Top 10 Budget-friendly Things to do in Paradise Coast, Southwest Gulf Coast

Naples Historical Society's Historic Palm Cottage is Naples oldest house (1895) and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Open for house tours and historic district walking tours.

Tours are by appointment only!Tour Information: Tours are held at 11:00am please arrive promptly .Wednesday- Sunday.Go to our website to schedule your tour. About Us: The Bird Gardens of Naples is a organization whose sole concern is parrot welfare in captivity and conservation of wild parrots. We are an outreach and placement program which places into safe custody, parrots which are abandoned, abused, or in need of a home for any reason. Parrots are intelligent, highly social and complex beings with a life span of up to 80 years. The individual bird's best interest and well being of the present flock will determine if a parrot is accepted into the organization. We actively support networking with other parrot welfare groups, animal welfare organizations, the veterinary community, conservation organizations and the general public. Education is of the utmost importance concerning the well being of a parrot and its ability to successfully live with its human companions. What to Expect:

Revs Institute® is now open with limited capacity. Tickets must be purchased online for specific dates/times in advance. No telephone orders or walk-up visitors can be accommodated. Face coverings are mandatory. Revs Institute is dedicated to the study of the automobile past, present and future. Revs Institute offers visitors an exceptional opportunity to view over 100 of the most influential automobiles of our time. Many of the cars are unique or exceptionally rare, and each meets rigid standards of historical, technical, aesthetic or social significance. To enhance the visitor experience, specially designed interactive displays and artifact showcases are presented within four themed galleries. They include unique items from the extensive Revs Institute library and archives. Revs Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For information, visit revsinstitute.org.

Online reservations only. No walk-ins allowed. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,000 acre Preserve. The Sanctuary is open Tuesday-Sunday from 8:00am-3:00pm with last admission at 1:00 pm. Timed tickets are available for 8am-10am, 10:30am-12:30pm, 1pm-3pm. Visitors will find a gentle, pristine wilderness that dates back more than 500 years. A 2.25 mile boardwalk meanders through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, around a marsh and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America. These impressive trees, relatives of the redwood, tower 130 feet into the sky and have a girth of 25 feet. Their massive branches are draped with mosses, lichens, bromeliads and ferns. The forest is also home to alligators, otters, white-tailed deer and red-bellied turtles. A wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the fabulous Painted Bunting can be seen throughout the year. Photo opportunities are available at every turn of the boardwalk trail.

Yes, this is buggy racing on the swamp. LOCATED ON FLORIDA’S PARADISE COAST JUST TWELVE MILES FROM DOWNTOWN NAPLES THE FLORIDA SPORTS PARK WAS BUILT IN 1985 TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE ENTERTAINMENT TO ALL OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THE FLORIDA SPORTS PARK IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY SWAMP BUGGY INCORPORATED A FLORIDA NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION, THAT DONATES TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS EACH AND EVERY YEAR TO LOCAL NON PROFITS THROUGH EVENTS SUCH AS; SWAMP BUGGY RACING, NAPLES BOAT SHOW, CONCERTS (CLAY WALKER, JON ANDERSON, THE BEACH BOYS, JOE DIFFIE ETC) , CIRCUS’S, TRADE SHOWS, HYDROCROSS RACING PLUS MANY MORE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENTS. AS A STAPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WE HAVE THRIVED FOR 66 YEARS ON THE BACK OF OUR BELOVED HISTORIC SPORT OF SWAMP BUGGY RACING, WHICH BEGAN IN 1948 AS AN EVENT TO HELP RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE CITY OF NAPLES AND COLLIER COUNTY.

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve represents one of the few remaining undisturbed mangrove estuaries in North America. Rookery Bay's Environmental Learning Center is a state-of-the-art, air conditioned 16,500 square-foot facility with four research laboratories, classrooms, a 140-seat auditorium, and two story visitor center. The Environmental Learning Center offers a variety of hands-on experiences, including a 2,300-gallon aquarium and a marine life touch tank. Other displays in the learning center address coastal research, local history and ongoing conservation efforts within Rookery Bay. There is also a number of nature trails, a scenic overlook bridge, unique gift store, art gallery, and picnic area. Guided boat and kayak tours are offered seasonally from November to May. Check our website for more information.

At the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, we believe the more we can connect people with nature, the more willing they are to protect it. And our Nature Center helps us to do just that! At the Nature Center, guests get connected to conservation through hands-on interactive experiences in the Dalton Discover Center, on our famous electric boat tours and in our Little Explorer Play Zone. The Conservancy Nature Center is also listed as Site #69 on the Great Florida Birding Trail. Here you will learn about the importance of our resources, understand the role the Conservancy of Southwest Florida plays in protecting those treasures and get inspired to take action to help protect our water, land, wildlife and future.

This historic tropical garden and nationally accredited zoo features wildlife experiences to inspire people of all ages to respect, value and help conserve wildlife and our natural world. Visit today to enjoy your favorite animals like lions, monkeys, and giraffes. Ask those questions you've always wondered about at the Meet the Keeper Series. Be fascinated by rare creatures during premier wildlife shows. Cruise through islands of monkeys, lemurs, and gibbons. Watch our professional staff hand-feed American alligators while dispelling popular myths. The zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the organization that sets the highest standards for wildlife care, education, and conservation.