this was so much fun! very reasonably priced so definitely recommend it for something relatively…read moreinexpensive to do with the kids. clean - saw staff cleaning during the day, not just near the end of the night. the staff was very helpful and friendly too. my kids loved it and are looking forward to going back

We had such a great experience at Kids Empire thanks to Achanti! From the moment we arrived, she…read morewas very welcoming, friendly, and kind. What really stood out to me was the way she took the time to explain the rules directly to my children in a kind, respectful, and easy-to-understand way. I really appreciated her patience and how comfortable she made them feel. As a parent, it means a lot when an employee not only provides great customer service but also knows how to communicate positively with children. Achanti's warm personality and professionalism made our experience even better. Kids Empire is lucky to have her. We will definitely be back!

Fantastic experience for my Husband's Birthday outing! The team was fabulous, location was clean,…read moreand babies were so fun! We highly recommend!

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens is a hidden gem. There's so much to do and it's one of the places in…read morethe world that you can feed flamingos. They have so many animals from turtles, parrots to baby alligators. This place is family friendly for all ages. Don't forget to see the bird show! There's free on site parking available.

We were looking for something different for my 2.5 year old son to do and came across this play…read moregym.... And it's amazing! There were children younger and older than him, all thoroughly enjoying themselves. The check in staff were very friendly. We bought a small package for while we're in town and thought the price was fair. They have lots of different areas: toddler/infants (play kitchens, small toys, blocks, etc), art (including smocks), calming room (if it's too much stimulation) and LOTS of gross motor skill activities (exercise equipment, trampoline, rock climbing wall, zip line, swings, etc). The whole gym as foam floors and there are foam pits under larger things (zip line, jungle gym, rock wall, etc). Everything seemed clean, bathrooms were clean too! There's also a large party room... what a great place for a party. They are inclusive for all kids including neuro & physical diversities.

I am always looking for new, fun places to take my 2 1/2-year-old daughter. I am so happy to have…read morefound this play place! I am a certified school teacher, and have taught special ed in the past. I have worked with OTs for many of my students as well. It is so amazing to have all these sensory tools at your disposal at this playground. There are multiple types of swings, for toddlers and big kids alike. There is a rock climbing wall, and extremely safe, spring-less trampoline with yoga balls in it for play. There is also a zip line into a padded pit, and monkey bars with pads underneath, and tons of other activities. There is a toddler/baby area blocked off by a half wall, so they will not be overwhelmed by the activity in the main room. There are dramatic play toys there such as a kitchen, grocery store and baby dolls. My daughter surprisingly loved the car ramp! There are tons of other age appropriate toys there as well. The entire place is padded with the foam type of pads you would put underneath home workout gyms. There is a dimly lit calm down room, with a beautiful blue bubble wall, and jellyfish tent and headphones. My younger daughter is a little quieter and more cautious. She loved being there all by herself and had plenty of time to get acclimated to her surroundings. She was able to run freely around and feel confident. I would definitely recommend checking out the website to see everything that this place has to offer. You can tell that a lot of thought was put into the creation of this indoor playspace, from a very educated perspective!

A very cute a fun museum!…read more My group and I came here mostly to see the manatees but enjoyed the rest of the museum as well. We went through the exhibits on the two floors relatively quickly but they were interesting to look at. I liked the emphasis on Florida specific history. The planetarium was interesting and the seats were very comfortable. The manatees were obviously the highlight. We were able to see two babies, Sorbet and Juneau, right at feeding time. The top view of the water had a superior view. Overall, while I'm not from here so I'm not sure when I'd be back if I went, I really enjoyed my time here.

Sad to admit this was our first visit here, and literally on the last day of the Clyde Butcher…read morephotography exhibit. Jade who worked up front was friendly and helpful. Manageable sized museum where we spent about 90 minutes and had to leave before viewing everything. The Butcher exhibit was very good, I wish there was more. Truly incredible work. There is a manatee rehab area, although no manatees currently as the ones they had were thankfully released back into the wild. Emma who works in this area answered several of my husband's questions and was quite knowledgeable and informative. Some great historical artifacts, especially for local history. Excellent museum gift shop as well, with a large variety of items and another friendly and engaging employee, Anne. Looking forward to the upcoming baseball exhibit, and will allow more time.

