The Best Places to Take Kids, Tweens & Teens

By Ryan G. Van Cleave

I’ve got a problem. 

There’s a full range of kid ages to deal with at the Van Cleave house this summer. We have a teen AND a tween. Plus, houseguests will soon be en route with an army of wee ones. So what on earth are we to do when they’re tired of playing Xbox, sleeping until noon, and gobbling animal crackers? 

What follows are my best picks to take everyone to over the next few months. Maybe I’ll see you there?

Fruitville Library/Gulf Gate Library
Yeah, I know. Library. Big whoop-de-doo. But Fruitville’s got free wifi, helpful librarians, and a great kid section with lots of space to sit, play, and read. And there’s a lot of impressive programs—Kids Write! Book Club, Anima/Manga Club, Forty Carrots Partners in Play, plus special summer youth programming. kids

And while I’m partial to Fruitville (I drive past it on my way to work), the new Gulf Gate Library might be the crown jewel in the Sarasota County Library System. This amazing building has all you’d want for little ones, but there are oodles of things for older kids here, like Teen Movie Nights, Teen Gaming Nights, Teen Media Mondays, Chess Club, and even a new Gulf Gate Teen Occult Club where they’ll discuss “paranormal topics ranging from extraterrestrial life to the existence of ghosts and more.”

Plus, there are books. Loads and loads of good ones. 
Fruitville: 100 Coburn Road/Gulfgate: 7112 Curtiss Avenue

Celery Fields/The Hill
Want exercise? Power up and down those trails on the manmade hill. Want to shoot photos? The last time I was there, I saw bald eagles, great blue heron, spoonbills, sandhill cranes, and more. A bonus: Audubon volunteers are often at the observation pier to help with spotting and identification.  kids

(If your kids don’t like exercise, photography, or wildlife, there’s a lot of Pokémon Go stuff to do here, as well!) 6800 Palmer Boulevard

The Ringling
When they were little, my kids LOVED to go to ROAR/Ringling Order of Art Readers—a free family story time session for preschoolers and toddlers. Plus we’ve gone several times to the Art After Five events on Thursdays (discounted admission to the museum plus family activities) and the Kids Quest museum tours for kids 8-12 (only $2), which give your family admission to the featured venue for the rest of the day. Or try the Museum of Art Mondays (free!), a special art-making program connected to objects you can find in the galleries. This also gives you free admission to the museum. kids

Don’t forget to try out the kid’s playground area by the rose garden. My kids—even at 11 and 14—still insist we go there each time we visit The Ringling.
5401 Bay Shore Road

Legacy Trail
Ride, walk, or stroll through 15 miles of well-maintained trail that used to be an old railway line. Smooth pavement. Clear signage. Safe road crossings. Restrooms every few miles. It’s one of the Top 10 Bicycle Trails in Florida for a reason. kids

(The last time I rode there, a bobcat zipped past. So cool!) Trail heads at Culver House Nature Park and Venice Train Depot

Junior Golf Clinic @ Evie’s Family Golf Center 
Every Saturday morning from 9-9:45, there’s a free (no joke—F R E E!) golf clinic for kids age 5-15 run by the Schiavetta Golf Academy. Don’t have clubs? They’ve got loaners. Don’t know what you’re doing when it comes to golf? No worries—they’ll teach kids the proper fundamentals, from swing to stance to posture to etiquette. Best of all, the teachers are PGA Professionals.

Afterwards, enjoy a snack in the restaurant. Or play some of the video games in the little arcade. Or give their mini-golf course a whirl.

My kids have gone to the junior golf clinic dozens of times and while they’re unlikely to make the cut for the PGA tour, they won’t embarrass themselves if they’re ever out on the links.
4375 Bee Ridge Road

Nathan Benderson Park 
If you’re compelled to shop at University Town Center, fine, but make sure you swing by Nathan Benderson Park, just south of the mall. What’s not to like about this? Easy parking. Clean bathrooms. Kid playground. Pet friendly. Walking/riding/jogging trail. Canoe/rowboat/kayak/paddleboard opportunities. And that’s not to mention the many official activities there (Glow Run, Breast Cancer Walk, Superhero 5k, the World Rowing Masters Regatta, etc.). 
5851 Nathan Benderson Circle

TreeUmph! Adventure Course
Over 10 football fields of challenging terrain and fun aerial experiences? Yes, please! As their websites states: “Suspended logs? Check. Wobbly footbridges? You bet. Zip lines? Absolutely.” Most important, their commitment to safety is first rate. The hook-harness system is super secure. The workers? Impressively safety-conscious and helpful as well.

Unless you’re afraid of heights, this is a fun, great workout for people of all ages. 
21805 E State Road 70

Escape Countdown Sarasota
Want a fully-immersive entertainment experience? Test your wits and critical thinking skills against one of the themed puzzle-filled rooms. Can you “escape” in an hour or less? 

Sarasota boasts three escape room companies, but this one’s my favorite. I’d start with Jail Break and then try Mad Hatter or Trouble in Paradise. (Need a break from the kids? Take your sweetie out for the escape-room-for-two experience, “Evening in Paris.”) 
6525 S. Tamiami Trail/Inside the Bank of America building

Fab Lab
Most kids don’t get excited about STEM. But at the Fab Lab, science, technology, engineering, and math become cool again. Whether it’s taking one of the summer camps (LEGO engineering, How it’s Made, Escape Room Engineering, Crime Scene Lab, to name a few) or becoming a member and getting unlimited access, this place is a hoot. Try out embroidery machines, 3D printers, mills, routers, laser cutters, and more.

Did I mention that this place is high-tech awesome? Kids will love the hands-on opportunity to get creative.
4452 Beneva Road

Whew! It’s going to be a busy summer here for sure. But the good news is that there are plenty of great things to do beyond this list, like hitting up the beaches, hanging out at Jungle Gardens, eating gelato from a Main Street shop, strolling St Armands Circle and so much more.

If you find anything not mentioned above that’s especially splendid for your kids, tweens, and/or teens, please tell me! I’ll probably add it to a future article here and thank you with a little magazine karma.

Ryan G. Van Cleave is the author of 20 books, and he runs the creative writing program at the Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida.
Web:ryangvancleave.com