Sea turtles fascinate kids. Fortunately, we have several sea turtle walks or talks offered by various nearby museums/marine science centers including:

Evening Turtle Talks and Walks by Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Is.
8 PM Tuesdays and Thursdays starting June 5 2012 through August 2012.
Location given out at time of reservation
An evening lecture and beach walk to educate participants about the threatened loggerhead sea turtle. Presentation given to entire group, then 2 groups of 10 proceed to the beach to examine the nesting habitat and nest sites. No guarantee of turtle sightings. Adult $20/Child $15 (no children younger than 4).
Reservations are required and may be made by calling 843-689-6767 ext 223.

Evening Turtle Walks at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is.
TURTLE WALK RESERVATIONS CAN BE MADE BY CALLING (912) 635-4444
Explore the beach at night, and learn about the amazing journey of loggerhead sea turtles nesting along the Georgia Coast. These popular programs begin with a 30-45 minute presentation at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center about the natural history of sea turtles, followed by a guided beach tour in search of a nesting turtle.
May 29 – July 31* (*Except July 4th) with two nightly programs at 8:30 and 9:30 P.M. Reservations are required as group size is limited by DNR permit restrictions (25 per group maximum) and programs fill quickly.
FEES
Walk Only:
$6 per person (Members)
$12 per person (Non-members**)
**Price does not include general admission into the Georgia Sea Turtle Center)
COMBO TICKETS:
$16 per person
Includes 1 day general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center & 1 Turtle Walk. Turtle Walks are based on availability and reservations are required due to space limitations.
Additional Information:
* Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Due to the time and nature of these walks,  children be at least 4 years of age.
* During the Turtle Walk presentation the Sea Turtle Center’s hospital area will not be accessible. However, you are welcome to visit the Center during its normal visiting hours with a general admission purchase or combo ticket!
* Seeing a nesting turtle on the beach is not guaranteed. More info here.

Morning Nest Walks by Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Island
Offered during hatching season 7-9 AM Sundays, Wednesdays, Saturdays
$6 per person (Members); $12 per person (Non-Members**).
**Price does not include general admission to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center
More info here.

Starting Sat. May 5, the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston will have a special exhibit about Madagascar, the world’s most biodiverse island. Guests can see lemurs, chameleons and colorful fish.

The exhibit, Madagascar Journey, opens for a three-year run on Saturday. It features creatures from Madagascar including ring-tailed lemurs, a Nile crocodile, giant geckos, boa constrictors stingrays and parrots. The island of Madagascar is home to 250,000 species, but today less than 15 percent of the original native forest remains due to burning and cattle grazing.

The aquarium has just completed a 15-year master plan that includes, among other things, moving its sea turtle hospital from behind the scenes to the public galleries.

South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, (843) 720-1990 Hours
March-August Open Daily 9 AM-5PM (building closes at 6 PM); September-February Open Daily 9 AM-4 PM (building closes at 5 PM) Closed Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and half day Dec. 24)

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in nearby Columbia, S.C. will, for the first time in Zoo history, exhibit a pair of juvenile Komodo dragons beginning this Friday, May 4.

Komodo dragons—also known as Komodo monitors—are the world’s largest living lizards. Male dragons have been known to reach lengths of 10 feet and weigh more than 200 pounds. The largest Komodo on record weighed 366 pounds.

Guests visiting the Zoo will find the young Komodos—as well as Riverbanks’ five Galapagos tortoise babies born last October—on display beginning this Friday in the Desert Gallery of the Aquarium-Reptile Complex. The dragons will reside there until they are large enough to live in a spacious outdoor exhibit.

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, SC 29210, http://www.riverbanks.org/

Statesboro’s Georgia Southern Planetarium, which recently underwent renovations to a Digistar 4 full dome digital planetarium system, will host a free public, new full dome digital show, WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE, 4-5 PM April 14, 2012.  

This will be the first new full dome digital show in the redone planetarium! You’re invited to attend this FREE educational and exciting event that’s for all ages.

