In a Flip-Flop State of Mind.

Get ready to snap away!

“Ding” Darling is challenging visitors to use its #WildForAll station and other refuge locations to snap selfies and post them on their social media channels, as they have been selected as one of the 12 (out of 568) refuges nationwide chosen to participate in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s #WildForAll Challenge.

What a fun way to add even more enjoyment to your visit to Ding Darling!   » Read more

Here’s something fun for the kids!

Hoot, by staff favorite author Carl Hiaasen, is a humorous adventure novel for middle-grade readers in which a group of children tries to save the habitat of a colony of pint-sized burrowing owls from being bulldozed.  Published in 2002, the book became a New York Times bestseller, won a Newbery Medal, and was subsequently made into a motion picture,  » Read more

What Florida may lack in elevation, we make up for in man-made towers.  Take the Shark Valley Observation Tower for example.

This giant tower spirals into the sky and overlooks the Florida Everglades, somewhat resembling a miniature Space Needle, despite being only a fraction of the height.  Built back in 1984, it’s dubbed one of the best overlooks in the state, and not only are the views worth checking out,  » Read more

The Sunshine State has a never-ending list of quirky restaurants.  One of the most unique restaurants in Florida can be found about 2 1/2 hours from Ocean’s Reach … in a circus train, no less!

Bob’s Train, in Sarasota, is the only place in the country where you can dine in an authentic circus train.  The interior of this one-of-a-kind restaurant is full of circus memorabilia,  » Read more

Ever wonder what it’s like to take a dip with a manatee?  Just about 3 1/2 hours away from Sanibel, you’ll find Crystal River, the only place in the United States where you can legally swim with manatees.

The headwaters of Crystal River are known as Kings Bay, where the water temperature is a consistent 72 degrees year-round.  During the winter months, more than 400 manatees migrate here to escape the cold waters of the Gulf of Mexico,  » Read more

Return to maritime Florida of the mid 19th century!  Two hours north of Sanibel you’ll find Cortez, Florida, home to the state’s oldest surviving fishing village.

Maritime traditions run deep through this historic community where you’ll find restored boats proudly displayed.  Modest bungalows from the 1920s with sandy yards pack the narrow streets of the village, and salt permeates the air.

Meander down to Burton’s store – a relic of the area’s earliest years – or grab a fresh bite at the Seafood Shack or the Star Fish Company Market and Restaurant,  » Read more

If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to swing through the trees, we have the perfect place for your next family adventure.  The TreeUmph! Adventure Course in Bradenton is not your average outdoor excursion — it’s an entire treetop adventure.

The park, located about a 2-hour drive from Ocean’s Reach, covers over 14 acres of lush Florida scenery, with structures weaving through pine and oak canopies.  » Read more

The famed mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs have been luring guests from across the globe for over seven decades.  Weeki Wachee’s glory days were the 1960s, and girls from as far away as Japan came to try out as mermaids.  Perhaps the ultimate sign of its coolness then: Elvis visited!

Today, the Weeki Wachee Springs State Park — about a 3 1/2-hour drive from Sanibel —  » Read more

Although we know how difficult it is to leave your beach chair most days, we also understand that sometimes you just get an itch to see more of what Florida has to offer.  We can’t blame you, and although we occasionally highlight other fun things to do nearby in our state, we thought we’d spend this week highlighting some easy “day trips” from Ocean’s Reach!

For instance,  » Read more

It’s time for the 2022 Python Challenge, which is music to the ears of Edison National Bank CEO Geoff Roepstorff, a committed environmentalist who can often be found hunting invasive pythons deep in the Everglades.

He and fellow Edison National Bank founder — and wife — Robbie Roepstorff have become the first sponsors of this year’s official python removal competition, scheduled for August 5 –  » Read more