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city guides
West Palm Beach
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Happening Now
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October 19, 11am to 4pm:
Fall Family Festival.
Hands-on activities, music, food, drink, and prizes for all await visitors to the Fall Family Festival. Both you and your grandchildren are encouraged to come in costume. At the Mounts Botanical Garden. (website) Hide details
Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
You and your grandchildren can discover the creepy crawlies as you tour this haunted house. Come dressed in costume and be ready for trick-or-treating. At the Sandoway House Nature Center, Delray Beach, Fla. (website) Hide details
Boo at the Zoo.
You and you grandchildren will be spooked at this13th-annual annual Halloween celebration. Enjoy trick or treating in the midst of 1,500 animals, nonstop animal encounters and wildlife shows, costume contests for all ages, "scary" children's entertainment and performances, and the largest haunted house in "Boo at the Zoo" history. At the Palm Beach Zoo. (website) Hide details
Florida Panthers.
Yes, they do play hockey in Florida. In fact, it's nice to get inside and cool off. The NHL Panthers kick off the 2008-09 season on October 11 against Atlanta. There are four more home games in October for you to consider attending with your grandchildren. At the BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Fla. (website) Hide details |
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Help With This Page
In the City Guides section, you'll find the best things to do with your grandchildren. To get started, choose a city below or select from among movies, home activities or things to do in the car. Whatever you do, have loads of fun with your grandchildren.
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| | Soft sand beaches strung along the shore and the haunting beauty of the Everglades, Palm Beach County is a glittering, subtropical playground for grandparents and grandkids alike. Compiled by Christina Wood | |
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If nothing less than the Palm Beaches’ leading visual arts education and exhibition center will do for your grandchild, then you’ll want to check out the offerings at the Armory Arts Center. This non-profit, community-based organization provides opportunities for individual growth, self expression, and increased awareness and appreciation of the arts through participation in studio art classes, exhibitions, lectures, and other educational programs. Classes are offered in ceramics, jewelry, painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, and sculpture, with day and evening hours, both during the week and on Saturday. Youth programs are available throughout the year, with a unique Summer Art Camp offered each year for kids of every grade level from kindergarten through high school.
Info: Fees vary
Hours: Office: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm; Gallery: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm, Saturday 10am to 1pm
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Classes & Workshops
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The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge represents the northernmost portion of the Everglades. In addition to being a home to wildlife, such as the American alligator and the endangered snail kite, the refuge offers many recreational opportunities that you and your grandchildren can enjoy. Walking, canoeing, and bike trails let you explore the unique ecosystem that is home to as many as 257 species of birds. Boat ramps, a fishing platform, and observation towers are also available. Not quite all of the 147,392-acre refuge is devoted to Everglades habitat; a 4-mile boardwalk penetrates a 400-acre cypress swamp, the largest remaining remnant of a cypress strand that once separated the pine flat woods from the Everglades marshes.
Info: $5 per vehicle
Hours: Daily dawn to dusk; Visitor's Center: Wednesday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 4:30pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Outdoor Fun
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Boca Ballet Theatre is different by design. For more than 15 years, it has trained dance students, entertained audiences, and inspired the community through its outreach programs. BBT’s dynamic difference begins with its unique performance tradition. By combining the talents of internationally-acclaimed professionals with the efforts of aspiring young dancers from its school, BBT has established itself as the place, "Where the stars of tomorrow join the stars of today." This tradition will carry vibrantly through the current performance season, which features three full-length dance productions presented at Florida Atlantic University, including a holiday presentation of The Nutcracker, as well as a fourth production which will be presented as part of Boca Raton’s free summer series at the Mizner Park Amphitheater.
Info: Varies
Hours: Box Office: Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Live Performances
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If the weather turns gloomy, you’ll have a wonderful opportunity to introduce your grandchildren to the pleasure of a rainy afternoon spent wandering through a museum. The Boca Raton Museum of Art, has more than 4,000 works in its permanent collection, including modern masters, sculpture, pre-Columbian works, African art and photography. In addition to the galleries, the museum offers a film series, artist lectures, family programs and Music at the Museum. Children in grades 3 through 5 can sign up for the Meet a Master, Create a Masterpiece Program ($5), which meets once a month on Saturdays and teaches children about a master artist on exhibit at the museum and then allows them to create a masterpiece in the style of the selected artist.
