FLORIDA: Guide to Living on the Space Coast & Fun in the Sunshine State! By Pam Winegar ➢ Our nature photography blog is at: https://naturetime.wordpress.com/ ➢ Ask to join Pam’s e-mail photo-of-the-day at: [email protected] Updated January 24, 2018 Contents LOCAL PALM BAY/MELBOURNE BASICS ...................................................................................................... 1 BREVARD COUNTY BASICS .......................................................................................................................... 1 WEATHER .................................................................................................................................................... 5 AREA WEBSITES .......................................................................................................................................... 6 LIVE WEBCAMS ........................................................................................................................................... 6 SPACE COAST FUN ...................................................................................................................................... 7 BEACHES ................................................................................................................................................. 7 NATURE OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 11 LAGOON ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................................................. 11 MANATEE WATCHING ........................................................................................................................... 12 ALLIGATOR WATCHING ......................................................................................................................... 13 BIRDWATCHING .................................................................................................................................... 15 BACKYARDS ........................................................................................................................................... 18 FUN PLACES TO GO AND THINGS TO DO............................................................................................... 19 FESTIVALS / ANNUAL EVENTS ............................................................................................................... 25 HOLIDAYS .............................................................................................................................................. 26 FUN AROUND FLORIDA ......................................................................................................................... 27 ORLANDO THEME PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS ....................................................................................... 27 NORTH OF ORLANDO ............................................................................................................................ 28 SOUTH OF ORLANDO ............................................................................................................................ 29 NORTH OF BREVARD COUNTY .............................................................................................................. 31 SOUTH OF BREVARD COUNTY ............................................................................................................... 32 WESTERN FLORIDA ............................................................................................................................... 35 NORTHERN FLORIDA ............................................................................................................................. 39 ii LOCAL PALM BAY/MELBOURNE BASICS ➢ Palm Bay was ranked second in the nation for “Best Air Quality and Least Pollution” by the American Lung Association in 2017 http://www.realtor.com/news/trends/big-cities-with- best-and-worst-air-quality/ ➢ Melbourne was ranked 5th in Florida and 49th overall of the “100 Best Places to Live” by U.S. News and World Report in 2017 http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/florida/best-places-to- live-florida-fl/ ➢ Brevard (Space Coast) was ranked 5th in Florida for purchasing power by SmartAsset in 2017 http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2017/07/21/smartasset-says-brevard-residents-get- lot-their-money/491754001/ A map with local places in the Palm Bay area listed below is plotted at: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zIIs38GRNiH0.kTBtM2nLJXSY • Publix (groceries); Hair Cuttery is in the same shopping center • Numerous fast food choices on Malabar Road • Home Depot • Walmart • Lowes • Walgreens • Post Office • Speedy Shipping (UPS & FedEx, including packing for shipment) • Twisty Cone Ice Cream Shop (excellent soft service ice cream and ice cream cakes) • Malabar Feed & Farm (bulk birdseed/pet food) • Palm Bay Hospital • Adjacent to hospital (on right) is Health First complex of doctor’s offices, labs, and Palm Bay Urgent Care Walk-in Clinic (open Monday-Saturday 9 am-7 pm, and Sunday 10 am-5 pm). Across from hospital is Malabar Pediatric Clinic. • Ace Hardware • BP Gas Station • Sun Clean Dry Cleaners • Staples Office Supplies • Yellow Dog Café (local award-winning favorite with terrace overlooking the Indian River) BREVARD COUNTY BASICS Shopping/Eating hotspots are at: • Palm Bay Road (numerous places to shop and eat including the Hammock Landing Mall with Target, Michaels, Kohls, Petco, etc. and nearby Bass Pro Shop for recreational needs). • Highway192/New Haven Ave (including Melbourne Square Mall, Best Buy, PetSmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Barnes and Noble, Lenscrafters, and several furniture stores). • Viera (including the Avenue Shopping Center, WalMart, Target, and numerous stores and restaurants). 1 • Highway 520 (including Merritt Square Mall and numerous businesses all the way east to the beach area with Ron Jon’s and the Dinosaur Store). • The best Bealls Department Store is at 204 Eau Gallie Blvd. in Indian Harbor Beach (walk to the far back of the store for a good selection of Florida and coastal-themed objects). • In Orlando are the Millenia Mall (http://www.mallatmillenia.com/), IKEA store (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/orlando), and Orlando International Premium Outlets (http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/orlando-international • Another Outlets Mall is at I-95 South - exit at Vero Beach (http://www.verobeachoutlets.com/). Specialty food stores include the following: • Countryside Citrus is near the Sebastian Causeway in Wabasso (https://www.countrysidecitrus.com/). Open late October – April. Florida OJ is the BEST! Super sweet Jan/Feb. This family farm also features a U-pick strawberry patch. • Green Turtle Market on Eau Gallie Blvd near Indian Harbor Beach has a gourmet selection of food (http://greenturtlemarket.com/). • Petty’s Meat Market in both Melbourne and Suntree/Viera has a variety of fresh meats, cheeses, and other gourmet food items (http://pettysmeatmarket.com/). U-Pick farms include: • Sledd’s U-Pick Strawberries in Mims (north of Titusville) – phone ahead for farm updates at (321) 268-8978. Depending on the season, food items for direct sale include strawberries, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, blackberries (May), and a pumpkin patch in October/November. Kids are welcome! Children especially enjoy Sledd’s annual sunflower maze, which is available for tours in early summer (June) and again in Fall (late September/early October). https://www.facebook.com/Sledds-U-Pick-Strawberries-205766459439752/ • Meadors Blueberry Farm in Mims (blueberry season April-early May), phone ahead (407) 383-6639 for updates. http://www.meadorsblueberryfarm.com/ • Ever After Farms in Mims features U-pick blueberries, phone (321) 269-9502. https://www.facebook.com/everafterfarms/ • You can buy fresh mangoes along Merritt Island’s South Tropical Trail in summer in June and July (pay at roadside kiosks by the honor system). Also, Griffis Groves at 825 Newfound Harbor Drive in Merritt Island sells 18 varieties of mangoes in season. He also sells mango juice, mango ice cream, avocadoes, lychee nuts, and honey. (321-698-9533). • Nature Farms sets up a roadside pineapple stand on Saturday mornings from 10 am – 1 pm in late June-July (on US 1 - one mile north of the Sebastian Causeway). (772) 538-6066 https://www.facebook.com/NatureFarmsInc/ • A list of U-pick orange groves during the winter season in Florida is at: http://www.authenticflorida.com/articles/where-to-go/where-to-find-fresh-florida-citrus/ A Brevard restaurant guide is at: http://www.dining-out- guide.com/ 2 The best plant nurseries in the area (each with their own specialties, listed from north to south) are: • Rockledge Gardens (http://www.rockledgegardens.com/). Festivals/classes/activities are offered throughout the year. Specializes in butterfly gardening. • Sun Harbor Nursery in Indian Harbor Beach (http://www.sunharbornursery.com/). Specializes in plumeria and beachside plantings. • Maple Street Natives in Melbourne (http://www.maplestreetnatives.com/). Specializes in native plants and butterfly gardening. • Valkaria Gardens (http://www.valkariagardens.com/). Palm Bay nursery with a nice selection of tropical plants. • Rock City in Wabasso on US 1 near the Sebastian Causeway (http://rockcitygardens.com/). Nursery was originally built in 1966, and has a large selection of flowering plants and trees. • Busy Bee Garden Center in Vero Beach is a mile south of the Sebastian Causeway on US 1 (http://www.busybeegardencenter.com/). Excellent