The Lower Gulf Coast
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Lower Gulf Coast - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
To experience what this part of Florida was like before civil engineers began draining the swamps, drive 17 miles east of North Naples to these...
To experience what this part of Florida was like before civil engineers began draining the swamps, drive 17 miles east of North Naples to these 13,000 acres of pine-flatwood and cypress forest, grass-and-sedge "wet prairie," saw-grass marshland, and lakes and sloughs filled with water lettuce. Managed by the National Audubon Society, the sanctuary protects North America's largest remaining stand of ancient bald cypress, 600-year-old trees as tall as 130 feet, as well as endangered birds, such as wood storks, which often nest here. This is a favorite destination for serious birders and is the gateway to the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. If you spend a couple of hours to take the 2¼-mile self-guided tour along the boardwalk (which is completely wheelchair accessible), you'll spot ferns, orchids, and air plants, as well as wading birds and possibly alligators and river otters. A nature center educates you about this precious, unusual habitat with a dramatic re-creation of the preserve and its creatures in the Swamp Theater.
375 Sanctuary Rd. W, Naples, Florida, 34120, USA239-348–9151Sight Details
Rate Includes: $17 (online ticket purchases recommended) -
2. Edison and Ford Winter Estates
Fort Myers's premier attraction pays homage to two of America's most ingenious inventors: Thomas A. Edison, who gave the world the stock ticker, the incandescent...
Fort Myers's premier attraction pays homage to two of America's most ingenious inventors: Thomas A. Edison, who gave the world the stock ticker, the incandescent lamp, and the phonograph, among other inventions; and his friend and neighbor, automaker Henry Ford. Donated to the city by Edison's widow, his once 12-acre estate has been expanded into a remarkable 25 acres, with three homes, two caretaker cottages, a laboratory, botanical gardens, and a museum. The laboratory contains the same gadgets and gizmos as when Edison last stepped foot into it, and you can see many of his inventions, along with historic photographs and memorabilia, in the museum. Edison traveled south from New Jersey and devoted much of his time here to inventing things (there are 1,093 patents to his name), experimenting with rubber for friend and frequent visitor Harvey Firestone, and planting hundreds of plant species collected around the world. Next door to Edison's two identical homes is Ford's "Mangoes," the more modest seasonal home of Edison's fellow inventor. The property's oldest building, the Edison Caretaker's House, dates from 1860. Guided tours and self-guided audio tours are available. One admission covers the homes of both men; separate museum-and-laboratory-only tickets and botanical-garden tour tickets are also available.
2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, Florida, 33901, USA239-334–7419Sight Details
Rate Includes: Complete estate $25 -
3. IMAG History and Science Center
Kids love the wonderful interactive exhibits at this lively museum–aquarium combo that explores technology, physics, weather, and other science topics. Check out the stingrays and...
Kids love the wonderful interactive exhibits at this lively museum–aquarium combo that explores technology, physics, weather, and other science topics. Check out the stingrays and other marine life in the aquariums, touch tanks, and the USS Mohawk artificial reef tank featured on Animal Planet’s show Tanked. Feed the fish, turtles, and swans in the outdoor lagoon; see a tarantula, python, hissing cockroach, juvenile alligator, and other live critters in the Animal Lab; dig for dinosaur bones; watch a 3-D movie in the theater; take part in a hands-on Animal Encounter demonstration, and touch a cloud. Other highlights include the Mini Museum early childhood area, Backyard Nature, aquaponics area, Nano Lab, Idea Lab engineering design center, Build-Your-Own-Coaster, and Science of Motion. History exhibits include underwater plane wrecks, a Columbian mammoth, and giant ground sloth, as well as a replica Cracker House.
2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers, Florida, 33916, USA239-243–0043Sight Details
Rate Includes: $19.50, Closed Tues. -
4. Sun Splash Family Waterpark
Head here to cool off when summer swelters. Nearly two dozen wet and dry attractions include 10 thrill waterslides; the Sand Dollar Walk, where you...
Head here to cool off when summer swelters. Nearly two dozen wet and dry attractions include 10 thrill waterslides; the Sand Dollar Walk, where you step from one floating "sand dollar" to another; pint-size Pro Racer flumes; a professional sand volleyball court; a family pool and Tot Spot; and a river-tube ride. Rates go down after 2 pm, plus the park offers Family Fun Night specials.
