Health & Fitness
The Butterfly Exhibit at Atlantis Marine World is a Home Run!
Need something to do with the kids one day this week? Check out the Long Island Exhibition Center's new Butterfly Exhibit. It is out of this world!
Throughout the centuries, cultures around the world have been fascinated by butterflies. As early as the ancient Greeks and the Romans, butterflies have been thought to be one of the earth’s most precious inhabitants. For some, butterflies have a more symbolic meaning. Many cultures believe they are used as a means of communication between the living and those who have passed on. Regardless of your beliefs on the subject, we cannot help but be in awe of these beautiful species.
I too am fascinated with butterflies so I was delighted when my good friend Janine Friscia asked me to join her at the new butterfly exhibit at the . Janine is a butterfly enthusiast and I will lovingly refer to her as the “Butterfly Guru” throughout this piece. If you watch my videos from our trip you will see that Janine has extensive knowledge on the subject of butterflies. It helps her feel closer to her father who, just like mine, is in heaven smiling down on us. Janine and I met when she moved in next door a little less than a year before my father passed away. She has been an amazing support system for me throughout the loss of my father. It is so nice to have someone so kind who just gets it...
Before we visited the exhibit, Janine and I made a stop at one of our favorite local spots, , for lunch. It is a great local spot which has been in business for more than 15 years now. The service is always personalized and friendly and their seafood is one of the freshest and most reasonably priced in the area. They are located just a few steps past the Aquarium in Riverhead. We shared coconut shrimp and I munched away on a seafood stuffed crepe while Janine enjoyed crab cakes. We sat out the the deck and enjoyed the beautiful afternoon.
After we finished out lunch we headed over to the Long Island Exhibition Center's new Butterfly Exhibit. The aquarium is already one of my favorite places to visit and with the addition of this new exhibit I might just move in there. All I can say about the exhibit is WOW. It is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! Once you get your ticket you are directed down a short hallway just behind the sting ray pool. After a quick safety talk with one of the butterfly caretakers you enter into the butterfly garden. There are beautiful cobblestone walkways with breathtaking plants, flowers and greenery. There is even a bridge overlooking the exhibit which you could climb to the top of and look over everything. The garden is filled with over 800 live butterflies representing 50 species from all over the world...It is absolutely out of this world.
If you are planning a trip with your family the exhibit is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets for children are $10.50, adults are $12.50 and kids under three are free. The staff there is wonderful with extensive knowledge. They were there to answer any of our questions and we so friendly. Say hello to my new friends Jeff and Charlie (from the video) when you go.
If you make a trip please let me know what you though by adding some comments. I also encourage you to view the videos to get an idea of what to expect when you arrive...
On behalf of myself and “Butterfly Guru” Janine we hope that you will have as wonderful a day as we did...
Now go see some butterflies
- Jeannie Sargent