Such an amazing place for kids and adults alike! We brought our daughters here for a calorie…read moreexpenditure on a Saturday evening and they absolutely loved it! It is close to the house we rented on vacation. It is by far a nice indoor play park. I loved the workers presence around everywhere... they were so helpful! I was feeling very safe about the (saw an armed security guard) safety of the girls and bathrooms were very clean! Equipment was in good shape.... Definitely a place to check out! We will be back if vacation to this area again. Especially if you are looking for a mix up to pool and beach activities (or it rains a big chunk of the day. Not the case for us) Respectfully, Bryan Oklahoma City

The vending machine games with the toys are the biggest scam ever. I secured a toy five different…read moretimes and the claw is going over to drop it off and it just releases it on its own. It's literally a scam and it's heartbreaking to do that to children.

This was hands down the best mini golf courses we have played at! The staff there are great -…read moreprofessional and nice. The course is very well kept and the holes are challenging enough to make it easy and fun for everyone. This course also has baby gators and you can purchase little food pellets to feed them between holes 1 and 2 - they have these wooden rods that have a string and a clip at the end where you can place the food pellet and feed them directly. At the end of 18 holes you get to role a dice and if you got a hole in one with the matched number on the dice you get a free game. We loved this mini golf course! If you're a mini golf family like us, definitely check this place out!

This is a very detailed mini golf course. I thought it was going to be $30 for three of us to…read moreplay, nope....I think it was $74 something? That was wild to pay that much, but it is right off the beach so I suppose I understand? We did also got two bags of food to feed the baby rescue gators at the first hole while waiting for the other golfers to get their games going. A little expensive for me....

My family received free tickets and decided to visit a while back. We were so sad the whole visit…read more Many of the animals were in small, jail like enclosures. There was a wolf kept in a small, concrete floor, tiny stall with a big cat and the cat bit the wolf. We let a staff member know and they told us the name of the person who owned the wolf (we assumed the animals were owned by Big Cat Habitat and not private individuals. Big Cat Rescue in Tampa is a legitimate rescue. Big Cat Habitat is more like a side circus where most animals are kept in enclosures which are too small. Please support legitimate rescues and not places where private individuals own and display their pets.

Calling this place a "sanctuary" feels incredibly misleading. A true sanctuary exists to provide…read moreanimals with a safe, natural environment and does not use them as entertainment for paying visitors. Watching lions and other big cats perform in shows was upsetting. These are powerful wild animals, not domesticated pets. Big cats do not naturally follow commands or perform tricks for humans. To get them to behave this way, trainers typically rely on intensive conditioning, deprivation, fear, punishment, or other coercive methods. Even when facilities claim their training is "positive," the reality is that wild animals don't voluntarily choose to perform choreographed routines for crowds. Seeing animals that should be roaming, hunting, resting, and exhibiting natural behaviors instead being made to perform for applause felt wrong. The show may be entertaining to some visitors, but it comes at the expense of the animals' dignity and well-being. If you genuinely care about wildlife conservation and animal welfare, I would encourage you to support facilities that rescue animals without breeding, exploiting, or using them in performances. I left feeling disappointed and saddened by what I saw.

I love Payne Park…read more I do NOT like too many of the people that use it. Recently, the number of unsupervised kids that are riding their bikes, scooters, and electric do dads are inconsiderate with their use of the sidewalks, their total lack of attention to their surroundings and other people. These kids need more adult supervision and parents need to take more time teaching them manners. I also am taking exception to the growing number of pet owners that think THEIR dogs don't need to be properly trained, leashed, or picked up after. The 5 O'Clock group of owners that let their dogs off theie leads and let them just take over a section of the park is non-sense. Read the signs. That is not acceptable. On several occasions, while just walking I have been run up on by dogs showing their teeth. I stop, sayd nice doggy and then move on. But some day, if I do get bit by one of these unruly monsters, their entiled owners will owe me money they haven't even made yet. I would like to see more of a park police presence for a while to get the kids and dog owners back to being decent people. And to the people that are feeding the ducks and squirrels, STOP. Read the signs. You aren't doing the wildlife any favors by feeding them and you aren't doing the other people that use the park any favors either. Payne Park is beautiful; a great place to enjoy the out of doors and the wonderful weather in Sarasota. Kids and Pet owners don't have the right to ruin the experience for everyone else. Oh, and teenagers, we know you are smoking pot there. Move away from the popular walking areas. Your weed smell like skunk butt.

4 stars because the bathrooms are closed currently due to a leak . But other than that this is a…read moresuper cute place to go to and bring your toddler. This park has a variety of activities / slides , tjings to climb oh and there's a skate park on the other side. Plus the trails are nice walking here.