Southwest Florida is so much more than sun, surf and sand. It can be history, hiking, wildlife, entertainment, gardens and boating. Whether you are here for just a few days or a week, there is much to enjoy in Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties.
LEE COUNTY
Two days:
Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum – Get some in-depth information about local shelling and view a large variety of shells from our local beaches and around the world. Visit the Great Hall of Shells for displays highlighting some of the 550,000 shells in the museum’s collection. The Living Gallery of Aquariums displays more than 60 species of marine life.
‘Ding’ Darling National Wildlife Refuge – Stop by the free education center and learn more about the local environment. Take a ride on the four-mile Wildlife Drive or take a 90-minute tram tour.
While you are on the island, head to the beach. Lighthouse Beach Park features a historic lighthouse built in 1884. Blind Pass Beach connects Sanibel to Captiva, while Bowman’s Beach has the best parking.
Edison & Ford Winter Estates – Thomas Edison and Henry Ford both had huge, large estates by the Caloosahatchee River that visitors could visit. Enjoy over 20 acres of historical buildings and gardens, including the 1928 Edison Botanical Research Laboratory. Most of the Edison main house and guest house furnishings were used by the Edison family, who enjoyed the place as a winter retreat for six decades.
Three to five days:
Koreshan State Park – Along the Estero River, beside the majestic oaks, is a settlement once inhabited by pioneers who arrived here in 1893. The religious sect, led by Cyrus Teed, was committed to communal living and believed that the universe existed inside the Earth. There are 11 restored and nationally registered historic buildings to explore, as well as hiking trails along the river.
Old US 41 – Twenty years ago, Old 41 was a place to avoid. The rundown area was lined with auto repair shops, a neglected park and even a hotel that prostitutes frequented. Now, it is nothing like that at all. The City of Bonita Springs beautified the area with brick pavers, roundabouts and landscaping. The garages and run-down shops have been replaced with restaurants, breweries, wine bars, a food truck area and more. The park is clean and the centerpiece of the area. Concerts and festivals are constantly held there. Walk through the park and visit the colorful artist cottages, explore the shops and restaurants, amble through the gardens at the Shangri-La, visit the historical society to learn about Bonita’s history and visit the Wonder Gardens, which has been there for almost 90 years. “It is a new destination,” said Trish Leonard, past president of the downtown alliance. “We have wonderful restaurants, entertainment and a hotel, and it is just a small-town charm with a big bright future.”
Seven days:
Area beaches – Southwest Florida’s main attraction is the beaches, and there are plenty of them. Fort Myers Beach still has the scars of Hurricane Ian, but Times Square is back with its restaurants and shops by the beach. Further south, Bonita Beach Park is open and so is all the access except for number 10 on the island’s north end. The restrooms and barbecue grills at Bonita Beach Park were destroyed, but there are some port-a-potties there.
ANDREA STETSON / FLORIDA WEEKLY
Lovers Key State Park – Take a tram ride to the south beach or hike the trails along narrow canals and lagoons. In the early 1900s, the islands were accessible only by boat, and the legend was that only lovers made the effort to get there, so it was named Lovers Key. Legends also hint that a pirate named Black Augustus escaped capture and lived on the island.
Manatee Park – If you are here during cold weather and want to see these gentle giants, head to Manatee Park. The manatees flock to the warmer water created there by the nearby power plant. There are walkways and viewing areas along the waterway.
Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Science Center – This marine center has interactive exhibits, small aquariums, a touch tank and unique displays. However, the facility has been closed for repairs, so call 239-470-4993 first.
Wicked Dolphin Rum Distillery Tours – Guests are invited on free tours of the facility in Cape Coral to learn how they transform locally sourced Florida sugar into handcrafted small-batch rum. Visitors see the cooking, fermenting and distilling processes and then get to sample different types of rum.