Telescopic viewing following /during the event weather permitting.

The planetarium is located in the Math/Physics Bldg (#203) on the campus of Georgia Southern University Campus map at: http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/map/

Parking directions for planetarium public events: Turn on to Herty Drive from Fair Road (GA Hwy 67) and follow all the way to the end. Turn left through the open parking gate then right into the large faculty/staff parking lot. Walk back down toward the gates and the planetarium is across on the other side in the Math/Physics Building between the small Eidson Building – Honors (old Alumni House) and the Biology Building.

WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE (New full dome digital show!)
4-5 PM Sat. April 14, 2012

Peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. On this breathtaking excursion you’ll witness the formation of galaxies and explore some of the most wondrous nebulae and astronomical structures yet discovered. As your travels continue, you’ll fly deep into our own Milky Way galaxy and return home to Earth on a spectacular tour through the solar system. From Evans and Sutherland Digital Theater Productions.

Running time: 20 minutes

Trailer: http://www.es.com/Products/Shows/Wonders/WondersOfTheUniverse.html

A live star show of the current night sky will also be included with each presentation. Free sky maps, telescopic observing, activities, and more! Free event for all ages to enjoy sponsored by the Department of Physics of the College of Science and Technology at Georgia Southern University. The planetarium will be collecting canned and non-perishable foods to donate to our local food bank for those in need in our community.
For more information, visit GSU planetarium here. Questions? E-mail planetarium@georgiasouthern.edu, or call the Department of Physics at 912-478-5292.

With a three-day Presidents Day holiday weekend approaching, we are sharing some of our favorite daytrips to kid-friendly places you can visit in a daytrip or over the weekend. Here are our 10 favorite picks for nearby spots outside of Savannah that are well worth the trip:

1. Georgia Sea Turtle Center, Jekyll Is., Ga (closed Mondays including Presidents Day Feb. 20). Hours, admission rates, directions and more details here.

2. South Carolina Aquarium, Charleston Harbor , S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily events, admission rates & specials here.

3. Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, Charleston, S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, exhibits, admission rates & more details here.

4. Museum of Science & History (MOSH) & The Bryan-Gooding Planetarium, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, daily Planetarium shows, upcoming special events, admission specials & more details here. .

5. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Fla. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Hours, Black History Month Discount, admission rates & more details here.

6. The Center for Wildlife Education & the Lamar Q. Ball Raptor Center at Georgia Southern University Campus, Statesboro, GA. A reptile program is held on each Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Lecture Hall & a flighted raptor program is held at 3 p.m. in the Amphitheater. Admission rates, show details, directions here.  OPEN ON Presidents Day Feb. 20.

7. The Sandbox Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is., S.C. Open on Presidents Day Feb. 20 Day. Hours, admission rates & more details here.

8. Lawton Stables, Sea Pines Resort, Hilton Head. Is. S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20 (open everyday except Christmas) Lawton’s free animal farm includes goats, sheep, pot-bellied pigs, ponies, rabbits, a deer named Callie and a Clydesdale named Harley (who loves visitors bearing carrots and apples). Pony rides and horseback riding available for a fee. Details here.

9. Riverbanks Zoo and Garden, Columbia, S.C.. Check out the new bald eagle exhibit & safari ropes challenge course. Details here.

10. EdVenture Children’s Museum, Columbia, S.C. OPEN on Presidents Day Feb. 20. Eight exhibits including EDDIE® the World’s Largest Child, plus a library, learning laboratories, resource centers & more. Two additional outdoor gallery spaces are located just outside the museum’s front doors. Within the total 92,000 square feet that is EdVenture Children’s Museum, there are more than 350 individual hands-on exhibits. Details here.

Butterfly Hollow Open March 9 – September 30

Butterfly Hollow at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will feature a lush tropical forest and meadow, flowering plants that provide the nectar for hundreds of native butterflies that may even land on you.

Enjoy fairy houses, garden art, water features and arbors. Butterfly pupae will be on display inside the exhibit, so guests can see the butterfly’s life cycle. As the season progresses, new species will be added.

