Afternoon: HOTEL CHECK-IN: Available from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm. After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar desk in the lobby to pick up your arrival packet containing your name tag, the up-to-date schedule, and to confirm the time of the orientation session. Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: Enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Evening: ORIENTATION: We'll review the schedule and any changes; discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures; and answer any questions you may have. You'll also have an opportunity to meet the program staff and your fellow participants.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: At Hotel

Morning: Presentation about Thomas Edison followed by a behind the scenes tour of his laboratory.

Lunch: At the Edison Caretaker's House

Afternoon: Lecture about Henry Ford, behind the scenes tour of homes & gardens and a presentation on the Edison & Ford Winter Estates: Past to Present including restoration

Dinner: At local restaurant

Lodging: Crowne Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At Hotel

Morning: Stroll through historic downtown Fort Myers. Uncover the stories of the people that built the town and hear tales about Fort Myers. Learn about the rivalry that built at least six businesses and assorted establishments, and view historic buildings. Next visit the Southwest Florida Museum of History for a docent led tour.

Lunch: Oasis Restaurant

Afternoon: A unique afternoon spent at the Lee County ECHO Global Farm. Enjoy a fascinating 90-minute tour of the most creative working farm you have ever experienced. You will find demonstrations, plants, and techniques useful to farmers and urban gardeners in developing countries. Experience six settings of the Global Farm and taste leaves and berries while you explore rain-forest habitats, visit farm animals, stop at a simulated Haitian school, witness urban gardening techniques that allow gardens on rooftops and learn all about ECHO's mission of helping the poor help themselves. Continue the afternoon with exploration of the sights and sounds that are most interesting to you personally. Program staff will be happy to offer suggestions.

Dinner: Dinner is on your own to try out the restaurants and cuisines of your choice.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Breakfast: At Hotel

Morning: Guided walking tour of the Calusa Heritage Trail at Randell Research Center. The Center features the archaeology of the Pineland, the site of a Calusa Indian village.

Lunch: At Tarpon Lodge

Afternoon: Take a narrated sightseeing boat tour on beautiful Pine Island Sound viewing six island locations of authenticated Calusa mounds and middens.


Dinner: At a local restaurant

Lodging: Crowne Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At Hotel

Morning: Delight in the Ding Darling Refuge Tram Tour, where experienced naturalists can help you spot wildlife most visitors would never see. As the road meanders past tidal mudflats and mangrove forests, roseate spoonbills, white ibis, little blue herons, reddish egrets, brown pelicans, osprey, and other colorful birds can be seen feeding, resting, and preening. View many other species that make the migratory stopover of "Ding" Darling part of their annual flight corridor. And no trip on Wildlife Drive is complete without stopping by Alligator Curve, where you are almost certain to observe these prehistoric reptiles. It's not all about the wildlife, though. You'll also hear fascinating tales of the Calusa Indians and the early days of Sanibel and south Florida. Taking the Refuge Tram Tour also benefits wildlife. Reducing the number of cars along Wildlife Drive helps to protect the animals from polluting exhaust fumes and noisy automobile engines. Plus, by leaving the driving to us, you'll have your hands free to capture those amazing photos or to peer through binoculars and gaze at the wildlife. .

Lunch: At local restaurant

Afternoon: Visit the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and enjoy a unique guided tour consisting of a slide presentation on the lifestyles of mollusks, and a hands-on display of Southwest Florida shells. Also highlighted are certain exhibits in the Great Hall of Shells, including live mollusks. Following the Bailey-Matthew's Shell Museum will be the Sanibel Village Tour. The story of Sanibel is told from the Calusa and Spanish eras to the early pioneer families who settled on the island in the 1800s. It tells of warriors, adventurers, fishermen, farmers and proprietors. Seven historic buildings were moved from their original island sites to the Historical Village. Each building has been restored to its original state. Volunteer docents share the stories of Sanibel with almost 10,000 visitors a year. Join us as we follow the footsteps of the past.

Dinner: At Hotel

Lodging: Crowne Plaza

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: At Hotel

Morning: Presentation by Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) --- “Rescues and Releases: A History of CROW’s Patients” Learn from an insider about CROW’s efforts to save wildlife.

Meals Included: Breakfast