The Jacksonville Jaguars aren’t the only big cats in town! Residents can visit the Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary and get up close and personal with resident lions, tigers, leopards and more. Open to the public since 2004, Catty Shack’s mission is to provide a safe, loving, forever home for endangered big cats and to educate the public about their plight in the wild and captivity.

Executive Director and Curator Curt LoGiudice’s love of animals is evident. He began his career training dogs in the law enforcement service. He then moved on to working with exotic animals, and in 1994, the Florida Panther Project asked him to represent the organization in Jacksonville, making educational presentations. Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary was granted non-profit 501(c)(3) status in 2003 and a year later became accredited to welcome visitors.

LoGiudice believes that education is the best way to teach the public about the plight of large cats in the wild, as well as the dangers of private home ownership. Catty Shack is dedicated to providing these animals with a safe and comfortable home – they do not buy, sell, trade or breed any of their animals. The sanctuary rescues animals from serious situations and provides thorough medical care and a safe living space. Catty Shack’s residents include tigers, lions, leopards, cougars, caracal, bobcats, serval, coatimundis, foxes and horses.

Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary offers tours to the public as well as educational school tours. All tours begin with an introductory video that covers the sanctuary’s mission and history. The Day Tours are offered daily from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Guests can take a self-guided tour of the animal habitats while interacting with volunteers stationed throughout the sanctuary to answer questions. The Night Feeding is available on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy a self-guided walking tour. At 7 p.m., Executive Director Curt LoGiudice provides a guided tour full of fascinating facts and background on the animals as the animals enjoy their dinner – the cats can eat up to 600 pounds of meat! Enrichment tours are on every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Enrichment is when staff provides the animals with activities that stimulate them mentally and physically. Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour and watch animals enjoy their enrichment activities. Tickets may be purchased online or at the gate (for the Day and Enrichment tours only).

Taking care of all these exotic animals takes a lot of resources. The Sanctuary is completely funded through visitation, concession stand sales, honorary adoptions and financial and material donations. Take a day trip that helps care for these magnificent animals!

 
 
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It’s finally summer vacation. Take advantage of the beauty and fun Northeast Florida has to offer and create a summer full of memories to remember with your family and friends with our summer bucket list! 

Treat Yourself

Kickback, relax, and enjoy a sweet treat! Stop by The Donut Experiment for some donuts you won’t soon forget. We’re serious…they have a Sriracha Donut! If you’re in need of a cold treat, look no further than Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops to cool you down. The Mango Mojito and Blueberry Lavender Lemonade are just a sampling of the refreshing and delicious flavors you can choose from. If you’re in the cookie mood, pick up a box of Insomnia Cookies and try the Confetti Deluxe Cookie and the Salted Caramel Cookie. Enjoy the sugar rush – it’s summer! 

Move Around

Make staying active fun this summer no matter how hot it is outside! Embrace the heat and make a splash at Shipwreck Island Water Park. From the waterslides to the Typhoon Lagoon, you will have hours of fun in the sun. Visit Fiesta Falls Miniature Golf Course after dinner to enjoy a leisurely round of mini golf while the sun is going down. Don’t forget to grab a soft serve ice cream cone while you’re there! Take a break from the heat at Anastasia Bowling Lanes. Sign your kids up for a Summer Fun Bowling Pass and receive two FREE games of bowling every day all summer long.

Try Something New 

Ditch your comfort zone and try something different! Sign up for a Candy Class at Sweet Pete’s Candy where you can learn how to make all kinds of tasty treats like Lollipops and Taffy. Take an afternoon to explore Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park. Hanna Park is one of the premier surf spots in Jacksonville and the perfect place to watch the waves. 

Back to Basics

You can never go wrong with some classic Northeast Florida staples. The Jacksonville Zoo is always a hit! IllumiZoo will be happening every Friday night between June 4 and August 27 from 6-10 pm. The Zoo will come alive at night with live music and entertainment that are sure to make for a memorable evening. Root for the home team at the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp game this summer. Get tickets for a Friday game and enjoy fireworks after the game! 


Make this a summer to remember! Be sure to tag us on Instagram and Facebook every time you cross one of these experiences off your list.

 
 
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Someone needs to remind Mother Nature that it is October and it’s time to send in the cooler temperatures. But despite the heat, the rain, and the humidity we are currently experiencing in Northeast Florida – it is FALL! That means all things pumpkins, pumpkin spice, pumpkin flavors, and pumpkin patches! Most of us wouldn’t actually give up our year-round temperate weather we experience on the First Coast for the bitter cold months our neighbors north of us endure. And while it would be pleasant to enjoy fall-like weather and leaves changing colors there are a few places we highly recommend to enjoy the fall season (even if you do have to wear tanks, shorts, and flip-flops.)