Professor Wendy Perrywhistle, an expert on butterflies and the fairy world from Eldonshire, England, has posted her journal entries throughout the exhibit to help guests discover the butterflies and the important role they play in our environment. Visitors will also see evidence of gnomes and trolls that will help tell the story about butterflies and the environment they live in.

Butterfly Hollow is open from 9:30 a.m. until a half hour prior to closing each day.

Fees:
Butterfly Hollow tickets can be purchased at Main Camp ticket booths or on the board walk to the entrance of this exhibit.
•$2.00 per person for non-members
•$1.50 per member

Value Tickets including general Zoo Admission, Butterfly Hollow, Stingray Bay, Train and Carousel may be purchased online or at the Zoo’s main entrance.
•$21.95/adults
•$19.95/seniors
•$14.95/children

For more info on Jacksonville Zoo, click here.

Time to explore Georgia State Parks.

Start planning your it’s-almost-spring getaway by checking out the SouthernMamas February 2012 events happening at state parks and historic spots across the state. Nearby events include Dinner with General James E. Oglethorpe at Fort King George Historic Site, Darien & Dark Sky Star Party at the Okefenokee Swamp.

The events are listed on the SouthernMamas.com Georgia State Parks Events page by clicking here.

We love Super Museum Sunday when museums & other organizations are FREE. This year, Super Museum Sunday is 12-4 PM Sunday Feb 5. The new SCAD Museum of Art will be among those local museums offering free admission this Sunday! 

From Statesboro to Darien, over 40 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia participate in this popular annual family event. Free and open to the public.

Click here for a list of some participating local museums, so you can plan your day and take advantage of free admissions.

SouthernMamas.com checked out Tellus Science Museum for the first time over the long Martin Luther King Jr. weekend & we highly recommend visiting this northwest Georgia science museum the next time you are in Atlanta.

Tellus is a 120,000-square foot museum in Cartersville just off I-75 at exit 293. (about a 45 minute drive north of Atlanta) Tellus features four main galleries: The Weinman Mineral Gallery, The Fossil Gallery, Science in Motion and The Collins Family My Big Backyard. There’s also a 120-seat digital planetarium and an observatory.

My 5-year old son particularly liked the 80 foot-long Apatosaurus; 9-foot wide jaw of a Megaladon – a shark found in the oceans that was larger than a school bus; the T-rex; and the always alluring dinosaur poop. Kids can also see a replica Wright flyer, conduct hands-on experiments with light, sound, magnets; pan for gems and minerals; dig for fossils; and more.

The museum is open seven days a week, Monday-Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM. Call 770-606-5700 or click here for more information.

Admission (Includes Fossil Dig & Gem Panning)

Members – Free
Adults – $12
Children (3 – 17) – $8
Student with ID – $8
Active Military with ID – Free
Seniors (65+) – $10

Planetarium
Must include paid admission to museum
$3 – Must include paid admission, free member admission, or complimentary admission pass
$2 – second planetarium show for an individual during one visit
Basic Members – $2 planetarium show (free museum admission)
Leadership Members – no charge

Tellus Science Museum is on Facebook here.

Lower temperatures equal lower prices at Georgia State Parks!

Now, through March 31st, visitors will save up to 35% on lodge rooms, cottages, yurts and camp grounds! What an affordable way to enjoy the natural wonders that Winter brings.

These special savings are only available by calling toll-free at 1-800-864-7275 and requesting Winter Getaway Savings. Details here.

This holiday break, we trekked to Clearwater Marine Aquarium just outside of Tampa, Fla. see the movie star dolphin Winter from the hit kids’ movie “Dolphin Tale.” It was well worth the trip!

The movie “Dolphin Tale’’ made the aquarium famous by telling the story of one of the patients there, Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. The story really resonates with kids, especially those with disabilities. 

When Winter was rescued from a crab trap off the east coast of Florida, her tail was seriously damaged. She was taken to Clearwater Marine Aquarium and cared for by a team of specialists.

