TOP PICKS
Fairchild Botanical Garden + Miami
Here’s the perfect idea for a Sunday funday: Spend it at this 83-acre worldclass Coral Gables destination, a place of unparalleled beauty. To start, every Sunday in August is free! Lots of extras will add to the experience, including live music, yoga and tram tours accompanied by vistas of palms, cycads and flowering trees. Besides, you’ll find yourself immersed in a lush tropical rain forest setting one moment and among garden sculptures the next. fairchildgarden.org
Mountain Bike Park + Off Key Biscayne
There’s something new that’s got bicyclists buzzing, specifically those inclined toward mountain biking. Huh? Mountain biking in South Florida? Happily, yes, ’cause there’s a brand-new mountain bike park/ trail on Virginia Key’s North Point, the nearly forgotten site of this barrier island, with a reputation as a dumping ground for dirt. Now, all that, uh, dirt is the foundation of 4 miles-plus of wooded trails designed by mountain bikers for mountain bikers. Views of Fisher Island are gravy. miamigov.com/bicycleinitiatives
BLOOMS GALORE
Leu Gardens
To celebrate its 50th, this botanical oasis in Orlando offers free admission on your birthday through 2011’s end. It’s free the first Monday of the month too. The Sasanqua camellias are Mr. Leu’s lasting legacy. leugardens.org
Bok Tower Gardens
A Lake Wales historic landmark, best known for its 60-bell carillon concerts that ring daily at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. It’s free on May’s National Public Gardens Day and Mother’s Day. boktowergardens.org
Marie Selby Gardens
The perfect Mother’s Day outing (with free entry for Mom) is a chance to roam 13 acres of flora in Sarasota. Don’t miss the conservatory, eight greenhouses or the museum in the mansion. selby.org
American Orchid Society
See the rarest of orchids growing as they would in the wild in this Delray Beach setting. Enjoy a free entry on Mother’s Day and get lost in the greenhouse amid blooms and fragrances. aos.org
THE OUTDOORS
Manatee Viewing Center
Apollo Beach’s Tampa Electric environmental center is a sanctuary. From observation platforms, watch the sea cows loll in the warmwater discharge canal when temps drop below 68 degrees. tampaelectric.com/manatee
Barrier Island Sanctuary
This Melbourne learning center promotes care of native flora, fauna and turtle nests. Walk the trail
to see cabbage palm hammock, salt marsh and mangrove swamp. barrierislandcenter.com
Brevard Zoo
You might be in Melbourne, but you’ll be transported to breathtaking African savannas, the Aussie outback and tropical bird-filled jungles. No fee for Dad on Father’s Day or Mom on Mother’s Day. brevardzoo.org
Gumbo Limbo Nature Center
This Boca Raton coastal/marine complex is set on 20 acres of protected barrier island. Explore the boardwalk’s hardwood hammock with gumbo limbo, strangler fig and gray foxes. gumbolimbo.org
Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge
This is a must-see ecosystem with 53,000 acres of undeveloped river delta in Chiefland. Wildlife includes whitetailed deer, bobcats, alligators and Osceola wild turkeys. fws.gov
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