The west coast for Florida is located on the Gulf of Mexico and is home to such major metropolitan cities as Tampa, St. Petersburg and Naples. Because of this, people from all over come to experience the area's warm whether, picturesque beaches and other major attractions. The area offers an array of cultural and family fun that will appeal to any type of person.
The Museum of Fine Arts is located in St. Petersburg, which is in the central region of the west coast of Florida. The art museum offers the largest amount of work that spans the longest period of time of anywhere on the west coast of Florida. It shows a variety of mediums, from painting and photography to installation and performance art. It also offers a variety of art education programs and classes for all age groups. The Discovery Hour, for example, allows children every third Saturday of the month to go on a treasure hunt throughout the museum. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday and costs $16 for adults, $14 for 65 and older, $10 for college students with current ID and youths 7 to 18, and free for children 6 and younger.
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Drive Northeast
St Petersburg, FL 33701
727-896-2667
fine-arts.org
Busch Gardens is located roughly 40 miles northwest of the art museum in Tampa. Busch Gardens combines the rides and action of an adventure park with the outdoor adventure and animals of a zoo. The Shelkra, for example, is a floor-less dive roller coaster that lifts the riders up 200 feet off the ground then drops them straight down. The Jungala part of the park allows visitors to play tug-of-war with a tiger and explore the play area filled with mazes, crawl tubes and ropes. The park is open 10 to 6 and features varieties of shows all throughout the day.
Busch Gardens
10001 N McKinley Dr
Tampa, FL 33612
buschgardens.com
813-987-5660
Naples is located in the southern region of Florida's west coast. One major attraction of the area is the Naples Botanical Gardens, which is on the south side of the city and offers 170 acres of some of most tropical and rare plants around. The grounds are separated by an eclectic mix of gardens including the Asian, Florida, Brazilian and Children's Garden that features whimsical sculptures of insects and animals. Naples Botanical Gardens also offers community outreach benefits, hosts special events and even offers a variety of educational programs to both adults and children.
Naples Botanical Gardens
4820 Bayshore Dr
Naples, FL 34112
239-643-7275
naplesgarden.org