COLLIER COUNTY
Two days:
Pure Florida – Getting out on the water is one of the best ways to experience the nature of Southwest Florida. Pure Florida is one of the many companies that offer that opportunity. The three-hour eco and dolphin-watching tours take guests to Keewaydin Island. Shells are plentiful on islands like this that are not packed with crowds. Experts narrate everything from the mangroves and waterways to the many bird species seen along the way. Visitors can also end the day with a 1.5-hour sunset cruise that culminates with watching the sunset from the Gulf just beyond Gordon’s Pass. “Being on the water is such a huge part of our story, and that is what makes Pure Florida so unique is that we have multiple ways to experience being on the water,” said Merry Kaufmann, director of marketing and communications with Pure Florida.
Sandy shores – A trip to the beach is a must if you have only a couple of days in town, so avoid some of the more crowded beaches and head to the Barefoot Beach Preserve. Many people see a gatehouse and stop before ever getting there. But if you travel 1.2 miles past the mansions in the Barefoot community, you will arrive at the 342 acres of beach and natural preserve. The first parking lot and education center are still closed due to damage from Hurricane Ian, but parking lots two and three are open. Visitors can walk south past the preserve all the way to Wiggins Pass. There is also a kayak launch and walking trails.
Three to five days:
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida – If you want an in-depth look at what Southwest Florida’s natural environment is like, this is the place to go, and since it is right next door to the zoo you can do both in one day. The 21-acre nature center has indoor and outdoor exhibits showcasing the area’s unique ecosystems. There is an electric boat ride through the mangroves and along the Gordon River, a discovery center packed with exhibits on invasive species and local history and there is a section with wildlife that was injured and can’t be returned to the wild. There is also a wildlife animal hospital on site with some viewing windows for the public to observe some of the creatures being cared for.
“We love people to come to the Conservancy to learn what we do and the advocacy for our land and wildlife,” said Renee Stoll, director of communications and marketing. “We are happy that people get to understand fully what we do and enjoy things like going on our boat tours and understanding our habitats and how our ecosystems work.”
Palm Cottage – If you want a look at life in Collier County in the days of the pioneers, head to Palm Cottage, the oldest house in Naples that was built in 1895 and constructed of tabby mortar. Learn historic facts and tales about some of the first settlers.
Revs Institute – Auto Trader recently ranked this place as the fifth-best auto museum in the world. The collection of vehicles includes the 1896 French Panhard et Levassor Wagonette, the 1934 Chrysler Airflow Imperial CV‑8 Coupe, and the 1974 powder blue Jorgensen Eagle 7400 USAC that won the 1975 Indianapolis 500.
Seven days:
Airboat rides – If you want something really different, head to the Everglades and hop on an airboat through the waterways encircled by a river of grass. You will probably see alligators and many birds along the way while having an adventure on these unique vessels. There are many vendors in both the Everglades and on Lake Trafford in Immokalee.
Collier County museums – Collier County has five free museums, though Naples Depot Museum is still closed due to hurricane damage. Each museum delves into the history of the area. The biggest is the Collier Museum at the Government Center. There are exhibits on prehistoric mastodons and colossal sharks. Visitors will see ancient tools and ceremonial masks and learn facts about the Calusa Indian civilization. You can learn about the Seminole people and the origins behind their traditional crafts. The exhibits also explore the daily lives and isolation of early settlers and their families. See how cattlemen, clam diggers, trailblazers, plume hunters, hermits, loggers, railroaders, rum runners, Crackers and Indian traders used to live. If you happen to be in Everglades City, the small Museum of the Everglades is packed with big information from the first settlers to the red-coat men who patrolled the roadways to the creatures that lived there. The Immokalee Pioneer Museum lets you walk among the buildings used by some of the area’s first settlers and the Marco Island Historical Museum takes you back through the history of the island and surrounding areas. “Collier County has just an incredible variety in its history,” said Elaina Gyure, curator of education. “You can immerse yourself in the very specific history of the locations. When you are visiting a place, there is no better way to learn about its history.”
Smallest Post Office – Near Everglades City in Ochopee is the nation’s smallest post office. The 7x8 building used to be a tomato farm shed for irrigation pipes, but in 1953, it was transformed into the tiniest post office.
