelia Island Resort is open to the public with displays, rescued wildlife, and naturalist-guided experiences from Segway tours to the “Crab Grab” and Sharks Tooth Discovery. omnihotels.com/hotels/amelia-island

Family-friendly Stays

Amelia Island offers the whole spectrum of accommodations, from cute vacation rentals to luxury resorts. Family reunion? Book all 14 rooms and suites at The Addison, my fave historic inn. addisononamelia.com

Patriots, Pirates, and Scalawags

For 600 years, everyone wanted to plant their flag on Amelia Island. France, Spain, and England of course (because that’s what they did back then), but also a pack of rabble rousers called the Patriots of Amelia Island. Their flag flew for one day. Then came a shady Scottish soldier of fortune, followed by a French pirate on behalf of Mexico (seriously!), and finally, the Confederacy. Eight flags in all, more than anyplace else in the U.S. Hear those stories and more, at Amelia Island History Museum: 4,000 years of island history, from the indigenous Timucua people to the Europeans who destroyed them with disease, to pirates, smugglers, and tragically, the slave trade.

Visit ameliaisland.com

The post Discover Family-Friendly Things to Do on Amelia Island appeared first on SWFL Family.

Luckily, these bees are currently in a slightly altered state (more about that later) and my host, beekeeper Claudia Silveira, says they’re more interested in memorizing my face for future encounters than they are in stinging.

Claudia outfits me in a beekeeper’s suit: blousy white pants and overshirt, gloves, and a wide-brimmed, veiled hat, just like in the movies. It’s my second visit to her hives and I’m feeling relaxed. Last time, at my insistence, she made a duct tape belt to hold my pants up and blocked every conceivable point of entry, including around my ankles, which came already outfitted in hiking boots and wool socks. Still, my mind played tricks on me. Occasionally, I’d feel a creepy-crawly sensation, exactly like tiny bee feet. No way was I scratching at it, just in case.

Here’s how it went down:

Claudia is dressed identically (without the duct tape), as is Julian, a local farmer who schleps the hive tools and starts the pot smoking. It’s not what you think. Smoke disorients the bees, rendering them incapable of sending such signals to their hive mates as “Intruder alert! Mobilize the forces!” and “Commence attack!”

Julian stuffs a handful of straw into the smoker and strikes a match. Soon ribbons of smoke waft in the shards of sunlight around our heads and settle over the hive. Using tongs, Claudia lifts the vertical frames out of the box, gently brushing away any bees in danger of being crushed. She points out empty queen cells, capped honey cells, and a clump of treasured bee propolis, which looks like what it is: chewed up tree resin. She gathers some honey and honeycombs and checks for emerging queens before the bees come to their senses.

She tells me about the drones that perform the “waggle dance,” complicated airborne figure-eight choreography that alerts the colony to the location of a delicious patch of nectar-rich flowers even miles away, specifying exactly how many degrees it currently stands to the left or right of the sun. It’s true! You can Google it!

Later, as I peel off my duct tape and wiggle (not waggle) out of my bee suit, I tell Claudia and Julian about my tickly bee feet sensation. Claudia says, “I doubt anything can get through all that.” Julian says, “Look there!” We look. One lone bee is taking a stroll, nonchalant as you please, inside my recently vacated pants.

After Hurricane Ian took out half of Claudia’s coastal hives, she moved to several safer inland spots. She now has about 20 queens in 20 colonies. I invited myself for this new visit. We’re suiting up in a vast and luscious home garden, with more than 10,000 bee and butterfly-friendly plants. The hives are tucked behind the gardens. Joining us are her grandson, Ben, age nine, and her husband, Bob, a retired pharmacist who helps at the hives and in the Lee Queen Bee lab, and my companion, Randy, on his first hive experience.

Ben has a healthy respect for the bees and follows all the protocols. Randy keeps his distance. As Claudia examines a frame damaged by the dreaded wax moth, an army of drones goes into action, encircling their queen and nudging her to safety. Ben helps Bob keep the smoker going, and smoke-drunken bees calmly check me out. Bees have mind-boggling collective intelligence, so clearly the message got through from last time that I come in peace.

The bee’s knees and other factoids

• Yes, bees really do have knees. Hairy ones. But no kneecaps.
• Bee propolis from the saw palmetto, rich in live enzymes, phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, and amino acids, is widely used to relieve allergy symptoms and boost the immune system.
• The bee’s humming sound comes from its wings, which can beat over 200 times a second! 

When honeybees swarm, they mean no harm!

