Some months ago, I found myself on adventure with my toddler up in North Palm Beach County. It made me realize how different travelling is when you have children. Whereas I once would’ve immediately sought out dive bars, indie book shops and music venues, I found myself constantly wondering what would bring a smile to my little one’s face.
Turns out, there’s quite a bit to do for the busy toddler that finds themselves in North Palm Beach. If you’re adventuring in the area with your rugrat, here are a few fun (and mostly frugal) ideas to get you started:
Playmobil Fun Park
Drive down Military Trail and you’ll find a small “castle” housing more Playmobil toys than you’ve ever seen in your life. The Playmobil Fun Park is an ingenious creation by the Playmobil company to get you and your toddler familiar with their toys. Pay just $1 per person and step inside to what is essentially a giant toy box.
Tables are set up more or less by category (farm animals here, medieval characters there) and are topped with everything from plastic cars to unicorns. Giant versions of Playmobil people are found throughout the “park,” as well as an over-sized throne at the end where kids can take pictures at (I must admit I resisted the urge to take a Game of Thrones-inspired selfie at this point). As it was a weekday, the place was mostly empty and my son had free rein to pick and choose which toys he liked most. There’s also a stage for special events like story times.
After you finish playing (or more accurately, after you manage to pry your child away), you’re released into the Playmobil Toy Store, where you can purchase any (or many) of the toys your kid just played with. We took home a little red tractor with a gender-ambiguous person to play with. Willy B was pleased.
My only complaint has to do with the lack of diversity in regards to the Playmobil characters. Most of the “people” were white, with about two or three Native American characters which appeared stereotypical American Indians. I also only saw one black Playmobile character (certainly not this African American family). Playmobile may create gender-ambiguous characters, but they still have a long way to go in making more diverse characters on the whole, and certainly ones that aren’t as problematic.
Worth noting that this North Palm Beach Playmobil Fun Park is actually the ONLY one in the United States!
Cool Beans Play Cafe
Inside Downtown at the Gardens, you’ll find the only indoor playground in the North Palm Beach area – Cool Beans Play Cafe. Prior to my visit, I’ve only been to one other indoor playground (Jump A Roos in Cutler Bay) and I have to say I am officially a fan of the concept. Living in Miami, it is hot nearly every single day, and if not, it’s (also, unpredictably) rainy. In fact, the day we came to Cool Beans was rather warm and overcast, drizzling on and off.
Cool Beans advertises that they charge $14.95 for all day play. This is a bit steep in my eyes, but worth it if you’ll be shopping and dining all day and need a place to release your child every couple hours. The first time we went, the place was closing in a half hour and I was told I would still have to pay the $15 admission rather than a pro-rated rate. I opted to return the following morning for “Toddler Tuesday” (when they close out the place to kids over the age of 3 for a few hours so the littles can use all the “big kid” areas in peace). I was happily surprised to find I would only be charged $10 for the day instead! We signed our waiver, took off our shoes, and stepped inside.
Upon entering, you’ll find a section that is quartered off for younger children (under 2 years). There’s a small ball pit, plus toys and books for babies to play with and explore, as well as a couple of baby bouncers. Off in one corner, you’ll find a few mega-slides (one with a giant foam block pit to fall in to), and in the center is a giant trampoline, which was a hit with the older kids. There’s also an area filled with puzzles of all kinds, plus a pretend kitchen with pretend food and other goodies. And once they open it up to the older kids, you’ll notice a mammoth-sized, inflatable see-saw plus a dramatic play area filled with costumes.
If you get hungry and don’t feel like leaving the place, you can nosh on sandwiches, cookies, and other snacks, or enjoy a coffee (or milk for your kiddo) in their cafe area. The food prices are comparable to most of the nearby restaurants.
Cool Beans offers a variety of classes (check the website for details) available for $6 a session, ages 2 and up. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.
Loggerhead Marine Life Center
Loggerhead Marine Center is an animal rescue and rehabilitation center in North Palm Beach, with a focus on loggerhead turtles. Admission is by donation and the staff there are very friendly and knowledgeable. Walk in and you can start by reading about the history of the center and checking out their aquarium.
Afterwards, walk outside to see the “patients” up close and personal. Meet Nacho Libre, Dinghy, Audubon, Checkers, Bowden, and the rest of the gang as they swim their way back to health in their individual tanks. You can watch them overhead and wait for them to take a peek out of the water, or crouch down and observe them through their tank windows for a close encounter. There are colorful murals throughout the property, plus a soft-floored children’s play area, though keeping your child strictly in that zone is a bit of a challenge since it isn’t fenced in or anything. The center also has large picture windows that allow guests to observe veterinarians caring for patients of the turtle hospital.
Loggerhead Marine Life Center also offers a variety of experiences, including Hammock Hikes, Fish Feedings, and Hatchling Tales (a story and activity time for kids 0-4 occurring on Wednesday mornings), among other activities. Check their website or call ahead for details.
Juno Beach Pier
Juno Beach Pier is just a 3-minute drive from the marine center, making it a great second stop. While primarily used as a local fishing spot, the pier is open to anyone with $1 to spare ($4 if you plan to fish). Stroll or walk your child along the wooden path and take in the majestic Atlantic. Unlike Miami’s mostly still waters, you’ll find plenty of folks kite surfing and boogie boarding all along the coast, giving your kid plenty of live entertainment.
Take special care when you bring your little one as this is mainly a place used by anglers and you might find bait and other fishing equipment along the way, which little hands may want to pick up.
If you get hungry, the snack shop at the entrance has everything from chips and cookies to water and ice cream to tide you over. There’s a public parking lot right across from the pier, too, which to my surprise had plenty of spaces available (unheard of even on a weekday in Miami Beach).
Honorable Mention: The Palm Beach Gardens Barnes & Noble
I’ve been to many a Barnes & Noble in Miami, but none as nice as the one off PGA Boulevard. Their children’s section is large and well-stocked and includes a stage for reading time, tables with plush animals and other toys for kiddos to play with while mommy book-browses. And then of course there’s pièce de résistance for my son: a Thomas the Tank Engine train table, complete with plenty of engines to choose from. These are, of course, cleverly arranged right in front of a wall filled with numerous Thomas-related toys. You could easily come and spend an hour or longer (depending on your kid) here while you read, or read to them.
There is also a Starbucks Cafe housed inside the book store, making it a great stop for a sandwich, a coffee, or some warm milk or a juice box for your kiddo.
I’ve got my eye on a few other places to visit, but for a short, fun, and frugal adventure with your toddler, these places can’t be beat.
If you weren’t sure what to do in North Palm Beach with your young child, there’s obviously plenty to do.
Have you visited the Palm Beaches with your child recently? What would you add to this list?
