It’s no secret that South Florida is not really my favorite place to live and raise a family, but that doesn’t mean it’s a terrible place to visit. Growing up, we used to visit my Nana and Grandpa in Florida every spring and some of the places we used to go back then are on my short list for places to take my little ones now.
Florida is definitely the Sunshine State, making outdoor activities doable almost every day of the year. The beach, of course, is a go-to in South Florida, but with miles and miles of public beaches, is there really one beach that is better than another? Yes, and no. If you just want some sand and surf, whatever beach you can easily access will do but if you’re looking for a beach that is specifically nice for little ones, I have two suggestions:
The first is in Deerfield Beach near the Embassy Suites off A1A (SE 20th Ave) at SE 9th St. There is a large metered public parking lot as well as a nice boardwalk. The beach itself is comprised of many outcroppings of rocks which create little pools of water that are shallow, warm and usually calm. There is also a plethora of restaurants just up the road including our personal favorite, The Whale’s Rib, which is a reasonably priced and delicious seafood restaurant with a relaxed, wood-clad atmosphere that is always welcoming to little ones (the girls recommend the lobster bisque and whale fries with whale juice).
The second is in Pompano Beach, also off A1A (N Ocean Blvd) at the end of E Atlantic Blvd. This area also has metered public parking and has been recently re-done and in addition to the beach now includes a large green area with AstroTurf (don’t laugh…grass here is awful and turf is AWESOME!) as well as a splash fountain for the little ones to run around in.
If you’re looking for a less sandy outdoor experience, head to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton (one of my favorite spots growing up). The center has a large network of boardwalks through the Florida wilderness as well as serves as a sea turtle rehab center and has many aquariums and sea tanks.
You could also check out Butterfly World in Coconut Creek which is the largest butterfly park in the world and in addition to the expansive butterfly exhibit, also includes hummingbird, lorikeet and macaw aviaries. My girls could spend hours watching the butterflies and birds!
If you’re visiting in the heat of the summer and looking for something “cooler” to do, we love the Young at Art Museum in Davie. The museum is a series of interactive exhibits designed by artists and include an area specifically for infants and toddlers; an area based on nature and the environment with a pre-recycling spin; a multicultural exhibit; and an exhibit based on fine art but with a contemporary, child-oriented feel. We have been multiple times and each time have spent hours there without getting around to everything.
Need a good lunch place before or after the museum? Try Padrino’s Cuban Cuisine in Plantation. Not familiar with Cuban food? No problem, Padrino’s offers a great (and inexpensive) weekday buffet lunch where you can try a little bit of everything including rice with black beans and fried sweet plantains (my girls’ favorites).
This is list is just the start of all the things there is to do in South Florida with children. The list of things we still haven’t done is enormous and I look forward to experiencing it all with my kids while we are here!
Interesting enough, I think the opposite about raising a family here but I was born and raised in new York City – which to me anywhere but NYC is better to raise a family. I am so grateful that i don’t have to deal with the snow, public transportation with children, and the overall congestion.
I am happy that my kids can ride their bicycles in February and have outdoor play time without worrying about the freezing temperatures. Sure, NYC is fun to cisit but not the best place in my opinion to raise a family. Hands down Florida takes the cake there.
I will agree that there are probably better places (maybe even International) that are better – more land, less crime, etc.
Felicita,
I will agree that the Florida weather is ideal and this is probably the only part I like about living in South Florida! I grew up in Denver and have lived in Oklahoma and Ireland and all of those places, I feel, are more family friendly. I struggle with the lack of community in South Florida. Most people are only watching out for themselves and I find it to be very unfriendly to small children overall (though I realize I’ve not experienced every neighborhood or area!) I think has a lot to do with the car-centered mentality and the lack of opportunities to have spontaneous, authentic experiences which are impossible with everyone locked in their cars, constantly rushing from here to there!
Melissa, yes I totally agree with the “car-centered” mentality. I moved to Florida about 5 years ago and I definitely felt that it was difficult to make friends. If you don’t attend school here it is hard to find people your age. The workplace consisted of all older individuals that I didn’t have much in common with or lived far away from me. I was fortunate to find friends in my sons preschool then when we moved we had neighbors with younger kids. You definitely get a sense of isolation living here though.
My husband always says he wants to move to Tenn or Colorado. He wants acres of land though I feel that can be an issue in itself – isloation once again. I think this momma (a city girl at heart) would have total culture shock living in the “country” but I’m willing to give it a try should the opportunity arise. I do miss the walking that happens in NY – I was much thinner back then!
When we moved we specifically chose a house where we could easily walk places. With the year-round beautiful weather, why be cooped up in a car more than you have to? But it hasn’t helped with making friends. I’m not saying people here aren’t friendly, they always say hi and are polite but it’s hard to push those niceties into a friendship (funny, it’s one of the main complaints I had in Ireland as well!)