• Swarming is a normal sign of a productive and strong honeybee colony, Claudia explains. They tend to swarm here in Southwest Florida during our magical springtime when the flowers are blooming and the nectar is flowing. Homeless due to overcrowding, the loss of their queen or severe weather, they’re pretty laid back: simply having a rest while their scout searches for a new home. Once successful, he’ll do his amazing waggle dance and off they’ll go. Meanwhile, please don’t call an exterminator; call your local beekeeper, who can re-home them in a safe, healthy apiary.
• Claudia Silveira, affectionately known as Lee Queen Bee, holds a Florida Master Beekeeper certification from the University of Florida, and has collaborated on the Beekeeping 101 Program with the UF/FAS Extension (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences). For over a decade, she has mentored aspiring beekeepers and given beekeeping workshops at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers. She also makes skin care and medicinal products using by-products from her hives, including soaps and moisturizing creams, honey salt scrubs, propolis tinctures, a sore throat spray, and a rubbing cream for joint pain and muscle pain from sports injuries. Visit Lee Queen Bee on Facebook.

Who knew that you could earn a PhD in beekeeping? And that’s a wonderful thing, because the healthier and happier our honeybees are, the better chance we have of saving the Earth! Meanwhile, anyone can start by planting some bee-friendly flowers.

The post Suiting Up with Lee Queen Bee: An Adventure Inside a Southwest Florida Honeybee Hive appeared first on SWFL Family.

Although it’s true that our fur babies love the freebie organic snacks they can score at Earth Day celebrations around town (April 22 this year) and of course we all appreciate those biodegradable poop bags, WWOOF is short for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It’s a program started in the 1970s by a secretary in London who missed her childhood vacations in the countryside. She worked with a local university to create a trial program where fresh-air-starved urban dwellers could volunteer at a small local farm for a few hours a day in exchange for a country weekend with tasty home-cooked meals. The idea took off, and half a century later it’s a worldwide movement to promote sustainable family-run farms. Today there are more than 12,000 hosts in 130 countries, from a pineapple farm in Hawaii to a dog and horse rescue farm in Texas to a lavender field in Provence. Way beyond helping to grow organic vegetables, the experiences are as broad as the imagination, from beekeeping and mushroom foraging to tending water buffalo and building earthbag homes. Luxury is not part of the experience: accommodations can range from rustic cabins and mobile homes to yurts and tents. Some farms are completely off the grid; others offer a room in the host’s home. WWOOFers can spend a week or two, or even months, coming away with new skills, extraordinary cultural insights, and maybe lifelong friendships. Hundreds of hosts welcome children, and many also accept pets. The best part? No money changes hands.

I confess that my one experience on a WWOOF farm spanned about four hours in the French countryside and mostly involved my very appreciative palate. I still can taste the banquet of homemade bread, cheeses, savory stews, garden vegetables, pastries, and wine from a local vineyard shared by the young owners, family members, and guest workers at a 15-foot-long trestle table in their picturesque barn-turned-bunkhouse. I occasionally surf the WWOOF websites and imagine trying it for real. Although tending water buffalo isn’t on my wish list, my fantasies run to harvesting bouquets of peonies, caring for baby goats, and foraging for mushrooms.

Here are some super cool family-friendly ideas I plucked from WWOOF.net and WWOOFusa.org.

Moloka’i

Hunt and Gather, Hawaiian Style

WWOOFers help grow and supply a fruit stand; hunt, fish, dive, and gather some of the world’s tastiest foods as they soak in the wisdom of the elders on one of Hawaii’s last tribally controlled islands.

Great Smoky Mountains

Build a Bat House, Do Mosaics

Pick your own project: rock bordering flower beds, bat house or birdhouse building, organic flower gardening, organizing workshop, sewing, mosaics. More comfy than typical, the cabins have kitchens, a library and movies. Stay a week or a few months. Woman-owned, pets accepted.

Norway

Gather Hay, Make Cheese, Pick Berries, Do Chores

A stunning mountainside family farm with goats, horses, chickens, and bees. WWOOFers share in all farm and family chores, including household and gardens. Pets accepted.

Ohio

Work on 19th Century Heritage/Survival Skills

This biodynamic farm is a WWOOFer family favorite, set in a re-created 19th century village with a 1960s vibe. It’s also a school that teaches skills like survival/homesteading, soap, candle, cheese and butter making; and foraging, plus a Waldorf-inspired farm school for homeschool kids. Hosts need help with gardening, carpentry, cow milking, and everyday chores. Accommodations are basic cabins and a teepee. Woman-operated. Pets accepted.

Tennessee

Blaze a Trail, Make Art, Tend the Magic Garden

This artist/philosopher/writer host seeks WWOOFers with practical skills, especially gardening. The payback, besides accommodation and food, includes a wildlife refuge and sculpture park, Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), a birding tower, sauna, woodworking shop, sacred beekeeping, plus a pottery wheel, painting and sewing materials, and all kinds of artmaking.

Alaska

Pick Peonies, Sleep in a Cute Log Cabin, Have Fresh Eggs Daily

For an easy introduction to WWOOFing, I love this family favorite. Besides my aforementioned attraction to peonies, I’d get to feed the chickens and rabbits, mulch the garden, practice pickling, and help build things. There’s a pool and fire pit, and the hosts generously lend their farm vehicle for exploring Alaska’s backcountry.

