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What to do in Southwest Florida
Outdoors • Cultural and Historical • Recreation and Tours • Attractions
Outdoors
Big Cypress National Preserve
S.R. Box 110, Satinwood Drive, Ochopee. (941) 695-4111. Cyp ress covers about a third of this park's 728,000 acres. Wildlife viewing.
Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
P.O. Box 60023,3450 Ortiz Ave., Fort Myers. (941) 275-3435. Audubon aviary, and rustic boardwalks through Florida's native environment..
Cayo Costa State Park
P.O. Box 1150, Boca Grande. (941) 964-0375. Only accessible by boat or ferry, island's natural features include beaches, pine forest, mangrove swamps, birdlife.
Collier-Seminole State Park
20200 E Tamiami Trail., Naples. (941) 394-3397. Tropical hardwood hammock is home to bald eagles and panthers.
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
375 Sanctuary Rd., Naples. (941) 348-9151. The nation's largest remaining stand of old-growth bald cypress is protected in this 10,000-acre wilderness.
De Soto National Memorial
P.O. Box 15390, Bradenton. (941) 792-0458. Memorial commemorating Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who landed on the southwest Florida coast in 1539. Visitors center with film.
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Recreation Area
11100 Gulf Shore Drive North, Naples. (941) 597-6196. Barrier island, separated from mainland by mangrove swamps and tidal creeks.
Don Pedro Island State Recreation Area
c/o Barrier Islands GEOpark, P.O. Box 1150, Boca Grande. (941) 964-0375. Accessible only by private boat, this barrier island offers shelling and nature study.
Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve
P.O. Box 548, Copeland. (941) 695-4593. Swamp forest contains largest stand of native royal palms and largest concentration of epiphytic orchids in North America.
Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 3860 Tollgate Blvd. Suite 300, Naples. (941) 353-8442.
J.N. "Ding" Darling
National Wildlife Refuge
1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel. (941) 472-1100. 6,300-acre refuge on Sanibel Island with trail, car route, canoe trails.
Lake Manatee State Recreation Area
20007 State Rd. 64, Bradenton. (941) 741-3028. Pine flatwoods and sand pine scrub. Boating, fishing, swimming.
Lovers Key State Park
8700 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers. (941) 463-4588. 700 acres of natural habitat, white sand beaches and barrier islands.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. (941) 366-5731. Lush gardens include tropical plants and epiphytes.
Myakka River State Park
13207 State Rd. 72, Sarasota. (941) 361-6511. Abundant wildlife, nature studies and hiking trails.
Oscar Scherer State Recreation Area
1843 S. Tamiami Trail, Osprey. (941) 483-5956. Noted for populations of threatened Florida scrub-jays, other wildlife.
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
7751 Penzance Crossing, Fort Myers. (941) 432-2004. 2,000-acre wetland ecosystem has a mile-long boardwalk for exploring the region's diverse plant and wildlife.
Cultural and Historical
Asolo Theatre Company
5555 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. (941) 351-9010; (941) 351-5796. Live professional theater.
Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum
3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd., Sanibel Island. (941) 395-2233. Only museum in U.S. devoted entirely to the world’s shells.
The Burroughs Home
2505 First St., P.O. Box 2217, Fort Myers. (941) 332-6125. Built in 1901, the Home is significant for its age and Georgian Revival architecture that was unusual in the area.
The Children's Science Center
2915 N.E. Pine Island Rd., Cape Coral. (941) 997-0012. Hands-on exhibits on dinosaurs, optical illusions, inventions.
Collier County Museum
3301 Tamiami Trail East, Naples. (941) 774-8476. Historical park featuring an operating archaeological laboratory, restored swamp buggy, steam logging locomotive.
Edison & Ford Winter Estates
2350 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. (941) 334-3614. Winter homes of inventors Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
Fort Myers Historical Museum
2300 Peck St., Fort Myers. (941) 332-5955. Restored 1924 railroad depot with different exhibits .
Gamble Plantation State Historic Site
3708 Patten Ave., Ellenton. (941) 723-4536. South Florida's only surviving antebellum mansion.
Historic Spanish Point
337 N. Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41), Osprey. (941) 966-5214. Environmental, archaeological and historic 30-acre site.
 John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art
5401 Bayshore Rd., Sarasota. (941) 359-5865. Legacy of circus magnate John Ringling.
La Musica International Chamber Music Festival
P. O. Box 5442, Sarasota. (941) 364-8802 Annual concerts in Sarasota's historic Opera House.
Manatee Village Historical Park
604 15th St. East, Bradenton. (941) 749-7165. Historical church; Manatee County's first courthouse.
Museum of Cars and Music of Yesterday
5500 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota. (941) 355-6228. Music machines, classic and antique autos.
South Florida Museum, Bishop Planetarium and Parker Manatee Aquarium
201 10th St. West, Bradenton. (941) 746-4132. Exhibits on history, planetarium, Snooty the manatee.
Koreshan State Historic Site
P.O. Box 7, Estero. (941) 992-0311. Remains of unusual pioneer settlement on the Estero River.
