When you turn onto the road leading to Ginnie Springs you will take a small scenic drive on part of their 200 acre property before you make it to the spring. Check in at their superstore and grab anything you may have forgotten at home. They have their own scuba shop, grocery store, gift shop and restaurant called Ginnie’s Grill. They even have bathing suits and towels just incase you left those behind too. While you are in the shop, stop by the rental stand and rent a few tubes to float around and just be lazy. Ginnie Springs offers rentals of all sorts and they cater to all your relaxation needs. The have tube, canoe, kayak, scuba rentals and more! Once you are at the water, your options seem endless. They have sand volleyball courts, pavilions with grills and nature trails. Or, if you are like me, you will be jumping directly into the water with a tube and heading down the Santa Fe River to the other connecting springs. Some other things you could do is walk the trail with your tube and enter at a different part of the river. You can start at the Devil Spring System which makes for a longer river ride. Along this system are 3 smaller springs: the Devil’s Eye, the Devil’s Ear and Devil’s Spring or Little Devil.

Ginnie Springs is a great place for camping too! They allow tents, campers, RVs and they even have cabin rentals available. Every year for the fourth of July my family and I would get there a few days early and pick out the perfect spot to set up camp. The wilderness spots are first come first serve so getting there early was always best. One year we were even lucky enough to get a river-front tent space! We would set up camp and since all the sites have grills and picnic tables, we were able to have my Uncle John’s famous cheddar burgers for dinner every night. His secret is to mix in shredded cheddar into the hamburger meat. The cheese melts inside and makes the burger extra juicy. Camping at Ginnie Springs is reasonably priced and you never have to worry about parking because your whole camp site is in walking distance to spring and river.

If you just want to cool off on a Saturday afternoon and you’re not looking to camp out the whole weekend, then Ichetucknee Springs is where you should go. They offer 9 springs all up and down the Ichetucknee River. Including Mill Pond Springs, Coffee Springs and Devil’s Den. Even the ride from Gainesville to the park is fun. It takes about an hour (if not less). During the whole car ride to the park there are areas where you can stop and rent your tubes. All these stops and shacks are not linked and are owned by different people so that means the pricing is always different. Remember this: the closer you get to the river, the more expensive the tube rentals will be. Once you have your tube and you park at the North Entrance, just hop into the water and let the current of the “Tuber’s Paradise” do the rest of the work.

The spring you enter at the beginning is called “Blue Hole Springs” or the head spring. The river flows south past Mission Springs, Devil’s eye and Grassy Hole Springs before you hid the midway point. Here you have two options, you can get out of the water and take a shuttle back to your car at the North Entrance or you can continue down the river to Dampier Landing also know as Devil’s Den. Here lies your last and final choice; it’s been about three hours now that you are at Devil’s Den. You can continue on (as I always do) or you can get out here and take the shuttle back to the top. If you decide to go on its only about an hour or so, depending on the current, before you reach the end. Last time I went with my friends, we all tied our tubes together with rope to make a giant raft and whenever we would get too close to the weeds and underwater plants, one of the guys would get out of their tube and pull us away.

The scenery at the Ichetucknee Springs and river is breathtaking and ladies, it’s a great way to get in a good sun tan without feeling like you’re under a fast food heat lamp. Like Ginnie Springs and all the other springs, the water stays 72 degrees year round. Even the river, because its spring fed. Ichetucknee Springs has the cleanest water in Florida so rest assured and just let the current take you away.

Try starting with a Monday morning at the Alachua County Headquarters Library in downtown Gainesville. Why the headquarters library? Well because once you enter the library and go downstairs it turns into a child’s hideaway. The downstairs is where all of the children’s books are kept. Let your child explore this fascinating place and discover new things when they pick up a book. There are even some really comfy chairs here, so you can read together with your children. The Alachua County Library district allows you to check out as many books as you wish at any one time. Just remember to return them before they become over-due. I baby-sit a young girl named Sarah who loves the library. She will grab books with the pinkest and prettiest covers then bring them to me so I will read them to her. Her favorite books are the “Dora the Explorer” ones. I suggest checking out some books or even a book on CD then having a picnic lunch with them on the University of Florida campus.

