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Going Places
Cypress Gardens remains a traditional botanical beauty
By THOMAS MICHALSKI
Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007 |
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![[Image]](/content_images/080807_lefest-01.jpg) |
| Photo by THOMAS MICHALSKI |
| The Topiary Trail at Cypress Gardens offers oversized critters and other figures made from vegetation. |
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The Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven is a great place to spend a day or a weekend.
Although a bit pricey at $44.95 per adult, parking $10 and bottled water at $2.50, this park does offer a lot. There are botanical gardens, animals, rides and the Topiary Trail’s plant life trimmed into shapes of giant critters.
The highlight of the park is, of course, the water shows and those wonderfully talented young folks who make water skiing on their closed-in section of Lake Eloise seem easy. It started back in the 1940s and is a not to be missed attraction.
Walk along the path from the park’s entrance and enjoy Jubilee Junction. The Wings of Wonder Butterfly Arboretum is worth the visit, though it is very hot and humid inside so as to keep the tropical plants happy.
Nearby is the Sunshine Sky Adventure that provides a bird’s eye view of surrounding area. Farther down the trail is the Cypress Cove Ferry Line, now temporarily closed due to the lake’s low water levels. The botanical gardens is a pleasant walk along manicured lawns, trees and flowers. There are banyan trees, a huge white gazebo and off-trail paths that snake through tropical nooks and crannies.
You can visit Splash Island Water Park near Adventure Grove. Ride the old-fashioned roller coaster named “Triple Hurricane” and another smaller one called “Okeechobee Rampage.” Top name talent such as Loretta Lynn have appeared at the Star Haven Amphitheater. Concert ticket prices vary, but are very reasonable. Upcoming are Glen Campbell and Gretchin Wilson, among others. A smaller indoor theater presented a “Broadway on Ice” musical, but the acts change often and all are entertaining.
See the pirate show, “Treasure of Cypress Cove.” It’s mainly for kids, but everyone laughs at the funny puns and jokes mouthed by the three-person act. Stay out of the first three or four rows if you don’t want to get soaked by the water cannons. Nearby also is an assortment of animals that include a monster alligator, rodents the size of small dogs and wallabies, including a cute white one.
The park also offers a number of daily shows ranging from farm yard frolics to a reptile act called “Swamp Critters.”
Regular tickets cost $44.95 for adults, $39.95 for seniors and children 3 to 9. Children 2 and under are free. Passport passes are a deal at $69.95 plus tax. The price of the latter includes unlimited admission to other venues, free parking and other goodies.
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park is about 80 miles from the Tampa Bay area. The quickest route is I-4 and then follow the signs to 6000 Cypress Gardens Blvd. in Winter Haven. Call 324-2111 or visit www.cypressgardens.com.
Thomas Michalski travels around the state to visit various Florida attractions. You can send him an e-mail him at tmichalski@TBNweekly.com with any suggestions.
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Article published on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007
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Tampa Bay Newspapers
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