Downtown Melbourne St. Patrick's Day Parade

Every year around St. Patrick's Day, but always on a Saturday morning, Meg O'Malley's http://www.megomalleys.com/ and the Ancient Order of the Hibernians  http://www.aoh.com/ sponsor a St. Patrick's Day Parade through downtown Melbourne.  I have been attending and participating in this parade since 2009 (or maybe before that) and it has grown into a bigger more popular event every year. 

There are all of the normal small town parade participants.  Civics groups, scouts, clubs, bands, police, fire trucks, old cars, shriners, and in recent years, more and more organizations are bringing floats.  Lots of beads get handed out and candy too.  The parade participants are not allowed to actually thrown beads and candy to the spectators due to the risk of hurting someone, but that doesn't stop the crowd from yelling for them.

With it being St. Paddy's day and all, there is a lot of green going on.  And kilts.  And bagpipes.  And strange version of weird combinations like a Star Trek Storm Trooper in a kilt. 



After the parade there is time for lunch and shopping around downtown.  Usually the bar/restaurant Mainstreet Pub has visiting bag pipers on and off all day.  Meg O'Malley's is understandably busy throughout the day.  And around 5pm or so, they start shutting down the street for the street party.  All in all a very fun day out. 

Tips:  The parade is free, but bring some cash to support the downtown businesses.

Bring something to carry candy in, especially if you are bringing children.

Arrive early to get a good seat on the parade route.  The heart of downtown is the most crowded area.

Wear green and join in the fun.  It is what you make of it!

Green Springs Park and Gemini Springs (Enterprise, FL)

Green Spring

What a cool place this is!  The park is small with various short hiking paths.  The paths are various degrees of difficulty, but anyone should be able to get to the spring viewing area. 

Green Spring Hiking

This blog is going to be mostly pictures, because what can I saw except green, green, and more green!

What makes this spring special is its milky green color.  Apparently this color is caused by green Sulphur and there aren't other publically accessible springs like it around any longer.  It is very beautiful and peaceful. 







Coral Snake

Do beware of snakes while you are there (or anywhere in Florida).  We saw this beautiful, but dangerous Coral Snake underneath the viewing platform.

There is no swimming in this spring.  There is a play ground and a couple of nice pavilions.  It would be a really unique place to have a wedding, but I don't know if you can actually do that there.



Gemini Spring

If you would like a longer outing there is a Spring to Spring trail that goes from Green Springs to Gemini Springs.  Gemini Springs is a larger recreational area with fishing and kayaking/boating as well as a dog park and playground.  The two springs at Gemini are pretty, but traditional clear water.

Tips:   The terrain isn't rugged, so sturdy sandals are fine for walking...except, well, snakes. 

Website Green Spring:  http://www.volusia.org/services/community-services/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-facilities-and-locations/ecological-nature-parks/green-spring-park.stml







Website Gemini Spring:  http://www.volusia.org/services/community-services/parks-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-trails/park-facilities-and-locations/ecological-nature-parks/gemini-springs-park.stml

Swamp House River Front Grill (Debary, FL)

While we were out exploring we stumbled upon this place.  Well, we actually used a smartphone app, because you would be really unlikely just to accidentally find this place out driving around.  For one thing, it is at the end of the road.  For another, it doesn't really look like a public restaurant until you are parked and walking in.

This place is pretty unique.  We were there on a Saturday afternoon.  There was a man playing good country music.  Not too loud, just right.  They actually grill their burgers outside on a real grill.  And I'm here to tell you they are delicious.

They have a specialty drink called a Rum Bucket.  I watched the bartender pour 4 types of rum in and then a bunch of other stuff too.  Only 9.99 for the first one and 7.99 for refills.  This drink is NOT for the driver!

The restaurant sits right at a harbor where there are lots of boats parked and reserved parking for diners who wish to arrive by boat.  The country store sells fishing and boating supplies, some oddities, and also rents Pontoon boats for cruising up and down the St. John's river.  You only need a drivers license to rent one.
 

If you are up visiting the Springs, the Sanford zoo, Debary Historic House, or just in the area, it is worth stopping by here on a sunny day.

Tips:  Outside tables at the bar are first come first served, so be prepared to stand or wait or go upstairs to the inside restaurant.

