My daughter just got back from a wonderful trip to Arcadia, Florida. It was the first time she had flown by herself. And, she got to meet her best friend of eleven years for the first time in person!
On her visit, she went to Jungle Doria’s Wildlife Park. My daughter is an animal lover through and through, and this park was a highlight of her trip. She said the animals were healthy, happy, and very well cared for. I love that part of their mission is to get the community up close to the animals so people can connect with these creatures. Through connection, they aim to get people to care more about the fate of wildlife in general. And, it’s hard to look at these cute critters and not fall in love.
On her visit, my daughter got to visit with tortoises and feed them Romaine lettuce. She got to hang out with farm animals, including a little goat who insisted on jumping up on everyone. And, she got to throw snacks to a giant alligator.
Her host family even splurged for a one on one interaction with the capybaras. Did you know that capybaras have webbed feet, are semi-aquatic, and feel like hay? In fact, they are giant rodents, and their closest relatives are guinea pigs!
The adult kids had a great time at the wildlife park. Arcadia is not a large city in Florida, yet it held so many little treasures such as this animal sanctuary. The next time you are on an adventure, give the smaller towns a visit. Check out local places that could really use the income from your visit. Happy adventuring!