Travel over to Green Cove Springs and enjoy a full day of fun at Amazing Grace Family Farms www.agcropmaze.com which is open Fridays and Saturdays through October 31st. The list of activities available at Amazing Grace Family Farms will keep children of all ages busy enjoying the adventures and will likely have them sleeping on the way home. From their pumpkin patch worthy of family photos to the enormous jump pad that will completely exhaust any kid or even kid-at-heart, there’s plenty to see and do. The crop maze will challenge the adventurers with its many twists and turns. The BarnYard Ball Zone will have the crowd going wild. The Tug-O-War brings just the right amount of competition for the family (or maybe family vs. family). And a highlight every year is the farm animal petting zoo where children are able to experience real life on the farm with these precious animals. Parents, be sure to have your phones ready because this beautiful farm provides plenty of picture perfect moments to capture the wholesome fun you’ll enjoy outdoors making memories.

Next on our list, is CONNER’S A-MAIZE-ING ACRES. This small family farm packs in a HUGE and exciting day. Located in Hilliard, CONNER’S A-MAIZE-ING ACRES is a local favorite for many reasons. With 125 acres of a working family farm, during October and select days in November, Conner’s A-MAIZE-ING ACRES is open to the public for people to enjoy their sweet farm animals, wagon rides, playground, ride horses, pumpkin patch, and most importantly the incredible corn maze that changes from year to year. With last year’s maze shaped with The Wizard of OZ theme, this year’s maze will have you lost in a web…Charlotte’s Web, that is! Be sure to bring your appetite, too. Conner’s A-MAIZE-ING ACRES offers plenty of eating options perfect for your day on the farm. For more information visit www.connerscornmaze.com

Rounding out our TOP 3 is SYKE’S FAMILY FARMS. The Sykes Family has more than 50 years of farming experience and provides their guests with a tradition people can enjoy year after year. The 9-acre corn maze is filled with twists and turns and will have families laughing and navigating as they enjoy the outdoors together making memories. Syke’s Family Farms also provides a play area, farm animals, cow milking, hayrides, pumpkin patches, cow train, teeter-totters, duck races, and plenty of wholesome entertainment to keep the family busy for hours. For more information about hours of operation and tickets visit www.sycofarms.com

All three locations are operating under state recommendations and providing COVID-19 precautions. Please contact the locations prior to your visit for a better understanding of how each farm is operating.

 
 
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Mother’s Day is fast approaching (Sunday, May 10) and we can all agree this year’s special day will be a little different. While we may not be able to take Mom out to eat or to the day spa due to social distancing guidelines, there are lots of creative ideas out there to make her feel special!

Here are some creative ways to make this year’s Mother’s Day even more extraordinary than any other year:

  1. Make a picnic for Mom.While going out to eat is not in the cards, you can plan to go “out” to eat at a nearby park or even your backyard. Everyone will enjoy getting out of the house for some fresh air and a relaxing picnic. You can make her favorite meal at home or, if cooking is not a good option, plan to arrange delivery or takeout ahead of your excursion
  2. Create a memory scrapbook.Pull out your dusty photo albums and transform old pictures of Mom into a new collage. Gather the whole family to peruse together, asking questions about her younger self—old jobs, schools, hobbies, travels, friends, even old fashion choices! Mom will love the trip down memory lane.

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No matter where you live in World Golf Village, Nocatee or other St. Johns communities, it is a common site to see groups of teenagers (sometimes preteens) driving golf carts. While they travel at relatively safe speeds, it is important that they realize the risks. And there are plenty of risks.

Just last year, a teenage girl in South Florida flipped a golf cart she was driving with her friends. The girl was airlifted to a nearby hospital with severe brain injuries. She later died of those injuries. Another teen, a local named Olivia Love, fell off the back of a golf cart and sustained a terrible head injury. She is still relearning how to walk and talk.

Although most teens are fairly safe, the facts remain: These are open-air vehicles with no seatbelts that flip over easily. Add to that distracted drivers who might be tempted to impress friends by jumping a curb or taking a turn quickly in a high traffic neighborhood, and the risks increase significantly.

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When making improvements to your home, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer number of manufacturers and products. Knowing which brand to trust can be difficult, especially when you’re not familiar with many of them.