400 W. Lake Kennedy Blvd., Cape Coral, Florida, 33991, USA239-574–0558Sight Details
Rate Includes: From $20, Closed Dec.–Feb. -
5. The Baker Museum
This cool, contemporary museum at Artis–Naples displays provocative, innovative pieces, including renowned miniatures, antique walking sticks, works by modern and contemporary American and Mexican masters,...
This cool, contemporary museum at Artis–Naples displays provocative, innovative pieces, including renowned miniatures, antique walking sticks, works by modern and contemporary American and Mexican masters, and traveling exhibits. Dazzling pieces by glass artist Dale Chihuly include a fiery, cascading chandelier and an illuminated ceiling layered with many-hued glass bubbles, glass corkscrews, and other shapes that suggest the sea. This installation alone warrants a visit, but with three floors and 15 galleries, your cultural curiosity is sure to pique elsewhere, perhaps in the glass-domed conservatory. Reward your visual arts adventure with lunch at the on-site café.
5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples, Florida, 34108, USA239-597–1900Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Closed Mon. -
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6. Alison Hagerup Beach Park
Once called Captiva Beach, this park is acclaimed as one of the nation's most romantic beaches for its fabulous sunsets—the best view on Sanibel and...
Once called Captiva Beach, this park is acclaimed as one of the nation's most romantic beaches for its fabulous sunsets—the best view on Sanibel and Captiva. Shells stud the white, wide sands. The parking lot is filled with potholes and is small, so arrive early, watch where you're driving, and bring an umbrella if you need shade. The beach can get crowded, especially in the busy winter and spring seasons. Facilities are limited to portable restrooms and a volleyball net, but stores and restaurants are nearby. South Seas Island Resort lines the north end of the beach. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: sunsets; swimming; walking.
14790 Captiva Dr., Captiva, Florida, 33924, USASight Details
Rate Includes: Parking 2 hrs $5, 4 hrs or more $20 -
7. Babcock Ranch Eco-Tours
To see what Florida looked like centuries ago, visit Babcock Ranch northeast of Fort Myers. During a 90-minute excursion, you ride in a converted school...
To see what Florida looked like centuries ago, visit Babcock Ranch northeast of Fort Myers. During a 90-minute excursion, you ride in a converted school bus through several ecosystems, including the unusual and fascinating Telegraph Cypress Swamp. Along the way, an informative and typically amusing guide describes the area's social and natural history while you keep an eye peeled for alligators, wild pigs, all sorts of birds, Florida panthers, and other denizens of the wild. The tour also takes in the ranch's resident cattle and cougar in captivity. Reservations are needed for tours.
8502 Rte. 31, Punta Gorda, Florida, 33982, USA800-500–5583Sight Details
Rate Includes: Eco tours from $24; photo tours from $48; Sounds of the Night tours from $21, Reservations essential -
8. Barefoot Beach Preserve
This one isn't exactly easy to find since it's accessible only by a quiet neighborhood road around the corner from buzzing Bonita Beach Park, but...
This one isn't exactly easy to find since it's accessible only by a quiet neighborhood road around the corner from buzzing Bonita Beach Park, but it's well worth the effort if you appreciate natural coastal habitats with fun interpretive programs. Shells here are bountiful as are gopher tortoises that may park in the shade of your car. Stop by the nature center to join a ranger-led walk through the trails and gardens, or take up a paddle and go kayaking. There's no towel-jockeying here along the wide-open space (the preserve as a whole is 342 acres), and refreshments and beach rentals provide ample comfort while you unwind in the pristine sands. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; walking.
505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Bonita Springs, Florida, 34134, USA239-591–8596Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $8 -
9. Bonita Beach Park
It's an ongoing party on this rowdy stretch of coast, the easiest by far to reach from the inland areas south of Fort Myers. Local...
It's an ongoing party on this rowdy stretch of coast, the easiest by far to reach from the inland areas south of Fort Myers. Local favorite hangout Doc's Beach House, open from breakfast until the wee hours of the night, keeps bellies full and libations flowing. Other food and sports vendors camp out here, too, making it nearly impossible to resist an ice cream or a ride on a Jet Ski. Shaded pavilions between the parking lot and dunes are a great way to cool off from the sweltering heat—just don't sit too close to the picnickers barbecuing. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; windsurfing.
27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs, Florida, 34134, USA239-949–4615Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $2 per hr -
10. Calusa Heritage Trail
Affiliated with the University of Florida's natural history museum in Gainesville, this 0.7-mile interpretive walkway explores the site of an ancient Calusa village—more than 1,500...