Pack a healthy lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit salad and bottled water then keep it in a cooler in the car while you are at the library. When you leave with your books in tow, head to a grassy place on campus like: Lake Alice, Plaza of the Americas, The Reitz Union Amphitheater or the North Lawn at the Reitz Union. All of these spaces have plenty of room for children to run around and plenty of shade for you to relax in the beautiful summer weather.

Regal Cinemas in the Butler Plaza offers free movies on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. On day two of your Gator Magazine Summer Camp, go to the movies! Regal Cinemas plays two different movies every week. The movies range from G rated to PG rated and have included “Shrek the Third”, “Kung Fu Panda” and “Charlotte’s Web”. These mini-matinees start at 10A.M. so get there early! After the movie you have plenty of options for lunch because Archer Road is right across the street! Moe’s Southwest Grill is a great choice because they cater to kids and adults alike. Moe’s now makes the “Moo-Moo Mr. Cow” in three different sizes. No matter the size of the youngster, there is a burrito to match. I get mine with extra queso cheese inside it and with some on the side for my chips. Moe’s has the best queso in town!

Now it’s Wednesday. On day 3 you should pack a high energy lunch for you and your family. Today is going to be exciting. Your cooler should include things like: sliced apples and peanut butter, trail mix with soy nuts and dried berries, salad wraps and plenty of water. Then you are on your way too Devil’s Millhopper. If you enjoy long scenic bike rides, then consider bringing the families bikes with you to the park. This state park has miles of nature trails, some for bikes and some are just for walkers. If bike riding isn’t something that strikes your fancy, then enjoy the scenery by walking the trails. Or venture down the 120 foot sink hole full of stairs. This is one of Gainesville’s largest sinkholes Bring your camera because there are plenty of cascading waterfalls, trees with lush greenery and so many more beautiful aspects of nature to see. After all that exercise you will really be craving the picnic lunch you packed full of juicy apples and scrumptious salad wraps. Have a seat at one of their picnic tables and enjoy the outdoors while you eat a healthy lunch to help you regain your strength and energy.

Butterflies, Butterflies everywhere! Day four is here and on this amazing Thursday morning you are headed down State Road 26 to the Greathouse Butterfly Farm. Enjoy a relaxing walk through their butterfly garden and learn a little something about what goes on behind the scenes at a gorgeous butterfly farm. At the end of your tour you will enter the butterfly barn. This barn has hundreds butterflies of all sizes, colors and types fluttering from flower to flower right before your eyes. The experience will make any child’s face glow with delight. Tours start at 10A.M. and 2P.M. It’s just $10 per adult and $6 per child! You will definitely work up an apatite while visiting the Greathouse Butterfly Farm. So whether its lunch or dinner; David’s BBQ is there to help cure that hunger with fast and friendly service. On Thursdays David’s ½ chicken plate is only $5.99! That comes with two sides and bread! This one meal alone can feed two hungry children. You just fed half of your family for just under six bucks!

Friday, the last day of the week but definitely not the last day of summer camp! Head over to Westside Park off of 34th Street. Westside offers plenty of fun for all ages. They have a pool with a slide and a high dive, a skate park with ramps and rails, baseball fields, tennis courts, racquetball courts, and a phenomenal playground. Whenever I take the kids I baby-sit here, they run straight to the merry-go-round and I push them around and around. The ground around it is padded so even the little tykes can hop on and not get hurt!

After a few hours at the park have a late lunch at Satchel’s Pizza. Satchel’s has been around since 2003 and I’m sure you have seen the interesting bumper stickers on cars that say “We Salvage Lightning” and “Sorry I’m late, I was at Satchel’s”. This is the place they are referring to. They are located just a few miles from Westside Park, off 23rd Avenue. Satchel’s is very unique. They are a hipster little shop with an old 70’s van out front. The van doesn’t have any doors but the windows are cut out and there is a table and benches inside it. Yes, this is a place you can sit and eat your meal. They have amazing calzones. When you get one it is served completely stuffed with piping hot cheese and extra tangy marinara sauce on the side for dipping. The atmosphere is the most interesting thing about Satchel’s. The walls are covered with endless entertainment. While you are waiting for your pizza sit back and take a look around. All of the artwork is original and submitted by locals. Even the menu is entertaining. There are 18 different menus. Each one has a special story on the back about how Satchel’s became what it is today. Satchel himself wrote them. He was trained by Italian immigrants on how to make pizza. He has been tossing dough ever since.

