• Spend Less
  • Have Fun
  • DIY
  • Home
  • Travel
    • Indiana
  • Good Food
  • Family Life

↑

Chaos Is Bliss

Living through the chaos to get to the bliss. Spend less, do more, love life.

  • Spend Less
  • Have Fun
  • DIY
  • Home
  • Travel
    • Indiana
  • Good Food
  • Family Life

Staycation: Frugal Fun in Southwest Florida

This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for details.

May 21, 2013 By Ann-Marie 13 Comments

If you're new here, welcome! Subscribe to my email updates so you don't miss a thing. Thanks for visiting!

Staycation_SWFlorida

The sun, the sand, flip flops, margaritas … these are a few of my favorite things! When I’m not chillin’ in Indy, my favorite vacation destination is Ft. Myers, Florida, where my parents live at least six months of the year. We just visited again for Spring Break and had about as wild & crazy a time as you can get with 3 kids in tow.

Whether you live in the Sunshine State and are looking for a “Staycation”, or if you’re planning a trip to the Southwest Florida area, there’s no sense breaking the bank for a family vacation when there are so many free and discounted places to see and things to do!

Beaches & Parks

I can’t possibly write a post about “free”, “fun” and “Florida” without highlighting some of our favorite beaches! Since this Staycation post isn’t intended to be a complete tourism guide to the area, I would suggest you check out FtMyersSanibel.com for “best bets” for beaches.

Ft Myers Beach

  • Ft. Myers Beach – This is our favorite spot, with or without kids. It’s buzzing with people, street performers, shops, ice cream and snacks, bars and restaurants – perfect for people watching and lots to take in. When you come across the bridge, the road makes a “T”. We always head right at the T, there is a public beach parking lot if you can find a spot, or we always have luck with street parking among the restaurants and shops. There is a nice playground adjacent to the beach! Free beach access, $2 per hour parking.
  • Bowditch Beach – This is where you want to go for rest and relaxation in a pristine, serene environment. It’s located at the north end of Ft. Myers Beach and has a boardwalk, trails and picnic area. Free beach access, $2 per hour parking.

If soaking in the sun from a beach isn’t in your Staycation plans, head to one of Southwest Florida’s parks or nature preserves, and witness amazing wildlife, birds and plants.

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve

  • Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve – This 2,500-acre wetland is home to a diverse collection of plants and animals, some considered endangered. Take a guided walk or enjoy birding, as the Slough (pronounced “slew”) is a rest stop for migrating birds. Admission to the park is free. Parking is $1 per hour, $5 max.
  • Lake’s Park – I think we’ve spent time at Lake’s Park nearly every time we’ve visited my parents since they moved to Ft. Myers. It’s clean, has a great playground, miniature train ride, and you might even catch a glimpse of a gator!

Go / See / Do

  • Shell Factory – If you don’t find the perfect shell au naturel, your friends back home won’t suspect a thing if you buy some gorgeous, hard-to-find shells, coral, fossils and more at Shell Factory. After browsing the store, be sure to visit the Shell Factory Nature Park and witness 350 animals in their natural habitats. And as if that’s not enough, there is even a Fun Park with bumper boats and miniature golf. Print a coupon for a free margarita (what?!), free child’s admission to the Nature Park with paid adult admission, and more.
  • Children’s Museum of Naples (CMoN) – We have not been here yet, but it looks like fun! It’s a 2-story, 30,000 sq. ft. building with 12 exhibits that “blend state-of-the-art technology with a replication of the natural world and human communities.” Admission is $10 starting at age 1. Print a coupon to save $1.00 off admission, or buy one adult admission and get one child admission for 50% off.
  • Take your kids to the Summer Movie Express at Regal (nationwide at participating locations), for just $1 per child each Tuesday and Wednesday.

Imaginarium-Dino

  • Imaginarium Science Center – While the hubs and I took a jaunt to Key West, my parents took our kids to the Imaginarium where they had their hands on nearly 60 kid-friendly science experiments – including facing a simulated tropical storm wind! Admission is $12 for ages 13-54, 55 and over $10, 3-12 $8, under 3 free. Family nights are Fridays from 5-8pm. Watch for flash sale sites to offer discounts on memberships or admission.
  • Bass Pro Shop – I know, right? “What?! I don’t fish!” That’s what I said when my parents suggested we take the kids to see Santa there a couple of years ago. For those that have never been to a Bass Pro Shop, you’re in for a treat. There are a ton of free events all year long (yes, including Santa – and while you’re waiting for Santa you just might see some ‘fun’ coloring pages of young children with hunting rifles. I’m not even joking.).

