Here in Pinellas County, you can wander by gators, see pink spoonbills and herons, visit seabird sanctuaries and get up close to manatees. How much better does it get than to be close to Mother Nature?
Take a walk on the wild side at these preserves, parks, zoos, aquariums and other natural wonders. The county and city parks are amazing. Have you been to Sawgrass or Boca Ciega Millenium Park? How about John Taylor or Walsingham? Biked or walked the Pinellas Trail? Pick one and explore.
For some family fun, take advantage of the many water adventures, from boat tours to water parks. And if you find a sand dollar or see a sea horse, you’re a lucky Paradise denizen.
ECO: PRESERVES, ZOOS & AQUARIUMS
Boyd Hill Nature Preserve 1101 Country Club Way S, St. Petersburg 727.893.7326Tram Tours Saturdays, Guided Tours, Classes www.stpeteparksrec.org/boyd-hill.html
- February 4 – 4th Annual Raptor Fest
Brooker Creek Preserve 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs 727.453.6800www.brookercreekpreserve.org
- January 14 – Intro to Plant Identification
- 21 – Tree Planting Imperative
- 21 – Spiders – Saturday Youth Program
- 28 – Capture the Moment – Photography
- February 4 – Frogs
- 4 – Star Party
- 11 – Intro to Outdoor Survival
- 18 – Invasive Plants of Pinellas
Clearwater Marine Aquarium 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater 727.441.1790 www.SeeWinter.com Rescue, Rehab and Release Home of Winter and Hope, stars ofDolphin Tale I & IIMonthly You Tube Program
Egmont Key Shuttle Hubbard’s Marina, Ft. DeSoto Co. Park $20 RSVP; 727.867.6569 www.hubbardsmarina.com/egmont 727.893.2627 www.egmontkey.info
Florida Aquarium 701 Channelside Drive, Tampa 813.273.4000 www.flaquarium.org
Fort De Soto Park, Tierre Verde 727.552.1862 www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm
- Guided Nature Walks – Sat & Sun
- January 29 – Chilly Willy Duathlon
Lowry Park Zoo 1101 West Sligh Ave., Tampa One mile west of I-275 (exit 48) 813.935.8552 www.lowryparkzoo.com events line 813.935.8552, ext. 276
- February TBA – Dinos Alive Coming
Mote Aquarium 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota 941.388.4441 www.mote.org: Science, Education, Aquarium
- January 20 – Marine Science Film Festival
- February 1 – Teen Science Café
- 8 – Coffee with a Scientist
- 11 – Coastal Cleanup
St. Petersburg Audubon Society 727.753.9731 www.stpeteaudubon.org: 101+ Years Conservation
- Meets 3rd Tuesday of each month
- First Saturday of month Boyd Hill Bird Walk
- January 12 – Fort DeSoto
- 15 – Painting with a Twist Fundraiser
- 17 – Peruvian Amazon
- 21 -Possum Branch Preserve
- February 4 – Boyd Hill
- 4 – 4th Annual Raptor Fest
- 11 – Great Backyard Bird Count
- 18 – Tour Circle B Bar Ranch
St. Petersburg Shell Club 9100 113th St. North, Seminole727.867.6861 www.stpeteshellclub.org2nd Fri, 6:30 pm (except June, July, Aug. & Dec.), Seminole Recreation
Seaside Seabird Sanctuary 18328 Gulf Blvd, Indian Shores 727.391.6211 ww.seabirdsanctuary.com Largest non-profit wild bird hospital sanctuary FREE. Donations accepted. Tours.
Weedon Island Preserve 727.453.6500, St. Petersburg 1800 Weedon Drive NE www.weedonislandpreserve.org
- January 14 – Birds of Prey
- 19 – Archaeology Lecture Series
- 20 – Going Coastal Bird Hike
- 21 – Paddle the Preserve
- 27 – Volunteer Archaeology Lab
- 28 – Archaeology Works – Food
- 28 – More than a Movie – Fierce Green Fire
- 29 – Nature by the Book
- February 10 – Volunteer Archaeology Lab
- 11 – Great Weedon Bird Quest
- 16 – Archaeology Lecture Series
- 17 – Going Coastal – Salt Pond Hike
- 18 – Identifying Non-Marine Turtles
ON THE WATER
Dolphin Landings Charter Boat Center Located behind Dolphin Village 4737 Gulf Blvd., St Pete Beach 727.360.7411 www.dolphinlandings.com: Sailing, Fishing, Motor Cruising, Sunset Sails.