Winter’s injured tail fell off, causing her to swim with a side-to-side motion like a fish instead of an up-and-down motion like a dolphin. That unusual swimming motion began to seriously damage her spine.

Experts from a company that makes prosthetics for humans heard about Winter and decided to help by making her a prosthetic tail.

The impact of the movie has been dramatic. Projected annual attendance to the aquarium has mushroomed from about 180,000 to 500,000.

Read more about our visit here. To plan your visit to see Winter, click here.

Fall means time to explore Georgia State Parks.

Start planning your leaves-changing getaway by checking out  got all September & October 2011 events happening at state parks and historic spots across the state. The events are listed on the SouthernMamas.com Georgia State Parks Events page here.

Gorge hikes, group hayrides, outdoor music festivals, full moon hikes & more.

To find out state park event details, visit the new SouthernMamas.com Georgia State Parks Events page by clicking here.

Get into the Halloween spirit at Spooktacular at the Jacksonville Zoo
October 20-23, 2011 & October 27-31, 2011
Come to Jacksonville Zoo for the spooktacular Halloween celebration – safe for children. Pirates cove, Pumpkin Patch, Enchanted Forest and much more. 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Zoo closes at 10 pm.
For kids of all ages
• Pumpkin Patch
• The Fairgrounds with bounce houses and a giant inflatable slide
• Dia de los Muertos celebration in Range of the Jaguar
• The Enchanted Forest
• Wonderland Trail
• Pirates Cove
• DJ’s spinning kid-friendly Halloween music
• Special Spooktacular food menus in each of the Zoo’s two restaurants
• Hundreds of jack o’lanterns
• Select animal exhibits
• Candy stations throughout the Zoo
• Back by popular demand: Scare Zones! The Tomb, Ghostly Garden and The Forest of No Return (not recommended for children under 10)
Follow the Jacksonville Zoo on Facebook here to find out how to win free tickets to Spooktacular
Members – $8, Non-Members – $10

More info here.

If you’re planning a trip to Atlanta this fall, be sure to check out the new AT&T Dolphin Show at the Georgia Aquarium.

We took advantage of my son’s delayed pre-K start date & visited Atlanta this week. The highlight was definitely the spectacular 30-minute live dolphin show. Weekdays shows are the best to attend. We were able to sit front & center and even got splashed – happily – by the jumping & twirling dolphins. Show details & ticket info here.

There are dolphin show performances daily. Advanced reservations are recommended.

Dolphin Show tickets are extra and not included in regular aquarium admission. Tickets are on sale now here

Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, SC has lots of events planned for Fall 2011. Read all about them on the new Riverbanks page on SouthernMamas.com. Click here for details.

Kid-friendly events at the zoo include Animal Enrichment Day when zookeepers give animals special treats designed to encourage and stimulate natural behaviors: Boo at the Zoo, a spook-fest for costumed children 12 and younger that includes a trick-or-treat trail with candy and more; a Pumpkin Smash when the zoo’s mammals, birds, reptiles and fish enjoy their own trick-or-treats, a form of animal enrichment designed to encourage and stimulate natural behaviors; free admisison for active duty and retired military personnel on Veterans Day; Lights Before Christmas, when the Zoo shines with nearly one million twinkling lights and more than 350 handcrafted images. Take your photo with Santa, roast marshmallows at the Jingle Bell Bonfire and be sure to wear your hat – it snows nightly during the Lights Before Christmas.

Visit the SouthernMamas.com Riverbanks page here for more information.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES include Behind-the-Scenes Adventure Tours; Homeschool Mondays; Overnights and Night Howls; and two new 30 minute, 3-D movies:
TURTLE VISION
From the warm waters of the tropics to the icy Antarctic, join Sammy the sea turtle and his friends on an exciting journey through the ocean. Swim through colorful coral reefs and enjoy a dazzling ride on a fun-loving octopus. Dive into icy polar waters to meet a friendly whale and learn the importance of protecting our oceans.
DINOSAURS
If it weren’t for a series of cataclysmic events, a comet impact being first on the list, our planet could still be the domain of dinosaurs. Deeply rooted in science, the film will carry you back in time to witness these amazing beasts come to life. Meet the largest living animals to have ever walked the Earth; the titanesque plant-eating Argenitsaur and its nemesis the Gigantosaur, a bipedal carnivore that could easily challenge the T-rex!