Now go home and rest up because tomorrow is going to be a blast!

Mill Creek Farm is a place where horses of all kinds go to retire in pure luxury. Most of these horses are rescues from different organizations like SPCA, handicapped riding programs, circus horses, government services and plenty of others. Take Picasso for example. He is a Paint that was brought in to retire by the Claremont Riding Academy in Manhattan, New York City. Cody is a Quarterhorse. He worked as a police patrol horse in Broward County. This farm cares for amazing horses and on Saturdays, it’s your turn to make them happy! Visit the farm between 11A.M. and 3P.M. and bring two carrots. Two carrots will get you into the farm and then you can feed them to the beautiful horses. Spend the afternoon plating with horses while they enjoy there wonderful retirement at Mill Creek Farm.

Trying to keep your child active this summer? Teach them a new sport or enhance their acquired basketball knowledge? Why not accompany that with valuable life skills?

Dan Cross, a former gator and pro basketball player, prides his camp with incorporating basketball fundamentals for all levels with life’s most important qualities such as respect, self esteem, and academic achievements. Cross’s main focus is teaching campers information that will make them the best person they can be.

Campers begin their All Fundamentals journey on Tuesday, August 4th where they will be dropped off at the Florida Gym on Stadium Road on University of Florida campus. They will need to be wearing a t-shirt, comfortable shorts, preferably basketball shorts, and basketball shoes. Water and lunch will be provided. Parents are invited to watch the camp in session everyday at the gym.

Another great way to get involved with your camper is held the last day of camp. On this day, campers are paired with their parents or guardians to execute drills, skills and scrimmages together. It is a fun filled way for you to get involved on the new fundamentals your child as been taught over the past four days.

You don’t want to miss out on such a positive experience for your child this summer. The camp is held at the Florida Gym on University of Florida’s campus on August 4th-7th. For $180, enroll your campers today by visiting www.allfundamentals.com.

Who wouldn’t want their kid to grow up to star in the National Football League? What’s a better way to learn the football fundamentals and teamwork skills necessary to get them there than learning from former pros themselves?
Shane Matthews Fun-N-Gun camp is equipped with all of the major Gator Football National Championship teams. Shane Matthews, Eli Williams and Jacquez Green are just a few star athletes we have coaching this year. They will be teaching your camper valuable playing skills while keeping them active this summer and engaging in fun drills and activities.
Drop your camper off at 3:00pm and pick them back up at 7:00pm on Friday, July 24th. The next day, campers will meet again from 9:00am-2:00pm. Make sure you dress them in the comfortable athletic clothing such as football shorts, t-shirts and football cleats. Have them ready to play on arrival! They will be provided with a “survival bag”, as well as plenty of water to keep them hydrated.
Throughout the day, your camper will participate in many different drills and activities that will incorporate the knowledge that was taught to them by their small group coaches. They will also get to hear their favorite Gator players speak, including the one and only Tim Tebow!
Want to watch your camper in action? Make a day of it! There will be a Cool Zone set up for parents to watch their kids at work. Complete with cooling fan misters and drinks available.
For only $175, your child will learn priceless techniques for all skill levels that will prepare them for the upcoming seasons or just keep them energetic this summer. Camp will be held at the SW YMCA Center on July 24th-25th. Enroll your child and learn more at funngun.com today as spots will be filling up fast!

Sarasota has the keys to your heart…five keys to be exact. Manasota Key, Lido Key, Casey Key, Longboat Key and last but certainly not least the ever-so beautiful, Siesta Key.

Siesta Key is the most popular beach of the five Keys in Sarasota. It was named number two on Dr. Beach’s top ten list. Siesta is always topping charts for beauty and relaxation. The sand is white and soft like powdered sugar. The water is crystal clear and it’s The Gulf of Mexico so the water is just the right temperature. Siesta Key’s public beaches get crowded quickly in the
afternoon but early in the morning it is a beautiful place to get in a brisk run or even some yoga. Some of the hotels on the beach have classes you can sign up for where they take you out onto the beach as the sun rises and you do some quiet yoga.

