Pasco County, Florida sits in the west central region of the state, with its western most border along the Gulf of Mexico. Located south of Tampa, Pasco County is home to the smaller communities of Dade City, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills. This area is not a crowded tourist destination and offers family fun attractions that feature high-flying action, a walk on the wild side or a real-life tour through Florida a hundred years ago.
Dade City's Wild Things is much more than a typical zoo. As the public arm of Stearns Zoological Rescue & Rehab Center, Wild Things provides the chance to see and learn about exotic creatures, such as bears, cougars, lions, tigers, monkeys and more. Unlike zoos, Wild Things brings education and rehabilitation to the forefront and strives to provide visitors with an enlightening experience with the animals that share our planet.
Wild Things is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and zoo tours run from 9:30 a.m. through 2 p.m. and feature more than 170 animals. Special animal encounters are available for an additional cost following the tour. Comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended since the tours trek through natural paths in a botanical garden setting.
Dade City's Wild Things
37245 Meridian Ave.
Dade City, FL 33525-3719
(352) 567-WILD (9453)
dadecityswildthings.com
The Pioneer Florida Museum and Village gives visitors an inside glimpse of Florida life in an earlier age. The village provides access to eight historical buildings that have been relocated from their original sites and set up at Pioneer Florida to preserve their place in Florida history.
Guests can tour John Overstreet House, a home dating back to the 1860s, the Old Lacoochee School, a one-room school building, the Trilby Depot, which dates back to 1896, as well as other historically significant structures and a working cane syrup mill. The museum is in the process of preserving the Blanton Packing House, a citrus plant that operated in the area for 80 years. Pioneer Florida Museum and Village is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Pioneer Florida Museum and Village
15622 Pioneer Museum Road
Dade City, FL 33523
(352) 567-0262
pioneerfloridamuseum.org
Skydive City caters to beginners and experienced divers alike, offering tandem skydives from over 13,000 feet, accelerated freefall (AFF) dives and training for those wishing to earn their skydiving license. Skydivers must be over 18-years-old to participate, and reservations are required in advance because dives are only scheduled on certain days of the week.
Skydive City
4241 Sky Dive Lane
Zephyrhills, FL 33542-5827
(813) 783-9399
(800) 888-JUMP (5867)
skydivecity.com
