Pioneer Landmarks & Historic Places

A boat-access dining outing in the Old House, with marina and sound views and a dollar-bill-lined main room. Arrange water transport separately: a restaurant reservation does not include a boat. Dinner reservations are appreciated; menus and prices may change. The operator prohibits pets except ADA service animals. Its Bokeelia express-mail address is not a drive-to island entrance. Sources: https://cabbagekey.com/dining/ and https://cabbagekey.com/contact/

Exhibits span three buildings plus a memorial rose garden, butterfly garden and natural gardens. Admission $10 adults, $5 seniors and military, $3 students.

Established in early 1918 as a U.S. Army Air Service training field, Carlstrom Field served as the Army's principal flying school until 1923 and returned to service training British and American pilots in World War II. The property later became the G. Pierce Wood Memorial Hospital at 5847 SE Highway 31. There is no public museum or walk-in exhibit; the site can be seen from SR 31.

The present church was built in 1793–1797 and rebuilt after the 1887 fire. Visitors are welcomed for prayer and to view the art and architecture outside services; behind-the-scenes tours run about an hour (adults $18).

Museum admission $30 adults, $5 ages 6–17, under 6 free. Scheduled exception: the Historic Circus Galleries close November 3–9, 2026; the Tibbals Learning Center remains open with adjusted admission.

Walk the outer sidewalk of the central park to view the plaques and scan QR codes for biographies, photographs and videos. Free and outdoors.

Exhibits include fossils, archaeological artifacts and a dedicated WWII & Riddle Field display. Admission $10 adults, $8 seniors, $5 students. Call ahead — Saturday visits need 48 hours' notice.

Indoor galleries plus five acres of grounds with restored Naples cottages, the Kokomis boat, a steam engine, a swamp buggy and a World War II Sherman tank. The Seminole War fort on the grounds is a reconstruction. Admission is free.

Dorr Field was established alongside Carlstrom Field in early 1918 to train Army Air Service pilots, and was reactivated in World War II as a primary flight training school where many British RAF cadets earned their wings. Today little remains above ground and the land is private; there is no public exhibit or marker site to tour.

Self-guided admission (adults $28) includes the historic-home areas, gardens, museum and laboratory with app-based interpretation; guided tours are sold on the day, first-come, first-served. Parking is free.

A major cathedral renovation is under way — confirm the current Mass location and any interior access with the parish before traveling. An Adoration Chapel serves as an alternative prayer space.

A destination-level waterfront outing on Charlotte Harbor: browse shops, compare dining venues and marina views, and consider separately booked boat excursions. The official site lists free parking. Restaurants and excursion operators have their own booking arrangements and hours; consult the destination directory before visiting.

Only aircraft marked with an orange 'Cleared to Fly' windsock permit visitors to sit inside. Mon–Sat 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sun noon–4 p.m.; occasional special-event closures. Roughly a two-hour excursion from the Sarasota end of the region.

The Florida Railroad Museum operates weekend train rides on a 13-mile round trip from Parrish to Willow, plus special events such as train robberies and murder mystery trains. The ticket office, gift shop and model railroad open most Wednesdays through Sundays; operating equipment is viewable on ride days.

The fort was reopened in 1855, relocated after a fire in 1856 and abandoned in 1858; no buildings survive. The 1977 marker stands at the river bridge — a roadside stop rather than a preserved fort.

Lee County. 220 Gulf Boulevard. 134 spiral steps. Scheduled climbs only; children must meet 48-inch minimum height; no babies; suitable shoes required; weather/high winds cancel climbs. Distinct from Port Boca Grande Lighthouse.

An active government building whose exterior architecture anchors the downtown historic district. Interior visits are subject to courthouse business hours and security.

Veterans Court's marble memorial was dedicated in 1976, alongside an earlier 1954 war memorial; the Army Air Base Court replica entrance dates to 1994. An outdoor walk-through park between Avenue des Parques and the beach.

Attend a professional production to experience the interior; routine sightseeing-tour access was not verified. Box office Sept–May Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–5 p.m., summer Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–3 p.m., with extended show-day hours.

An operating road bridge rather than a museum — pair a drive across with the nearby Fort Denaud historical marker. There is no designated viewing platform, so enjoy it from the road.