Along the beach there are four lifeguard chairs. Why am I mentioning these? For two reasons. One, they are a sign that a lifeguard is on duty and that is a very safe feeling. Two, they are uniquely colored. All four of them are a different color: blue, yellow, green and red. This makes for a great photo opportunity combined with the sun set or even the sun rise. The Siesta public beaches also offer tennis courts, volleyball nets in the sand, shaded playgrounds for the kids and plenty of picnic areas for family BBQs on the beach. One experience you should definitely have is Parasailing. This is something that you will never forget. When you are so high up in the air, all the people on the beach look like tiny ants and since the water is so clear, you can see the dolphins swimming around! If you happen to be staying in the Siesta Dunes area keep a sharp eye out in the early morning or late evening for rabbits. They live wild all throughout the dunes and they love fresh carrots. Keep an extra bag in your cooler, just in case.

One of my favorite restaurants in Siesta Key is Philippi Creel Oyster Bar. The seafood is very fresh and they bring the outdoors in. The dinning room is very open with lots of windows so there is never a bad seat in the house. The deck, just outside the restaurant has a beautiful view of the Siesta inlet. While you are dinning there you have to try the crab legs. They are seasoned just so and are incredibly juicy. The Oysters are great too. They bring them to you in a giant metal bin and you shuck them yourself, put it on a cracker with hot sauce…delicious.

On the same road as Philippi Creek, there is a small marina called C.B. Saltwater Outfitters. They have boat rentals, a gift shop and they sell bait for fishing. The people that own the store are very down-to-earth and nice people. The store has everything you need for a day of fishing and more. I would stop by the marina with my step dad before all of out outings. If you have any questions about the waters or if you are looking for a good place to eat, ask the people working at the marina. They are family owned and operated and know a lot about the local hide always.

Just north of Siesta Key is Lido Key. Lido is a very cool, calm and collected version of Siesta. There is lots of shopping and wonderful beachy condo scenery. There is limited public beach access, but Lido is home to St. Armand’s Circle. This is a wonderful place to walk around and do some light – or heavy – shopping. Grab a snack at Scoop Daddy’s; a local ice cream shop with a 50’s ambiance feeling and amazing ice cream. It may very well e the best ice cream shop you will ever enter.

I have two dogs who are spoiled rotten and both of them love gourmet dog treats. St. Armand’s Circle has a small shop called Wet Noses where they have everything to pamper your pooch, from diamond studded collars to iced dog cookies. My Labs love their cookies.

If you are looking for a good souvenir for someone that had to stay behind at home, visit Crazy Shirts. They sell t-shirts that are died using plants, foods, even money. The chocolate shirts are brown, like chocolate, and they even smell like chocolate! They have red shirts that are died using red peppers and green shirts that are died from old shredded money! If you think that is interesting, each different color shirt has a different way to be gift wrapped. The pepper shirts get rolled up and put into a box that looks like a pepper and so on. All the shirts say something funny on them too. Crazy Shirts is a great place to just walk around and smell the shirts and read them! How often do you get to say that?

The Sarasota Bay, located in Lido Key, is home to two very interesting things. A 25 foot tall statue of “Unconditional Surrender”, that you have to see to believe and a tiki bar which makes burgers so big that they can only be eaten in two or more sittings.

The Statue is made of sculpted and painted aluminum. Originally it was there back in 2007 and it was made of sculpted and painted Styrofoam. At the time it was a temporary artwork and would later be replaced with something else extraordinary. This 25 foot monument brought people from all over and received so many great reviews that they brought it back in 2008. The statue was supposed to be taken down in March of 2009 but a man started a fundraiser in hopes of making “Unconditional Surrender” a permanent display.

