Best Places To Entertain Grandparents On A Budget In South Florida
Fern Forest Nature Center
201 Lyons Road S.
Coconut Creek, FL 33063
(954) 357-5198
www.broward.org
Many of your grandparents spent their youthful days walking through forests. A trip to Fern Forest will bring back those glorious memories. Being with nature is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your grandparents. Native wetland cypress trees, cabbage palms and strangler figs are growing together with many varieties of ferns on the forest floor. Being with nature lifts the mind, body and spirit. Bring a picnic lunch or snack for a break in the day. The nature center and boardwalk is wheelchair accessible. However, the prairie walk is not wheelchair accessible.
Ft. Lauderdale Antique Car Museum
Barnacle Historic State Park
3485 Main Highway
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
(305) 442-6866
www.antiquecarmuseum.org
Grandparents always have fond memories of their cars. This museum will be a wonderful treat for them as they view 22 vintage Packard cars from 1900-1954. There is also plenty of car memorabilia lining the walls. Mr. Arthur Stone of Buning the Florist created this museum based upon his love of the Packard automobile. There is also a special area dedicated to our President Franklin D. Roosevelt. If you really want to go all out, you can rent the space for a party. The museum is wheelchair accessible.
The Sugar Chest Antique Mall
960 N. Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
(954) 942-8601
www.thesugarchestantiquemall.com
Stroll down memory lane. With over 30,000 square feet of showroom, this is a one-stop shop for antiques. There are over 200 vendors displaying everything from 18th-century French to early Americana. You name it and The Sugar Chest has it. Some of the vendors are present but most are not, so you do not feel pressure to buy and you can take your time in each mini showroom. Some vendors specialize in a certain genre while others are more eclectic. There is no admission so you may stay all day if you so desire. Pack a picnic lunch and eat across the street at the Pompano Beach Park. The mall is wheelchair accessible.
The Fruit and Spice Park
24801 S.W. 187th Ave.
Homestead, FL 33031
(305) 247-5727
www.fruitandspicepark.org
This fruit park is the only one of its kind in South Florida. Go any season and you can eat your way around the park with a guide. Drive through on a large golf cart while you learn about rare and exotic fruits. If your grandparents were born in another country in the tropics, this park will remind them of their youth. Many grandparents enjoyed gardening with their parents and helpd them harvest and can various fruits. This park will trigger many wonderful memories for your grandparents. They can share their stories with you.
Scenic Drives
Did your grandparents used to come down to Florida for winter vacations? Take them on a scenic drive to South Beach to relive the memories. Were your grandparents farmers? Take them to the farms in Homestead. Are they avid beach bums? Drive along A1A. Bring a lunch or stop at an outdoor café. They will love the scenery and enjoy the quality time spent together. Turn your cell phones off and really pay attention to your loved ones. Quality time is the best gift of all.
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