37 Best Sights in The Lower Gulf Coast, Florida

This entertainment complex, once just a quirky shopping destination and a survivor from Florida's roadside-attraction era, now offers eateries; an arcade; bumper boats; miniature golf; the Soaring Eagle zip line; and a mining sluice where kids can pan for shells, fossils, and gemstones. Strolling the grounds, which have abundant exhibits and displays, is free, but some activities cost extra. A separate admission is also required to enter the Nature Park, which has the feel of a small zoo and is home to llamas; a petting farm with sheep, pigs, and goats; a walk-through aviary; an EcoLab; a touch center; and a gator slough. The Shell Factory also hosts family-friendly events throughout the year, such as January's Gumbo Fest.

The River District has become a haven for independent galleries, including this space for edgy, up-and-coming visual artists, musical acts, films, and theater. Once an abandoned post office circa 1933, it was transformed by Florida Arts, Inc., a nonprofit organization, in the early 2000s. Even if your taste runs more to classical works than contemporary, a visit is worthwhile for the neoclassical revival facade: eight towering coral-rock Ionic columns give way to swaths of intricately detailed window screens. The friendly staff is happy to answer questions about the building's history.

Across from the children's museum along the eastern edge of town, this splashy park has a Tadpole Pool as well as dumping buckets, spray guns, and other interactive features that will delight younger kids. The whole family will go for the diving pool, Sunny's Lazy River, and five waterslides. The park is generally closed from October to President's Day weekend (except during some local school breaks).

On the northwest side of the island is 2,500 feet of both developed and undeveloped areas. Once Gulf-front, in recent years a sand spit known as Sand Dollar Island has formed, which means the stretch especially at the north end has become mud flats—great for birding. There's plenty of powdery sand farther south and across the lagoon that draws a broad base of fans for its playgrounds, butterfly garden, volleyball nets, and kayak and umbrella rentals. Beach wheelchairs are also available for free use. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This is a prime sunset-watching spot on the southern point of Captiva. Strong currents through Blind Pass make swimming tricky but shelling amazing, and parking is limited. Surfers head here when winds whip up the waves. The beach is narrower than in other parts of the island. No buildings sit on the beach, but 'Tween Waters Resort is across the road to the north of the public access, and Castaways Beach & Bay Cottages is beachfront across the bridge on the Sanibel side of Blind Pass. Restaurants are nearby. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunsets; surfing; walking.

If a day at the shore just doesn't seem quite complete without a piña colada and serious people-watching, then this beach is for you. Its white powdery sand often looks like a kaleidoscope, with multihued towels and umbrellas dotting the landscape in front of the nearly 3 miles of tony north Naples condos and luxe resorts. If you walk far enough—which many people do—you'll come across the architecturally stunning mega-mansions of Bay Colony perched up on the dunes. A covered public parking garage allows for easy access to this beach, which really comes alive at sunset with onlookers. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; sunsets; walking.

Opened in 1936 by two retired moonshiners from Detroit, this was one of the state's first roadside attractions and remained little changed until 2013, when the family decided to close its doors—and, thus, ending a rich chapter of Florida tourism history—forever. In stepped Florida landscape photographer John Brady, who negotiated a lease with the founding family and transformed the old-style cramped zoological gardens (that once featured Florida panthers, black bears, crocodiles, alligators, and tame Florida deer) into a botanical garden by conserving the flora and fauna following contemporary standards. Now in focus are diverse gardens that include old-growth trees like kapok, banyan, candle nut, egg fruit, plumeria, jaboticaba, mahogany, cashew, avocado, and mango, as well as integrated animal exhibits with tortoises, turtles, smaller alligators, flamingos, and a butterfly garden. The original buildings have been preserved and made into a modern gallery that showcases Brady's photography.