Florida Fun for Kids

As summer rolls around and school comes to an end parents are now searching for a way to keep their children in a learning environment – especially during the annual family vacation. Several attractions and accommodations in St. Petersburg/Clearwater – Florida’s Beach have found a way to combine fun and education for the summer. Half-day and overnight camps are very popular and offer educational opportunities where kids have so much fun they don't even realize they are learning.

Nearly 60 percent of family travelers in the United States use children’s services offered on the road including special meals, supervised activities and baby-sitting, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Here’s a round up of some of the special activities available for families this summer in St. Petersburg/Clearwater:

WHAT TO DO

Horse and Buggy B & B Inn
6125 62nd Ave. N, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Spend a day working with and riding on horses at the Horse and Buggy B & B Inn. Learn how to bathe and groom horses, hitch them to a wagon, saddle up and take riding lessons from a professional instructor. Horse and Buggy also offers hayrides and a dip in the pool after a hard day’s work. Day camp programs are available for kids not staying at the Inn. www.horseandbuggybandb.com

Clearwater Marine Aquarium
249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 34630
Take a one-hour Turtle Walk along the beaches scouting for nests and learning about endangered sea turtles from a marine biologist. Kids can also assist with feeding and training dolphins in the aquarium’s “Day with a Dolphin” program. www.cmaquarium.org

Great Explorations
1925 4th St. N, St. Petersburg, FL 33704
Touch, move and interact with exhibits that educate and entertain. Explore water and its importance at the Great Splash Exhibit. Learn about wind from model sailboat racing. Other interactive exhibits include: Phenomenal Arts, Explore Galore, Exchange, Think Tank, Touch Tunnel and Body Shop. www.greatexplorations.org

David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum
1143 Michigan Blvd., Dunedin, FL 34698
The David L. Mason Children’s Art Museum is designed to make fine art fun for kids. The 10,000 sq. ft. facility allows children to try their hand at cartoon-making, acting and stop-motion animation in this “high touch” artistic environment. www.dfac.org

Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary
18328 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, FL 33785
Engage in a close-up tour of wild birds at the busiest wild bird hospital in the United States. The Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary rehabilitates more than 10,000 wild birds each year, with 82 percent of all birds eventually being released. www.seabirdsanctuary.org

Florida International Museum
100 Second Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
The Florida International Museum offers “New Views of the Universe” with images and a scale model of the Hubble Telescope. Experience the sight of other planets, exploding stars, ancient galaxies and black holes through an interactive tour. The museum also features the “Space Hunt,” an interactive 2,000 sq. ft. maze with space activity stations, May 6 – Aug. 8. They offer a Camp Space May 24 – July 30 for $5. www.floridamuseum.org

SUMMER CAMPS AND SPECIALS

Summer heats up with even more programs at area attractions and museums. Camps range from ½ day to a week. Here’s a roundup of summer programs:

Summer Sailing and Windsurfing Camp
The Clearwater Community Sailing Center offers beginners and advanced sailing and windsurfing camps. A Youth Adventure Camp is also offered, and it includes sailing activities, fishing, crafts and field trips. For more information, call 727-517-7776. www.clearwatersailing.org

Dali Days at the Salvador Dali Museum
The Salvador Dali Museum offers a tour of the museum’s visiting and permanent exhibitions. The tour, specifically designed for kids, is followed by a breakfast with the docent and staff members. For more information, call 727-823-3767 ext. 3026. www.salvadordalimuseum.org

Marine Science Summer Camp
The Clearwater Marine Aquarium features educational summer camps for kids in grades K-12 that combine classroom instruction with hands-on experience. Activities include snorkeling, wading in sub-tropical water and discovering marine life. For more information, call 727-441-1790, ext. 232. www.cmaquarium.org

Island Explorers
The Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center offers adventure camps for kids. Learn about the habitat, wildlife and history of Weedon Island Preserve while hiking, wading and canoeing around the island. For more information, call 727- 453-6504. www.weedonislandcenter.org

Families Exploring Nature Program
Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater hosts environmental day camps where children work on projects with their siblings and parents. For more information, call 727-462-6024. www.clearwater-fl.com/gov/depts/parksrec/facilities/mlnp.asp

Summer Camp Creativity
The Museum of Fine Arts in downtown St. Petersburg offers an informal and relaxed atmosphere for kids to explore the museum and create masterpieces of their own. For more information, call 727-894-4638. www.fine-arts.org

