Boy in Sanibel
Sanibel Island, just about a 70-minute drive from Naples is famous for its beaches and shells. During the summer months it’s a great day trip destination for Neapolitan families in search of something a little different. Yes, you’ll find the shells and beautiful beaches but you’ll also find indoor activities and attractions that will please every member of the family. We’ve included our three favorite to get you inside out of the heat or give you a reprieve from afternoon showers.
Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum
3075 Sanibel-Captiva Rd., Sanibel • 239-395-2233 or 888-679-6450 • www.shellmuseum.org • Admission: $11 for ages 18 and older; $5 for ages 5-17; ages 4 and younger are free • Open 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. daily
Where can you see an oversized globe, two live mollusk tanks, and a giant squid and octopus on display? Would you be surprised to know that it is the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum? When scanning the exhibits, you’ll find among other things a shell classification wheel, mannequins representing Calusa Indians, a primitive tribe native to the area who incorporated shells into their daily life, and shells from various regions and in various shapes. While in the Hall of Shells, kids can pick up a scavenger hunt sheet. When they locate each indicated shell, they simply turn in their completed sheet to museum staff for a souvenir to take home.
Kids will also make a beeline for the Children’s Learning Laboratory, designed for children ages 2 and older. Young visitors to this area will enjoy the sea-life theme presented in bright colors. Once inside, they can play games and puzzles, peruse the hands-on displays, and view the creatures in the live (not touch) tank. There’s also a ten minute video designed just for kids.
True shell fans (and adults) will want to view the Shell Museum’s two videos, Mollusks In Action and Trails and Tales, (both thirty minutes), which generate quite a bit of buzz in both the local media and with conchologists. The videos were the creation of Joyce Matthys, a volunteer education docent at the center. It is the museum’s hope that people will visit the museum to learn about shells and mollusks before hitting the beach.
CROW (Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife)
3833 Sanibel-Captiva Rd., Sanibel • 239-472-3644 • www.crowclinic.org • Admission: $7 (18+), $5 (13-17), 12 and under free • May 1-December 14 ( Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) December 15-April 30 (Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.)
The Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW), operates one of the country’s leading nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation facilities and teaching hospitals on its 12.5-acre campus on Sanibel Island, Florida. Each year, over 3,500 sick, inured and orphaned wildlife patients receive care from CROW’s staff veterinarians, clinicians, 250 volunteers and students enrolled in CROW’s wildlife medicine program.
CROW’s visitor education center is designed to connect all audiences with wildlife in our care while maintaining their privacy. The experience is a self-guided tour that focuses on the life-cycle of our patients from the time they are admitted until their ultimate re-release into the wild. Patient health is imperative; federal and state laws do not permit visitors to view patients directly but visitors can view patients through live feed “critter cams” with views inside the hospital and outside rehabilitation areas. Daily wildlife presentations include a 45-minute wildlife lecture, meeting animal ambassadors and Q&A session. Other programs include a monthly lecture series, “ Wildlife Walk” that include a behind-the-scenes tour of the campus and “Lunch and Learn” with CROW’s hospital director.
“These additional programs at CROW are designed to improve the visitor experience and give an intimate look at what we do while educating guests about Southwest Florida’s wildlife,” says Dr. Linda Estep, Executive Director.
For seasonal hours and program schedule please visit www.crowclinic.org.
Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF)
3333 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel • 239-472-2329 • www.sccf.org • Admission: $5 for ages 17 and older (to Nature Center) • Hours: 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Hours for rest of year vary; contact SCCF for specifics.
Turtle Tracks isn’t just the name of an ice cream. It’s also a popular program sponsored by the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation where you can learn about the sea turtles that nest on Sanibel and Captiva. SCCF docents narrate a Dolphin & Wildlife Adventure Cruise given by Captiva Cruises that offers an opportunity to view dolphins and other wildlife up close as you cruise the Pine Island Sound.
A visit to SCCF, which welcomed 15,000 visitors last year, is a great way to while away the time. There’s a touch tank and several aquaria with live turtles and snakes. Nature Center programs are $5 for adults, free for children. Avid gardeners can visit their native plant nursery. If you want to get up close and personal with a butterfly, be sure to visit the butterfly house, which is free of charge. This outdoor screened room features butterfly host plants and many types of butterflies flying directly overhead. There are walking trails at the Nature Center and several other SCCF preserves.