Website:  http://www.swamphousegrill.com/

Andretti Thrill Park (West Melbourne)

There aren't many places in Florida with hours of entertainment for families that are as great of a bargain as Andretti Thrill Park. 

So what is it?  Well, a little bit of everything.  There are several go cart tracks (the original purpose of the place).  But there is so much more.  A not all inclusive list:  Rock climbing, mini-golf, paddle boats, batting cages, laser tag, aerial rope course, kiddie rides, picnic area for events, video games, and more.

How does it work?  They have one of the smartest pricing systems I have seen.  The price for children is based on their height, not their age.  Why?  Because the taller you are the more things you can do (safety).  So you pay less for the little ones that can't drive the big carts or do some of the other activities. 


The second great part of their pricing is that the cost is by the hour so you can spend two or three hours without feeling pressured to spend the whole day because leaving early feels like wasting money.  There is an all day price as well if you want to stay longer. 

What else makes this better?  No lines!  Or very short ones.  I have never been there when the line for any attraction was more than a few minutes.  No need for fast passes or 90 minute wait times.  (Of course I would like to see a little bit bigger crowds, this is a treasure that we would like to keep in Melbourne). 

There is a snack bar and the food is typical unhealthy park type food, but hey, who cares?  And you won't pay outrageous prices for that either. 


And birthday parties too!  Skip Chuckie Cheese (although there is one of those in Melbourne as well) and do your kids party at Andretti.  The equivalent in food, but so much more to do and a smaller price!


You can have other events there as well.  My office had a very nice corporate gathering there one year.  Less expensive than most outings and everyone had a great time. 

Tips:  This is a good place for kids of all ages, but the smaller they are the less there is to do.  If you have a wide spread of ages, make sure you have enough adults to accompany the little ones.

Website:  http://www.andrettithrillpark.com/index.html

If you have a little extra time in the area, take a stroll through the beautiful botanical gardens at Florida Tech campus.

Bok Tower (Lake Wales)

 

 

Bok Tower and Gardens is an interesting day trip from the Space Coast.  The tower itself is built on one of Florida's few high points called Iron Mountain.  The tower houses a 60 bell carillon and is known as the singing tower.  There is a reflecting pond near the tower with swans and beautiful flowers. 




The rest of the gardens is a constantly changing, blooming flower garden and bird sanctuary.  It is worth a nice walk around on any sunny day. 

Events are being held at the gardens year round.  Many involve musical concerts.  Some are for children to learn and explore.  Others involve learning gardening techniques.  Whatever your interest, you are likely to find an event at Bok Tower and Gardens.

It is also a beautiful venue for a wedding or other event.  The information for renting their facilities is available on their website.  There is also a café that caters and a gift shop on the property.

Along with hiking trails, gardens, and bird watching, there are several opportunities to geocache on the property.  Geocaching is a popular outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices (you can get an app for your smart phone to participate). Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.
The rules are very simple:

1. Take something from the cache.
2. Leave something in the cache.
3. Write about your find in the log book.
4. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com

I enjoy geocaching as it provides an opportunity to see a place I might have overlooked in just walking around an area, including in these gardens.

Tips:  Check the website events calendar before you go.  The gardens are open every day, but you might be able to see something extra special with a little planning.

Bring water to drink and pack a picnic lunch!  There are specified picnic areas on the grounds.

Pets are not allowed in the gardens; however, they do have a place for pets to stay during your visit.

Most areas of the park are accessible and a shuttle is available during specific times of year.

Website:  https://boktowergardens.org/

Kennedy Space Center (Titusville)

Everyone knows that Kennedy Space Center is here.  That is why we call it the Space Coast, right?

The visitor's center is a neat place to go.  Tours of the center as very cool.  The Astronaut Training experience seems to appeal to the younger crowd.

And now, of course, the Space Shuttle Atlantis is on display.  That is the newest and latest attraction, but don't let that be the only thing you see.  The space program has a long and interesting history.  It may not appeal to everyone, but I have found that my out of town guests who experienced the space race back in the 1960s are particularly interested in the Apollo/Saturn V tour.

I've never seen anyone who didn't enjoy walking around the rocket garden, but that is just the beginning of the experience.



General Admission to the complex includes: 

Space Shuttle Atlantis℠	Twin IMAX® Theater 3D Films
Shuttle Launch Experience®	Special Viewing for Rocket Launches
Meet an astronaut	Numerous Shows and Exhibits