Things to Do in Pembroke Pines

For 17 years, Flamingo Gardens has gathered plant experts, landscapers, and other gardening connoisseurs to its annual festival. This year, the Broward Bonsai Society joins in the fun with an exhibition of the varied shapes and levels of perfection its miniature trees can hold. Displays from Alexander Farms, Greenhouse Orchids, and other vendors entice the eyes while guests wander about, taking in colorful performances from butterfly stilt-walkers and West African drummers. At the Butterfly Encounter, guests learn lepidopterist lore from expert Mike Rich while feeding live butterflies and teaching them about the updated food pyramid.

Wee ones, meanwhile, can head to the Kids Gardening Zone to decorate their own pots and plant a seed or romp through the gardens on a scavenger hunt. Plant experts also hold classes and demonstrations, including "Mounting Orchids & Basic Orchid Culture," and take guests on guided tours through the botanical gardens.

A dozen sets of sea legs can flex their nautical muscle aboard one of Duffy's quiet and covered boats. Powered exclusively by a combination of battery power and dreams, this spacious vessel hums along quietly, allowing passengers to soak in the natural surround sound. Wrap-around seating encircles a central table equipped with multiple cup holders and adequate serving space for sailors to tear into a recently commandeered party sub.

Sock-footed children scamper around 7,000 square feet of indoor space that, like most office buildings, has specified zones for different age groups ranging from infants through preschoolers. In the back area, older kids strengthen eye-hand coordination with video games such as Madden NFL, while bounce houses help youngsters expend their boundless energy. In the playset area, kids can play house in a pretend kitchen, play train engineer on kid-sized railroads, or play Godzilla by sticking their hands in dollhouse windows. Infants and toddlers wander around a simpler play area near the parents' lounge, where guardians can keep one eye on their kids and the other on a TV or computer screen. At the end of the day, all surfaces are purified by a professional cleaning service with hospital-grade disinfectant.

While training themselves to perform at local events and salsa congresses, Nuevolution’s founders discovered their passion for teaching dance techniques and routines, leading them to open their own studio to share rug-cutting wisdom with fledgling hoofers. With great enthusiasm for rhythm and self-expression, the studio's energetic team of instructors introduces students of all skill levels to a variety of Latin dance styles, including salsa, bachata, Argentine tango, and more.

Zumba and Tae Bo fitness classes motivate participants to shimmy off pounds and strengthen muscles so they can bend crowbars into clef notes. The kids' dance program gives younger students their first taste of lyrical, hip-hop or music theater jazz techniques in a fun, lighthearted environment. Nuevolution schedules classes six days a week and can spice up special events with fiery, professional dance numbers.