FREE STUFF
Collier Seminole Museum – free
Seminole Village
1910 steam engine
Recreated Seminole War Fort
Dioramas
Exhibits – Spanish explorers, Seminole Indians
WWII Sherman tank
Seminole dugout canoes
Mule wagon
Antique swamp buggy
Train cars to climb in
Model railroad
Free Fishing Clinic – April or May
(The link above will provide the next date when it is scheduled, there are also lots of other family friendly activity links for Naples)
Free stations to learn how to fish
Free fishing lessons
Free fishing pools
Free bait
Several hours of fishing on the Naples Pier with expert help
*There is also usually a similar event in Cape Coral around the same time at the Pier at the Yacht Club. There is a list on this website of other family events as well.
Free monthly movies during the winter
Giant screen with popular movies
Free summer tours
See how they make ice cream
Take a walk in a freezer
During the winter you can see dozens of manatees
Underwater audio spot where you can hear them too
Bat Bridge
Every night at dusk 8,000 bats head out to eat
Matheson Street – Bonita Springs
Free for the exhibits of shells, taxidermy animals – all huge life sized
Huge Christmas room
Nature Park and mining has admission prices ($8-$12)
Interesting Playgrounds
Estero Park has giant spider web about two stories tall
Lehigh Acres has rock climbing walls
Cambier Park – all wooden like a castle
Lakes Park – train and unique climbing structures
A lake to swim in
Look for free sailing lessons given sporadically
Libraries: Lee County or Collier County
Free programs almost every week
Read to dogs
Programs with animals
Programs with crafts
Holds free days twice during the winter season when entire museum is free for the day. Walk under a ceiling of glass, see exhibits and take part in a children’s treasure hunt.
Estuary Wading Trip
Seining for fish and other sea life
Learn about things in the pass and mud flats
Lovers Key (463-4588) and Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve (463-3240) each do this trip for free about once a month during season
Reservations are required
DAY TRIPS
Solomon’s Castle – Ona Florida
$10 adults, $4 children
Shiny Castle with a moat
Exhibits inside made from recycled items such as car parts, old hangers, chains etc.
Shark teeth – better than Venice – Charlotte County
Closer and more teeth
Free – but small parking fee
Thousands of Butterfly exhibits and bird exhibits
$18-$24
Miami
Castle and all furniture made of coral
$9.50, $4
Sarasota
Giant science museum with lots of hands-on stuff
About $10
Hug a Gator
Tin City in Naples
For $5 you can hug a 4-foot long alligator named Baby Bobby or a 3-foot gator named Tiny Turbo.
Everglades – just over the Collier line in Dade County
Tram ride
Hike up tower
Last time saw 167 alligators
On the way back stop and see the smallest post office and the skunk ape museum
INTERESTING/UNIQUE LOCAL THINGS
Fancy Nancy Parties (Bummer This Store has Closed!)
Learning Express holds this monthly $7
Children get to dress up, have tea, do a craft and a fashion show
To open next month with an all new children’s discovery center
Pieces of Eight Pirate Cruise in Fort Myers
Kids get to pretend to be on a pirate ship
$29.95, $24.95
Fort Myers Beach Pool & Golden Gate Pool
Little slides
Squirters
Zero entry pool
Squirting fountains
$2-$4 – much cheaper than the bigger water parks and perfect for little kids.
Planetarium (Calusa Nature Center)
Daily shows in rounded room
Admission also includes nature center
$10, $5
State Parks
Lover’s Key – beach, tram ride, bicycles, bridges over wetlands
Delnor Wiggins – tons of shade, barbecue pits
Koreshan State Historic Site – historic homes, Estero River, playground (Parking fee is $6, $8)
Great on hot days
Look for coupons
Sunday is family night – admission and rental for a low price
C’mon (Children’s Museum of Naples)
Opening in Feb $10 (look for coupons at local libraries)
Amazing place
Two story banyon tree
Ice cave
Tree that blows leaves
Hill to roll down
Shell to climb in
Weather Station
Farm to table
Everglades
Beach
Trolley
Building area
Art area
Sprinklers
Thank you Andrea Stetson from SWFL Parent and Child Magazine for providing this fantastic list to our MOPS group and presenting at our meeting!!!
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