If you have kids and have been considering a Florida vacation you’d be crazy to not visit Fort Myers & Sanibel Island. The options are endless but here are a few of the activities my kids enjoyed the most on our recent trip. Here are some of our favorite things to do in Fort Myers & Sanibel Island with kids.
Things to Do in Sanibel Island with Kids
Dolphin Tour in Captiva
Kids love animals so take them to see some dolphins in the wild. There are so many pods of bottomnose dolphins in this area and they love to chase the waves of boats passing by. We saw 6 different pods of dolphins on a 4-hour boat tour. Captain Randy took us out we could not have been happier with our experience.
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Shell Collecting
One of the best things to do which is unique to Sanibel Island is shell collecting. We’re still not sure who enjoyed this activity more, the adults or kids but know it’s fun for the whole family! You can go on a group tour through Sanibel Sea School or go on an adventure on Captain Randy’s shelling tour and he will take you to the best spots for collecting shells.
Bike Ride to Sanibel Lighthouse Beach
Who doesn’t love a bike ride more than kids? Rent a bike from Billy’s Rentals and then bike down the trail right in front of their store straight to Sanibel Lighthouse Beach. From their shop it’s a 2.7-mile ride to the lighthouse and beach. Regardless of the age of your child Billy’s Rental has the perfect bike for everyone in the family.
This weehoo attachment for my bike was so cool and super affordable to rent.
Go Fishing
If your kids want to fish, Fort Myers & Sanibel Island is the perfect destination for this. There are so many options from pier fishing, to taking a chartered fishing trip on a boat or fishing on a pedal kayak or while canoeing through Lovers Key State Park. We chose to go fishing on a boat since the charter provides all the rods and bait and we could just show up.
Things to Do in Fort Myers with Kids
Zoomers Amusement Park
If you’re visiting Ft. Myers with kids Zoomers Amusement Park should be on your itinerary. Besides the arcade most of the activities offered are outdoors so if you’re visiting during the summer I recommend going when the sun is setting. Zoomers has go-karts, mini golf, bumper boats, water wars, a rollercoaster, and more.
There are two go-kart tracks, one for adults and for the little ones. Kids who are at least 3 years old and 40” can race on the big track with an adult race and kids who are at least 4 years old and 40” can race on their own track.
While a lot of rides require a minimum height of 40” there are rides for younger kids who are at least 36”. In addition to these 6 Midway Rides younger kids can play in the arcade.
Escape Room Fort Myers
If you’ve always wanted to do an Escape Room but didn’t have a baby sitter Escape Room Ft. Myers is the place for you. Not only do they allow kids to participate in the escape room, kids 5 and under are free. The rooms are not scary at all and our kids were able to contribute to helping us escape the room! The costumes they have on are from the room so you can see it’s great for kids and us adults had a great time.
Canoeing in Lovers Key State Park
Rent a canoe for a half or full day at Lovers Key State Park and paddle through the 2.5 mile mangrove trial. Along the way you’ll have the chance to see flying fish jumping out of the water, unique birds, manatees and even dolphins. Canoe rentals start at $48 for a half day rental and are big enough to bring a cooler with cool drinks and snacks.
Endless Water Activities on Fort Myers Beach
Whether you are looking for thrills or just want to chill the beaches of Ft. Myers has a water activity for you. Get a sky-high view of the city while parasailing 500ft above the ocean. Up to 3 people can go at once! We did our parasailing through Estero Island Parasail but there are plenty of companies to choose from.
If heights aren’t your thing but speed is, rent some jet skis. You can go on a self-guided tour or join a group dolphin or sunset tour.
Don’t like heights or speeding through the ocean? Rent a stand up paddle boards or kayak and explore the beach at a calm pace. While paddle boarding we spotted a dolphin and a few stingrays.
Fort Myers & Sanibel Island is the perfect location for your next family vacation. Regardless of the age of your kids there is something to do for everyone! Looking for a kid friendly hotel in Fort Myers? Check out my review on the Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina. Did you find this post helpful? Please share it!