The tiki bar is called Cocktails in Paradise and is an outward facing, upscale “shack”. You order inside then eat your meal under a straw pavilion where live music is always playing. The pavilion is right on the sand and it is directly to the right of the Sarasota bay so boats will just ride up, grab a burger and go. It’s like fast food on the water. My mom ordered a burger from here and it was so big that she had to cut it in half to eat it. She didn’t even finish a quarter of it. To this day she still says it was the best burger she ever ate, and it took her 3 days to eat it. The unique thing about Cocktails in Paradise is the tiki men. They are everywhere, all shapes, sizes and colors! Around every corner there is a tiki man.

The beaches of Lido Key are all ready for your enjoyment with plenty of concession stands, shaded playgrounds and cabana rentals. North Lido is very secluded and has no lifeguards on duty. People rarely go to that side of the beach.

Longboat Key, Casey Key and Manasota Key are all very secluded and some areas are deserted. Manasota is completely deserted but does have a boat ramp on the bay side to allow for visitors. If you are looking for a scenic drive, Longboat Key is the place to go. There are a lot of windy roads with beautiful mansions all up and down the streets. Casey Key is very private and home to the world renowned author, Stephen King.

Sarasota is a beautiful chunk of the Gulf of Mexico. Anyone will be taken aback by its charm, wonder and excitement. I know I was.

Amazing Butterflies. It’s all in the name. This family fun exhibit will take you along a magical journey where you transform from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Some people may compare the experience to the ever-popular “Honey I Shrunk The Kids” movie. All of the grass, leaves and trees are larger-than-life. Remember, you are a caterpillar with the everyday challenges and obstacles that it takes to become a beautiful butterfly. Everything in the exhibit is hands-on; around every corner there is a new surprise. You will play games to help feed your fellow caterpillars and even enjoy a teamwork race with you family. While wearing a set of caterpillar feet, you will have to race to the finish line. “Nectar Food Path Puzzle” and “Squeeze and Sniff” are just two of the many games you will play during your adventure-packed transformation from pupa to butterfly. While you are traveling through your life cycle maze, get your Amazing butterflies card stamped because that is your ticket out on “The Monarch Monorail!”

Amazing Butterflies compliments the popular Butterfly Rainforest very well. Summer is a great time for young children to learn about caterpillars, pupa and butterflies, so they understand the changing life cycles going on in their own backyards. Come see the exhibit before it flutters away on September 7th.

Speaking of butterflies, while at the Florida Museum of Natural History, try to experience the Butterfly Rainforest! Kids LOVE this place. Located in McGuire Hall right next to Power Hall, they bring the outdoors in and let you play with the butterflies. This screened in 6,400 square foot patio is full of green foliage and lush gardens. They release the butterflies on Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm, 3pm and 4 pm, weather permitting of course. Last time I went to the Butterfly Rainforest a bright yellow, orange and black butterfly landed on my head! Apparently this happens all the time to people when they visit the butterflies. The Butterfly Rainforest is a great photo opportunity for anyone looking to brush up on their photography skills.

Owned by the University of Florida, the Florida Museum of Natural History is the states official museum of natural history and the largest in the Southeast. It has 3 main facilities, remember not all of these buildings are open to the general public: Dickinson Hall, since the 1970’s, Power
Hall, since 1998 and McGuire Hall, the newest building. This facility holds the Amazing Butterflies exhibit, Butterfly Rainforest and some pieces from Allyn Museum of Sarasota. UF also has a building on Pine Island near Ft. Myers called the Randell Research Center.

The main museum (Power Hall) is located across the street from the University Hilton on UF campus and just off of Hull Road. Admission is free and open to the public. The Butterfly Rainforest does have separate charges. Memberships and Butterfly Rainforest Annual passes are available. Check their website every so often to find out what exhibits are displayed. They are always changing! For more information or directions call the museum at (352) 846-2000. Tell them you saw it on GatorMagazine.com!

Blue Springs is the largest of the three parks and is the only one that is family owned and operated. Blue offers plenty of picnic and swimming options. They are perfect for a cloudless Saturday in the sun. Try renting a tube and just relaxing in the cool waters, which stay 72 degrees year round. If you feel up to a quaint canoe ride down the Santa Fe River, Blue Springs offers canoe and kayak rentals at their concession stand. One thing most people remember Blue Springs for is the giant dock made for people to jump off of and land directly in the center of the spring itself. When you land, chance are you wont touch the bottom because the spring, by any other name, is an abyss. And these springs are hundreds of feet deep. When I was a kid, we used to have all sorts of contests. Who can jump the furthest out? Who can make the biggest splash? It was never a dull time.

