There are a number of small islands off the mainland coast of Florida. Located just north of Melbourne is the largest of these islands and on the southern tip of this island you will find Merritt Island. With the Indian and Banana Rivers located on either side, it is most well known as the location of NASA’s space launch program but it is also home to the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Established in 1963, the Refuge is 140,000 acres in size and provides habitat to over 1,500 plant and animal species. The land was originally acquired by NASA for the building of the Kennedy Space Center and other related facilities but much of the land wasn’t used and was eventually turned over to the Department of Interior.
Approximately twenty miles of the thirty-five mile refuge is open to the public to enjoy the local beauty and wildlife. The Refuge provides habitat for migratory birds, endangered and threatened species, along with an additional array of rare wildlife species. With upwards of 500 wildlife species and over 1,000 species of plants, it is no wonder it is called the “most unique wildlife refuge” and is full of things to do and see. The roads, trails, and boat ramps within the refuge are open daily from sunrise to sunset and the Visitor Information Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4pm.
When you think of Orlando, thoughts of DisneyWorld and Universal Studios may be the first thing that come to mind. Along with those visions are kids, lots of them! While children are wonderful more often than not, a nice time out at an adult only venue can be just what the doctor ordered. Look no further than Mama’s Comedy Show, a comedy improv show for a mature audience and Sleuths Presents: Standup Comedy Nights! Both are located just east of Disney and south of Universal on International Drive in Orlando at the Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theater.
Modeled after “Whose Line Is It Anyway” with the audience acting as an active participant, every Mama’s Comedy Show is different and promises to be a good time. Admission is just $10 and shows are Fridays at 10pm. Reservations, while not necessary, are recommended to ensure you and your party will get seated. Calling themselves a family, there are twelve members involved with Mama’s. They have been performing for four years and have earned rave reviews from their audiences. With comments like “A+ super funny,” “wicked fantastic show,” and “soooooo funny” it is a sure bet for a great night.
I have been approached lately with the issue of oral modifications made outside the main written lease/rental agreement and what impact they have on the lease/rental agreement. Are they valid? Are they enforceable? If the landlord doesn’t live up to his end of the oral modification, do I have any recourse? What do I do? […]
If you are getting bored of the beautiful sunrises over the water, amazing beaches, and fabulous restaurants that can be found in and around Melbourne, hop in the car and drive just 35 miles north on I-95. Here you will find the Ace of Hearts Ranch, providing eco-tours on horseback!
The Ranch is available for riders age 10 and up. Visitors get the chance to ride and explore a forest trail. Open daily, the Ranch’s hours are 8am to 5pm, Monday through Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 5pm. Rides are one hour in length and cost $30 per person. Reservations need to be made ahead of time to ensure the availability of the horses. Private rides are also available for up to four riders. Reviews from visitors have been wholly positive with the Ranch scoring five stars on Yelp. According to previous riders the horses are “well mannered” and “taken care of” and the experience was great, enjoyable, and relaxing. One reviewer even reported their ride lasting longer than the hour advertised making it well worth the cost.
With the longest coastline of all of the fifty states (1,350 miles), Florida has no shortage of water sports and activities to participate in. One the oldest and still most exhilarating of these is surfing. Luckily, with just a short ride over to Melbourne or Cocoa Beach, those who want to learn how to hang ten have an array of surfing schools to check out that will get you up on a board and riding waves in no time. Keep on reading to find out a little bit more on some of the best surf schools in the Melbourne area.
SurfGuys Surf School, in business since 1997, conducts its classes on Cocoa Beach and Melbourne Beach. Lessons are offered for both adults and children (ages 6 and up) by the hour or as week long camps. With the hourly lessons, you can choose to have private instruction or classes of up to three persons. For the really adventurous, Surfguys also participates in Costa Rica surfing vacations for 7 days of surfing in the warm beautiful waters, beginners through advanced are welcome!
Money is tight these days. Our economy has young families pinching their pennies. Save, save, save is the name of the game which is easier said than done. Saving money means spending what was once wild, carefree Friday and Saturday nights at home with only the television for entertainment. It gets old, but what other […]
What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July, then to remember where it all began. 1776 is performing July 4th thru July 14th at the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse. 1776 is a musical play depicting the lives of our famous founding fathers during the tumultuous year of 1776. It takes the audience back in […]
The Maxwell C. King Center for the performing arts is owned by Brevard Community College and is located on the Melbourne campus at the corner of Post Road and Wickham Road. The facility was built in 1988 and is 100,000 square foot in size with six stories. The building holds both the main theatre with […]
If you have been looking for a way to beat the rising temperatures, look no further than a visit to the Foosaner Art Museum of Florida Institute of Technology. Located in the Eau Gallie Arts District, the Foosaner Museum opened its doors in 1978. The Museum’s permanent collection includes over 3,000 pieces of art that […]
