This historic site offers a unique glimpse into the lives and legacies of Thomas Edison and Henry…read moreFord, and how their friendship helped shape innovation in America. The estates have a large, free parking lot, and admission for the self-guided tour is $28 per person (guided tours are available for an additional fee). The self-guided option includes a QR code to download an app, which provides audio commentary at various stops along the tour. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and the tour begins on the opposite side of the estate, taking you through the property's historic homes and buildings. Each stop offers insight into the personal lives and groundbreaking work of Edison and Ford, and it's fascinating to see the spaces where they spent their winters together. One of the highlights for us was the museum. I knew Edison was an inventor, but I didn't fully realize the sheer number of inventions credited to him -- everything from the phonograph to an early voting machine. There's also a fascinating display showing the many versions of the lightbulb throughout history and how it evolved into what we know today. We spent quite a bit of time here, soaking in both the history and the scenery. Before leaving, we stopped by the gift shop, which had a fantastic selection of unique and thoughtful items. If you're looking for one-of-a-kind gifts -- especially for those hard-to-shop-for people -- this is a perfect place to pick something up. 3 stars is mostly for the price, $28 is pretty steep for a audio guide. Tours are more. Although I learned some new things it could have been $10-15 and it would easily be 5 stars but $56 for 2 people is a bit ridiculous since is self guided.

25 Feb 26 Went to the Edison-Ford Winter Estates to to…read morefill an otherwise boring day Been here before on 2-3 occasions. I don't know why but I wasn't as impressed this time as I was on prior occasions. The place looks almost the same but somehow it seemed a little different. Nevertheless it's part of American history and I still enjoyed my self guided tour. I might return again as there isn't that much to do in SWF except dine and hit the beaches. Still , it was interesting to see two tycoons buying homes close together so as to maintain and enjoy their friendship. Their homes brought back memories of my childhood when we had an "Ice Box" in lieu of a refrigerator. They had a wood burning fire place for heat , we had a coal stove. American Middle Class families now live better than the rich in the 1920's. Progress ?! The place was filled with tourist on the day of my visit and it was obvious that for many it was their first time visiting the Estates. Ah , the lives of the Rich and Famous ... and the beat goes on

Beautiful and amazing! Highly recommend. It is a simple museum that tells a powerful story of an…read moreamazing person!

Finally made it to the Mound House, a historic museum in Fort Meyers…read more Located on top of the hill, near the water, the house is a nice museum that you can visit in an hour or so and learn about the Calusa tribe, how they survived in the area, Florida's history and the tale of the house that was built on a shell. The house is the oldest in the area and was sold to the Koreshan cult at some point and they sold it again to other owners. The museum is small, a few rooms, but it has great information listed and lots of artifacts on display. They have a video running on the first floor and a nice terrace upstairs among other rooms with their permanent exhibits. I was disappointed that the underground excavation room was closed due to flooding. But I enjoyed the grounds, walking around the water, the piers, seeing blue herons, pelicans, osprey nest, iguana-s, etc. Great area with picnic tables for a lunch outdoors. You can fish on the pier or bring a book and sit on a bench and enjoy the views of the bay. $10 admission, open Tuesday - Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. No tours the day we went on a Saturday. No boat tours or kayak tours either. Nice souvenir shop, we got some kitchen ware, ornaments, nice souvenirs. Lots to learn about the area, nice grounds near the water, beautiful views and lots of bird watching! Very relaxing!

We went at a slow time in mid-February - and didn't have a guided tour. We did watch a 25-minute…read moremovie on the history of Fort Myers Beach from the Calusa years to about the late 1990s - with really good interviews from elderly (in the 1990s) residents who'd lived there their entire life. The actual house has many exhibits showing life before the Europeans took over - with explanations and artifacts. Outside, the grounds have signs about the area, the vegetation, and the history of the house. About 1/2-mile walk to see it all. All-in-all between the movie, the house, and the grounds - we spent about an hour and a half here. There's a small gift shop. And... good views across the water.