Kid Pioneer Camp
The Boyd Hill Nature Park offers a pioneer camp with activities that include butter-churning, goat milking, working in the blacksmith shop and more. Other camps dealing with science, nature and the environment are also offered throughout the summer. For more information, call 727-893-7326. www.stpete.org/rec/parks_pages/parksboydhill.htm

MORE THINGS TO DO

Dolphin Landings
4737 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
Take a sailing cruise on Boca Ciega Bay. Captain Dan will take you on a two-hour boat trip to spot dolphins and enjoy one of the area’s pristine waterways. Sunset sails, four-hour trips to Shell Key Preserve and sailing lessons are also available. www.dolphinlandings.com

Captain Memo’s Pirate Cruise
25 Causeway Blvd. Slip #3, Clearwater, FL 33767
Captain Memo is a former life insurance agent who, with his wife (Panama Pam), left their jobs in California to become Pirates of the Gulf of Mexico. The fun-filled family cruise includes music, games and friendly pirates aboard their ship, the Pirates Ransom. www.pirateflorida.com

Sea Screamer
Clearwater Municipal Marina, Slip #10, Clearwater Beach, FL 34630
Billed as the world’s largest speedboat, this 73-foot craft takes you on both a scenic nature cruise and a thrilling ride of the Gulf of Mexico. www.seascreamer.com

Clearwater’s Original Dolphin Encounter
P.O. Box 3563, Clearwater, FL 34630 (departs from the Clearwater Beach Marina).
A Clearwater tradition, the Dolphin Encounter offers a dolphin-sighting guarantee. Prices and hours of operation vary. www.dolphinencounter.org

Starlite Cruises
Starlite Majesty - 25 Causeway Blvd., Clearwater Beach, FL
Starlite Princess – 3400 Pasadena Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL
Starlight Cruises offers a variety of marine adventures for families. Observe and touch marine life or brace yourself for a high-speed dolphin watch cruise. www.starlitecruises.com

Sunset Celebration
P.O. Box 3595, Clearwater Beach, FL 33767 (Clearwater Beach Pier 60)
Grab a refreshing snack at the concession stand, play in the covered playground and watch unique craftsman, artists and entertainers perform at “Sunsets at Pier 60.” Festivities begin two hours prior to sunset and continue two hours after sunset. www.sunsetsatpier60.com

WHERE TO STAY (accommodations featuring children’s programs)

Tradewinds Beach Resorts and Conference Centers
5500 Gulf Blvd. St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
Tradewinds hosts a year-round children’s program called KONK Club (Kids Only, No Kidding) for kids between the ages of 4-11. Children participate in supervised activities in the morning and the evening. Activities include: a hunt for RedBeard’s buried treasure, kids in the kitchen with the chef, sandcastle sculpting and shark tooth hunts. www.tradewindsresort.com

The Don CeSar Beach Resort & Spa
3400 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706
For vacationing families, the Don CeSar Beach Resort and Spa offers the Camp CeSar children’s program. Camp CeSar entertains younger guests with hermit crab races, kids’ escapes and Friday night pizza parties. The Don CeSar’s newly renovated children’s play area is a haven for young ones participating in Camp CeSar. Teenagers have their own program with an amenity kit catered just for teens. www.doncesar.com

Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort
715 South Gulfview Boulevard
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
The Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort offers face painting, games, arts and crafts and more at Perky’s Playhouse. Perky’s also offers a Kids Night Out to Captain Bligh’s Miniature Golfdome followed by pizza and a movie. www.sunspreeresort.com

Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort
400 Mandalay Avenue
Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
The Hilton Clearwater Fun Factory offers supervised camps for kids between the ages of 4 through 12. The program includes arts and crafts, swimming, outdoor activities, field trips and boat excursions. A free gift is given to each child who attends camp, and a meal is included as well. www.hiltonclearwaterbeachresort.com

Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach On Sand Key
1201 Gulf Blvd., Clearwater Beach, FL 33767
The 220-suite Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach on Sand Key, Florida’s first and only all-suite Marriott, opened in February 2004. The former Radisson Suite Resort on Sand Key has undergone a multi-million dollar re-branding and renovation, offering a one-of-a kind guest “suite” experience overlooking Clearwater Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The 10-story, Marriott Suites Clearwater Beach on Sand Key features Lisa’s Klubhouse for kids activities, named after the resort’s talkative and colorful macaw, Lisa, who resides in the lobby. The recreation staff plans daily activities and events for children age 4 -12, teens, adults and groups. www.clearwaterbeachmarriottsuites.com