Affiliated with the University of Florida's natural history museum in Gainesville, this 0.7-mile interpretive walkway explores the site of an ancient Calusa village—more than 1,500 years old—with excellent signage, two intact shell mounds you can climb, the remains of a complex canal system, and ongoing archaeological research. Check the website for special tours and lecture events.
13810 Waterfront Dr., Pineland, Florida, 33945, USA239-283–2062Sight Details
Rate Includes: $7 (suggested donation) -
11. Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium
Get a look at Florida's native animals and habitats. Boardwalks and trails lead through subtropical wetlands, a birds-of-prey aviary, and a screened-in butterfly house. There...
Get a look at Florida's native animals and habitats. Boardwalks and trails lead through subtropical wetlands, a birds-of-prey aviary, and a screened-in butterfly house. There are snake, alligator, butterfly, and other live-animal demonstrations several times daily. Museum exhibits include an Exotic Species room and the Insectarium. The domed, state-of-the-art, 90-seat planetarium hosts astronomy shows daily and special laser shows.
3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers, Florida, 33905, USA239-275–3435Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Closed Mon. -
12. City of Naples Beach
There's something for everyone at this beach just west of the Third Street South shopping area, but what gets the most attention is the historical...
There's something for everyone at this beach just west of the Third Street South shopping area, but what gets the most attention is the historical pier, which extends well into the Gulf and offers the best free dolphin-viewing around. Sunsets are a nightly ritual, and dodging anglers' poles is to be expected. The concession stand sells food for humans as well as for fishy friends, and, on the sand below, teenagers hold court at volleyball nets; families picnic on blankets; and a handful of other people swoop up cockles, fighting conchs, and coquinas. To avoid the commotion, head south on Gulf Shore Boulevard, and take your pick of the public access points. The sands here won't have the facilities of the pier—or facilities, period—but the solitude can't be beat. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: sunsets; swimming.
12th Ave. S at Gulf Shore Blvd., Naples, Florida, 34102, USA239-213–7120Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $3 per hour, $1.50 minimum -
13. Clam Pass Park
A quiet day at the beach gets an adventurous start when you board a tram and careen down a ¾-mile boardwalk through shaded mangroves and...
A quiet day at the beach gets an adventurous start when you board a tram and careen down a ¾-mile boardwalk through shaded mangroves and a network of canals. At the end is a pretty, secluded patch of sand where the calm surf is perfect for swimming. In addition to sunbathing, shelling, and sand-castle building, you can spring for a kayak and meander around the marsh. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: solitude; swimming.
465 Seagate Dr., Naples, Florida, 34103, USA239-252–4000Sight Details
Rate Includes: Parking $10 -
14. Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW)
Each year, this clinic cares for and rehabilitates more than 5,000 wildlife patients, from bald eagles to loggerhead sea turtles. The center offers a look...
Each year, this clinic cares for and rehabilitates more than 5,000 wildlife patients, from bald eagles to loggerhead sea turtles. The center offers a look inside the world of wildlife medicine through exhibits, videos, interactive displays, touch screens, and critter cams that feed live footage from four different animal spaces. Wildlife walks give a behind-the-scenes look and can be reserved for $25 per person. This is an excellent facility, but the displays may be too graphic for young visitors.
3883 Sanibel–Captiva Rd., Sanibel, Florida, 33957, USA239-472–3644Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12, Jan.– July, closed Sun.; Aug.–Dec., closed Sat. and Sun. -
15. Collier Museum at Government Center
To get a feel for local history, stroll the vignettes and temporary exhibits inside this museum, as well as the parklike displays outside it. A...
To get a feel for local history, stroll the vignettes and temporary exhibits inside this museum, as well as the parklike displays outside it. A Seminole chickee village, native plant garden, swamp buggy, reconstructed 19th-century fort, steam logging locomotive, and more capture important Naples-area developments from prehistoric times to the World War II era. You can even pack a lunch and picnic in the shady backyard.
3331 Tamiami Trail E, Naples, Florida, 34112, USA239-252–8476Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun. and Mon. -
16. Conservancy of Southwest Florida Nature Center
Here you can connect with nature by taking a 45-minute boat tour (ages two-plus) along the Gordon River, renting a kayak, or going on a...
