Bonnet Springs Park: Where Nature, Science, and Sleep-Deprived Parents Collide

Let me tell you about a magical land hidden right in Lakeland, Florida. A place so beautiful, so educational, so peaceful… unless you bring a child named Quincy. Welcome to Bonnet Springs Park—where the wetlands are wild, the children’s museum is chaos (in the best way), and your calves will scream for mercy by the end.

So here we are, rolling into the parking lot like the Clampetts on zero sleep after a long drive. Before I could even pretend to stretch or finish my Red Bull, Quincy turns into our own personal tour guide-slash-mountain goat and leads us straight up what the park calls “The South Mountain.” Let me just say: they weren’t kidding. For someone who’s out of shape and low on REM cycles, this “hill” felt like Everest, but greener.

At the summit, we were rewarded with the sight of a 200-year-old oak tree, towering with wisdom and silently judging my wheezing. We took the boardwalk across the wetlands, spotted turtles sunbathing like retirees in Miami, a chill anhinga drying its wings like a vampire bat on vacation, some squiggly little tadpoles, and yes—a real live gator! But don’t worry, it peaced out as soon as Quincy started yelling about wanting to keep going, probably assuming we were a National Geographic crew gone rogue.

Now, did we explore the entire park? Absolutely not. Mama had no sleep, and the idea of walking the full trail was laughable. But that just gives us a solid excuse for a round two—preferably after a full night’s rest and a large iced coffee the size of my face.

Next stop: the Florida Children’s Museum—aka “The Building of a Thousand Screams and STEM Dreams.” Before we even made it inside, Quincy found a giant yellow alligator playground made of traffic cones and metal. Honestly, it looked like something a funky, Florida-loving robot might build if it had a soft spot for reptiles.

Outside there’s also a dino dig sandpit with faux fossils, perfect for any future paleontologist or sand-covered tornado child. Inside? Oh boy. It’s a STEM wonderland. The boys spent forever with magnetic PVC pipes, building ball drop systems like tiny engineers (with very questionable structural integrity). After 20 minutes and one dad brain-cell reboot, they finally cracked it—teamwork really does make the ping-pong ball dream work.

We explored musical zones where you could see guitar strings vibrate (shoutout to science!), a green screen studio where you could star in your own awkward music video, and a soundproof room for unleashing your inner rockstar without the judgment of strangers—or siblings.

But wait, there’s more! A weather lab, a pretend vet clinic, a fire truck area, a miniature farmer’s market, and my personal favorite—a pretend JUICING STATION. Yes, you too can live your smoothie barista fantasy while your child pretends to run a farmers co-op. There’s even a farm section with the cutest stuffed chickens you’ve ever seen. Seriously, I almost named one and brought it home.

By the end, I was ready for a nap in the butterfly garden (do they allow that?). I told both boys—once we’re living here full time and they’re in school, I will be back. And this time, I’m going alone. Or maybe with the hubby. But it will be peaceful. There will be coffee. There might even be quiet.

Until next time, Bonnet Springs. You were wild, wonderful, and just the right kind of weird.