By Gabriela Caminero, Staff Writer
Spring break is a week of memorable experiences: going out with friends, having together time with the family, or just relaxing for a week. Usually these types of fun come with a cost; however, it does not always have to be a pricey experience. There are many alternatives that people can take to enjoy their week while remaining on a budget or staying nearby. The Dade City and Tampa Bay area have many economical places people can go and have an enjoyable experience.
In the Dade City area, there is the 16 acre Pioneer Florida Museum. It is a place that examines and illustrates the state’s history. The main museum is housed in a 50 by 100 foot steel building which features a wide rustic front porch, with the addition of a medical room. Also on the grounds stands the restored Overstreet House, a one room school house from Lacooche, a church from Enterprise, the Trilby depot, and a train engine. On display are tools of the Florida Pioneer Man, showing how he built his house, made his furniture, plowed his fields and harvested his crops. In the Overstreet House, there are furnishings which reflect the Florida Pioneer Woman’s everyday experience. What is the motif of this museum? To show how the men and women before us struggled, made do, and won and lost battles with nature. This experience will cost $35 per family for a yearly membership. Once you pay that one prince you are allowed entrance for a whole year to all of the many events held on the ground museum such as the Pioneer Florida Days Festival, Farm Festival and Quilt Show and Country Christmas. This membership also entitles you to a nameplate on their Life Membership Recognition Board. Not many people think of attending museums as something to do during spring break; however, it is a fun learning experience and a chance to do something new.
For all the animal lovers out there, there is the Dade City Wild Things Zoo. Dade City Wild Things is an ecotourism zoo that gives their guest the opportunity to get up close to the animals on their guided Sunken Jungle Trek and Jungle Safari Rides, along with personal encounters with animals such as animal cubs and monkeys. They have many attractions that allow them to get up close with the animals. The Sunken Jungle Tour is a group guide that will escort them through their botanical gardens on an educational tour. People will have the opportunity to come face to face with big cats and primates as well as macaws, bears and diverse animals from all around the world. Another interesting attraction is the Jungle Safari Ride. The guests get to on a guided trek in a motorized tram through their new expansion project. People have to opportunity to see rare animals such as a white tiger and the Barbary lion, which is now extinct in the wild. This experience will cost about $23 per person.
In the Tampa Bay area there is a wider variety of things to do. For people who are 21 or older there is the Yuengling Tampa Brewery. Here is a place that you could discover the taste of the Yuengling beer and witness how it is brewed and bottled. This is considered America’s oldest brewery which uses modern technology to brew fine bear in a time-honored tradition. The brewery offers tours which are open to the public free of charge. They will share the history of brewery and detailed information involving the brewing process. All ages are welcome but only those who are 21 or older are allowed to sample.
Lastly, there is the Manatee Viewing Center at the Big Bend Power Station. Big Bend has delivered reliable electricity to the Apollo Beach community in the Tampa area for 16 years. In the year of 1986 people started seeing manatees in large numbers in the power stations discharge canal, and that’s how the Manatee Viewing Center was born. Inside he Manatee Viewing Center’s environment education building there are colorful displays of the world of the manatees and their habitat. Others show how the Big Bend Power station generates electricity for the community in an environmentally way. Outside, people could stroll among the award-winning butterfly gardens and Florida-friendly landscaping and see solar panels. It’s the largest installation among Tampa Electric’s photovoltaic arrays in the community. A variety of native and costal plant life will also be surrounding the property. Admission and parking to this beautiful facility is free.
Based upon reviews, these are only a few of the many attractions available to the public which people have had good experiences in. But what about the people who prefer to spent time indoors and want to do more than just surf the web or sleep all day?
Cook-outs are lots of fun, especially when inviting family and friends over, and can be a very economical thing to do. When inviting guests, give everybody a certain dish to bring to the cookout so that perhaps the only items that need to be purchased are meat. Add some music and a nice spring day and that would be a perfect day of calm entertainment. People laughing, eating and spending time together is an excellent way to spend a day out of the break.
Board games are also a good activity to do at home. Most people already own a board game or two so the supplies are all going to be there; however, if that person does not have any or they prefer another one, board games range in all prices, from $10 to $50. This gives the buyer a flexible option when purchasing it. Board games are cheap and last anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours depending on the game. After a game, finishing the day with a box of pizza or a home cooked meal ends the day nicely.
If complete relaxation and laziness is the goal, then a few $1.50 movies from Redbox complete the day. Close all the windows and doors, buy a few easy to cook meals and spend a few hours watching some movies.