Here you can connect with nature by taking a 45-minute boat tour (ages two-plus) along the Gordon River, renting a kayak, or going on a guided nature walk. The Dalton Discovery Center highlights six Florida ecosystems in its exhibits, which include a spectacular aquarium that's home to a loggerhead sea turtle and a touch tank where you can learn about the many animals found on local beaches. Preschoolers can have hands-on fun at the Little Explorer Play Zone. The on-site wildlife hospital's viewing area gives you a peek at staff working on any number of animals. Check out Cinema Sunday and other events in the Nature Center.
1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples, Florida, 34102, USA239-262–0304Sight Details
Rate Includes: $17.95, Closed Sun. and Mon. -
17. ECHO Global Farm Tours & Nursery
ECHO is an international Christian nonprofit striving to end world hunger via creative farming. The fascinating 90-minute tour of its working farm takes you through...
ECHO is an international Christian nonprofit striving to end world hunger via creative farming. The fascinating 90-minute tour of its working farm takes you through seven simulated tropic-zone gardens and has you tasting leaves, exploring a rain-forest habitat, visiting farm animals, stopping at a simulated Haitian school, seeing urban gardens grown inside tires on rooftops, and learning about ECHO's mission. Although the group is faith based, the guides are far from preachy, and the organization is all-inclusive, equipping and training people regardless of their beliefs. If you have time, consider also taking the Appropriate Technology Tour. Slightly shorter than the basic farm tour, it's held in a covered facility where you'll see simple but ingenious contraptions that solve everyday problems in the developing world, like pressing seeds and making rope (spoiler alert—one involves a bicycle-powered saw). The ECHO Global Nursery and Gift Shop sells fruit trees and the same seeds ECHO distributes to impoverished farmers in 180 countries. Check the website for tour schedules.
17391 Durrance Rd., North Fort Myers, Florida, 33917, USA239-543–3246Sight Details
Rate Includes: $12.50 for each tour -
18. Gasparilla Island State Park and Port Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum
The island's beaches are its greatest prize and lie within the state park at the south end. The long, narrow beach ends at Boca Grande...
The island's beaches are its greatest prize and lie within the state park at the south end. The long, narrow beach ends at Boca Grande Pass, famous for its deep waters and tarpon fishing. The pretty, two-story, circa-1890 lighthouse once marked the pass for mariners. In recent years it has been restored as a museum that explores the island's fishing and railroad heritage. The lighthouse is closed in August.
880 Belcher Rd., Boca Grande, Florida, 33921, USA941-964–0375Sight Details
Rate Includes: $3 per vehicle; $3 suggested donation to lighthouse (exact change only), Park daily 8–sunset. Lighthouse Nov.–Apr., Mon.–Sat. 10–4, Sun. noon–4; May–July, Sept., and Oct., Wed.–Sat. 10–4, Sun. noon–4 -
19. Golisano Children's Museum of Naples
This bright, cheery, 30,000-square-foot ode to playful learning has 12 state-of-the-art permanent galleries that do not disappoint. Kids of many ages and abilities (exhibits were...
This bright, cheery, 30,000-square-foot ode to playful learning has 12 state-of-the-art permanent galleries that do not disappoint. Kids of many ages and abilities (exhibits were designed to be accessible for children with special needs, too) will love the gigantic Banyan Tree, a focal point at 45 feet tall and a climbing obstacle of sorts; the Farm & Market, a cooperative playground where roles are assigned (a harvester or cashier, for example) to subtly encourage team building and math skills; and the Green Construction zone, where hard hats and eco-friendly building materials will inspire future architects. The museum is in the same place as the Sun-N-Fun Lagoon water park, and it's possible to do both in one day.
15080 Livingston Rd., Naples, Florida, 34109, USA239-514–0084Sight Details
Rate Includes: $10, Closed Wed. -
20. Koreshan State Historic Site
One of Florida's quirkier sites is named for a religious cult that was active at the turn of the 20th century. It preserves a dozen...
One of Florida's quirkier sites is named for a religious cult that was active at the turn of the 20th century. It preserves a dozen structures where the group worshipped a male-female divinity and created its own branch of science called cosmogony, which claimed the universe existed within a giant hollow sphere. The cult foundered when leader Cyrus Reed Teed died in 1908, and, in 1961, the four remaining members deeded the property to the state. Rangers and volunteers lead tours and demonstrations, and the grounds are lovely for picnicking and camping. Canoeists paddle the Estero River, fringed by a forest of vegetation the Koreshans planted.
3800 Corkscrew Rd., Estero, Florida, 33928, USA239-992–0311Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5 per vehicle with up to 8 passengers; $4 for single motorist; $2 per bicyclist, pedestrian, or extra passenger
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