Visiting the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium Near Fort Myers, Florida

When traveling in the Fort Myers area of Florida, you must visit the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. It is fun for all ages. It is open 7 days a week. They are open Monday - Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. There are so many wonderful things to see and do. Here are some of things to do while visiting the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium:

Admission

The price for admission to enter Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is a great deal. It is only $9 for adults and teens. Children ages 3-12 admission is $6, and children under 3 are free. However, the real deal is in the annual memberships if you plan to go many times. An individual membership is $30. The price for seniors, military, or students is only $25. Annual family memberships are only $50.

Museum

Calusa Nature Center has a great museum to tour through. There are live animals to look at. My kids got a kick out of seeing the snake feeding demonstration. I personally loved the touch tank that is outside on the porch. There is a huge lighted map that delights children that shows where the manatees go in nearby Florida waters.

Planetarium

There are many shows to be watched at the planetarium. They currently now even show laser light shows there which is pretty cool to see. My family and I delighted in watching the show about manatees. There are also a couple neat things to look at in the lobby. One of the exhibits we saw was about space.

Trails

Calusa Nature Center has some really cool trails to look at and walk though. Before going on the trails go into the Butterfly Avery to see many different kinds of butterfly species. Right at the entrance of the main trail are other animal exhibits to looks at. There are eagles, raccoons, a bobcat, a possum, and other unique animals. On the left of the trails are alligators to look at. There are several trails to walk, and one of them even has a looping boardwalk to walk part way on.

Special Events

The best part of going to the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium are the special events that they have there. There is dog Sunday where once a month for a couple dollars you are allowed to walk your dog on the trails. There are sleepover events where you can actually sleep there. Plus, there are night events when you can go on a night walking tour, and toast marshmallows after. My favorite events have always been the holiday ones. Halloween, Christmas, and Easter holidays are always even more special after celebrating at the Calusa Nature Center. If you are in the Florida area, you will definitely want to check out the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium.

Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium:
3450 Ortiz Avenue
Fort Myers, Florida 33905
(239) 275-3435
www.CalusaNature.com