# Visiting Central Florida - Need suggestions



## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

Hey Florida froggers... I'm visiting my "snowbird" parents in the Sebring/Avon Park area (central FL) in a couple of weeks and need some suggestions for cool things to do or see. They are about 1 1/2 hours south of Orlando. 

I would especially like to find great places to get plants, but any ideas are welcome. 

Thanks!


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

Im not sure how close you are to Sarasota area, but you should check out the Tropiflora nursery. It is several football field sized areas of broms and other tropical plants.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 18, 2011)

Make sure to hit some of the local springs! The weather has been great. IDK if the manatees are still hanging out around the springs (they winter near springs, but when it warms up start heading back downriver to the saltwater), but some travel to the springs year-round so it's a good place to look for them. Rainbow springs was one of my favorites as a kid.

There's several big plant nurseries around the Tampa area... Aquatic Plant Depot is one I know of.


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## Reef_Haven (Jan 19, 2011)

Kayaking the Peace River is nice. Just a slow drift really, no whitewater or anything. Stop at some of the gravel bars and you can pick up a few small fossil sharks teeth.


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

flapjax3000 said:


> Im not sure how close you are to Sarasota area, but you should check out the Tropiflora nursery. It is several football field sized areas of broms and other tropical plants.


Thanks! Tropiflora is one of the places I really want to go, but it is about 1 hour 40 mins from my parents house. I'm going to try and talk my Mom into going one day, but... she's kind of stubborn, I might have to ditch them both and go by myself (is that wrong?)


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## flapjax3000 (Jul 4, 2009)

Its worth seeing, hopefully your mom can live without you for a day, but I can understand how stubborn moms can be. Maybe you could find something that she would enjoy as well that is near Tropiflora, perhaps a trip to the beach or a nice dinner on the water.


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> Make sure to hit some of the local springs! The weather has been great. IDK if the manatees are still hanging out around the springs (they winter near springs, but when it warms up start heading back downriver to the saltwater), but some travel to the springs year-round so it's a good place to look for them. Rainbow springs was one of my favorites as a kid.
> 
> There's several big plant nurseries around the Tampa area... Aquatic Plant Depot is one I know of.


Thanks! That would be really cool, I will try to the parents to go over to the Tampa/Sarasota area for a day.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 18, 2011)

Your mom doesn't like any type of gardening? No potted plants, anything like that?


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

Reef_Haven said:


> Kayaking the Peace River is nice. Just a slow drift really, no whitewater or anything. Stop at some of the gravel bars and you can pick up a few small fossil sharks teeth.


I would love to go Kayaking, but that would really be hard to talk the parents into.


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

lauraleellbp said:


> Your mom doesn't like any type of gardening? No potted plants, anything like that?


Noooooo... she can't even keep house plants alive. I don't know what happen to her, we had a pretty good garden growing up (I think Dad did most of the planting though).


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## Paul G (Feb 27, 2007)

I can give you a decent amount of ideas (little nature.....mostly theme parks) in the Orlando area but it sounds like you are staying south.


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

Paul G said:


> I can give you a decent amount of ideas (little nature.....mostly theme parks) in the Orlando area but it sounds like you are staying south.


Thanks Paul... yes I will be about 1 1/2 hours from Orlando. Do you know of any aquariums, arboretums or conservatories in the Orlando area or south?


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## markpulawski (Nov 19, 2004)

Actually that area is less than a hour to Orlando, more like 45 minutes. Within an hour you could be to Tampa, Sarasota or Orlando. Avon Park/Sebring is pretty rural, I would google tropical nursery's central Florida if you are driving hoem and could take some plants back though Tripiflora here is a froggers dream when it comes to plants.


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## AzureFrog (Feb 3, 2009)

markpulawski said:


> Actually that area is less than a hour to Orlando, more like 45 minutes. Within an hour you could be to Tampa, Sarasota or Orlando. Avon Park/Sebring is pretty rural, I would google tropical nursery's central Florida if you are driving hoem and could take some plants back though Tripiflora here is a froggers dream when it comes to plants.


Hum... how fast do you drive? LOL  Mapquest says it's 1 hour & 25 mins and Sarasota is about 1 hour & 40 mins from Avon Park.

I am driving and I would love to take a detour to Tropiflora on the way back, problem is I'm traveling with my two dogs. Yes... I know I'm crazy.


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