Event-specific admission; reliable regular visitor hours were not verified — call 863-444-4328. Combine a scheduled event with downtown antique browsing; don't assume older descriptions of an antique mall inside remain current.

House tours include The Norris Gardens. Book through the Historical Society and confirm current prices and the seasonal schedule before visiting. Photography is not permitted inside the cottage.

Ted Smallwood established the trading business in 1906, serving settlers and Native Americans across the Ten Thousand Islands. The museum displays historic merchandise. Call ahead to confirm current opening hours and admission.

The official center describes aquariums and animal exhibits alongside interactive history and science displays, activities and presentations. A hands-on indoor outing for families; exhibits and programs can change. Use the official visit information for tickets and current offerings. Age, height and facility-wide accessibility claims are not inferred.

Fifteen preserved original buildings and features tell the story of cow hunters, ranchers and pioneer families. Admission is free.

The county offers a free self-guided historical tour with printed guides at the entrance, plus an online burial-record search. Please visit respectfully — this remains an active burial ground.

Visit the historic settlement and gardens, or use the Estero River boat ramp for paddling and boating. The park documents a maximum boat length of 24 feet and fishing opportunities. Check Florida fishing-license requirements and park access rules. Rental services and guided tours are distinct from public launch access.

Volunteer-run museum in a historic pioneer store and home at 360 N Bridge St, LaBelle, with pioneer homes on the grounds. Hours are limited and vary by season — check the museum website or call ahead before visiting.

The Bonita Springs Historical Society maintains displays on both floors, including a period bedroom representing the 1930s. Published hours conflict between sources, so confirm current access with the city or society before visiting.

A contributing site in the downtown historic district, with a state historical marker and a remnant of the 1917 lock in the seawall. Current condition of individual features may vary.

Explore the archaeological Window to the Past exhibit, historic buildings and bayfront grounds at the existing Historic Spanish Point campus. Admission applies; use the campus-specific ticket page. Indoor exhibits have their own schedules and Guptill House entry depends on a volunteer docent. The operator currently lists 401 North Tamiami Trail, Osprey; older county material lists 337. Confirm the entrance with the operator. Do not attribute Downtown Sarasota campus amenities to this campus. Sources: https://selby.org/hsp/visit-historic-spanish-point/ and https://selby.ticketapp.org/portal/product/50

One destination encompassing the historic chapel, Shrine Church, mission grounds, the 208-foot Great Cross, Rosary Garden, museum and gift shop. No admission fee; parking is free for the first hour and during scheduled services.

Seven contributing buildings and Lone Cypress Park line the streetscapes beside the Three Mile Canal. Enjoy the historic exteriors and waterfront park on a self-guided walk.

Believed to have been the ceremonial center of the Calusa when the Spanish arrived in the early 1500s, Mound Key rises from Estero Bay with shell mounds and interpretive trails. There are no boat docks — landings on the northwest and southeast sides serve kayaks, canoes and small boats. Most visitors paddle from Lovers Key State Park or Koreshan State Park.

Permanent and rotating exhibits cover Indigenous history, settlement, the building of the Tamiami Trail and the community's former role as county seat. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Admission is free.

Exhibits trace how transportation shaped Southwest Florida, with Seminole dugout canoes, a mule wagon, an antique swamp buggy and restored rail cars. County museum admission is free; the separate Naples Train Museum on the same site has its own arrangements.

The historic gardens are within the operating Naples Zoo and require regular zoo admission; this is one destination, not a separate free garden. Pair the historic plantings with the zoo visit using the official visitor and ticket information. Animal encounters have separate availability and restrictions; no unrestricted encounter or facility-wide accessibility is promised.

Visitors are welcomed for prayer and worship; scheduled Masses are in Spanish. A gift shop keeps separate hours.

A working postal counter on the Tamiami Trail with an adjacent historical sign. Stamp collectors from around the world request the Ochopee postmark.

The parish explicitly welcomes visitors to worship and pray. Attend a published service or contact the office about a quiet visit to the historic church.

