Tallahassee Offers 10 Enriching Experiences For Under $10
Thursday, June 24 at 12:50 AM
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Offering 10 diverse activities for under $10, Tallahassee provides visitors with budget- friendly, enriching experiences. From spotting manatees year-round at Wakulla Springs State Park and strolling through the preserved antebellum plantation home at Goodwood Museum & Gardens to exploring ancient Indian Mounds at Lake Jackson and observing more than 160 bird species at the Birdsong Nature Center, Tallahassee offers historic and adventurous recreation for travelers of all ages and levels of exploration. Visitors enjoy Tallahassee’s changing seasons while embarking on a vacation full of big memories at a small cost(www.VisitTallahassee.com).
10 Activities Under $10
Things to Do and Places to See in Tallahassee, Florida’s Capital City
Birdsong Nature Center
In the 1800’s the land now known as Birdsong was originally a plantation. Now the area features 565 acres of meadows, forests, ponds and swamps and is home to more than 160 species of birds. The fall migration occurs every October for migratory birds and visitors view the rare birds through a floor to ceiling Bird Window located in a historic farmhouse. The center also features wildflower meadows that bloom in September and October, 12 miles of nature trails for hiking, the Butterfly Garden for observing the insects’ life cycle and the Listening Place for meditating with the sounds of nature. $5/Adults, $2.50/Children.
Dorothy B. Oven Park
Located amidst more than six acres of lush gardens, Dorothy B. Oven Park was originally awarded to General Marquis de Lafayette in 1824 by the United States Congress before being donated to the City of Tallahassee by Will J. Oven, Jr. in 1985. During the holidays and through New Years, Dorothy B. Oven Park features more than 250,000 lights. Visitors drive or stroll through the park listening to holiday tunes and enjoying the magic of the season. FREE.
Downtown Get Down
Every Friday before a home game, college football enthusiasts celebrate with the Downtown Get Down. College Avenue and Adams Street turn into a lively street party full of food, drinks, live music and crafts enjoyed by Seminole and Rattler fans of all ages. FREE.
Goodwood Museum & Gardens
Built circa 1840, this expansive antebellum plantation home is perfectly preserved as it was in the years surrounding World War I. The main house showcases some of the earliest fresco ceilings in Florida and features a unique collection of art and furnishings that reflect a variety of eras, Travelers are encouraged to step outside the home and also view the significant horticultural features of the property including an extensive collection of Old Garden Roses, heirloom bulbs and centuries-old live oak trees and magnolias. $5/per person, FREE/Children 3 and under.
John G. Riley Center & Museum of African American History & Culture
Born into slavery, John G. Riley defied the times by learning to read and write, later pursuing his dreams of becoming a teacher and prominent Tallahasseean. Exhibits at the John G. Riley Center & Museum of African American History & Culture feature historical artwork and photographs depicting life in Tallahassee and Florida from 1865 to 1968. $2/Adults, $1/Children.
Knott House Museum
The emancipation of slavery marks an important time in U.S. history and Tallahassee’s Knott House played an integral role as a temporary headquarters for the Union in 1865. During this time the Emancipation Proclamation was read aloud on the front porch by Brigadier General Edward McCook. Senator William Knott and his wife Lula acquired the house in 1928, which is now known as “The House that Rhymes” after Lula’s poetry about the beautiful home and its regal furnishings. FREE.
Lake Jackson Indian Mounds
The area around Tallahassee’s Lake Jackson was once inhabited by Native Americans more than eight centuries ago. Today the area is know as the Lake Jackson Mounds Archeological State Park and features six earthen temple mounds and one mound that is thought to be a burial mound. Visitors can picnic in a grassy area near the most prominent mound, standing 36 feet high, or explore the pre-Columbian artifacts found at the Indian mounds, including copper necklaces, bracelets, anklets and breastplates. $3/Per vehicle, $2/Walk-in/bicycle.
Lemoyne Center for Visual Arts
With a mission to promote and advance education, interest and participation in the visual arts, LeMoyne Center for Visual Arts is a cornerstone in the Tallahassee arts scene. Providing exhibitions, year round classes and arts-related events, the Center is a driving force in advancing the arts in the Big Bend area. This holiday season, experience “It is a Wonderful World,” the Lemoyne Gallery’s annual holiday show and sale featuring handmade artwork and ornaments, taking place November 25 through December 31, 2010. $1/Adults, FREE/Children.
Museum of Florida History
The Museum of Florida History, located downtown in the R. A. Gray Building, is the official state history museum and focuses on eras unique to the growth and development of the 27th state. The museum chronicles the history of early to present-day Florida through more than 40,000 artifacts and permanent exhibits. At the entrance, a nine-foot-tall, pre-historic mastodon skeleton (named Herman) pulled from nearby Wakulla Springs State Park stands guard as the Museum’s official mascot and serves as a welcome for visitors about to embark on a tour of the state’s history. FREE.
Wakulla Springs
Exhilarating 70-degree waters flow through one of the world’s deepest freshwater springs at Wakulla Springs State Park, where wildlife and visitors alike come together to take a refreshing plunge. Snorkeling and swimming in these crystal waters yields natural encounters best described as up close and personal, from tiny turtles’ heads occasionally breaking through the surface to mammoth manatees – whose looks provide a hint of prehistoric ancestry. Below the surface, an extensive cave and tunnel system is an underwater archaeological site housing fossilized remains, including ancient mastodon bones visible from 80 feet above on the park’s signature glass bottom boat. $6/Per vehicle, $1/Pedestrian.
Tallahassee’s storied past creates many fun-filled learning opportunities for visitors where they can enjoy a trip full of stimulating activities without emptying their wallets. A fusion of cosmopolitan flair and charming personality defines the spirit of Tallahassee, Florida’s Capital City – where it all comes together for visitors. Stretching along the Florida Panhandle, Tallahassee is a place where college town meets cultural center, politics meets performing arts and history meets nature – a place where the vibrancy of what to do is matched only by the city’s inviting hospitality. Additional visitor information is available from Visit Tallahassee at www.VisitTallahassee.com or (800) 628-2866.