Museum of the Everglades
105 W. Broadway, Everglades City. (941) 695-0008. Explores the colorful saga of the Everglades.
Philharmonic Center for the Arts
5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples. (941) 597-1900. Broadway musicals, symphonic and pop concerts, more.
Smallwood Store Museum
360 Maimie St., Chokoloskee. (941) 695-2989. Old Indian trading post.
Recreation/Tours
Around the Bend Nature Tours
1815 Palma Sola Boulevard, Bradenton. (941) 794-8773
Calusa Coast Outfitters Educational Tours
PO Box 55, Fort Myers Beach. (941) 948-1991
Canoe Outpost, Inc.
2816 NW County Rd. 661, Arcadia. (863) 494-1215
Canoe Outpost—Peace River
2816 NW County Rd. 661, Arcadia. (863) 494-1215
Canoe Safari—Peace River
3020 NW County Rd. 661, Arcadia. (863) 494-7865
Captiva Cruises
POB 580, Captiva Island. (941) 472-5300; fax (941) 472-6405
Charter Boat Reel Freedom
9141 Midnight Pass Rd., Sarasota. (941) 925-1871
Chokoloskee Island Park & Marina
P.O. Box 430, Chokoloskee. (941) 695-2414
Everglades Bicycle Tours
6003 Green Boulevard, Naples. (941) 455-7211
Grande Tours, Inc.
PO Box 281, Placida. (941) 697-8825; fax (941) 697-8825
Island Personal Watercraft Rental
5317 Bayside Court, Cape Coral. (941) 540-4884
King Fisher Cruise Lines, Inc.
Fishermen's Village Marina, 1200 West Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda. (941) 639-0969; fax (941) 637-1054
Lake Trafford Marina/Air Boat Adventure
6001 Lake Trafford Rd., Immokalee. (941) 657-2401
Mixon Fruit Farms
POB 25200, Bradenton. (941) 748-5829; fax (941) 748-1085
Naples Princess
1001 10th Ave. S, Naples. (941) 649-2275; fax (941) 649-7357
Naples Trolley Tours & Everglades Excursions
1010 Sixth Ave. S, Naples. (941) 262-7300
Offshore Sailing School
16731 Mcgregor Boulevard, Fort Myers. (941) 454-1700
Orchids & Egrets, Inc.
238 Silverado Drive, Naples. (941) 352-8586
Pepper Ranch & Preserve
6315 Pepper Rd., Immokalee. (941) 657-6517
Pico Charters at Port-O-Call Marina
550 Port-O-Call Way, Naples. (941) 430-0570
Ray's Canoe Hideaway
1247 Hagle Park Rd., Bradenton. (941) 747-3909
Resort Sports, Inc.
11000-40 Metro Parkway, Fort Myers. (941) 936-0233
Royal Palm Tours
P.O. Box 60079, Fort Myers. (941) 368-0760; (800) 296-0249
Southwest Florida Yachts, Inc.
3444 Marinatown Lane #19, Fort Myers. (941) 656-1339
Tarpon Bay Recreation, Inc.
900 Tarpon Bay Rd., Sanibel. (941) 472-8900
Tropic Star of Pine Island
PO Box 627, Bokeelia, FL 33922; (941) 283-0015
Walk on the Wild Side, Inc.
629 41st Street, Sarasota. (941) 351-6500
Wildside Adventures
& Captiva Kayak Company
PO Box 122, Captiva Island. (941) 395-2925
Attractions
Babcock Wilderness Adventures
8000 State Rd. 31, Punta Gorda. (800) 500-5583; fax (941) 637-4611. Swamp buggy nature treks through Telegraph Cypress Swamp.
Caribbean Gardens
1590 Goodlette Rd. N, Naples. (941) 262-5409 ext. 021; fax (941) 262-6866. Founded in 1919, 52-acre tropical site includes trails and animals.
Circus Sarasota
PO Box 18636, Sarasota. (941) 924-7054; fax (941) 924-4414.
The Conservancy of Southwest Florida
1450 Merrihue Drive, Naples. (941) 403-4216; fax (941) 262-0672. Nature centers with tours in Naples and near Marco Island.
Mote Marine Aquarium
1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota. (941) 388-4441; fax (941) 388-4312. Sea turtles, shark tank, touch tank.
Sarasota Jungle Gardens
3701 Bayshore Rd., Sarasota. (941) 355-1112; fax (941) 355-1222. Gardens, nature trails, animal exhibits.
Seminole Indian Casino
506 S First Street, Immokalee. (941) 658-1313; fax (941) 658-1515
The Shell Factory
2787 N Tamiami Trail, N Fort Myers. (941) 995-2141; fax (941) 995-0711. Shells, fossils, corals and sponges, railroad museum, exotic animal collection.
Teddy Bear Museum of Naples
16956 McGregor Boulevard, Suite 2, Fort Myers. (941) 598-2711; fax (941) 598-9239. Unusual museum featuring stuffed toys.
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