Category: Five Minute Field Trips - FIVE MINUTE FIELD TRIPS

FIELD TRIP - 45 - Farmer Mike's U-Pick

2/6/2021

26031 Morton Ave.
Bonita Springs, FL 34135

It doesn't get any fresher than this! There are several U-Pick places in SWFL, but this is the biggest one I've found so far around the Bonita Springs area. It's not far from exit 116, so you can hit this and then do another Five Minute Field Trip in the area... It's just minutes from Barefoot Beach!
Our family loves this place for the strawberries, but it's great for tomatoes, flowers, bell peppers, hot peppers, and so much more.

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MILESTONE REACHED - 25 FIELD TRIPS!

7/24/2019

When you start a new project, you never know how much time and energy you'll have to put into it. I'm pleased to say that our team has thoroughly enjoyed making these videos so far, and we aim to make many more!

Check out our playlist on YouTube!

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FIELD TRIP - 11 - Barefoot Beach

5/17/2019

505 Barefoot Beach Blvd, Bonita Springs, FL 34134

This is easily one of the best beaches in SWFL. It has sandy white beaches, clear water, and a fair amount of shells.

Get here early or come on an off day, because all the parking areas can be full! At $8 for parking, it does seem to be a little more exclusive than the cheaper access beaches just up the road, but it still manages to fill up on weekends and holidays. It almost feels like a bit of a secret, as it's off a 3-5 minute slow drive past a really nice row of mansions.

Different times we've been here, we've found sand dollars, hermit crabs, dolphins, pelicans, sandpipers, and a bunch of shells!

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FIELD TRIP - 10 - Wild Turkey Strand Preserve

4/7/2019

11901 Rod and Gun Club Rd, Fort Myers, FL 33913

Can't get enough nature and fresh air? Check out the Wild Turkey Strand Preserve! With some military history and lots of trails, you can explore the 3000+ acres of nature preserves south of Lehigh Acres in the Fort Myers area.

It's a great area to find wildflowers, check out local birds, and possibly even see some wildlife! Bring some water and some hiking boots. A good portion of the trail is paved or boardwalk, but around half of it may be marshy or even under water during the wet parts of the year. Winter and early spring might be your best times to visit, but you can do the solid trail parts all year!

Get walking!

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FIELD TRIP - 09 - Koreshan State Historic Site

4/6/2019

3800 Corkscrew Rd, Estero, FL 33928

Looking for a bit of history and adventure in SWFL? Check out the Koreshan State Historic Site. It's not too far from US-41 and I-75, off of Alico Rd.

Visit the location of the historic Koreshan Unity community. With several preserved buildings and beautiful grounds, you can get a clear look into the culture of the group, dating back over 100 years! The volunteers and staff are knowledgeable, too. There are all sorts of tales and interesting anecdotes to hear about this Hollow Earth society!

At his location, you can also:

hike trails
kayak or canoe
hit the campgrounds
picnic by the playgrounds

This trip is definitely worth taking!

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FIELD TRIP - 07 - Ormond Beach

3/28/2019

215 Seminole Ave, Ormond Beach, FL 32176

Looking for a great beach on the Atlantic side of Florida? Ormond Beach is a great one! It's not as busy as some of those nearby, which is great when you don't want to go shoulder-to-shoulder with swimmers. But, it still has all of the charm of an Atlantic beach.

Sometimes the winds and waves get strong enough to try surfing or boarding. You can drive a car down the length of the beach if you get a sticker, too.

This is definitely a beach worth checking out!

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Selection Process

3/2/2019

How do we choose a location?

When looking for a new place to visit for a Five Minute Field Trip, we want to consider a few of the following ideas:

Have we done something too similar to this before? We don't want to recreate the wheel, but sometimes things are really nice, if similar. Variety is important.
What is the cost? Under $20 per person is preferable. Free or nearly free is even better!
Is there some sort of educational value to it? Can we learn about the environment, science, nature, etc...? Adding some education to your trip isn't a bad thing!
Is it entertaining? Educational is fine, but it should be interesting. People want fun.
Can we get pictures and video? Some places may not allow video, or it could be too dark to get photos. Also, if there are hundreds of people gathered around, it probably won't work.
Is it local? We can always travel a bit, but the members of our team are pretty young, so I won't drag them hours and hours away for something. As they get older, or as we take cross-country trips, we hope to expand our scope beyond SW Florida. :)
Is it too seasonal? We probably don't want to do a particular event, because people that want to do it can't go visit if it only happens one day a year. There might be some exceptions to this, but the whole point is to educate folks about these great places and to get them to WANT to go. It's just a shame if they have the desire, but cannot go...

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FIELD TRIP - 01 - Six Mile Cypress Slough

2/25/2019

7751 Penzance Blvd, Fort Myers, FL 33966

Located in Fort Myers, Florida, visit hundreds of acres of preserve wetlands! Filled with cypress trees, small lakes and ponds, and a variety of birds and creatures, this little gem is a MUST SEE! At a dollar an hour to park your car, there's no reason not to get out here and get some fresh air and take in the sights.

Want to see more?

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