CHARLOTTE COUNTY
Two days:
Babcock Ranch Eco Tours – Take a swamp buggy tour through a working cattle ranch to see a plethora of local wildlife. On the 90-minute tour, guests get a chance to see wild turkeys, turtles, osprey, sandhill cranes, fox squirrels and more. While the buggy tours have a fee, guests can opt to take a free self-guided walking tour through the ranch.
Celtic Ray Public House – It is really hard to find good Irish food in Southwest Florida, but this place has it. The menu features a variety of traditional items from Cornish pasties and bangers and mash to Shepherd’s pie and fish and chips. Inside, the pub looks like it could be in Ireland. There is a patio out back, but even better are the swing seats and tables out front.
Fisherman’s Village – End the day at this Punta Gorda icon that features boutiques, restaurants and water views. “We are known locally, regionally and nationally as an icon in Punta Gorda,” said Kathy Burnman, marketing and events manager. “We have such a beautiful setting in Southwest Florida.”
Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens – Along the Peace River, the 30- acre sanctuary lets visitors explore five ecosystems: marshlands, wetlands, mangroves, uplands and tidal basins. The gardens showcase about 4,500 trees and bamboo varieties. Shaded pathways lead to the river and a bridge to an island offers a vista of the wetlands by Hunter’s Creek.
Four to five days:
Cruisin’ Tikis – Offering a unique way to see Charlotte Harbor, the six-person tiki boat cruises through the harbor at about five miles per hour for 90 minutes, giving guests lots of time to enjoy the wildlife and views. Guests are allowed to bring their own food and drinks on board. There are both day and sunset cruises. “We see dolphins quite often,” said owner Jake Weiland.
JAKE WEILAND/CRUISIN’ TIKIS / COURTESY PHOTO
Punta Gorda History Park & Artisan Village – The Punta Gorda Historical Society maintains a series of historic buildings and gardens. The park is free to explore. The buildings are open year-round on Sundays during the Sunday Market, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Searching for shark teeth – The guidebooks might direct you to Venice as the place to get shark teeth, but there are more to be found and fewer crowds at Stump Pass Beach State Park and Englewood Beach in Charlotte County. Grab a sifter and fill it with sand at the water’s edge and then spill out your goodies to search for shark teeth.
Tippecanoe Environmental Park – The 380-acre preserve has diverse habitats, including oak scrub, scrubby flatwoods, coastal hammocks, floodplain forests, salt marshes and mangrove swamps. The park has one of the largest contiguous tracts of xeric oak scrub in Charlotte County. This scrub provides the ideal habitat for the Florida scrub-jay, along with other protected species like the gopher tortoise, eastern indigo snake and gopher frog. The salt marshes and mangrove swamps are places to look for wading birds, reptiles, amphibians, osprey and bald eagles.
Seven days:
Fossil tour - The Peace River is known for its fossils and there are several companies offering fossil tours along the rocky shoreline. About 50 million years ago, high sea levels submerged Florida. Fossils erode from the banks and bottom of the Peace River and collect in gravel areas. Visitors can also rent a kayak and paddle up the river, looking for a gravel spot to search.
Mineral springs – While Florida boasts a plethora of cold springs, just north of Charlotte County in North Port is Warm Mineral Springs State Park, the only warm springs in the state. The water is 85 degrees year-round. This unique spring is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places and is believed to be one of the highest mineral contents of any natural spring in the United States. There are chairs set all around the springs, some under a canopy of trees. The water is clear, so bring your mask or goggles. Hurricanes destroyed the main building, but spacious portable restrooms are there.
Punta Gorda History Mural Society – Since 1994, local mural art has been preserved, resulting in more than 30 murals now displayed around town. This impressive collection has established Punta Gorda as one of the leading mural towns in the country. You can download a copy of the mural walking and cycling guide at puntagordamurals.org.
Spring Training - The Tampa Bay Rays have their spring training at the Charlotte Sports Park. If you are in town during spring training, contact [email protected] to snag some tickets.
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