Mike was an awesome tour guide ! Funny and informative - it was a chilly day but we still saw more…read morethan a dozen gators and some really neat birds . We would definitely go again !

Lots of fun for a work outing. Worth the $$ Captain Mike was…read morefunny & informative. Boat ride lasted about an hour & we saw over a dozen alligators. Definitely have food at restaurant before you leave !

Let me tell you about the time my wife casually turned a normal "drop our daughter off at college"…read moretrip into what felt like a deleted scene from a survival movie... destination: Solomon's Castle in the absolute middle of nowhere. And when I say nowhere, I mean NOWHERE. I'm driving waiting for streetlights... nothing. Gas stations? Nope. People? Questionable. Cows? Plenty. Motorcycles flying by like we accidentally entered a post-apocalyptic biker convention? Oh yeah. At this point, I'm looking at my wife like, Babé are we visiting a castle or auditioning for The Walking Dead: Florida Edition?" Then suddenly... BOOM. Out of nowhere... like a mirage built by a very creative pirate appears this shiny, aluminum-covered CASTLE. Now I'm confused. Because one minute I'm dodging cows... and the next minute I'm like: Did we just teleport to medieval times sponsored by Home Depot? But here's the thing this place is AMAZING. Inside? Pure genius. Art everywhere. Sculptures made out of stuff you probably threw away last week. It's like if creativity, humor, and a junkyard had a baby and that baby became a castle. And then there's the restaurant. Yes. A restaurant. Inside a boat. Inside a castle. In the middle of nowhere. At this point, I've stopped asking questions and just accepted that I'm in someone else's dream. If you want the backstory, go ahead and Google it because it's wild. But honestly, just go. Don't overthink it. Would I have ever planned this stop? Absolutely not. Did my wife once again prove she's the CEO of random but incredible detours? 100%. Final verdict: Unexpected Slightly suspicious drive in Completely worth it If you're ever near Ona, Florida--or even if you're not take the detour. Just make sure your gas tank is full... and maybe say a quick prayer once the streetlights disappear

On our drive from St Augustine to Tampa, we made reservations to see Solomon's Castle in the middle…read moreof nowhere on beautiful land here in Florida. This castle was built by Howard Solomon, a high school dropout, with his bare hands and his own designs with whatever scraps of metal he could find or that were donated to him by others. He had friends and neighbors who helped him build. He built vertically because his land was more narrow than wide. So there are stairs to climb. Everything including his unusual artwork inside the Castle was donated or built by Solomon. He also had a 1930s collection of cars and trucks that are displayed at the Castle. His personal story is very interesting which will be told during the tour. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the auto collection nor anything inside the Castle. There is no cell service/wifi there on the property. They do not use computers so everything is paid by cash: the tickets (we paid about $40 in cash for the castle tour and the classic car tour), the food, and souvenirs. They are dog-on-leash friendly, which is nice. The staff is very welcoming and fun to interact with! The tour is very interesting with funny jokes thrown in. Food is served on the boat and reviewers have been favorable about the meals offered. Remember, it is cash only. Parking is free and at the entrance before you get to the Castle. Wear comfortable shoes. I was happy that we got to do the tour. I don't know that I would go back because it is so out of the way but it was worth the trip.

This is not your typical tourist trap. It's a unique home that attracts the curious. The owner/tour…read moreguide is a perky lady who is renovating the house back to its original splendor and adding her own personal creativity. She talks about the history of the house and her encounters with the spirits of the original owner. Lots of antiques throughout and a few quirky collections. A diamond in the rough with the mystique of an opal. There is an assistant tour guide, Joan of Bark, who is the sweetest, most laid-back pup. Take some time to enjoy this unicorn.

The best house tour I have ever been on! Super cool to hear so many details from the owner of the…read morehouse and hear about her personal experiences in the restoration process.

My wife and I had a very enjoyable hour or so with Ronnie as our host on the ghost tour. It was…read morevery interesting and informative and it was nice to learn some of the history of beautiful downtown Venice. And, although I don't believe in ghosts, he was very convincing and his stories were extremely believable. My wife loved it.

From the owner: We take great pride in offering top rated tours of Venice. We offer Venice History, Bicycle, Golf…read moreCard, and Ghost Tours. Price Ranges $20-$40 per person. Reservation Required Visit VeniceFLTours.com for availability and booking.

This was our first time to take the Babcock Ranch Eco tour and it won't be our last. We went in…read morelate March, which is the FL dry season. Our knowledgeable guide Brad told us if you go in the late summer (wet season), 2' or so of water is flowing through it. So, what you see in the two seasons is different. They also have a nice gift shop, small museum and a restaurant. We saw all sorts of birds and animals. Even though they aren't necessarily exotic or rare, you are seeing them in their habitat. The ranch property really represents FL, more so than some other types of tours. And, it is for all ages and reasonably priced. Our visiting late teenage aged grandsons and friend enjoyed the tour every bit as much as we did. Highly recommend!

