1. Kidsmart Museum Shop
City: Watson Island, FL
Category: Shopping
Telephone: (305) 373-5437
Address: 980 MacArthur Causeway at the Miami Chil
Description: This is an obvious go-to choice for those who need gifts for children year-round. Skip the video games and instead find educational and creative gifts like gourmet cooking sets, solar powered calculators, musical instruments, and arts and crafts items.
2. Miami Children’S Museum
City: Watson Island, FL
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (305) 373-5437
Address: 980 MacArthur Causeway
Description: Expect to find multiple colorful, interactive, and bilingual exhibitions within this educational museum. To name just a few of the activities provided here, children can explore a two-story “Castle of Dreams,” gaze into a 900-gallon marine tank “Ocean Odyssey,” or take a rock climbing challenge on “Mt. MiChiMu.” Open Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
3. Miami Children’S Museum
City: Watson Island, FL
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (305) 373-5437
Address: 980 MacArthur Causeway
Description: Permanent exhibits include hands-on activities such as a supermarket, veterinary clinic, bank, and health and wellness center. An art center allows kids to engage with their creative side and new galleries and exhibitions are regularly featured.
4. Jungle Island
City: Watson Island, FL
Category: Tours & Attractions
Telephone: (305) 400-7275
Address: 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail
Description: Austrian immigrant Franz Scherr decided he wanted to start his own jungle where birds would “fly free,” so he rented 20 acres of hammock land and ordered 25 macaws from Texas. In 1936, Scherr officially opened what was then called Parrot Jungle and charged 25 cents for admission. While the price may have gone up slightly, Jungle Island still upholds Scherr’s belief in a place where birds fly free. The island is now home to 1,100 tropical birds, 2,000 varieties of plants and flowers, and a range of exotic wildlife including chimpanzees, kangaroos, and penguins. Check the website to learn more about specific shows and exhibits. In the summer months, visitors can relax at La Playa, Jungle Island’s private beach. Parents can enjoy a refreshing Playa Colada while kids play on the beach’s water slide and bounce house. Jungle Island also has a ballroom that is often used for private events and weddings. Open Mon through Fri from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat and Sun from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.