Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park with Lunch at Crump's Landing - January 18th On January 18th we are going to visit the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.
Discover the wild side of Florida with endangered Florida panther red wolf manatee and whooping crane plus black bear bobcat and of course alligators. The park also features a variety of captive animals such as alligators black bears red wolf Key deer flamingos whooping cranes and the oldest hippopotamus in captivity.
The native wildlife that reside in the park serve as ambassadors for their species providing visitors face-to-face connections with the animals and their habitats. Each with a unique life story all of the animal inhabitants are here for the same reason - they are unable to survive in the wild on their own.
While at the park take the boat ride ($3pp) where the boat captain provides an introduction to the park and the Florida Park Service. Identifying native wildlife along the way.
Then we will leave around 1:00pm to journey to Crump's Landing Waterfront Tiki for a late lunch (or early dinner?).
Nestled on the Homosassa River Crump's is a beachy Tiki-style establishment that offers a relaxed dining experience featuring seafood and an extensive and unique specialty drink menu.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings House and Farmyard with lunch at The Yearling Restaurant - February 23rd The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings House and Farmyard is nationally significant in the area of literature as the home of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings a leading 20th-century American writer whose works continue to interest scholars students and the general reading public.
Rawlings lived in the house from 1928 until her death in 1953.It was there that she wrote all of her major works including the short stories that first brought her critical acclaim and the Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel The Yearling. The park includes the original frame house outbuildings and citrus grove she described in her lyrical memoir Cross Creek.
After touring the Rawlings house and strolling through the farmyard it's off to The Yearling Restaurant
Established in 1952 The Yearling has become a Florida Landmark. They serve Southern Cuisine specializing in the food rural Floridians have hunted fished and prepared for generations.
The restaurant is located in Cross Creek a little bend in the road enchanting in its unspoiled beauty.Here you'll find yourself back in time.....in the canopy of granddaddy oaks tall palms and lush citrus groves where wildlife abounds.
BMW Z Club Z Fun Fest - March 13th Our annual BMW Z Club Z Fun Fest is back!!! And this year's Z Fun Fest will be bigger and better than ever!
Come for the fun, food and fraternalism! It's not all about winning a trophy. We just want all of our members' Z's on display. And we are excited to be having the 2024 Z Fun Fest at a new venue......Grand Oaks Resort! Grand Oaks offers a relaxing location with gracious amenities in the heart of Florida’s scenic horse country.
A large open field will house all of our wonderful Z's for competition in 6 categories (you can only win in one category):
Best Z3
Best first generation Z4 (Soft top)
Best second generation Z4 (Hardtop/Convertible)
Best third generation Z4 (Back to a soft top)
Best in Show
And a new category.....Best Jazzed Up Z (Dress up your Z with decals, stripes, stuffed animals, flowers, lights, artwork in washable paint or anything else to make your Z stand out!)
A glass of wine/beer is included and will be available during the voting!
After perusing and voting on the cars, we will go inside and have a scrumptious BBQ lunch
During lunch, we will be entertained by Jonnell and the Gman for your listening and dancing pleasure.
Expect many prizes and gifts to be handed out! And maybe a few unexpected surprises! This the BEST Z Fun Fest EVER!
Vero Beach Overnight Drive to see Kinky Boots - March 15th-16th
Due to popular demand, we are going on a two day trip back to Vero Beach to see a Broadway play.
Everyone really enjoyed last April's Vero trip and most wanted to do it again, so member Mark Simon said sure, let's do it!
Mark checked with The Riverside Theater in Vero Beach again and found that they just released its shows and ticket sales for the 2024 season.
In order to assure we can get good seats we had to move quickly even though the show is 8 months away. We have settled on Cindy Lauper’s show ‘Kinky Boots’ on March 15, 2024 at 8:00pm at The Riverside Theater, 3250 Riverside Park Dr, Vero Beach 32963.
We will stay overnight at the SpringHill Suites, 5115 Indian River Blvd, Vero Beach 32967.
Dinner will be at the Ocean Grill, 1050 Beachland Blvd, Vero Beach 32963.
We were only able to put a hold on 40 tickets (20 couples). A waiting list will be established if we reach 40 reservations. (It's possible we may we able to secure more than 40 tickets, but won't know until all 40 are taken)
Gator Joe's on Lake Weir is Florida’s only Key West style waterfront restaurant. Established in 1926 on the water’s edge of Lake Weir, Gator Joe’s is a family friendly restaurant with a laid back casual atmosphere and island cuisine.
We will journey through the picturesque Ocala National Forest. The Ocala National Forest is the second largest nationally protected forest in the US.
It will be a wonderful day in the forest ending with food and drinks!
Bok Tower Gardens with Lunch at The Sizzling Grill Steak and Seafood Restaurant - April 24th Our drive for April is to the famous Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales!
Bok Tower Gardens is a 250-acre contemplative garden and bird sanctuary located atop Iron Mountain that was created by Edward Bok in the 1920s. The gardens' attractions include the Singing Tower and its 60-bell carillon, the Bok Exedra, the Pinewood Estate now known as El Retiro, the Pine Ridge Trail, and the Visitor Center.
We will experience the essence of Bok Tower Gardens by exploring its rich history, dedicated conservation endeavors and harmonious fusion of artistic expression showcased through horticulture and the enchanting music of the Singing Tower.
We will have a guided tour of the estate then are free to roam the gardens at our leisure. After enjoying the Bok facilities, we will head on over to The Sizzling Grill Steak and Seafood Restaurant.
The cosy atmosphere of this place makes customers feel relaxed and have a nice time.
Taste perfectly cooked filet américain, prime rib roast and pork ribs. Come here for tasty soufflés, cheesecakes and ice cream if you are hungry. Order delicious wine, draft beer or michelada.
The World Equestrian Center with lunch at MOJO's Food Music Soul - May 22nd One of the country's premier equestrian location is The World Equestrian Center, so we thought we would go there!
We are going to see some of the world's most celebrated horses competing in dressage competitions.
This international showcase of grace and skill will see extraordinary athletes from every corner of the globe converge for the highly anticipated CDI3* (Concours de Dressage International) competition. The competition is at the high Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) level. These competitions serve as an Olympic qualifying event.
Dressageis a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training". It is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by the International Equestrian Federation, dressage is described as "the highest expression of horse training" where "horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements".
After viewing these spectacular horses, we will venture over to MOJO's Food Music Soulrestaurant for some food for the soul.
Mojo's is the concoction of life-long restaurateur Rondo Fernandez. With a name and ambiance inspired by Rondo’s love for blues music, Mojo's offers a one-of-a-kind dining experience delighting your mind with blues music, feeding you larger than life portions, and treating your soul to a great time amongst family and friends.
So come and get your taste buds singin', let your mojo flow, and your troubles will go!