Why savings passes may not work for you
Tips from Sally Deneen.
Summer is ushering in a season of savings passes.
If you find yourself returning to certain museums or attractions, you stand to save money by buying applicable passes. Examples: New this year is the seven-attraction South Florida Adventure Pass, which allows for unlimited visits to Flamingo Gardens in Davie, Young At Art Museum in Davie and Sawgrass Recreation Park in Weston, as well as four attractions in MiamiDade County — Perez Art Museum Miami, Jungle Island, Everglades Alligator Farm and the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science.
The pass costs $50 plus tax per adult, meaning it costs less than making one visit to both Jungle Island and Perez Art Museum Miami (normally $34.95 and $16, respectively). A child’s pass for ages 3 to 12 costs $40 plus tax. You can buy the pass at any of the above attractions or SouthFloridaAdventurePass.com.
Do the math before buying: If you realistically will visit only the art museum and science museum one time and not make it to the rest, then it’d be cheaper to pay regular admission.
Elsewhere, the Summer Savings Pass has returned, providing unlimited visits through Sept. 30 to four places — Zoo Miami, Miami Seaquarium, Lion Country Safari and the Museum of Discovery and Science.
You’d buy the nontransferable pass at any of those attractions for $56 plus tax per adult, meaning it costs less than going once to the Seaquarium and Lion Country Safari (normally $42.95 and $31.50, respectively). A child’s Summer Savings Pass, for ages 3 to 12, costs $46 plus tax. Get information at SummerSavingsPass.com.
Freebies: Florida residents with proof of residency get free admission every Thursday through Sept. 3 while Palm Beach County residents this summer also enter free on Saturdays at the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach (561-8325196). Children 12 and younger can visit for free every day.