Since we've been visiting the Naples/Marco Island area for many years now, Nate and I have done a…read morelot of the tourist attractions like the zoo, botanical gardens, a few museums, etc. but somehow had never been to the Marco Island Historical Museum until our visit in March 2026. The museum is free to visit, and I was really impressed. We got an overview when we entered and learned a lot about the history of Marco Island and its residents, starting with the Calusa period (pre 1700s). The history is fascinating and although some of it was a little washed over, I think most of it was well done in terms of honoring the native people of the area. There was a rotating exhibit while we visited about the evolution of transportation that happened throughout the island's history, which included ships, airplanes (Marco Island Airways operated in the 70s and 80s, trains, and automobiles. The other exhibits were packed with lots of information and artifacts which were very cool to see. The displays were nicely done with lots of great visuals. I especially enjoyed learning about the Mackle brothers, who had a large part in developing the island. They also had the famous Key Marco Cat on display, which was discovered in 1896 and was perfectly preserved in an oxygen-free bog. It is currently on loan to the Marco Island Historical Museum but is returning to the Smithsonian in April 2026. I'm glad we got to see this unique icon, especially as a cat lover. If you're interested in history, I highly recommend visiting this museum.

This was a fantastic way to spend a windy, chilly morning on Marco Island. This museum is…read morecertainly cherished by all who live here. What a gem of so well put together and maintained. No cost to get in either (donations accepted and appreciated). My husband and I learned so much about the history of Marco island as well as the development of the island. Fascinating stuff!

Plan for at least an hour here which will give you plenty of time to explore the train museum and…read morethen take a ride on the train. Yes, they have a rideable train that goes on a one mile loop that circles out and back! The train tickets are purchased at the museum office and for us, only $5 each. The nice lady who sold the tickets let us know that the train would be departing in about 20 minutes at that gave us plenty of time to explore the museum, perusing the exhibits and watching the miniature train sets circle the table. Other than my Mom, I think I was probably the oldest person on the train and we both had a complete blast. The ride takes 15 minutes and sweeps through a number of similarly miniature villages and over clang-clang-clang railroad crossings and even through a 100 foot long tunnel. It's extremely cute and for $5, how can you possibly not enjoy yourself! Afterwards, there are outdoor exhibits that include a cosmetically restored 1905 locomotive and tender, and a completely restored caboose. Tip: Check ahead for their hours of operation. They are only open on weekends (and Labor Day!). Rides on the train are first come first serve. You'll have a better ride closer to the front if you can. [Review 15816 overall - 1395 in Florida - 1320 of 2021.]

A railroad enthusiast must-see in Fort Myers, Florida This…read moreSpecial attraction is located inside the Lakes Regional Park which is located off Gladiolus Drive and Old Gladiolus Drive. The park has several places to see and visit. There is a large parking lot so parking should not be a problem. The Railroad Museum and railroad are to the right as you enter. The museum is hard to miss as there is a large railroad engine visible from the parking lot that is across the walkway from a large building that houses the museum. The museum is inside a building behind the jungle gym next to the parking lot. The museum is free. It is a large room with several operating scale trains running around the center and near the roof. There is at least one hands-on display that you can see the operating console for an engineman. There are lots of informational displays situated around the room describing the history of trains and the railroad museum. There is a lot to read and a lot of history associated with trains, Florida, and the Fort Myers area. If you have a chance, I highly recommend spending a few dollars and getting a ticket to ride the train right outside the museum. For any train enthusiast this is a must-see in the area.

Tony and I went to Chokoloskee Island to the Historical Smallwood Store! It's now a museum adults…read moreonly $5. The water has a brackish reddish brown tint from the Red Mangrove. It also has a sulphury smell! It's very pretty down here! We also stopped in Everglade City FL.

I've seen the signs on Alligator Alley many times so I finally decided to stop. Smallwoods is an…read moreold Florida store and museum. It is an old Indian trading post with original fixtures and a huge amount of items from books, newspapers, sewing goods, dishes and everything else imaginable. There is a great water view out the back door of the store. It is built up on stilts. There is a $5 entry. The store sells all sorts of souvenirs. We spent under an hour browsing the museum.

We spent maybe 90 minutes at the gardens, which are currently featuring sculptures and drawings by…read moreartist Alexander Calder. Calder is most famous for his use of primary colors, and for his mobiles. This exhibit, "Alexander Calder: The Nature of Movement" ends May 31, 2026. Calder's connection with Sarasota is mainly through sketches he made of Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus, which was based in Sarasota. Portions of the gardens are under construction, but most areas along the water are open. There wasn't much in bloom during our visit. Admission is not cheap ($28 per adult, $12 for children 5-17) but we were able to get in for free using the reciprocal arrangement from our membership at another botanical garden. Garage parking is free, and there's an elevator.

Such a lovely time ! This is a must-see place to go if you're visiting Florida. Nice place to take…read morepictures and walk around. I do wish there was more structure as to what section of the garden to go to first. However, they do provide you with a map to make sure you hit everything.