cavalletta's Passport
 | Been to 290 Attractions |
 | 131 Reviews |
 | 77 First to Review |
 | 168 Photos |
 | 121 Helpful Votes |
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Send a ComplimentAbout Me & My Family
We're a globe trekking, fun-loving family always planning our next adventure. From art museums to alpine skiing, we're ready for anything.
Our Family's Travel Personality
adventurous, curious, relaxed, simple, independent, energetic, spontaneous, sophisticated, easy_going, scheduled, artsy, social_butterfly
We Just Got Back From
Visiting Cancun! We recently visited Miami and explored South Beach, South Miami and Coral Gables. We also visited Innisbrook Golf Resort and Spa near Tampa Bay, Florida. Be sure to read my reviews about the resort and their Indaba Spa. What an amazing experience! Also, a holiday in France (wonderful home exchange--thanks for the ideas on Trekaroo!)
Our Favorite Vacation Spot
Wherever we go next....thanks to Trekaroo, I always have a great group of reviews to help me plan a fantastic vacation!
A Place We'd Love To Visit
During the winter, anywhere with snow and easy airport access :-)
Favorite Vacation Memory
One of my favorite vacation memories was seeing my daughter splashing in the Boca Beach Club kiddie pool. Also, the first time she saw snow in Park City, Utah at the Park City Mountain Resort. She's still talking about ski school!
Worst Travel Moment With My Kids:
Dangerous weather conditions or any other unexpected airport delay.
Websites I Like:
Must see kid friendly sites in the Tampa Bay area.
If you are a kid or a kid at heart, there is so much to explore in Tampa Bay's Gulf front community. Pirates, pelicans and fun for everyone!
3000 Busch Boulevard
Tampa, Florida
reviewed on: March 28 2010
"Sesame Street's Safari of Fun now open!"
My four year old led the way as we explored the all-new Safari of Fun at Busch Gardens. She's a great tour guide! Fortunately, the Safari of Fun has one entrance which makes keeping an eye on your active kiddos a bit easier. Most of the rides and play areas are shaded by trees or a canopy but it's best to remember your sunscreen and sunglasses. There are two restroom areas (one near the entrance and the other by the water play area / outdoor dining facility). Located near the Bird Gardens, your preschooler will want to spend most of your Busch Gardens visit at the Safari of Fun. There are so many wonderful rides and play areas to discover! My four year old started out on the Zoe-patra & the Hippos of the Nile flume ride. She laughed throughout the whole ride and wanted to ride it again right away so she did. Lots more laughing :-) Then, she ran over to the Elmo's Safari Go-Round (carousel). She chose the zebra and away we went! This carousel slowly turns which makes it an ideal first ride for even the tiniest tot.
Big Bird's Whirly Birdie, a mini ferris wheel ride, was a hit with the four year olds but one two year old was a bit afraid of the view from the top. The kids in line all wanted to ride in the egg that had the number of their age. My daughter was no exception so she chose the #4 egg. Thankfully, there were two, three, five and six year olds in line so they all got their choice. The little boys all seemed to race over to The Count's Zambezi Rally and hopped in tiny cars to ride along the tribal trails. Each seat has a steering wheel which makes every little driver happy. The car seats two to four children, depending on the vehicle. Of course, there are numbers to count all along the track. Who knew learning could be this much fun?
One of my favorite play areas is the Elmo's Treehouse Trek and Cookie Monster's Canopy Crawl. The three-story treehouse has plenty of places to play hide-and-seek and you can overlook the whole Safari of Fun from a Big Bird's eye view...way up high! The areas are connected by rope bridges which were popular with kids and their grown-ups. Under the Canopy Crawl, kiddos can play in Slimey's Sahara Sand box complete with all sorts of sand toys. Also under the Canopy Crawl is a springy, bounce house like play area. Since the sand and bouncy play areas are nice and shady, they are a cool retreat from the Florida sun.
