Attractions

Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 2350 McGregor Blvd., (239) 334-3614. Tour Thomas A. Edison’s chemical research laboratory and museum filled with hundreds of his inventions. $14 adults, $7.50 children six to 12, children under six free. www.efwefla.org.

Fort Myers Skatium, 2250 Broadway, (239) 461-3145. In-line and ice-skating programs for all ages. $2 skate rental. Adults $6, children 12 and under $5. www.yourpage
maker.com/fmskatium.

Fossil Expeditions, 213 Lincoln Ave., (239) 368-3252. Search for bones and teeth of ancient mammoths, mastodons, tortoises, saber-toothed cats, whales, dolphins and sharks. www­
.fossilexpeditions.com.

GAEA Guides, Guided Kayak Tours, (239) 694-5513 or (866) 256-6388. Kayak clinics, bird, manatee, full-moon, sunset and bat kayak tours. www.gaeaguides.com.
Generations Skating Center, 2095 Andrea Lane, (239) 482-7199. Includes snack bar, game area and novelty center. www.generationsskatingcenter.com.

Hickey’s Creek Mitigation Park, 17980 Palm Beach Blvd., (239) 728-6240. A 1,020-acre wildlife preserve with five miles of trails, canoe/kayak landing and fishing pier. www.florida conservation.org/recreation/hickeys_creek.

Imaginarium Hands-On Museum, 2000 Cranford Ave., Fort Myers, (239) 337-3332. Exhibits on weather, water, the human body, physics and math. $8 adults, $7 seniors, $5 children, children under three and members free. www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium.

Lakes Park, 7330 Gladiolus Drive, (239) 432-2000. Swimming, nature trails, mini-train rides, bike and boat rentals, picnic sites and shower facilities. Visit Fragrance Garden for the visually impaired. Parking $1 per hour, $5 per day.

Lee Civic Center, 11831 Bayshore Road, (239) 543-8368. Concerts, trade shows, expos, rodeos, company picnics and more. www.leeciviccenter.com.

Manatee Park, S.R. 80, east of I-75, (239) 690-5030. Family picnic areas, nonmotorized kayak/canoe launch, fishing deck on the Orange River, and native plant habitats. Parking $1 per hour, $5 per day. (239) 694-3537. www.leeparks.org.

Manatee World, 5605 Palm Beach Blvd., (239) 694-4042. Eco-boat tours in search of manatees, alligators and birds. Closed during the summer. www.manateeworld.com.

Miracle Professional Baseball, Hammond Stadium, 14400 Six Mile Cypress Parkway, (239) 768-4210. Hosts Minnesota Twins spring training games. Open April to September. $7 box seats, $5 general admission. www.miraclebaseball.com.

Palm Tree Park, corner of Edwards Drive and Lee Street, (239) 334-0839. Palm trees and a memorial to the 82nd Airborne.

Seminole Gulf Railway, Colonial Station, (239) 275-8487. Murder-mystery dinner train and holiday-themed excursions. Reservations required. www.semgulf.com.

Shell Factory and Nature Park, 2787 Tamiami Trail N., (239) 995-2141. Fun park with shell-themed shopping; dining and nature park with petting zoo. www.shellfactory.com.

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Six Mile Cypress Parkway (one mile north of Daniels Parkway), (239) 432-2004. Boardwalk trails, picnic areas and seasonal programs. Parking $1 per hour, $5 per day. www.leeparks.org.

Southwest Florida Museum of History, 2300 Peck St., (239) 332-5955. Walk with prehistoric animals, live with the Calusa Indians or view turn-of-the-century downtown. $9.50 adults, $8.50 seniors, $4 children three to 12, children under three free. www.cityftmyers.com.

Sun Harvest Citrus, 14810 Metro Parkway, (239) 768-2686. See how hand-picked citrus fruit is cleaned, graded, packed and juiced. Fruit shipping available. Educational tours are offered daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. www.sunharvestcitrus.com.

FORT MYERS BEACH

Big "M" Casino, 450 Harbor Court, (239) 765-PLAY. Gaming aboard a 186-foot yacht. Buffet available. Ages 21 and up. www.bigmcasino.com.

Estero Island Historic Cottage and Nature Center, 161 Bay Road, (239) 463-0435. The center celebrates the history of Fort Myers Beach with artifacts and photos. Cottage open Wednesday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Matanzas Pass Wilderness Preserve, 199 Bay Road, (239) 229-1610. 56-acre sanctuary for native plants and animals. Open seven days a week from dawn to dusk. www­
.ecotrail.com/mpass_preserve.htm.

Ostego Bay Foundation Marine Museum, 718 Fisherman’s Wharf, (239) 765-8101. Touch tanks and interactive exhibits. Free admission. www.ostegobay.org.

GASPARILLA ISLAND

Boca Grande Lighthouse, (239) 964-0375. Built in 1890 to mark the entrance from the Gulf of Mexico to Charlotte Harbor. www.barrierislandparkssociety.org/lighthouse.html.

PINE ISLAND

Museum of the Islands, 5728 Sesame Drive, Bokeelia, (239) 283-1525. Features
island culture, past and present. Call for hours. $2 adults, $1 children.
www.museumoftheislands.com.

Randell Research Center, 7450 Pineland Road, (239) 283-2062. Tours of the former Randell family site. Reservations required. www.flmnh.ufl.edu/rrc.

SANIBEL ISLAND

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road, (888) 679-6450 or (239) 395-2233. Exhibits displaying shells from Sanibel and Captiva islands, Southwest Florida and around the world. $7 adults, $4 children five to 16, children four and under free. www.shellmuseum.org.
Cabbage Key, at channel marker 60 on the Intracoastal Waterway, (239) 283-2278. A tiny island built on a Calusa Indian mound, accessible by boat. Restaurant, bar and inn.

J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 1 Wildlife Drive, (239) 472-1100. Mangrove forest, cordgrass marshes and West Indian hardwood hammocks. Bicycles, canoes and kayaks for rent. Tours available. $5 per car, $1 adult bicyclist or hiker. www.fws.gov/dingdarling.

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, 3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, (239) 472-2329. Plant nursery, butterfly house, nature center and walking trails. Specializing in barrier island ecology. $3 adults, children under 17 and members free. www.sccf.org.

Sanibel Historical Village and Museum, 950 Dunlop Road, (239) 472-4648. Tour six buildings, including a 1926 Sears Roebuck kit house. $5 adults.

Sanibel Lighthouse, Lighthouse City Park, (239) 472-9075. The lighthouse on the southern tip of Sanibel has been a landmark since 1884, when the entire island was a nature preserve. The park features a lush tropical landscape, beach and bayside fishing pier.