Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center

We spent a lovely couple of hours this morning walking the short trail and exploring the exhibits in the center. If you’re looking for a great place to take your toddler or preschooler that’s away from the hyper stimulation that’s Chuck e Cheese, this is it. My daughter enjoyed watching the turtles from the bridge and the walk through the «forest» looking at the spiders and butterflies. She also spent a good amount of time absorbed in the center. This is one of the better exhibit halls I’ve seen at a local park (comparing it to Secret Woods and Ann Kolb here) and I see why there’s a small cover charge of $ 2. For the person who complained about the charge — this is less than the cost of many learning apps and a little more than a soda. I’m happy to pay it for the rich and varied experiences she was exposed to. The exhibits are thoughtfully designed with buttons to press, panes to slide up to read more, little «feel holes» where you get to touch and guess what animal you’re feeling, live reptiles and even a baby alligator. Her favorite part was spent in the little archeological dig site — uncovering fossils and bones with a paint brush. We ended our tour by watching a movie about Long Key in their theater which while more geared towards adults and older kids, she found equally interesting. The only point I thought unusual was that in the time that we were there we didn’t have any of the staff make an attempt to walk around /​talk to us about any of the exhibits or engage us in conversation (which typically happens at other centers we’ve been to — Secret Woods is a great example of staff who actively seek out and talk to kids about the exhibits and ask them to look for specific items of interest). They might have been busy or involved in trainings though so this is just more of an observation than anything. All in all this was a nice way to spend a morning and introduce my daughter to the real south Florida. We will be visiting again.

I came to Long Key with high hopes, considering the Unilocal reviews. I must say, I was let down, save for the busy little armadillo that greeted me as I arrived. The park was pretty much deserted, and the long trails they claim to have did not exist. My friend and I looked at each other in surprise when we saw the trail ending, knowing there was no way we walked such a long distance as the map claimed.
There was a wetlands trail as well, so we decided to check it out, but all that remained were some weeds almost as tall as me, and no sign of water or wildlife. Other than the pond by the entrance and the one behind the nature center and under the bridge, there were no bodies of water to see. The only wildlife I saw were turtles and the armadillo. By the way, if you want to see the exhibits in the nature center, you have to pay. Not cool, considering pretty much every other park in South Florida with a nature center allows kids to roam and explore for free.
My trip ended with a chuckle though, at seeing the Broward Victim’s Rights Coalition monument and memorial garden, after reading about the people involved in the project: the Rothstein law firm. The irony of a Ponzi schemer being behind the creation of something meant for victims was not lost on me. I wonder if this was just his way of putting to rest a guilty conscience over his crimes?

I stumbled across this park today while looking for a good spot to shoot a client (with a camera). It is a hidden treasure! I love this park so much, I almost don’t want to reveal it’s greatness!
From the minute you drive up, you are greeted by beauty. The first thing you pass is the serene pond, lined with lily pads. To get to the hidden main building, you pass through lush canopy trees.
The only thing to watch out for is spiders. Oh, and don’t be too overwhelmed by all the magical butterflies ;)

To Richard K.: If you encounter a man eating spiders, tell him to stop it immediately!

This is a gem hidden in the very residential Davie area! It was only $ 1 for the exhibit and my toddler had THE BEST time! So worth it, we will be back a ton!

The park is absolutely beautiful and stunning. It is nature at its finest and purest.
This is where I go into the reason for two stars. Its purity makes me run for my life. It is a park fit for the Jurassic Age.
Walking around, my girlfriend and I noticed these gargantuan, man-​eating spiders invading our peripherals. It was not just one in a lonely corner; these spiders were everywhere. The scary part was their webs were invading the paths and on a windy day these webs came all to close to my private halo area.
It is safe to say I am not a fan of spiders. Thus, i shall not be returning to this park.

Located in Davie, FL, Long Key’s magnificent live oak hammock has served as an important habitat for wildlife and is one of the largest remaining stands of upland hardwood forest in Broward County.
Typical trees found in the hardwood forest include live oak, red bay, paradise tree, strangler fig, and the occasional cabbage palm and gumbo limbo. Among the diverse plants you can see are many species of epiphytic bromeliads and ferns that abundantly line the limbs of the oaks.
Birdwatchers, look for herons, egrets, warblers, Pied-​Billed Grebe, White Ibis, woodpeckers, sapsuckers, and killdeer, just to name a few likely residents.
Additional features include a 14-​acre orange grove, a remnant of a once-​active citrus industry; restored wetland marshes, which have become a haven for a variety of migratory and resident birds; several man-​made ponds and canals; and an active bird roost/​rookery. The site is also a refuge for butterflies and a variety of mammals, including foxes and bobcats.