Admission: $3 for one show, $5 for both, in addition to regular Zoo admission.

Visit the SouthernMamas.com Riverbanks page for more information. Details here.

The hot weather will subside someday. We promise.

And when it does, you want to be ready to explore Georgia State Parks. We’ve got all the info on September events happening a state parks and historic spots across the state. Gorge hikes, group hayrides, outdoor music festivals, full moon hikes, Labor Day festivities, butterfly safari, fishing rodeos, even a couple of special days when you can actually swim in the waters at Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site in Warm Springs, Ga. (which are normally kept empty for preservation).

To find out details about all that and more, visit the new SouthernMamas.com Georgia State Parks Events page by clicking here. You can also find it listed as Georgia State Park Events on our home page left sidebar under Pages.

Make plans to take the kids to see Clover the Loggerhead Sea Turtle released into the Atlantic Ocean on Tybee Is. on Aug. 4

Burton 4-H Center will welcome guests all ages to the Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion to join in the celebration of Clover’s release. Thanks to a successful fundraising effort netting more than $5,000, Clover will be equipped with a state-of-the-art satellite transmitter, enabling her to be tracked throughout her journey on www.seaturtle.org. The event, which is free and open to the public, will showcase live animals for viewing and a variety of other activities.

1-3 PM Thurs. Aug. 4, 2011
Clover will be released between 2-2:30 PM at Tybee Island Pier and Pavilion, 16th and the Strand

Clover hatched from a nest on Tybee Island’s north end on Aug. 13, 2008. Experts at the Burton 4-H Center have raised Clover from a hatchling to her current weight of over 24 pounds

Spend the night at the museum and sleep amongst the creatures of Savage Ancient Seas: Dinosaurs of the Deep, MOSH’s summer exhibit in Jacksonville, Fla. More info here.

Includes:
Sea Monsters Planetarium Show
Pizza Snack
Museum Exhibit Time
Science Show
Rooftop Telescopic Stargazing (weather permitting)
Morning Donuts

REGISTER NOW The last day to register is August 1, 2011; the last day to cancel and receive a refund is July 25, 2011.Cost is $30 per child (must be 4 years or older to attend) and $20 for required parent or adult chaperone. Members receive a $5 discount per person.

Questions? Call 904.396.6674 ext. 226.

We’re on hiatus here on Hilton Head Is. and just discovered the fun, energetic The Maggie and Jackson Kid’s Music Show at the Salty Dog in South Beach Marina.

Their two nightly FREE shows Monday-Thursday, 7 & 8 pm, are the perfect way to end your summer daytrip to Hilton Head. The live music show is paired with daily face painting that starts at 6:30 pm.

This kid-friendly duo perform at the Salty Dog through Sept. 5 2011. Definitely make plans to take the kids. Restaurants, playground, face-painting, live children’s music, ice cream, summertime.. You can’t beat it!

The Maggie and Jackson Kid’s Music Show, The Salty Dog Café, 232 S. Sea Pines Dr., Hilton Head Island, SC, 29928 (843) 671-2233, www.saltydog.com .

We here at SouthernMamas.com have long contended that Hilton Head Is. is one of the most kid-friendly vacation spots around.

The island is teeming with children’s activities such as those being offered this summer at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum. The Sandbox celebrates summer with a Summer Fun Series of special programs and activities held each day at the Sandbox. The program calendar is as follows: Mondays, Pottery Program at 9:30 a.m. and Cupcake Decorating at 1:30 p.m.; Terrific Tuesdays: special art activity at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Wednesdays: Morning Music Program at 10:30 a.m.; Thursdays: Imagination Hour at 10:30 a.m.; and Fridays: Coastal Critters hosted by the Coastal Discovery Museum 10:30 a.m.