My kids (8 & 5) absolutely adored this. The tour guide was so patient with kids and very…read moreknowledgeable. I came away with some cool facts, a ton of great pictures and video and two very happy kids. I highly recommended this tour!

Chris was such a great guide. He kept all of us engaged the entire time. I truly enjoyed the wide…read morerange of knowledge that Chris has and his will to answer questions and deep dive with us. I cannot wait to go on another one of the tours offered with you guys. And hope to get Chris again! I highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys history and wants to take a chance to maybe seeing/experiencing the unexpected.

My sister and I were excited to go on this tour after reading the reviews. We have been on tours in…read moreother cities, and usually it is a way to learn some history of the City as well. Meeting place was easy, as well as the guide was enthusiastic. The stories though were underwhelming, and were more "observations" of ghosts haunting their old places of work. There are no murders or other scary events that would trigger these ghost stories and the reason for haunting, rather its workaholics who now "haunt" their old job. There were also to many references to the the tour owner - GinaTaylor. I have never learned or remembered the personal name of an owner, but the owner's name was thrown out so many times as a reference to a story that it took away from the experience.

I love old houses and this yellow beauty is an architectural gem. The Murphy-Burroughs House is a…read moreGeorgian Revival style mansion built in 1901 for John T. Murphy, a cattle rancher from Montana. It is located in the River District of Fort Myers on two acres of land on the Caloosahatchee River. The house was built on First Avenue, the first house on what would become known as Millionaires Row. Materials to build the house were brought in by train and then carried the rest of the way to Fort Myers by barge. After construction was completed it drew other wealthy people to build their homes on the street. It is the only one of Millionaire Row's mansion that is still standing in its original position. Murphy was very involved in local civic and business affairs during his time in Fort Myers. He was a major shareholder of a bank and helped built a seawall that protected the downtown area. He passed away in 1914 and the house was sold to a businessman from New Jersey. In 1919 Nelson Burroughs purchased the house so his family could escape the frigid Chicago winters. Nelson made his fortune in land investments and banking. While in the home the family hosted lavish parties attended by famous winter Fort Myers residents Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Harvey Firestone. In 1922 Burroughs transferred ownership of the house to his daughters, Mona & Jettie. Mona bequeathed the property to The City of Fort Myers prior to her death in 1978. After her husband died in 1983 it was no longer used as a residence. On August 1, 1984, the house was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. Today you can tour the home that has been lovingly restored with a grand staircase, beautiful fireplaces, and antique furnishings. Features of the house include a veranda wrapping around three sides, a large dancing porch on the east side, bay and stained glass windows, a widow's walk on the roof, and decorative woodwork. The house is a popular wedding venue. Every December, the Fort Myers Community Women's Club decorates the historic mansion for the holidays. The Uncommon Friends Foundation manages the house as well as the Burroughs family records.

What a beautiful place to throw a party, host an event or have a wedding…read more The sunset here is absolutely magnificent and there are trees and flowers everywhere.

Wonderful old Florida nature experience right next to a great eatery. Steve is a knowledgeable…read moretour guide with lots of flora and fauna info shared. The tour is not physically demanding and the kayaks are large and in great shape. Highly recommend.

A GORGEOUS day on the water, kayaks were comfortable & easy to navigate. Stopped at a beach area to…read moreexplore. Saw a few gators. Would absolutely recommend this for a day on the water!

This month I had off on a Monday and deciding to take myself out on a date to The Ringling. It has…read morebeen months since the last time I was here and wanted to take advantage of the free art museum and grounds. It was a peaceful day exploring all the gorgeous art work.

BLUF: Mansion, circus exhibits, art museum and pretty views make this a lovely destination…read more I love The Ringling more than ever! Originally my fascinating with The Ringling was because I fantasized about the magnificence of the Ca' d'Zan mansion after seeing it in the 1998 version of Great Expectations. But now, I am obsessed with the new circus museum and especially the Howard Brothers Circus model. Circus model is an understatement. The model is huge, detailed, clever, crafty and just jaw dropping. I always say a good museum leaves me wanting to know more and that is certainly true about The Ringling and especially the Howard Brothers Circus model. Aside from touring the mansion and marveling at Howard Tibbals' circus model, I enjoy walking the grounds and looking at the turtles and banyan trees. The gift shop is also nice for a quick stroll. Weather permitting, it might be nice to try the onsite restaurant and sit outside. I was a fan on my first visit eight years ago and I am even more hooked now!