www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
to;open;in;July;2014,;complete;with;a;new
habitat for a rescued sea turtle—the only
one that students can meet in a 100-mile
radius. Check construction progress at
www.navarrebeachseaturtles.org.
Navarre Beach Marine Sanctuary
and Artificial Reefs
Designed;for;both;snorkeling;and;diving,
the park includes two reefs in Santa Rosa
Sound and one in the Gulf of Mexico.
Informational kiosks stand at the beach
near each reef. Learn more at www
. navarrebeachmarinesanctuary.com.
The water-focused educational opportunities at Navarre Marine Science Park
are just the beginning. The sugar-white
sands of Navarre Beach are replenished
daily by the flow of rivers coming down
from Historic Milton. These two towns
and all the educational opportunities between them are known as Florida’s Playground. Navarre Marine Science Park is
the first attraction on the Florida’s Play-ground;Trail,;a;collection;of;twelve;edu-cational landmarks. Explore the remainder of the trail on your vacation—you’ll
find educational opportunities for many
return visits.
Florida’s Playground Trail
• After learning about marine life at
Navarre Marine Science Park
,;get;an-other view from the Navarre Fishing
Pier,;just;a;short;walk;down;the;beach.
At;1545;feet,;the;Navarre;Beach;Fishing
Pier is tops along the coast for catching
a;breeze,;sunset;photo;or;trophy;fish.
8579 Gulf Blvd., Navarre Beach, FL.
www.facebook.com/navarrepier
• A little farther west is Gulf Islands
National Seashore, one of only ten
beaches in the U.S. designated as a
National Seashore. This expansive
outdoor classroom includes seven
miles of sugar-white beaches on the
Gulf of Mexico plus access to Santa
Rosa Sound. Hwy. 399 west of Navarre
Beach, FL. www.nps.gov/guis
• Continue the educational journey
with a world tour of animals and their
habitats at the nearby Gulf Breeze
Zoo—encounters with baby animals
are always a memorable lesson plan.
5701 Gulf Breeze Pkwy., Gulf Breeze,
FL. www.gullfbreezezoo.com
•;Integrate;biology;and;history;at;Naval
Live Oaks Area. Florida’s Playground
isn’t just a place to watch ships go by—
our history is also rich in the building of boats of all kinds. Learn about
the connection between our trees and
shipbuilding here. Hwy. 399, Navarre
Beach, FL. www.nps.gov/guis
• Boo Weekley. Bubba Watson. Heath
Slocum. Inspire your student with the
collective success story of these three
golfers who made their debut in 2008
at The Masters Tournament—see and
play the golf-loving town where they
got their start.
www.theclubathidden
creek.com
•;How;big;is;Florida’s;Playground?;You
could;spend;weeks;hiking,;biking,;ca-noeing and kayaking in Blackwater
State Forest and Blackwater State
Park. This is your starting point for
hundreds of thousands of acres of
undisturbed, ancient Florida. 11650
Munson Highway, Milton, FL. www
. floridastateparks.org, www.floridaforest
service.com
• There are many ways to experience
our;natural;habitats,;and;Adventures
Unlimited is one of our local experts
on exploring by water—and by way of
treetops zip line. 8974 Tomahawk Landing Rd., Milton, FL. www.adventures
unlimited.com
•;Nowhere;along;the;trail;do;history;and
waterways intersect more clearly than
at Arcadia Mill,;the;archaeological;site
of a 19th century water-powered mill.
5709 Mill Pond Lane, Milton, FL. www
. historicpensacola.org
•;When;spots;like;Acadia;Mill;were;hubs
of;activity,;Bagdad Village was being
built.;Today,;its;history;lessons;stand
preserved—a quiet and educational
stop along Florida’s Playground Trail.
4512 Church St., Bagdad, FL. Bagdad
village.org
•;Visitors;today;know;Florida;primar-ily by interstate highway travel. The
West Florida Railroad Museum offers students and families a differ-ent;route;into;the;history;of;Florida,
where much of the visiting and commerce were done by rail. 206 Henry St.,
Milton, FL. www.wfrm.org
•;All;the;lessons;come;together;in;the
Milton Historical District,;where;the
Blackwater River winds through history on its way to Navarre Beach. Begin
your;tour;at;St.;Mary’s;Church,;recog-nized by Frank Lloyd Wright as a jewel
of the Gothic Revival movement. 6849
Oak St., Milton, FL.
Plan your educational vacation at www
. floridasplayground.com,;where;you;can
download our homeschool curriculum,
complete with educator-designed lesson
plans.
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