While staying at Sandalfoot Condominium beachfront resort complex, you will never be far from the mainland, as the city of Fort Myers is only minutes away by way of the Sanibel Causeway Bridge. Fort Myers is home to numerous interesting and exciting attractions that make for sensational day trips. Thus, after your convenient day excursion, you can still have a quiet and relaxing evening on Sanibel Island and avoid hotels. Here are just a few of the surrounding area’s day trips that will give you a good reason to cross the bridge!

The Edison-Ford Winter Estates are a “must see” while visiting the Fort Myers area. Located at 2350 McGregor Boulevard, you will get a chance to see how the famed inventor Thomas Edison and the automobile mogul Henry Ford spent the cold season in their majestic winter homes. Thomas Edison built his beloved “Seminole Lodge”, as it affectionately came to be called, in 1886 and his good friend Henry Ford moved in next door to “The Mangoes” estate in 1915. The estates are wonderfully maintained in an effort to capture the exact manner in which the legendary men lived. On the tour, you will get a chance to see Edison’s chemical lab, maintained exactly the way in which he left it, an original Model T Ford, a gift from Ford to Edison, and one of the most celebrated of all of Edison’s inventions, the phonograph. Sail down the bordering Caloosahatchee River on a replica of one of Edison’s boats for a superb view of the estates from the water’s edge. Or stroll through Edison’s famous botanical gardens, with over 1,000 types of plants from all over the world! During your visit, you might even run into Edison or Ford himself! The estate has “living history characters”, or actors on staff that portray the historic men while greeting and answering visitors’ questions. The Henry Ford estate also offers a very unique and picturesque setting for weddings and is available for rent

If you’re looking for a howling good time with the entire family, check out the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. A truly one-of-kind zoo, the Caribbean Gardens offers its visitors a unique experience. The 52-acre zoo is home to panthers, leopards, tigers, lions, monkeys, and even rare African wild dogs. What makes this zoo truly different is the lush tropical garden setting that surrounds the beastly inhabitants! The beautiful and serene Lake Victoria, adding to the charm of the zoo, gives visitors the opportunity to take a catamaran cruise past mini tropical islands. These are not your typical islands, however. Different types of monkeys inhabit each island! Wildlife presentations conducted by the zookeepers, are presented throughout the day in an effort to educate further and add to the enjoyment of the experience. The zoo is located just a short drive from Fort Myers at 1590 Goodlette-Frank Road in Naples.

Learn about the events that shaped Fort Myers and Southwest Florida at the Southwest Florida Museum of History. The museum offers a guided walking tour of the history of downtown Fort Myers on Wednesdays at 10:00 am and is conveniently located at 2300 Peck Street in Fort Myers. An evening of entertainment awaits you at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theater. Offering Broadway-style shows, complete with either a lunch or dinner buffet. A sampling of some of the theater offerings include outstanding renditions of “Cats”, “Oklahoma”, and “The Sound of Music”. The theater can seat up to 448 guests and is just minutes away from Sanibel at 1380 Colonial Boulevard.

All aboard the Seminole Gulf Railway! Enjoy an evening of great food, resplendent views of the Southwest Florida countryside, and a riveting murder mystery show on board the Murder Mystery Dinner Train! Your ticket includes a 5-course meal aboard a vintage 1930s-1940s train accompanied by a murder mystery show acted out right before your eyes in your own railway car! Besides the show, enjoy a relaxing trip along the rails of the beautiful and scenic Florida countryside with views one can’t get by way of an automobile! Located at 4110 Center Pointe Drive in Fort Myers, this dinner show is sure to give you an out of the ordinary fun and exciting experience!

Putt-putt your day away at Smuggler’s Cove Adventure Mini Golf in Fort Myers. This 18-hole miniature golf course offers affordable family entertainment with a unique spin on the usual run-of-the-mill mini golf courses. At Smuggler’s Cove, not only are you surrounded by waterfalls and a water spouting volcano, but also by live baby alligators! Visitors can not only view the baby alligators in the pond, but can also take a fishing rod and feed them meaty gator treats! Located at 17450 San Carlos Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach, you won’t have to go far for this popular family attraction!

Get ready for a day of nonstop fun at King Richard’s Family Fun Park in Naples! Amusement rides, bumper boats, batting cages, go-carting, laser tag, video games, mini golf, and water rides are among the activities that await you at this amusement park. The park is located at 6780 North Airport Road.

Beat the heat at the Sun Splash Family Waterpark in Cape Coral. This 12-acre family water park includes waterslides highlighted by a 5-story 457 foot long tube slide! Located at 400 Santa Barbara Boulevard, this is one wet and wild good time!

The Imaginarium “hands-on” science museum offers over 60 teaching exhibits including chemistry, physics, and nature. Included in the museum are hurricane and thunderstorm models, and even live sharks, eels, turtles, iguanas, swans, and a live coral reef exhibit. Children will love the chance to act out the part of a television weatherman and deliver their own weather forecast! The Imaginarium is located at 2000 Cranford Avenue in Fort Myers.

As you can surely see, there is no end to the amount of fun that can be had during a convenient day trip just minutes from the islands! Return home each night to your island paradise waiting for you at Sandalfoot Condominiums on Sanibel!