Blue Springs is 250 acres of land and water and has been open to the public for 51 years. You might want to get there early because they only allow a certain number of people into the park and it will hit maximum capacity very quickly. This is just to insure that everyone in the park has a good time and that it is not too crowded. If you can remember to pack a picnic lunch before you leave home, you can eat right there in the park! They even have grills and pavilions so bring some burger meat and hot dogs for the kids!

Fanning and Manatee Springs are sister parks and you can take a 4 hour (10 miles) float down the Suwanee River from Fanning to Manatee. Both parks allow camping and offer cabin rentals. Fanning, also know as “The Fountain of Youth”, is a housing for manatees in the winder months so even though they are open year round, if there are manatees in the water you shouldn’t swim with them. Manatees are an endangered species and protected by law. There is no admission, so you can enter the springs by boat or car. If you just happen to pass by while canoeing down the Suwanee, take some time to relax in the cool water. The river offers a great opportunity for fishing, just look out for any people in tubes! Tell them you read about it on GatorMagazine.com!

Mancino’s Pizza

Hey Kid’s! You can make your own pizza!

Hey Parents! It’s at a great price!

For just $2.50, kids can make their own pizza, drink is included.

Grinders

Italian Combo-House Specialty ($6.25 for a Half 8”  &  $10.50 for a Whole 16”)

-Ham, sausage, salami, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, cheese,lettuce, and tomato

Pizza Sub ($5.99 for a Half 8”  &  $10.25 for a Whole 16”)

-Pepperoni, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese (You can make any combo, each additional item is .75¢)
Very Veggie ($5.75 for a Half 8”  &  $9.75 for a Whole 16”)

-Mushrooms, olives, onions, cheese, peppers, lettuce, tomato
Extra Items ($0.75 for a Half 8”  &  $1.00 for a Whole 16”)
Extra Meat ($1.50 for a Half 8”  &  $2.50 for a Whole 16”)

Specialty Pizza’s

Mancino’s Pride ($15.95 for a 12inch  &  $20.95 for a 16inch)
-Pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, onions, ham, sausage, black olives, and Grande cheese
Philly Steak and Cheese Pizza ($15.95 for a 12inch  &  $19.95 for a 16inch)
-Sliced steak, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, and Grande cheese.

Available Toppings

-Extra Cheese
-Pepperoni
-Black Olives
-Ham
-Meatballs
-Onions
-Sausage
-Pineapple
-Bacon
-Salami
-Green Peppers
-Green Olives
-Jalapeños
-Fresh Mushrooms
-Fresh Tomatoes
-Spinach
-Hot Pepper Rings
-Feta
-Broccoli
-Eggplant
-Extra Sauce

Contact Us

Address

5717 SW 75th Street,
Gainesville, FL 32608

Phone

352.372.9686

Hours of Operation

Monday – Sunday: 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

What are you doing this weekend? Sitting on your couch watching re-runs…or going to see 200 different animals from around the world?! That’s what I thought; visiting all the animals seems like a pretty good time! What better way to do that, than to go to the Santa Fe Teaching Zoo on the Santa Fe College campus. They are located just off I-75; listen for the sound of the monkeys!

The SFC Teaching Zoo staff consists of 9 people and at times almost 120 students! The students maintain the zoo and take care of the animals. The animals in the zoo were, and still are, chosen based on how they are managed. Students need to learn a variety of managing styles that go along with the different animals. This means that all the animals you see are unique and it makes for a wide range of creatures. The students that you will meet while there, are Zoo Animal Technology majors and when they graduate from the program, they are able get jobs in zoos all over the country! A friend of mine graduated from the program and went on to work at a famous zoo in Hawaii…you know the one I’m talking about. Adam Sandler worked there in the movie ’50 First Dates’!

