From the Author
Having grandchildren to visit is always a special time and most grandparents love to plan a highlight during the visit by doing something particularly special together. This book is full of great activities and adventures that can bridge the generation gap and be enjoyed by all ages from 2 to 92!
The best days out with grandchildren usually include animals, activities, or adventures to create photos and lasting happy memories that will be talked out for years to come. It's a delight to see youngsters' faces light up as they get up-close to tigers, swim with manatees, catch a sea star, ride a zip line or enjoy an experience that in their eyes is truly magical. With this book you can make it all happen, giving them some incredible experiences that they will never forget.
Animal Encounters
Animal lovers will enjoy a tour of a horse farm in Ocala or an African-style safari at the amazing Giraffe Ranch where you can handfeed giraffes, lemurs and other free-roaming exotic wildlife.
Tigers, lions, leopards and other exotic pets that have outgrown their use as cute props in commercial photographs all find a loving home at Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation. A visit to this spacious ranch offers the chance to interact with these beautiful creatures, see them at feeding time and perhaps view newborn residents as part of the endangered animal breeding program.
More hands-on activities are outlined with chapters on Swimming with Manatees in the Crystal River, the only place in the world where this is possible. Alternatively, go horseback riding along the Cross Florida Greenway with a knowledgeable local guide.
If you want to introduce your grandkids to the "real" Florida, how about a visit to Gatorland or take a trip on the St Johns River spotting all kinds of birds and wildlife on a Blue Heron River Cruise. The Marine Discovery Center also offers educational Discovery Cruises as visitors catch and identify a range of marine creatures such as horseshoe crabs, sea stars and conchs.
Educational Activities
Museums certainly don't have to be boring, as you will discover for yourself at the Florida Museum of Natural History and the Butterfly Rainforest in Gainesville. This fantastic research facility is one of the top attractions in the USA, providing an educational fun-filled day out for all ages, and it's free!
The Florida Aquarium is another excellent attraction and includes talks with divers actually inside the huge viewing tank. There are aquariums of sharks, giant rays, eels and barracuda as well as a 2-acre outdoor waterpark.
Younger children will love the hands-on play on offer at the Glazer Children's Museum where you can create your own weather and explore how locks work through water play. There are over 17 galleries where children can land an airplane, record a TV program, run a veterinary hospital or build a house using a crane. You'll be amazed at what this fantastic play area has to offer!
Action and Adrenaline!
If your teenage grandchildren want a little more action and excitement, we suggest some thrilling adrenaline-pumping activities at the Canyons Zip Line and Canopy Tours in a surprisingly beautiful forested canyon lakes landscape. Learn where to go tubing together near Rainbow Springs or consider a virtual skydiving experience in a safe but exhilarating wind tunnel.
Each chapter of Days Out from The Villages with Grandkids covers an attraction in full detail so you get a taste of what the attraction has to offer before you visit, enabling you to choose activities and attractions that best suit your family. The book also includes child-friendly places to eat out as part of your visit and lists other nearby attractions if you want to extend your trip.
All these days out are less than 90 miles by car from The Villages and some are literally just up the road. Most of these trips are surprisingly affordable. For example, you can swim with manatees for two hours including boat trip, wet suit and snorkel equipment for $45 - much cheaper than a day at Disney! Other attractions are completely free or only incur a nominal entrance fee or donation.
Whatever you choose to do when your grandchildren visit, I know you will have have fun spending quality time together. Laugh and learn as you share these days out with your grandkids, building strong relationships and sharing precious moments. When you're done with these 15 exciting Days Out from The Villages with Grandkids there are 15 more ideas at the back of the book from my other Days Out from The Villages books. How's that for great value?
From one grandparent to another, I sincerely hope you enjoy planning and sharing these once-in-a-lifetime experiences with your grandchildren, making unique memories that will last a lifetime.
Happy Trails!
From the Back Cover
Days Out from The Villages with Grandkids is an essential resource for any grandparent wanting to share quality time when their grandchildren come to visit. It covers animal attractions, swimming with manatees, a wildlife safari, boat tours, farm tours, horseback rides, tubing, zip lines, museums and one of the top aquariums in the USA.
Get ready to encounter exotic butterflies, dolphins, birds, horses, giraffes, tigers, gators, sharks and even dinosaurs on these trips which will provide many happy memories that you and your grandchildren will treasure forever.
About the Author
Gillian Birch is a freelance travel writer and part-time Florida resident. As the wife of a Master Mariner, she has traveled extensively and lived in some exotic locations all over the world, including Europe, the Far East, and the Republic of Panama. Her love of writing led her to keep detailed journals which are a valuable source of eye-witness information for her many published magazine articles and destination reviews. Describing herself as having "endless itchy feet and an insatiable wanderlust," she continues to explore Florida and further afield, writing about her experiences with wonderful clarity and attention to detail. Gillian has a Diploma from the British College of Journalism and is proud to be a member of the International Travel Writers' Alliance and the Gulf Coast Writers' Association.
