Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens -- a free trip to the sugar mill and dinosaurs

We were in search of a free place to spend a few hours near Daytona Beach last week. We found it at the Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens in Port Orange, Volusia County.

Here, the ruins of the Dunlawton Sugar Mill and the remnants of Bongoland, a Florida attraction of yesteryear that featured concrete dinosaurs, can be found amongst gardens and walking trails.


Among the ruins of the sugar mill.

Below, a small box turtle makes its way through the outdoor chapel, a popular site for weddings.


We spent a few hours at the gardens, our visit cut short by a sudden downpour. This is not the place to be if it's raining. While there is a gazebo, and the sugar mill exhibit is covered, most of the attraction involves outdoor walking trails.


When you visit, pick up a self-guided tour brochure at the volunteer station. The brochure lists all the sights and exhibits in the gardens. Kiosks and plaques also are spread out throughout the gardens and sugar mill to identify the exhibit or explain the history of the gardens and sugar mill.

Some of the dinosaurs from Bongoland are still embedded in the scenery of the gardens, thrilling my child. There's also a lot of interesting history to learn about the place, and even my 7-year-old liked it. I had a difficult time trying to convince him we couldn't finish our tour in the rain.

Don't go expecting a lot -- the walking trails are simple, and the cement dinosaurs are not painted. But admission is free, and it's a fun place to wander, away from the touristy attractions. There is a donations box in the front near the entrance, but no one stands over you so you feel guilty if you don't put money in the box. Volunteers maintain the park.

The Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens is located at 950 Old Sugar Mill Road, Port Orange. For details, call (386) 767-1735.

Free environmental movies this weekend

Saw this blog post by Kevin Mims of VisitFlorida.com about the free Wildlife and Scenic Festival on tour in Franklin County Aug. 27-28 and in Apalachicola Sept. 3-4. The event features free environmental movies.

Check the blog for times and locations.

Free Friday Five -- Five free things to do in Florida

Welcome to Friday -- here are five free things to do in Florida

1. DeSoto National Park, Bradenton
2. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville
3. Old Dillard Museum, 1009 NW 4 St., Fort Lauderdale First African-American school in Broward County.
4. Manatee Village Historical Park, 1404 Manatee Ave E., Bradenton
5. Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland

Check back for more details on these places later!

Florida residents save big money on Disney hotels through Oct. 2

Walt Disney World is offering 42 percent off its resort hotels for Florida residents through Oct. 2. Here is a way to have a fun, inexpensive weekend, even if you don't have Disney tickets.

Stay at the resort and spend your time at the themed pools and on-site activities at the hotel. Disney hotel guests can take a bus to other resorts and use those facilities as well. For $100 or less, families can spend a weekend at a Disney hotel enjoying the pool, taking a ride on the monorail or participating at the Sing-A-Long at Fort Wilderness. Bring your own food -- some hotels have microwaves and refrigerators -- and pretend you're on vacation.

You can also spend the day at the Disney Village Marketplace, also free.

For non-residents, value season begins Oct. 2.

Summertime coming to an end; now weekend daytrips our only option

As Florida schools begin the new year, families get out of summer vacation mode and into a regular routine of school, homework, dinner, bed, repeat. That includes our family. Luckily, we live in a state where it is sunny and warm most of the time, so taking a daytrip or weekend getaway isn't that difficult.

But now I'll be looking for a day trip for the weekends. I hate staying home on the weekends, even though there is plenty of cleaning to do at the house. I would rather hit the road and make memories than beds.

Any ideas for a great weekend getaway for the fall in Florida? Let me know, and I'll share my thoughts. Day tripping doesn't have to stop when summer ends. In fact, for Florida, it's just the beginning of great weather!

Free Friday Five -- Five Free Things To Do In Florida

Welcome to Friday! Here are five free things to do in Florida:

1. Visit Florida Southern College, Lakeland. Enthusiasts of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture will see several buildings designed by the famous architect. After, you can walk along the adjacent Lake Hollingsworth. Guided tours cost $15 for adults, but you can take a free self-guided tour of the Child of the Sun Visitor Center.

2. The Dinosaur Store, Cocoa Beach. It's a gift shop for sure. But it's an interesting place to look around to see fossils and unique items. It's almost like a museum. The store has an adventure zone in the back for kids, but that costs money. You don't have to visit the adventure zone to enjoy looking at this unique store.

3. While in Cocoa Beach, check out the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop. It's two floors of beach, surf and souvenirs. It's free to look around.

4. Ron's Miniature Shop, 751 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando. A fun place to see dollhouse displays and everything you need to furnish one. Warning: Many of these items are breakable. Watch children when visiting.

5. The Airport. My dad would be so pleased. Yeah, it may seem hokey, but the airports in Tampa and Orlando are more than just a place to catch a flight. They're filled with little shops, exhibits and plenty of opportunities for people-watching. Security won't let you get close to the gates, but the airport is still a cool place to spend a few hours. Granted, this one isn't completely free -- you still have to pay for parking.

Free classic movies in Stuart

This isn't a daytrip, but if you are in Stuart this weekend, the Lyric Theater is showing free classic movies. On Saturday, Stephen Bogart -- son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall -- will give a free presentation after the showing of The Treasure of Sierra Madre, starring his famous father.

Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and "Psycho" are showing on Sunday.

The theater is showing free movies, such as "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gone With the Wind," throughout the month.

The Lyric Theater is located at 59 SW Flagler Ave., Stuart, FL 34994. For information, call (772) 286-7827.

How to make a Florida day trip less expensive

If you are planning to spend the day in the theme parks in Orlando or Tampa, keep these tips in mind:

- Bring a small cooler bag filled with water and sandwiches. Bringing your own bottles of water will save you a lot while you tour the theme parks in the hot Florida sun. Water is something you can't do without in Florida. You just don't have to blow your budget on water. Bringing your own food also saves, especially when a simple burger costs more than $3 at most places. Most theme parks won't give you are hard time if you bring a cooler small enough to stow in a stroller or carriage. They might balk, however, if you try to bring in one of those mega-coolers.

-- Stay away from the gift shop. This is difficult to do when rides empty out into the gift shop filled with themed toys and gifts for children. But try to steer the kids away from the overpriced merchandise and on the rides. Spending 20 minutes in the gift shop not only will take you away from experiencing the theme park, but will empty your wallet.

-- Shop around at the hotels. You're in Florida for the theme parks and attractions, so you'll spend little time at the hotel. There are plenty of clean, inexpensive hotels around. Many offer free breakfasts. Remember to pack sandwich bags before leaving home -- there is nothing wrong with grabbing an extra couple of pieces of bread, peanut butter and jelly at the breakfast bar and packing it for lunch.

-- Don't fall for the timeshare tour. They're usually found in hotel lobbies and promise free tickets to theme parks and shows. I've never actually gone on one of these tours, but I have heard they are a big waste of time (unless you really are in the market for a timeshare.)

-- Don't sweat the small stuff. Remember you are on vacation. If you don't go on every ride in the Magic Kingdom or Universal Studios, it's not a travesty. The important thing is to build memories!