The post How to WWOOF: Sustainable Travel and Farm Volunteering for Families appeared first on SWFL Family.

Well, not exactly. It gets complicated down in the Keys which straddle both the Atlantic and the Gulf – and the locals are known to call themselves anything they want. Like that day 44 years ago when they showed the government a thing or two by seceding from the Union and declaring their own country. Here’s what happened: The U.S. Border Patrol blockaded the Overseas Highway, demanding citizenship proof from every person entering and leaving the Keys. Traffic chaos ensued and tourism died.

“They want to treat us like a foreign country, then so be it,” said Key West’s mayor. On April 23, 1982, he raised the flag of the Conch Republic, The Sovereign State of Mind. He named himself Prime Minister and ordered the town schooner, now officially the Conch Republic Navy, to attack the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter, Diligence. Their weapons were water balloons, conch fritters, and stale loaves of Cuban bread. When the Coast Guard fought back with fire hoses, the Conch Republic surrendered and demanded $1 million in foreign aid. The U.S. ignored that, but the blockade ended.

We’ve settled Florida’s West Coast/East Coast question, but there’s more confusion. We also have the Historic Coast (Ponce de Leon and Fountain of Youth, etc.), the Space Coast (all things astronaut), the Fun Coast (Daytona, naturally), and more, often subject to change at the whims of tourism gurus. Here’s the rundown:

Emerald Coast

Crystal-clear water the color of emeralds. There’s Fort Walton Beach, Destin (the World’s Luckiest Fishing Village), and that iconic family playground, Panama City Beach. The Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival happens on Fort Walton Beach in May. destinationpanamacity.com, destinfwb.com

Forgotten Coast

Whoever named this coast was wrong. The 17,000-acre St. Mark’s Wildlife Refuge, Bald Point State Park, and Apalachicola Bay (home of the world’s tastiest bay oysters) are truly unforgettable. floridasforgottencoast.com

Nature Coast

Nature Coast is all about dense forests, prairies, backwater rivers, and natural springs. The self-proclaimed “real Florida” offers great backpacking, camping, stargazing, and close encounters with manatees in the Crystal River National Wildlife Reserve. floridanaturecoast.org

Adventure Coast

Adventure Coast (which is not on the coast, by the way). Starting just north of Tampa, this region has the deepest freshwater cave system in the U.S. But as the home of 75-year-old Weeki Wachee’s world-famous mermaid shows, shouldn’t it be called the Mermaid Coast? Just a thought. floridasadventurecoast.com

Cultural Coast

Theaters, artists’ enclaves and galleries, opera and ballet companies, world-class museums, dining, and shopping easily earn Sarasota its title, but don’t be fooled: The entire town was built around the circus arts and marine conservation. Must-dos: Ringling Museum’s spectacular Greatest Show on Earth experience, live performances at the Circus Arts Conservatory, and the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. floridasculturalcoast.com

Paradise Coast

That’s us, of course: Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades. We have it all, from culture to nature to fun places to play. So do our neighbors: Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, and the barrier islands. Aren’t our kids lucky to grow up here?

Gold Coast

It’s the epicenter of posh and glitter, while also home to the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Check out the action-packed family-friendly NASCAR weekend, March 21-23. miamiandbeaches.com, thepalmbeaches.com

Treasure Coast

Eleven Spanish galleons loaded with stolen Florida gold, silver, and jewels sank in a hurricane near Jupiter Island. Served them right, right? Treasure seekers still look for bounty along the shore. Visit Mel Fisher’s Treasure Museum and Blowing Rocks Preserve, ride horses along the beach, and maybe dine in Fellsmere, the Frog Leg Capital of the World. floridastreasurecoast.com

Space Coast

It’s not rocket science. Oh wait, yes, it is! Visit the Kennedy Space Center and NASA and get so close to a launch that your space ice cream may melt. There’s lots more, of course. visitspacecoast.com

Fun Coast

Daytona is famous for the world-famous Daytona International Speedway, Florida’s best surfing coast, and riverboating along the St. Johns River. daytonabeach.com

Historic Coast

St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S, was claimed
for Spain by Ponce de Leon way before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. Just to the north is Jacksonville, which calls itself the First Coast. I’m sure they have their reasons. floridashistoriccoast.com

We Floridians call our coastlines pretty much whatever we want. And that goes for the Conch Republic and the Gulf, as well.

From April 18 to 27, the Conch Republic celebrates its 44th anniversary with a military muster and re-enactment of the Great Sea Battle. Other family fun includes a conch shell blowing contest, a parade, and more. conchrepublic.com

The post The Coasts of Florida: It is More Than East Coast and West Coast appeared first on SWFL Family.