North Fort Myers Quick Trips

Go Where the Cracker Cattle – and Alligators – Roam: Near North Fort Myers, Babcock Wilderness Adventures’ (800-500-5583) rollicking swamp buggy ride takes you back in time to the area’s logging and cattle-ranching eras, while introducing its cast of wilderness pageantry: alligators, Florida panthers, sandhill cranes, wild turkeys, white-tailed deer and Florida Cracker cattle.

Look for Fins and Snouts: Each day brings new surprises when you set sail on a nature cruise. Some tours cast seine nets to introduce visitors to tiny creatures from the sea. Others go in search of dolphins, manatees and birds where they live.

Follow Ancient Trails: Paddle your way from one end of the county to the other along the Great Calusa Blueway (239-533-7275), a marked and GPS-plotted coastal waterway trail named for a native tribe that covers 190 miles.

Captain Your Own Destiny: Or at least your own salty, exciting day riding the waves: Rent a powerboat from one of the local marinas. Explore secluded beaches, visit uninhabited islands and cast for your fantasy fish.