Odds and Ends

by Adele Woodyard
A good title for this blog since it will be on changes, updates, and general information. Like a new festival– on grapefruit, of all things. But first a change in monthly Bargains: what used to be on vaationfunflorida.com will now appear on the blog. Bargains that are continual, such as FREE admission to Lowry Park Zoo on your birthday (with ID of course) will remain on the site.

Safety Harbor first Grapefruit Legacy Fest began April 15 and 16 with a variety of events that included a recipe contest, kayak tours, and an original Grapefruit Line Dance. Live music, grapefruit murals, frozen grapefruit margaritas were all part of the festivities and admission was FREE. Although myths surround honoree Count Odet Philippe, this part is true. The Frenchman, and supposed surgeon in Napoleon’s service, brought grapefruit to Florida, via his Safety Harbor plantation in the 1830s. His plantation St. Helena, became Philippe Park in 1948

Kids Museums
Great Explorations in St. Petersburg has brought back the Touch Tunnel that disappeared when the hands-on museum moved about eight years ago. Kids love to be scared as they crawl through the pitch black maze. Unable to see in the darkness, they feel their way on hands and knees around corners, past obstacles and where a two-foot incline seems as if they can tumble down stairs. Once again it joins such interactive exhibits as a giant tree house to climb, become a firefighter or a veterinarian, make a pizza or build a robot. Open 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-4:30 p.m. Sun. $10 ages 2-54, $9, 55 and up. 1925 4th St. N; 727-821-8992. http://greatexplorations.org

The Children’s Museum of the Highlands, Sebring has a 16 foot Rock Wall you climb sideways among its hands-on exhibits. Said to be harder than it sounds. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues-Sat. open to 8 p.m. Thurs. $4. 219 N. Ridgewood Ave. 563-385-5437. http://www.childrensmuseumhighlands.com

The Miami Children’s Museum has a two-story sandcastle of dreams amid its 14 galleries. There’s even a police motorcycle and fire truck to ride. Open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; $15, $12 Florida resident. 980 MacArthur Causeway; 305-373-5437. http://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org

Have a Pet?
Get it’s face painted on a wall and help animal rescue groups at the same time. Tampapets.org started a Pup Art mural program last year with a bar and restaurant in Ybor City, with Anna Hamilton, an artist who’d already done one in Dunedin. Her mural, “Dogedin” has hundreds of dogs and cats that benefited Dunedin Doggie Rescue. Since she mostly paints to scale, donations are based on weight; e.g. a Chihuahua runs $75 while a biggie like a Labrador retriever costs $175. =”http://www.tampapets.org