Gator's Dockside - Melbourne

When you're on vacation in Central Florida and you make the trip from Orlando to Cocoa Beach via the BeachLine, a good place to eat is Gator's Dockside., on Wickham in Melbourne.

Gator's Dockside is a Florida-style restaurant that features all kinds of food from burgers and fries to steak, seafood, and a variety of appetizers including Florida's specialty - gator tail. Enjoy over 30 television screens and drinks from a full service bar. I took the family there today and we enjoyed it immensely. The food, atmosphere, and service were awesome. The manager visited us and remained visible the whole time. Even though it's hot here in the summer, some folks like to sit outside and relax with a drink.

Pricing is affordable and keeping families in mind they have a great kids menu. They also have a gluten-free menu. This restaurant just opened on June 29th, so it has the "new car" smell to it but it also has a festive, lively image which makes it a fun place to eat. Enjoy!

The Brevard Zoo - Melbourne

The Brevard Zoo is on Wickham Road in Viera just off I-95 east of Orlando.  As one of Florida's smaller zoos it host animals from Florida, Africa, South America, and Australia.  The zoo opened in the early 90's with the involvement of community and business leaders.  A. Duda & Sons donated the land and the Brevard Zoo was born.  Since then it has undergone various expansions, reconstructions, and today is one of the nicest zoological parks I have ever visited.

Animals from 4 continents live on seperate reserves in natural surroundings where they live comfortable but can still be seen by visitors.  There is a large bird aviary that you cn walk through and have a hands on experience with hundreds of species of tropical birds.  Take a train ride around the park and see the gibbon island or the masssive rhinos.  You can feed the giraffes and attend some of the wildlife experiences where you can lern about and touch some animals while the zoo staff educates you with animal facts and ecological knowledge.

Visit the concession stand for some very good food at not terrible prices.  If you want some added kick in your day take a kayak tour through the park or jump on the Zip Line where you rope your way over the swamps filled with alligators! Fun stuff!

There are also impressive fish and crocodile displays that show the ecological vastness of the tropics. The younger visitors can also hand out at Paws on Play where they can splash in shallow pools while the family can sit and have food and drinks from the concession stand.

Prices for adults are $15, seniors are $14,  2-12 are $11, and under 2 are Free. They also have group rates and membership packages for those who like to visit often. Hours are 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM with last admission at 4:30 (although I don't know why you'd want to go in that late).  One nice perk about the Brevard Zoo is that since it's a tropical setting much of the park is under a canopy of trees.  Even when it's hot in the summer you don't have the sun beating on you the whole time you are there.

Come visit our zoo.  It's a great fun day for the family and I know you'll be glad you did.