Southwest Florida is known for its wonderful weather, but sometimes the rain or heat can put a dent in your family’s summer plans. Luckily, there are tons of great family-friendly things to do in Southwest Florida that don’t involve being outdoors. When you’re ready to head inside, check out some of these great family activities; all of these are ideal for a rainy day.

Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum

The Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum is the only museum in the country devoted to shells. The natural history museum is home to a variety of exhibits curated by world-renowned marine biologists and malacologists. In addition, to live tank talks, daily beach walks, arts and crafts, and movies, visitors to the museum can enjoy special activities each day of the week.

• Location: 3075 Sanibel Captiva Road, Fort Myers
• Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

IMAG History & Science Center

The IMAG History & Science Center in Fort Myers offers tons of indoor family fun, including 60 interactive exhibits involving science, technology, engineering, and math. The center is also home to an aquarium with touch tanks, a living lab with turtles, lizards and amphibians, and a 3D movie theater. read more

The ocean is Southwest Florida’s greatest attraction, so give your kids a chance to make the most of the beautiful water this summer with these awesome summer camps. There are so many great options for summer camps throughout the area, but not all of them give kids the opportunity to take a dip in the ocean. Whether you kids want to learn about sea life or have fun learning to sail, you’re sure to find something they’ll enjoy on this list of summer camps that put kids in contact with the ocean:

Cape Coral Parks and Recreation

The Cape Coral Parks and Recreation offers a variety of ocean-related camps throughout the summer. Beach Buddies Exploration gives kids the opportunity to learn about beach ecology from a marine biologist with hands-on activities at the beach. More active camp options, like paddle boarding and kayaking, are also available.

• Dates: ongoing throughout Summer
• Location: Yacht Club Community Park, 5819 Driftwood Parkway, Cape Coral
• Phone: (239) 573-3128

Collier County Parks and Recreation

Get your kids out on the water to learn skiing, sailing, and fishing through Collier County Parks and Recreation. Fishing camps are for children ages 9 to 15, while the skiing and sailing camps are open kids ages 7 through 15. read more

The weather here in Florida is so beautiful during Spring! Why not take advantage of the warm air and gorgeous sunshine by celebrating Mother’s Day at the beach? I can’t think of a better way to celebrate your mother than with a picnic lunch on the sand while listening to the waves crash into the shore.

From Lover’s Key and Sanibel’s Lighthouse beach to Cape Coral’s Yacht Club Beach there are so many great spots for enjoying a picnic with mom right on the sand here in Southwest Florida!

The beauty of planning a picnic lunch is that it’s such a simple, yet thoughtful way to celebrate. All you need is a few blankets to sit on, and some delicious food to eat.

The ideal beach picnic menu should include scrumptious sandwiches, yummy summer salads, a refreshing drink, and a couple of sweet desserts. Here are a few ideas for a great Mother’s Day beach picnic menu:

10 Beach Picnic Recipe Ideas

Mint Mango Iced Tea | April Go Lightly

Italian Pasta Salad | Simply Stacie

Key Lime Cheesecake Jars | Cooking with Carlee read more

It might feel like Fall up north but in Southwest Florida without falling leaves and colder temperatures, it’s not always easy to get into the pumpkin spice spirit.

So, why not embrace our southern coastal differences and go with a beach themed fall decor? Here are some ideas to get you started:

Beachy Decor Ideas for Halloween in Southwest Florida

Beach Ball Pumpkins

 

Give your fall display a fun, summery vibe with this fun—and simple—autumn craft.

What you need: red, yellow, blue, and white paint, a paintbrush, and pumpkins (real or fake)

Get the how-to: at Paint the Gown Red

Nautical Pumpkins

From: Coastal Living

Add nautical flair to your Halloween by painting pumpkins with coastal colors and designs.

What you need: stencils (whale, anchor, octopus), tape, pencil, paint, paintbrush, pumpkins

Get the how-to: for Nautical Painted Pumpkins

Pumpkin Seashell Fall Centerpiece

From: Coastal Living

Pumpkins and Seashells? Yes! If you’re going for coastal autumn decor, they can go well together! All you need for this beachy fall decoration is a large bowl, assorted shells, and mini pumpkins.

What you need: small pumpkins, assorted seashells, large clam-shaped bowl. You could also use acorns. read more

Lighthouse beach is located at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island. This is one of the most scenic beaches in the island, not only is it home to the Sanibel Lighthouse but it also offers sweeping views of the San Carlos Bay and Fort Myers beach skyline as well as beautiful views of the Gulf of Mexico.  The views of the beach with the lighthouse and the San Carlos bay are some of the most beautiful beach scenes in the island.

Check out the lighthouse: Dating back to 1884 the Sanibel lighthouse stands 102 feet high and it’s one of the most photographed and recognized landmarks in island.  The lighthouse itself is not open to the public, but you can take a stroll on the beach and a closer look at the historic lighthouse while you snap some nice photos.

Do some shelling: Lighthouse Beach’s south facing orientation makes this is one of the best shelling beaches on Sanibel Island.  The beach is wide and flat, and the water is shallow and perfect for wading. You will often see live shells, hermit crabs scurrying about and even the occasional seahorse. Just remember that live shelling is not permitted and make sure that all the shells you pick don’t have any critters in them. read more