Base Operations welcomes visitors to its terminal displays of local World War II artifacts and historical photographs, including a full-size replica P-51 Mustang in the lobby and a restored AT-6 Texan in the parking lot. Several wartime buildings remain in service on the field.

Moved by truck in 2007 from Placida to the Cape Haze Pioneer Trail area to save it from demolition during the Coral Creek Bridge realignment. The building is vacant while Charlotte County plans its restoration — visitors can view the exterior from the trail; the interior is not open.

Museum entry is included with park admission; the museum keeps a separate seasonal schedule (Nov–May daily 11 a.m.–4 p.m.; Jun–Oct Tue–Sat 11 a.m.–4 p.m.). The lift is out of service following Hurricane Milton. Operator and state pages disagree about winter Mondays — call 941-964-0060 before a Monday visit.

The former airfield is today's Punta Gorda Airport. A historical photo display hangs at the south end of the Bailey Terminal, across from the ticket counters; a surviving wartime structure is used by the Experimental Aircraft Association. Please stay out of operational airfield areas.

The building long housed an antique mall, but its continued operation is not reliably established — treat this as a historic-building stop and confirm current use before planning around shopping.

Relocated here beginning in 1999, the buildings now house artisan organizations offering demonstrations and handmade work during Artisans Village hours, alongside gardens and brick walkways.

Nothing remains of the wartime facility at today's Airglades Airport. For Riddle Field history, visit the verified exhibit at the Clewiston Museum and the memorial in Clewiston's Civic Center Park.

Visitors are welcome at published Masses. Rooney Hall serves parish and community activities; ask the parish office about viewing the historic hall.

The abbey welcomes guests for worship and arranged retreats, and offers a self-guided tour. Contact the abbey before a dedicated grotto visit to confirm parking and current access.

Self-guided and docent-led tours with an orientation video; admission $20 adults, $10 ages 6–18. The museum reopens for the season on October 15, 2026 — confirm the schedule before visiting.

Exterior viewing and photography from Lighthouse Beach Park; the tower is not open for public tours. Parking $5/hour or accepted permits. The fishing pier remains closed until further notice.

Today's Sarasota Bradenton International Airport occupies the site on the Sarasota–Manatee county line. A state historical marker documents the airfield; operational areas are restricted.

A five-course dinner with live murder-mystery entertainment during a roughly 3.5-hour train ride. Prepaid advance reservations are required. The operator permits children age 8 and up only and describes the show as PG-13 in tone; there is no children’s menu. Vintage cars have limited wheelchair accommodation: contact reservations before buying. Consult the FAQ about allergies and dietary restrictions; no fixed price or departure schedule is promised.

The present church dates to 1961, and the restored steeple from the first church survives as a monument on the parish grounds. Visitors are welcome at scheduled Masses; contact the parish about visits outside services.

Circus benefit performances helped support the parish's growth. Visitors are welcome at scheduled Masses; contact the office about visits outside services.

The Sugar Express runs scheduled excursions and special-event trains from Clewiston, with some departures from Lake Placid and Sebring, pairing 1920s steam locomotive No. 148 with vintage passenger coaches and U.S. Sugar diesel locomotives. Trains run on a published seasonal schedule rather than daily — check the official schedule for dates, departure towns and tickets.

Self-guided sightseeing visits (adults $10) include the reconstructed cloisters, gardens and chapel with a short introductory film. The site is today the active Episcopal parish of St. Bernard de Clairvaux — a remarkable piece of religious heritage rather than a Catholic shrine.

The plot in the cemetery's southwest portion includes a memorial stone, a Union Jack flagpole and a portion of aviation educator John Paul Riddle's ashes. Memorial Day services are held here; please visit respectfully.

In 1896 the inn's summer parlor was used to dry archaeological objects from Frank Hamilton Cushing's famous expedition. The property operates today as a lodging complex; ask the operator about viewing the original historic building.

Mansion entry requires the Ca' d'Zan ticket ($45 adults including museum admission); upper-floor tours are booked separately. The Museum of Art and Bayfront Gardens stay open to 8 p.m. on Thursdays.

The runways are the principal surviving base features. For interpretation, visit the replica air-base entrance and displays at Heritage Park on West Venice Avenue. Please stay out of operational airfield areas.