Sarasota Jungle Gardens

OK well SINCE i do not have a back yard and there are no other children my son's age where we live, and we do not live in a neighborhood We tend to use another "neighborhood". We try to check out or Local Sarasota Jungle Gardens. It's filled with small animal petting zoos, cute gift shops, Water areas and useful information for your child. It is located off of US 41 heading south till you reach Bay Shore Rd. If you can't read small street signs then i hope you don't miss the ground level BILLBOARD that is sitting next to the road that says "turn here for Jungle Gardens". Very inexpensive to go there you spend about $6 per adult and children 2 and under are free. I tend to use the "Summer" to teach my son to be ready for the next grade up. So anything worth teaching him to do something he doesn't already know how to do is something i take him to or i teach him at home. That is why i think going to Sarasota Jungle Gardens is the best place to he can learn about Animals this summer. Below are other places to check out as well : Cypress gardens: http://www.judysbook.com/members/hvnsflnangel/posts/2006/6/398441/ Easy Child Crafts: http://www.judysbook.com/members/hvnsflnangel/posts/2006/6/398271/ Basic Handwriting for kids: http://www.judysbook.com/members/hvnsflnangel/posts/2006/6/398264/ Houghlin Mifflin Math:http://www.judysbook.com/members/hvnsflnangel/posts/2006/6/395302/ Education World: http://www.judysbook.com/members/hvnsflnangel/posts/2006/6/395299/ there are more!!! more

This place offers a great variety of things to do. They have alligators which the boys love and then they also feature a bird show. The nice thing is is that it isnt very expensive. They offer a year price at a very affordable price. Jungle Gardens is a neat place to take a picnic lunch and enjoy the outside with your kids. Take lots of water during the summer though since it is so hot! more

If you are getting cabin fever this summer, you should end down to Jungle Gardens. They have a little bit of everything, beautiful plants, tropical animals, and other things unique to tropical climate. It is like taking a vacation and never leaving town. If you are a local, keep your eye on the local paper, they offer coupons, they also offer a year round admission plan. Their alligator show is a must see for all age groups. more

If you are getting cabin fever this summer, you should end down to Jungle Gardens. They have a little bit of everything, beautiful plants, tropical animals, and other things unique to tropical climate. If you are a local, keep your eye on the local paper, they offer coupons. Their alligator show is a must see for all age groups. more

I resently took my 5 yr old sin to Bradenton to visit my grandma and we took him here and he loved it. I remember as a kid coming here with my family and how much fun I had. We reallly enjoyed the bird show although my son was a bit scared but he warmed up to all the animals. Make sure you have a full day because there is alot to see. It can be hot out there walking around so please drink plenty of water! more

If you are a parent that has children home for summer break, I know that you are counting the days until August. But, hold on, it doesn't have to be that bad. Turn those fights between siblings into lasting happy memories. How, you ask? Well, I did some searching, and I found that there is a lot to do around here with your kids. Here’s the best part – it’ll be fun for you too, and they won’t even know it. Start off by thinking of things that your kids like to do. My children love animals. So, I picked the Sarasota Jungle Gardens. When we arrived, I was a little disappointed. The Gift Shop smelled musty and looked like it hadn't’t been renovated since the Nixon administration. But, once we started walking around, the kids really enjoyed the alligators and having their picture taken with parrots clinging to their arms. The walk on the Nature Trail was interesting with its beautiful exotic plants and small waterfalls. It had a pungent odor of sulfur that wafted through the air, which was a little unpleasant. (Visit on a day after it has rained – it doesn’t smell as bad.) On the trail you have an opportunity to feed (for 25 cents) flamingos and an array of turtles, and even a stray duck or squirrel. You can see vultures and owls, and even a set of cuddly lemurs. The “don’t miss” shows are definitely the Alligator feedings and Birds of Prey which has a show called Critters and Things immediately following it. The shows are offered twice daily. But get there early, seating is limited. They have a food court. Also, not too impressive, but it does have a nice Koi pond that the kids can look at. The ‘menu’ is reasonably priced and it offers hot dogs, burgers and the like. The bathrooms are equipped with two stalls and a baby changing station, and, most importantly - they are clean. If you like what you see here, I would recommend getting the Family pass for $60.00. You can go back an unlimited number of times and stay as long or as short as you want. General admission is $11.00 for adults, and $7.00 for kids. Kids under three are free. So, don’t pull your hair out just yet. There are fun and inexpensive things to do here in the Sarasota/Bradenton area! more