Some of the species include: mammals, reptiles (especially Florida Gators!), marsupials, fish, even arachnids. SFC is a participant in the Species Survival Plan. This means that they work with zoos across the country in corporative breeding programs. White-Handed Gibbons, Red Ruffed Lemur and Asian Small-Clawed Otter, just to name a few. All of The Teaching Zoo’s animals are as close to the real thing as you can get. These animals are not tame, so it gives you, as well as the students, an unforgettable experience. When you are visiting the monkeys try this: “Whoop” really loud and they will respond with the same “whopping” sound! Not only that, but if you talk to the birds some of them will talk back to you! Keep an eye out for loose peacock feathers on the ground. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is famous for the wild peacocks that roam the grounds. If you catch a glimpse of one with his tail feathers fanned out, that means he is trying to impress you and show off. Their feathers fall out on their own and act as a great souvenir for someone who happens to come across one. Don’t get too close though, they can get pretty feisty if you try to take one of their still-attached feathers.

You might be thinking “How much money am I about to pay for this ¾ of a mile tour??”. Well my fellow Gators, barely anything at all! Adults are only $4 and $3 for children ages 4-12 as well as seniors! Are you a student with a School ID? Show your ID and get in for free!
For more information or directions call (352) 395-5601. Tell them you saw it on gatormagazine.com!

After spending the afternoon at the zoo you will realize that your weekend budget is still in tact and you have the money to go to a wonderful dinner at Joe’s Place! Joe’s Place is just a straight-shot down 39th Avenue from the SFC Teaching Zoo, so feeding those hungry kids will be quick and easy. They specialize in steaks and burgers, but their salad bar is just as good. They cater to every need at Joe’s Place. If you are a family with a few picky-eaters, they have you covered with their extensive menu from seafood, to burgers, to wonderful soups and salads. Certified Angus Beef is the only steak you will see here! A family of four people would spend about $30 on any given visit. But wait; are you someone who is just looking for a fun place to have a few drinks with friends? Joe’s Place can take care of that as well! Behind the restaurant is a bar with pool tables, dart boards and the same friendly people that you find in the dinning area.
For more information, directions or to order take out call them at (352) 377-7665. Tell them you saw it on gatormagazine.com!

If you are looking for an outdoor excursion that takes you to a lush tropical rain forest filled with beautiful wild flowers and ferns then Devil’s Millhopper is a must see.

Devil’s Millhopper is a 120 foot deep, 500 foot across bowl shaped sinkhole which offers a unique environment to many species of wildlife including reptiles, many beautiful birds, rabbits, and colorful vegetation. There is a hiking trail along the rim of the sinkhole which lets you glimpse down the limestone walls to the beautiful plants and flowers at the bottom.

The name Devil’s Millhopper comes from a tool used during the 1880’s by farmers that ground grain in gristmills. On the top of the mill was a funnel-shaped container called a “hopper” that held the grain as it was fed into the grinder. Because fossilized bones and teeth from early life forms have been found at the bottom of the sinkhole, legend has it that the millhopper was used to feed bodies to the devil.

Make sure to wear comfortable shoes because you definitely want to walk down the 236 wooden stairs that lead down to the bottom. Be careful as some of the boards are slick at times. While walking down the stairs, you will see streams of water seeping out of the limestone walls like miniature waterfalls trickling down into the earth. The walls are covered in beautiful wild ferns and some of the greenest plants you have ever seen. A word of caution to parents… small children love climbing down the stairs but when it is time to walk back up they find it much easier to hop into mom or dad’s arms which can be quite a workout.

Located at 4732 Millhopper Road, Devil’s Millhopper is a short drive from anywhere in Gainesville. They are open Wednesday to Sunday 9am to 5pm and admission is only $2 per car. Quite a bargain for all there is to offer. This is a great place for a breakfast or lunch picnic and there are plenty of tables. You are welcome to bring your pets with you as long as they are on a 6 foot leash. Each Saturday at 10 am Park Rangers offer guided tours through the park pointing out wildlife and points of interest. You can call Devil’s Millhopper at (386) 462-7905 to make tour reservations or more park information.

For a great Breakfast date, stop by Donut Connection on 39^th Ave and pick up a couple of glazed donuts and cups of coffee and have breakfast in the park.