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Best Bets for Family Fun
Lee County’s array of family-friendly activities will entertain and even inspire. Step back in time at an authentic pioneer house, and then spark wonder with a visit to the winter homes of two celebrated inventors. Watch manatees in the wild, hike a boardwalk into the mangroves and be sure to keep an eye out for rare birds and alligators.
 Kids' dishes on flying discs at the Lazy Flamingo. |
Start out the day with a hearty-yet-inexpensive breakfast at Split Rail Family Restaurant, near Fort Myers Beach. Keep the kids entertained watching boat traffic and enjoy fresh seafood at Snug Harbor at Fort Myers Beach or the Waterfront Restaurant on Pine Island. For a relaxed atmosphere, try the local favorite McGregor Café in Fort Myers or Doc's Beach House in Bonita Beach. At the Loose Caboose in Boca Grande, the whole family will appreciate the famous ice cream.
 Williams Academy Black History Museum |
Learn about the early locals at downtown Fort Myers’ Southwest Florida Museum of History. Also on view are an authentic pioneer “Cracker House" and a 1929 Pullman rail car. Creativity and innovation will be sparked in your little ones at the Edison & Ford Winter Estate, Fort Myers, where tours explore the lives of the two great inventors. The Children’s Theatre at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater offers professional productions that kids of all ages will enjoy. At the Williams Black History Museum, kids can compare the 1940s classroom to their own, plus see early household items and African artifacts.
 Manatee Park |
In addition to daily activities, Lover’s Key State Park offers weekly kid camps on cast-netting, birding, fishing and beach habitat. After seeing endangered manatees in a non-captive area, let the kids run off energy at the playground at Manatee Park in Fort Myers. Visitors can get up close and personal with local creatures at Lee County’s Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, which offers a variety of educational programs for both young and old. Rent family-friendly equipment from Sanibel Island’s numerous concessions, then bike the favorite 5-mile loop at the J.N. “Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge. Stop often to hike the boardwalk into the mangroves, keeping an eye out for sunbathing alligators and birds. For all-around fun in Fort Myers, try Lakes Regional Park, with amenities including a swimming beach, rock wall, paved hiking and biking paths (rentals available on-site), playgrounds and food stands.
 Entrance to the Shell Factory |
Take home an inexpensive treasure from the sea at the various shell shops located around town (try She Sells Sea Shells, Sanibel; The Shell Factory, North Fort Myers). If it’s choices that you want, try the Edison Mall in Fort Myers. With lots to look at and a variety of dining options, shopping at Times Square on Fort Myers Beach is a good bet too. Teens will especially enjoy checking out the surf shops.
To learn more about fun-for-all-ages attractions in Lee County and the surrounding areas, visit the Southwest Florida Attractions Association web site.
If you go...
Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, 239-278-4422, 800-475-7256, www.broadwaypalm.com
Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, 239-275-3435, www.calusanature.com
Doc’s Beach House, 239-992-6444, www.docsbeachhouse.com
Edison & Ford Winter Estates, 239-334-7419, 888-377-9475, www.edison-ford-estate.com
Edison Mall, 239-939-5464, www.simon.com
J.N. “Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 239-472-1100, www.fws.gov/dingdarling
Lakes Regional Park, 239-432-2006, www.leeparks.org
Loose Caboose, 941-964-0440
Lovers Key State Park, 239-463-4588, www.floridastateparks.org
Manatee Park, 239-694-3537, www.leeparks.org
McGregor Café, 239-936-1771
Snug Harbor, 239-463-4343, snugharborrestaurant.com
The Waterfront Restaurant & Marina, 239-283-0592, www.waterfrontrestaurant.com
She Sells Sea Shells, 239-395-2266
The Shell Factory & Nature Park, 239-995-2141, www.shellfactory.com
Southwest Florida Museum of History, 239-321-7430, www.cityftmyers.com/museum/index.aspx
Split Rail Family Restaurant, 239-466-3400
Williams Academy Black History Museum, 239-332-8778
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