2 . Emerald Coast Science Center Field Trips

Bring your group or class to explore our hands-on Science Center now which provides wonderful learning opportunities for students all along the Emerald Coast!

To book a field trip, please call Lisa at 850-664-1261. Please choose your preferred date and two alternate dates you would like to book before calling. We will email you a confirmation of your booking.

3 . Central Park Picnic Experiences

Having a picnic with family, friends or colleagues at the Pool with iconic views of the NYC backdrop would give you good feelings. We handle all aspects of your event from beginning to end, so you can just show up and have a great time! Fresh baked service! — You can now add games to any picnic experience (details below).

Family-Style Picnic

Serves a minimum of 15 people

Our family-style picnic experience is perfect for big groups! Includes set up & clean up, plus fruits and food. Also includes coolers with ice, blankets, pillows and parasols (遮阳伞). $60.00 per adult, $30.00 per child. Includes a 2-hour picnic with set up and clean up. $50 per add 1 hour.

Social Picnic Party

Serves 10 to 12 people

Comes complete with an entire picnic set up including extra space, blankets, pillows, parasols. The meal is a sampling of sandwiches, roast chicken, potato salad, seasonal greens, local cheese platter, lemonade, water and something sweet for dessert. Perfect for meeting new friends.

We Love This Formal Picnic!

Serves 4 to 10 people

Looking for something more formal? This is special and for you! Includes set up with a set low-rise table for business talk, a great selection of delicious food, flowers, and clean up! Tips not included — and should go direct to your picnic expert.

Birthday Party Picnic

Serves 2 to 18 people

Besides our signature birthday party cake, we also offer a local cheese platter (拼盘), seasonal salad, chips, lemonade and water, plus cookies & brownies for dessert! When you arrive at your picnic spot, one of our picnic experts will have everything set up, ready and waiting for you when you arrive! Includes a 2-hour picnic for 2 with set up and clean up. Add up to 16 additional guests. $50 per add 1 hour. $50 per add 1 guest. Max 18 guests.

4 . Residents at Parkfield House Nursing Home celebrated the end of a £10,000 project with a showcase of their work with friends and family.

For the past year the group, known as the Parkfield Peckers, have worked closely with artists, Glebe Primary School and creative ageing charity Equal Arts as they delved into the history of the area and those who’ve lived at the 19th Century home.

Hannah Wood from charity Equal Arts said: “The exhibition at Uxbridge Civic Centre was just the icing on the cake! Going into the project, there was so much enthusiasm from the group to explore the heritage of the home, so many have their roots in the area and we were keen to capture and share their knowledge in creative ways.”

There’s been a mixture of creativity with illustration, photography, portraiture, music, story-telling and collage as the group took part in weekly artist-led workshops and linked up with schoolchildren to share ideas.

Glendeen Quow, manager of the Canford Healthcare-run home, is in no doubt about the project’s benefit to residents, staff and the home. She said: “It’s been a busy year and we have all loved every minute of it. It’s been a privilege to learn about our fascinating heritage and a joy to see our residents grow in confidence each week as they were introduced to the different workshops and artists. We have enjoyed strengthening our relationships with the local community, especially with the staff and children at Glebe Primary School.”

Clare Sheldon, who provides Pastoral Support at Glebe Primary School, said: “The children have been proud to be a part of this project and connect with the Parkfield residents. It’s been great for them to have experience in talking to and sharing with older people, it gives them a stronger sense of understanding and compassion. This project has been a great way of exploring their own emotions and identity and we look forward to continuing our friendship with Parkfield.”

7 . The Four Most Exotic Black Sand Beaches in the World

Papenoo Beach: Tahiti, French Polynesia

Popular with surfers, this remote black beach on Tahiti’s northern coast boasts some of the most impressive waves in the world. Here you will discover more breathtaking natural beauty of the island, with its green mountains and picturesque scenery. Not- to-be- missed sights include the spectacular waterfalls: Topatari, Puraha and Vaiharuru falls.

Lovina Beach: Indonesia

A highlight of this beach destination is visiting Kalibukbuk, one of the coastal villages along Lovina Beach, and the Kalibukbuk Buddhist temple on the beach. There is also an abundance of incredible marine and underwater life, so diving is a popular relaxation, but the main draw for beachgoers is spotting the playful bottle nosed dolphins.

Stokksnes Beach: Iceland

One of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes is the mountain Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula in southeast Iceland. The magical setting here was featured in the Bollywood movie Dilwale. It’s a popular destination for photographers but surprisingly not a big tourist spot; this privately owned land charges a small fee to visit. You can visit the Stokksnes beach on a group Ring Road tour or a self-driving circuit of the country.

Perissa Beach: Santorini, Greece

Situated in southeastern Santorini, this unique black beach boasts crystal clear waters and the rocky Mesa Vouno mountain. For more active pursuits beyond sunbathing and swimming, visitors can rent water sports equipment for other fun activities like diving. You can also hike to the top of Mesa Vouno to visit the ancient ruins of the city of Thera.

10 . The custom of flying a piece of cloth high in the sky began more than 2,000 years ago in China. Since then, kites have been served in many fields, like doing scientific experiments, powering boats, taking pictures from the air and much more. In fact, kite-flying is a great way to clear the mind.

When Americans Kay and Larry Day found a store selling kites nearly 20 years ago, they decided to buy a few kites for their family. For fun, Larry bought one for himself. “He went out and flew it and decided he needed to go back and get a better one,” Kay remembered. Since then, she and her husband have loved kite-flying. They own many kites and plan trips around flying them. They also organize a kite-flying event each winter in their hometown in Iowa. “I’m at peace when I’m flying a kite,” said Larry.

Nic O’Neill, president of the American Kite-fliers Association said that kite-flying can be done alone or with friends and family. Kites appeal (有吸引力) to people who like to create works of art or to those who like to combine kite-flying with music. O’Neill said, “Part of the reason I love flying kites is that I have to risk trying and not succeeding. The best way to learn is to go out, undo the string (细绳) and let your kite fly. The perfect condition includes a nice steady wind and a place away from trees and buildings.”

Grant Lovett began flying simple kites as a child, but moved on to costlier and more complex kites as an adult. Today, Lovett likes making his own kites. He builds them from strong, lightweight materials and products designed for sailboats. Lovett attends kite-making classes and looks for new models on the Internet. He makes kites of different shapes and sizes because flying conditions can be greatly different. He also notes that experience makes a difference, and so does the weather and he likes the happy feelings that he experiences when his kite moves through the sky. “It is really calming,” he said.