I haven’t even delved into restaurants – our Florida favorites are  Doc Ford’s for cold beers & great food by the water, Cheeburger Cheeburger on Sanibel (where my oldest daughter saw a James Dean poster and will. not. stop. talking about him), and Sweet Tomato for an awesome lunch buffet where even my picky eaters can find something to eat. Sweet Tomato has awesome coupons for their email club members.

Hopefully this gives you a starting point of some fun, frugal things to work into your Southwest Florida plans, whether you’re traveling or “staycationing”!

 

Staycation 2013

Read more about ways you can be “cent”sible and save when shopping online or out & about!

And if you’re new to Chaos Is Bliss, you might enjoy getting all the best deals in an email update, on Facebook or Twitter!

 

(Visited 2,055 times, 2 visits today)

Filed Under: Articles, Being Centsible, Family Life, Frugal Tips, Travel

Comments

  1. Rebeca @ The Average Parent says

    May 22, 2013 at 11:13 pm

    This looks like a great vacation! My dad has been “talking about” buying a vacation home in florida for as long as I can remember. I really wish he would so I could go and visit!

    Reply
    • Ann-Marie says

      May 23, 2013 at 11:51 pm

      We definitely miss my parents when they leave, but their life is so full down there so I know they’re loving life!

      Reply
  2. designhermomma says

    May 23, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    Ah! Ft. Myers beach is our home away from home too! We go there every year, as my parents have a place down there as well. Or favorite (adult) hangout place is The Smokin’ Oyster Bar!

    Great Tips!

    Reply
    • Ann-Marie says

      May 23, 2013 at 11:49 pm

      That’s awesome! I’ll have to try the Smokin’ Oyster next time. And have you had ice cream at the place near the beach called something like 100 Flavors and it only has like 20?! 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Staycation: Enjoy Your City on A Budget - Ravings By Rae says:
    June 27, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply
  2. Staycation on a Budget: Explore Your City says:
    November 23, 2013 at 4:55 pm

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply
  3. Take a Staycation: Things to do in YOUR City — The Greenbacks Gal says:
    December 17, 2013 at 8:07 am

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply
  4. Year of the Staycation 2013: Frugal Fun Across the US | Vacation Planning | Maven of Savin says:
    January 15, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply
  5. Year of The Staycation - Hundreds of Ideas to Explore - Family Friendly Cincinnati says:
    January 18, 2014 at 5:53 pm

    […] Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss […]

    Reply
  6. Year of the Staycation - Simply Sherryl says:
    July 10, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    […] Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss […]

    Reply
  7. Family Friendly Activities Acros The US says:
    July 21, 2014 at 11:27 pm

    […] Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss […]

    Reply
  8. Budget Travel Ideas {Frugal Ramblings} | Desert Chica says:
    August 17, 2014 at 8:31 pm

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply
  9. Year of the Staycation says:
    September 23, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    […] Clearwater Beach, Florida :: Bargain Briana Jacksonville, Florida :: Saving The Family Money Southwest Florida (Ft. Myers area) :: Chaos Is Bliss St. Augustine, Florida :: Simply St. Augustine Tallahassee, Florida :: […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Don't miss Out.

Subscribe for the latest recipes, fun, money saving tips, and more straight to your inbox!

From The Blog:

Looking for an easy salty-sweet snack mix? Try this White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn recipe.

White Chocolate Cranberry Popcorn Recipe

Skinny Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Improving Your Mental Health

Try a frosty mug of Beer-Ritas for an easy summer cocktail! This two-ingredient beer margarita recipe is refreshing and citrusy.

Frosty Cold Beer-Ritas (Margaritas Made from Beer!) Recipe

Chaos Is Bliss is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

<span class="icon-someicon"></span>

Pinterest

Visit Chaos Is Bliss's profile on Pinterest.
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
  • Contact
  • Work with Me
  • Clean Chaos

Welcome,

I love sharing ways to spend less, so families can do more! My passions are cooking, late night TV and being amused by my witty husband and three kids. Read More

Get on the list!

Subscribe for the latest recipes, fun, money saving tips, and more straight to your inbox!

Copyright ©2023, Chaos Is Bliss. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs