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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Did you know that St. Johns County farmers are Florida’s most productive potato growers? In fact, St. Johns County is the #7 producer of potatoes in the nation. St. Johns County potatoes have anchored products by Frito-Lay, Cape Cod, Kettle, Snyder’s and others. Do you know how potatoes took root in the County?

Henry Morrison Flagler, with an eight grade public school education, founded Standard Oil. Along with his business partner, John D. Rockefeller, he built the company into the richest, biggest business in the world. At its height, the company controlled 90% of the world’s oil refining. The New York World paper reported that Standard Oil was “the most cruel, impudent, pitiless and grasping monopoly that ever fastened upon a country.” By 1911, the Supreme Court of the United States had successfully broken Standard Oil’s monopoly into 34 new companies.

At the peak of his business, Flagler brought his wife, Mary Harkness, to Jacksonville for convalescence. She died shortly afterwards in 1881 and Flagler married her caregiver, Ida Alice Shourds two years later (incidentally, Ida Alice was later declared insane in 1896, enabling Flagler to marry once again to Mary Lily Kenan). The newlyweds honeymooned in St. Augustine, sparking an entirely new business tack – one that made the name “Flagler” synonymous with old Florida.

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There are plenty of beautiful public beaches all along the First Coast. However, as many locals will tell you, finding easy and convenient ways to access the beaches takes a little savvy. Here are the top five best places to access the beach all along the Northeast Florida coast:
ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH – St. Johns County Pier (350 A1A Beach Boulevard)
Pros: This is a great access spot for many reasons—plenty of parking, lots of activities and an abundance of soft, white sand. Also, while neighbor to the north Vilano Beach is more cramped due to crowds and vehicle access on the beach, St. Augustine Beach offers lots of space to spread out and throw around a football. Enjoy water sports, fishing, a beachfront splash park for kids, or stroll to one of several restaurants and bars near the pier.
Cons: Unless you live in or near St. Augustine Beach, getting to this spot on Anastasia Island may be a trek (especially on busy weekends).

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Feb
 
20
 

Two parties in a conversation must share a common interest with a shared vocabulary – or there will be no communication – no meaning.

In the parlance of Master Planned Communities, is it possible to design them with meaning from inception – or do they have to develop a patina, polished through the personalities and preferences of the residents?

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Jul
 
16
 

As many of my fishing buddies and World Golf Village neighbors know, our area offers a wide variety of ramps to get your boat in the water. I have a 22-foot Nautic Star Bay Boat with a Yamaha 150-4 stroke outboard that enables me to fish a variety of locations within the Intracoastal and bottom fish in the ocean. I love spending the day on the water with some friends and grabbing lunch or dinner at some of the best eateries in town.

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Jun
 
7

For the Love of Fishing

Posted by: Sam Davidson in Local Activities, Nature, Tips
 

One of my favorite things about living in St. Augustine is the multitude of fishing opportunities in our area. Because we have vast bodies of water surrounding us including the St. Johns River, the Intracoastal Waterway, and the Atlantic Ocean, there are a variety of opportunities for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. We are also very lucky to have local fishing stores that are more than happy to help with tackle and local knowledge. Not to mention, local forums offering information and insight on both fishing locations and equipment.

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Aug
 
2
 

Couple Walking 2The singer/songwriter, Joe South, famously recorded the song, Walk a Mile in My Shoes. The commonly used refrain about “walking a mile in my shoes” refers to being non-judgmental of others. Humorously, it is often extended to “before you criticize someone, walk a mile in his shoes – then when you do criticize that person, you’ll be a mile away and have his shoes”. Some say that research shows the sentiment is rooted in old, Cherokee Indian, native-American wisdom. It remains wonderful advice – “don’t judge a person until you have walked a mile in their shoes”.

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