Captiva Cruises offers daily cruises around Pine Island Sound, the Captiva Islands as well as Sanibel Island. There are several excursions available, some of which include dolphin tours, sunset cruises and half-day trips to nearby beaches. Captiva also offers private charters for corporate receptions or private parties and each vessel has cash bars. Some of the other highlighted attractions are the Nighttime Astronomy Cruise and the Marine Naturalist Adventure.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Fort Myers, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates highlight the lives of two American intellectual behemoths that are Thomas Alva Edinson and Henry Ford. Spread across 20 acres (8 hectares) of pristine estates, this site was where legendary inventor Thomas Edison began spending his winters along the Caloosahatchee River from the comforts of his beloved Seminole Lodge in 1886. In 1916, Edison's dear friend Henry Ford built his Craftsman-style holiday home, known as 'The Mangoes' right next door. Edison's house is engulfed in a blanket of spectacular beauty thanks to the botanical garden designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman that houses Florida's largest banyan tree. The Rubber Laboratory is one of the sight's prime exhibits that showcase the facility exactly how it was left by Edison.
The Six Mile Cypress Slough is one of many preserved and pristine swamplands spread throughout southwest Florida. The highlight of the preserve is the 1.2-mile (1.9 kilometer) boardwalk, a wood-planked corridor that runs through the 2,200-acre (890 hectare) wetland, where guests can see alligators, wild boar, otters and much more. During the dry season (October to June), birds like herons and egrets flock to the flag ponds which make it a perfect place for birders. There are guided tours year-round, and self-guided tour brochures in the LEED-certified interpretive center.
Lakes Park is one of the most popular recreational areas in-and-around Fort Myers. The 279-acre (112 hectare) park has several fresh water lakes perfect for swimming, fishing or hopping aboard a boat. Officially, swim season starts from Memorial Day to Labor Day, but throughout the year you'll see people wading in and out of the water. You don't have to go in the water however, because there is still a 2.5-mile (four kilometer) paved path used for running, rollerblading or riding your bike. Additionally, the Fragrance Garden offers a unique sensory experience and other picnic areas, concession stands, a miniature train ride, boat rental and showers, further delight visitors.
As its name implies, Manatee Park highlights this mammal from the order Sirenia, a popular emblem of Southern Florida. The park sits alongside the Orange River and its a great place to launch a canoe; you can bring your own or rent one from CalusaBlueway Outfitters. Additionally, the park has a butterfly garden, an amphitheater, pavilions for rent, picnic areas and plenty of places to toss a hook and line. The best time to catch the manatees is during the winter months (typically December through March), when the temperature in the river reaches the appropriate number, around 68ºF.
The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium aims to promote a better understanding of the natural history below as well as the cosmological one above. The 105-acre (42 hectares) site contains a museum, an aviary, winding nature trails, and a gift shop alongside meeting and picnic areas. The museum has information on the Calusa Indians, a tribe also known as the Shell Indians because of their subsistence on the gulf shores and estuaries. In addition to a glimpse back in time, the museum provides interactive animal exhibits like snake feedings and aviary tours.
Captiva Cruises offers daily cruises around Pine Island Sound, the Captiva Islands as well as Sanibel Island. There are several excursions available, some of which include dolphin tours, sunset cruises and half-day trips to nearby beaches. Captiva also offers private charters for corporate receptions or private parties and each vessel has cash bars. Some of the other highlighted attractions are the Nighttime Astronomy Cruise and the Marine Naturalist Adventure.
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Fort Myers, the Edison & Ford Winter Estates highlight the lives of two American intellectual behemoths that are Thomas Alva Edinson and Henry Ford. Spread across 20 acres (8 hectares) of pristine estates, this site was where legendary inventor Thomas Edison began spending his winters along the Caloosahatchee River from the comforts of his beloved Seminole Lodge in 1886. In 1916, Edison's dear friend Henry Ford built his Craftsman-style holiday home, known as 'The Mangoes' right next door. Edison's house is engulfed in a blanket of spectacular beauty thanks to the botanical garden designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman that houses Florida's largest banyan tree. The Rubber Laboratory is one of the sight's prime exhibits that showcase the facility exactly how it was left by Edison.
The Six Mile Cypress Slough is one of many preserved and pristine swamplands spread throughout southwest Florida. The highlight of the preserve is the 1.2-mile (1.9 kilometer) boardwalk, a wood-planked corridor that runs through the 2,200-acre (890 hectare) wetland, where guests can see alligators, wild boar, otters and much more. During the dry season (October to June), birds like herons and egrets flock to the flag ponds which make it a perfect place for birders. There are guided tours year-round, and self-guided tour brochures in the LEED-certified interpretive center.
The Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) is dedicated to environmental education, conservation, and stewardship. It encompasses several natural areas and preserves, including Cedar Point Environmental Park, Alligator Creek Preserve, and the Wildflower Preserve. At Cedar Point, you can explore the diverse ecosystems of southwest Florida, while Alligator Creek Preserve offers hiking trails that take you through freshwater marshes, oak hammocks, and wetlands, providing a habitat for a variety of plant and animal species. In addition to its natural areas, CHEC offers a range of educational programs and workshops for both adults and children.
The J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge is 5,200 acres (2,104 hectares) of tidal wetlands and mangroves, home to more than 200 species of birds, 50 different species of reptiles and 32 mammals. The best and busiest times to visit, especially for bird-watching, are November through April. Visitors can explore the park on a two-mile foot trail (3.21 kilometers), hop aboard a canoe or ride their bike along the Wildlife Drive which has views of the water on both sides. Moreover, the drive to its location on Sanibel Island is a treat unto itself.
Harboring one of the last remaining swaths of bald cypress, the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary evinces magnificent silhouettes of nature. Here, drapes of sun-bleached prairie are contrasted by the marshlands, while densely wooded pines give way to a stunning melange of cypress trees. The sanctuary is interspersed with crisscrossing, wooded trails, whereas a scenic boardwalk reveals a wealth of aged trees that reside in its depths. Upheld by the National Audubon Society, this sanctuary sprawls across 13,000 acres (5260.9133) and is the nesting home for wading birds. Known to have the largest population of endangered wood storks in the entire country, this swamp sanctuary also shelters an insightful, environmentally-conscious visitors center. Bearing a stunning amalgam of biodiversity and coastal conservation, this sanctuary duly represents the wild side of Florida.