We've been talking about doing something different for a while, because when we have a day off to do what we want, we typically just resort to sitting around the house and watching tv, playing video games, or just lounging around. This time, we decided to adventure outside a little bit.
We've always talked about going to McKee Botanical Gardens in Vero Beach, that are local to where we live, and we intended to go a few weeks ago for Valentine's Day (since it was a Monday, we were unable to go because they were closed). Although it's $15 per person over the age of 2, we still decided that it's better than just sitting around the house all day, as per usual.
What we didn't know was that they are currently showcasing a dinosaur exhibit until the 1st of May, which is very convenient because, as it happens, Myles LOVES dinosaurs; his favorite thing is mimicking how they sound. They were spread out across the property, but every time he saw one, he would take off running towards it to get a better look. He had so much fun.
Aside from the dinosaur exhibit, there was so much more to see while we were there. There's various types of plants, trees, bushes, flowers, etc., that you'll be to see during your visit. It's such a big property, and you're able to take your time viewing everything there is to see. It's shaded too, so you're able to stray away from the Florida sun while you're already out in the Florida heat!
"The mission of McKee Botanical Garden is to nurture and enhance a historic garden in a unique tropical setting for the education, enjoyment and enrichment of all.
The mission of the Children's Garden at McKee is to create a fun and whimsical outdoor destination that inspires imagination and curiosity in children through interaction, education and exploration. The garden will nurture a powerful bond between children and nature."
A little history about the property itself (although I will also link the website here if you're interested); the founders of the gardens were Arthur McKee and Waldo Sexton, and they purchased the property in 1922. It's an 80-acre piece of land, and both McKee and Sexton initially wanted to use the land to cultivate citrus; however, they decided that the piece of property was too special to go and disturb the beauty that it held, so they decided to just tweak it a little, and make it accessible to the public. In just about 15 years, they already had about 100,000 people visiting them each year at the gardens, where they are able to view different species of plants and animals from all over.
My personal favorite part of the experience was the ‘Grand Central’ Stickwork Sculpture, page linked here. It's exactly what it sounds like, just a giant bundle of arches made out of sticks. It makes the area more shaded, and also makes it feel a bit more whimsical and artsy, versus just having a bunch of trees around the area (which some can learn to appreciate as well).
If you're every in the Vero Beach area, I highly recommend going to visit the McKee Botanical Gardens. Or, if you simply want to donate to them, you're able to do that as well through their website, which is linked up above OR you can check out my resources page too!
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