We changed into our swim clothes for a spashing good time at Bert & Ernie's Watering Hole. This water area has lots of jets, sprayers, overhead buckets and fountains to splash in and around but is in the full mid-morning sun. Maybe, the trees will shade this area at other times of the day. If you prefer more shade, visit Oscar's Swamp Stomp where the stepping stones and ankle deep water seem well suited for tiny toddlers.
There are lots of helpful park employees around to ensure that everyone stays safe and has fun. Near the entrance, one park employee brought out lots of hula hoops for the kids to play with and later brought them to the Bert & Ernie's Watering Hole.
The Sunny Day Theater features a 15-minute musical stage show starring Sesame Street favorites Elmo, Abby, Grover, Cookie Monster and Zoe. Afterwards, the characters meet and pose with your children. It is so adorable to watch their little faces light up when they hug their favorite friends.
We saw the outdoor, covered dining area where the Dine with Elmo and Friends breakfast and lunch meals will be held. It is a great space with lots of red tables and chairs. Be sure to make your reservations. This looks like a great way to start your day at the park. There's also a Snack-n-Getti Tribal Treats concession stand offering all sorts of tasty treats.
If your child wants to take home an exclusive safari-themed Sesame Street friend, you can find lots at the Cookie Monster's Trading Post and also at Abby Cadabby's Treasure Hunt.
All of the rides and play areas are colorfully decked out in a playful tribal-theme--great for photos! So, make sure your batteries are charged and your memory cards are empty. You'll be snapping photos on this Safari of Fun all day long!
We ended our park experience by watching the 4-D theatrical adventure, Sesame Street presents "Lights, Camera, Imagination!" This movie is over in Timbuktu's theater which is a short stroller ride from the Safari of Fun. There are lots of fun special effects that go along with the movie but I'll let you be surprized. It might be best if you have your little one sit on your lap if they are the least bit afraid of getting splashed. It's fun!
So, visit the Busch Gardens website and make your plans to go on your own Safari of Fun. Maybe, we'll see you there!
1101 West Sligh Avenue
Tampa, Florida
reviewed on: July 27 2009
"Amazing up close animal encounters"
Feeding giraffe, riding a camel, spotting cheetah and so much more are in store for you when visiting this gem of a zoo. The walking paths are wide, paved and meander through the peaceful natural habitats. This is a very stroller friendly place! Plenty of restrooms, water fountains and shady spots for a break. There are great places to grab tasty snacks (what you would expect but aslo cupcakes, ice cream and even beer!)If the weather is bad, it's a challenge to find a place to wait out the storm or escape from the heat so it's best to venture to the zoo on a great weather day.
The zoo added a few new rides (log flume, kiddie coaster and outdoor splash areas) which are very popular with the ten-year old kiddos. An additional fee is required to ride ponies and camels.
6131 Commercial Way
Spring Hill, Florida
reviewed on: October 05 2009
"Mermaids, water slides and boat rides"
This is an old Florida classic theme park! I had fond memories of my childhood visit to see the Weeki Wachee mermaid show and knew that my little mermaid would also find the experience memorable. This park is kitschy charming. Bring your picnic lunch or buy some basic fast food staples at the snack bar. The live mermaid show is adorable and the tunes they sing are very catchy. In fact, I'm humming the "You've got the world by the tail" song right now! There is a wildlife boat ride narrated by a local tour guide/boat pilot which will give you a glimpse into the landscape surrounding this spring. You'll see all sorts of lush greenery, birds, turtles, fish, and maybe even an alligator!Please keep in mind that this is an old, small, park that development nearly forgot. If you are looking for a slick adventure for your family, drive about two hours east.
701 Channelside Drive
Tampa, Florida
reviewed on: July 27 2009
"So much to see"
Outdoor explore a shore area offers plenty of splashing and sand pit fun for little ones. It does tend to be crowded which makes it a challenge to get up close to the tanks to see the animals on display. The touch tanks have friendly volunteers able to answer questions about the creatures you can touch. The shark tank is a favorite with many visitors.