To help, BUILDER Brand just released its 2020 Build Brand Use Study. Conducted by The Farnsworth Group, the annual survey gauges the attitudes of nearly 1,000 builders, developers and contractors all over the U.S. (both public and private).

From vinyl siding to light fixtures, the report covers nearly every corner of home improvement in more than 50 categories. Brands are included based mainly on familiarity, frequency of use and quality. Respondents also factored in performance, price, availability, warranty, green/sustainability and brand reputation.

While many brands continue to dominate (e.g. Trex is the decided choice in decking), other lesser known brands pop up in the survey as well, thanks to respondents who voiced their willingness to try new products and brands. This helps to provide well-rounded survey results.

Whether you are upgrading your home to sell, investing in a house to flip, or renovating your forever home, it’s important to choose high quality, trusted brands. Here are just some of the results from the survey, which may help you to narrow down product selections in your home improvement project!

Faucets                     

Brand Familiarity: American Standard

Used in the Past 2 Years: Kohler / Moen

Used the Most: Moen

Highest Quality: Kohler

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There is no doubt that this year’s Easter celebration on Sunday, April 12, will be like no other we’ve ever had. The great thing is people are getting very creative with their celebrations!

Many churches are streaming their services online and drive-in style services have popped up around the country. Families have also taken to apps like Zoom and Skype to be “together” during these holidays while complying with social distancing guidelines. Seeing everything from virtual Easter egg hunts to family gatherings via Facetime, it is clear we as people are nothing if not resourceful.

Here are some other ways you can connect with loved ones this holiday weekend:

Organize a neighborhood Easter parade. Many communities have Facebook pages where activities like this are planned. Neighbors may decorate their cars and golf carts, meet at the community clubhouse and conduct a slow parade around the neighborhood playing music and waving hello—a special treat for anyone who cannot leave their home!

Live in the King & Bear? The community will have an Easter Bunny Drive-by on Easter Sunday. Check out the K&B Facebook pageto learn more and make sure he drives by your house!

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If you’re like many of us who are at least partly self-quarantined, you have binged all the Netflix you can handle and taken more naps than you can count. Cabin fever has set in for the entire family and you’re looking for something to engage the whole crew.

Now is the perfect time to start a family home project. Here are some ideas to get inspired and get everyone to pitch in and help—without taking a single trip to the home improvement store or spending a dime!


1.) Garage overhaul –
This is a great project because nearly all of us need to do it, everyone can help, and it doesn’t require any additional equipment! The best way to tackle to garage overhaul is to empty everything onto the driveway. Once empty, determine where all the “like” items will go—lawn equipment, home improvement tools, camping gear, beach stuff, bikes, etc. Everything should have a home together.

Make a point to only add the items you currently use or will use in the next 12 months. Consider donating, selling or tossing anything that isn’t useful to you. JDog Junk Removal & Hauling, a local veteran-owned company, is a great resource to take away your garage junk. Click hereto check out JDog’s garage clean-up guide.

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A lot has changed in our community within the past few weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Chiefly among those, requirements to practice social distancing.

As a result, many of us are self-quarantined or, at the very least, limiting our time away from home. However, even though we might be stuck at home, it is still important to keep up with exercise to maintain physical health and keep our spirits up!

To help, the First Coast YMCA has temporarily made lots of on-demand virtual workouts and classes available to everyone for free!

Virtual Studio –This is a YouTube channel with loads of on-demand workout routines from Zumba and HIIT training to yoga and light cardio.

Access here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL69QazyB2WpZD0ckIsXGnIZHnvdsEj89T

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With all the news coverage about COVID-19, it can be difficult to know how to get the most accurate and up-to-date information to protect yourself and your family.

Further, plenty of misinformation is circulating about prevention. Here are the most basic do’s and don’ts as curated from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Do:  Wash your hands often, for 20 seconds or longer. Also, use hand sanitizer that has at least 60% alcohol.

Don’t: Rely on face masks to protect you. According to Johns Hopkins, “For the general public without respiratory illness, wearing lightweight disposable surgical masks is not recommended. Because they don’t fit tightly, they may allow tiny infected droplets to get into the nose, mouth or eyes.”

Do:  Go about your regular activities but try to keep a distance of at least 2-3 feet from those around you. Also, avoid large groups and mass gatherings. In fact, Gov. DeSantis has asked that all mass gatherings in the state be cancelled for the next month.

Don’t: Try to prevent or kill the COVID-19 virus by ingesting, gargling or applying harsh chemicals to your body. It has been rumored that chlorine bleach or alcohol can mitigate the spread. WHO says this is not true and is very dangerous.

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