Shell Key Shuttle & Sunset Cruises 801 Pass-A-Grille Way, Merry Pier, 727.360.1348 www.shellkeyshuttle.com: Dog friendly cruises on special dates.
Adult Basic Sailing School Boca Ciega Yacht Club, Not-for-profit Sailing Club 727.345.7544. www.sailbcyc.org
Boating Skills / Seamanship USCG Safe Boating Program Flotilla #72, 9 Classes. Tues. 7:30 – 9:30 pm 1300 Beach Blvd. SE, St. Petersburg (US Coast Guard Base) 727.898.1324 Jim www.uscgaux.info
USCG Safe Boating Program U.S. Coast Guard Aux Flotilla #78, 13-week continuous Program: Tuesdays, 7 pm, Warren Webster Comm. Ctr, 1500 Pass-A-Grille Way, St. Pete Bch. Take up to 2 years to finish. $45, $60 couple. Contact: Jim 727.360.4846, Warren 727.321.7801
- January 17 – Boat Safety
- 24 – Intro to Navigation
- 31 – Powering Your Boat
- February 7 – Lines and Knots
- 14 – Weather
- 21 – Your Boat’s Radio
St. Petersburg Sail & Power Squadron St. Petersburg Sailing Center, 250 2nd Ave. SE, St Petersburg Demens Landing, 727-550-1811 www.boating-stpete.org: American Boating CourseFree to attend, $40 materials per family. 7 week course. Mon’s 7 – 9 pm.
- Thursdays – Junior Navigation
- January 17 – Seamanship
FERRIES
Cross-Bay Ferry: Connecting Downtown Tampa ( Convention Center ) to Downtown St. Petersburg ( Vinoy Basin ) beside St. Petersburg Museum of History. $10 each way – Residents can receive a free roundtrip ticket for participating in survey on website www.crossbayferry.com
Tampa Bay Ferry & Taxi Service: Services 9 stops throughout Madeira Beach, St. Petersburg (Jungle Prada) and Treasure Island. Currently running Fridays & Saturdays. $20 all day fare. www.tampabayferry.com
NATURE
Florida Botanical Gardens 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo 727.582.2100 www.flbg.org : Free. Friendly dogs welcome on leash. Open daily Welcome Center is Closed weekends & County Holidays
- February 14 – Valentine’s Day Group Wedding
Florida West Coast Orchid Society 12175 125th St N, Largo. 727.460.4606 Free. www.fwcos.org2nd Thurs, 7:30 pm, Visitors welcome. Educational class, Cooperative Extension (Botanical Gardens).
Garden Club St. Petersburg 500 Sunset Dr. S, St. Petersburg Diane Shafer, shaferd2@gmail.com or 727.347.6649. www.gardenclubstpetersburg.org
- January 12 – Horticulture Seminar
- 18 – Horticulture Extravaganza
- 21 – Junior Garden Club
- 24 – Jungle Circle – Herbs – Thyme
- 26 – Card and Game Party w/ Lunch
Ikebana International Chapter 65, St. Petersburg meetings 3rd Monday – 10 am – 2 pm,(Sept. to May) Chapel On The Hill Church – Evans Hall, 12601 Park Blvd., Seminole. Ikebana – centuries old art of Japanese floral arranging. Info: 727.729.9445www.ikebanastpetersburg.com
- January 19 – Meeting and Program
- 20 – Workshop – Wafu Style
- February 13 – Art Deco
- 18, 19 – Sunken Gardens Exhibition
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens 811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota 941.366.5731 www.selby.org
- Mondays – Yoga in the Garden
- January 8 – 28 – Rainforest Masks of Costa Rica Exhibit
- 9 – Borucan Mask Painting
- 11 – Borucan Masks, Native Artists and the Role of Fair Trade in Protecting Resources
- 20 – Orchids 101
- 20 – Lunch in the Garden Series
- February 1 – Visual Poetry
- 2 – 4 – Zen Watercolors
- 7 – Singing in the Gardens
- 11 – The Orchid Ball
- 13 – The Color of Dreams
- 15 – Flower Fantasy
- 15 – Chagall Nights
- 18 – Chagall Family Saturdays
Sunken Gardens 1825 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg 727.892.5715 www.sunkengardens.org: Adult and Child Horticultural Workshops
- January 14 – Arbor Day Celebration
- 14 – Tree Talk and Stroll
- 28 – Succulent Centerpiece Workshop