Eight Ways to Experience Florida from the Comfort of Your Home

Let’s face it.  We are living in an unprecedented time.  The state of Florida is under a stay at home order, parks are closed, museums are closed, and attractions are closed.  While we can’t get out and enjoy them in person, we can still visit – virtually.

Grab your computer, your phone or your tablet, and experience Florida from the comfort of your home.

Archbold Biological Station

Located in Venus (yes, that’s in Florida), Archbold Biological Station is a research institute that focuses on the environment of the Lake Wales Ridge and parts of Central Florida. Formed in 1941, it encompasses a large area of Florida scrubland.  Normally, the Station is open for visitors, providing a glimpse into its work, from conservation to science to nature and living green, through displays and hiking trails. Guided tours are also available, but at a cost.

For now, those opportunities are not available, so Archbold has created a Discovery Classroom Virtual Field Trip.  This is a free weekly 25-minute virtual field trip and will focus on the following topics:

• April 7: Lake Wales Ridge
• April 14: Hicoria: A Brief History of a Florida Ghost Town
• April 21: Fire
• April 28: Wildflowers

How to participate, register for the classes through Archbold’s website.

Bok Tower

Also located in Central Florida, Bok Tower sits atop Iron Mountain in Lake Wales. Founded by Edward W. Bok, the gardens opened to the public in 1929 and now feature nearly 50 acres of palms, ferns, oaks and other trees. The centerpiece of the gardens is the 205-foot Bok Tower.  Known as the Singing Tower, it houses one of the finest carillons anywhere in the world.  With 60 bells, the tower would normally ring out with concerts every day.

Even though the gardens are closed, Bok Tower is offering regular live concerts from the Tower, as well as virtual walks along the pathways and fun activities like “Name that Tune.”

How to join: Follow Bok Tower Gardens on Facebook and take advantage of all of their activities.

Castillo de San Marcos

One of the state’s top tourist destinations, Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the continental United States.  Made of coquina, the fort was built more than 315 years ago to protect and defend Spain’s claims in the New World.  While walking through the fort is an unforgettable experience, you can still take a tour from home.

How to join:  Click here for the Castillo de San Marcos Virtual Tour, presented by University of South Florida Libraries and the National Park Service.

Central Florida Zoo

The zoo may be closed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get up close and personal with the animals who live there. The Zoo to You is a daily live event featuring a different animal and fun activities for kids. Some of the featured animals so far include porcupines Pancake and Pluto, and giraffes Gage and Rafiki.    Follow along on Facebook every day at 2:00 p.m.  Tune in for Double Feature Friday which presents two live events at noon and 2:00 p.m. If you miss any of the episodes, just scroll through their timeline and watch them all.  You may just make a few new friends!

How to join:  Follow Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens on Facebook.

Gatorland

Gatorland is one of those original Florida theme parks, opening more than 70 years ago.  Its iconic gator mouth welcomes visitors into its 110 acres of alligators, crocodiles, petting zoo, aviary and observation tower.   The park may be closed, but the gators and other wildlife have to be fed.  So, while a limited crew is on site, they are providing daily activities through School of Croc every day at 10:00 a.m. (live on Facebook) and at 5:00 p.m. on their YouTube Channel.  Gatorland plans to provide these live feeds until the park is able to reopen.

How to join:  Follow Gatorland Orlando on Facebook or watch Live at Five on Gatorland’s YouTube channel.

Kennedy Space Center

Situated on Florida’s east coast and just a short drive from Orlando, the Kennedy Space Center offers a glimpse into the past, all while creating a sense of excitement over the future of the space program.  During regular times, visitors can walk among the Rocket Garden, visit the Astronaut Hall of Fame, take a bus tour of NASA property, and stand in awe of the Space Shuttle Atlantis.

Although the Visitor Complex is temporarily closed, KSC is providing daily educational presentations on topics like moon rocks, living and working in space, and building a rocket out of a paper towel roll. In addition to the videos provided on Facebook, there are also virtual learning resources available.

KSC goes live at 9:30 a.m. for younger children and 1:00 p.m. for others.  If you miss any live streams, scroll through their Facebook feed and watch them.  You can also click on the videos tab on their Facebook page to watch additional videos.

How to join:  Follow Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Facebook.

Mount Dora

Mount Dora is one of those charming towns in Florida you can’t help but visit time and again.  With an historic downtown, plenty of activities on the lake, and numerous festivals throughout the year, there is something for just about anyone.  Mount Dora is, as the sign says, someplace special.

While a lot of the activities have been canceled or postponed in Mount Dora, you can still get your daily dose of this quaint little town through a live feed of downtown.  The Lakeside Inn has also been hosting live concerts through their Facebook page.

How to join:  Click on this link to the live feed and Lakeside Inn, Mount Dora on Facebook.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

Majestically reaching 175 feet into the sky, the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in the state, and second tallest masonry lighthouse in the United States, behind the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Unfortunately, you can’t climb the 203 steps to the top right now, but you can participate in the Ponce Inlet Virtual Tour.

These are just a few of the Florida places we have found offering virtual tours or live daily updates on social media.  If you are looking for something specific, try looking them up on Facebook to see if they are offering any virtual tours.  We have discovered more of our favorites are adding live events to keep in touch.  If you see something, please leave a comment along with a link and we will make sure to highlight it on our Facebook page.

Don’t forget we have a checklist of Florida places to visit.  Print it out and start making plans on where you want to go once this passes.  We even left some blanks for you to fill in your own.

Florida Travels_Checklist

Stay safe.  Stay at home.