For Terrific Tuesdays, this Tuesday, June 28th is Yosti’s Puppet Show, and the Coastal Critters Program on Friday July 1st is All About Sea Turtles.

The Sandbox is an interactive children’s museum with region related exhibits, activities, and programs for children’s ages toddler through 8 years. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Sandbox, 18-A Pope Avenue, next to St. Andrew’s by the Sea United Methodist Church, 843.842.7645 or afinn@thesandbox.org, www.thesandbox.org

UPDATE:  SouthernMamas.com reader Dyan Hyman won this giveaway. Congrats Dyan!

Edgewood Travel has two weeks of amazing giveaways for SouthernMamas.com readers! To enter to win, please “like” Edgewood Travel’s Facebook page by clicking here, then answer this question on the Edgewood Travel FB Wall: Where you would like to travel to next, if cost and time didn’t matter?

A winner this week will be chosen to stay one night at the Hyatt Savannah with breakfast the following morning. So let those grandparents take the kids for a night and have a great night out in your town, courtesy of Edgewood Travel and Hyatt Savannah.

Edgewood Travel is a full service travel agency. Planning a trip today can be confusing and time consuming. Edgewood Travel not only arranges the various modes of transportation, but also may be able to save you money with early booking discounts, special fares, accommodation details and travel advisors. Take a look at Edgewood Travel’s Website here and let Edgewood know how they can assist you in booking your special trip. You can also email Edgewood Travel at vacations@edgewoodtravel.com

Hyatt Savannah
Experience the unmistakable Southern charm of our historic city when you stay at our refined downtown Savannah hotel. Uniquely located directly across from River Street, Hyatt Regency Savannah offers unequalled access to the Historic District, shops, golf, and entertainment and business centers. Take a leisurely stroll through the fabled neighborhood surrounding our distinctive Savannah, Georgia hotel to view stately homes, landmark architecture and sights that have made this city famous. Board a riverboat or hop on the trolley just outside our doors for a moving tour.  Inviting accommodations, an attentive staff, fabulous dining and incredible views make Hyatt Regency Savannah the unparalleled favorite among downtown accommodations.

Schools out for Spring Break.

Here are 10 kid-friendly places in Savannah and surrounding areas (Statesboro, Hilton Head Is., Jacksonville, Jekyll Is.) to visit during Spring Break 2011. Click here.

Are you booking your travel online? Cruises? Hotels? Why not give  Edgewood Travel a call before you book?

Cruises:  Edgewood Travel may offer on board credits (free money to use on the cruise!) , reduced deposits, complimentary shore excursions and more.

Hotels:  Edgewood Travel has preferred rates on a variety of hotels. Call Edgewood first to see if they can get you a reduced rate, breakfast and complimentary upgrades.

Give  Edgewood Travel a call before you confirm that hotel or cruise online! (912)-351-0570 or email mr@edgewoodtravel.com  

Some specials this week include:

• Get away with your spouse and only pay for one airfare. Sandals has a great promotion where the Companion Flies Free. To either stay at the new Sandals Emerald Bay in Great Exuma or the Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau. Travel dates from April 24 to December 22, but book soon, offer will expire.
• Have you thought about summer vacation yet? How about the Atlantis? At the Cove and the Reef, they are offering a 4th night free, children stay and eat free PLUS free companion airfare. Offer expires May 9 and subject to availability so don’t delay.
• For that once in a lifetime trip: Paul Gauguin cruise lines offering 50 % off cruises to Bora Bora-free airfare from Los Angeles AND 3rd passenger free.

To start planning your summer vacation, call 912-351-0570 or email admin@edgewoodtravel.com. Visit Edgewood Travel at 105 Wheeler Court or at www.edgewoodtravel.com. Edgewood Travel is a SouthernMamas sponsor