Info: Adults $8, ages 60 and older $6, students $4, members and 12 and younger free; Special Exhibitions: Adults $17, 60 and older $15, students $6
Hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10am to 5pm, Wednesday 10am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 5pm
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Museums & Exhibits
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If kids ruled the world, there would be a lot more places like this; featuring bumper boats, a game room, go karts, laser tag, miniature golf, a rock wall, and a snack bar. What’s even better is that there’s something for every one of your grandchildren, from little ones to teens. The Kiddie Playland is a special world of climbing, crawling, sliding, and playing reserved for those who are less than 48 inches tall. Every week, the Friday Night Teen Club at The Zone offers a dance floor and disc jokeys spinning the hottest music in addition to all the video games and attractions the park regularly features.
Info: Kiddie Playland $4, Friday Night Teen Club at The Zone $5
Hours: Monday to Thursday 12pm to 10pm, Friday 12pm to 12am, Saturday 10am to 12am, Sunday 10am to 10pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Fun & Games
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The Boynton Beach Mall features Macy’s, Dillard’s, JCPenney, and more than 135 specialty stores and eateries, all set in a freshly renovated Florida garden setting. There’s something for everyone, from shopping and eating to entertainment and events, including a children’s health and wellness program called the Simon Kidgits Club. For a fun break from shopping, check out the play area or treat your grandchildren to a ride on the indoor carousel ($2).
Info: Free
Hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 9pm, Sunday 12pm to 6pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Shopping
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Butterfly World
3600 West Sample Road
Coconut Creek, FL 33073
(954) 977-4400
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It’s not every day you get the opportunity to walk among thousands of butterflies and hundreds of colorful birds as they fly, flutter, swoop, hover, and perch among the lush plants and streaming sunlight that make up their world. If that’s not enough to delight your eye, imagine the expression of wonder on the face of your grandchild when a delicate butterfly lands at his or her fingertips. Make sure your trip includes a visit to the popular bug museum, which showcases some of the insect world’s most amazing creatures, including Asian cockroaches as big as your hand. Check the website before you go for discounts, coupons and free materials (like coloring book) your grandchildren might enjoy.
Info: Adults $20, 3 to 11 $15, 3 and younger free
Hours: Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Animals & Nature
Calypso Bay Waterpark
151 Lamstein Lane
Royal Palm Beach, FL 33411
(561) 790-6160
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You’ll make a splash with your grandchildren with a visit to one of the nation’s top water parks. Among the highlights at Calypso Bay, which is part of the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department, are the 897-foot river ride, the lily pad walk, and the two four-story high water slides. Your little ones will love the children's water playground while the older kids head for the lap pool with diving boards. You can join them or make yourself comfortable in one of the lounge chairs that are available on a first-come, first- served basis. Calypso bay has locker rentals, locker rooms with shower facilities, and a full service concession stand.
Info: Ages 12 and older $10, 3 to 11 $8, 1 to 2 $3, 1 and younger free; After 3pm: Adults $8, ages 3 to 11 $6, 1 to 2 free; Season Water Park Passes: Adult and child combo $109, adult pass $70, child pass $55
Hours: June 2 to August 21 10am to 6pm; Weekends Only: August 25 to September 3 10am to 5pm
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Outdoor Fun
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Carlin Park
400 South SR A1A
Jupiter, FL 33447
(561) 966-6631
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Palm Beach County boasts 47 miles of sandy ocean beaches, stretching from Jupiter to Boca Raton. The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department’s Ocean Rescue lifeguards and inflatable rescue boat operators will protect your grandchildren as they swim at a number of oceanfront and inlet parks. And you can’t beat the price: admission to most Palm Beach County-operated beach parks is free (there are parking fees at South Inlet and R. G. Kreusler Parks). A number of coastal cities also offer waterfront parks and guarded beaches, check with the individual municipalities for details.
Info: Free
Hours: Dawn to dusk
Age: Toddler, Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Outdoor Fun
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Anyone who has ever been tempted to jump in a fountain can finally get their wish. Your grandchildren will probably enjoy splashing in the fountain with you! This friendly fountain has become a popular downtown destination for kids of all ages. If you’d prefer to stay dry while the kids dodge through the fountains’ playful spray, you’ll find benches provided around the square.
Info: Free
Hours: Daily 24 hours
Age: Child, Pre-teen, Teen
Local Unique
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