Life In Bonita Springs

Hertz Arena - Florida Everblades Hockey Game 25/365

The Florida Everblades are our local ECHL hockey team based in Estero, Florida. The games are played at Hertz Arena (formerly known as both Teco Arena and Germain Arena). For those who are not familiar with hockey, the ECHL league is only two tiers below the NHL. Some of our players can be seen playing on NHL teams though the season if they are needed and get drafted to play.

Hertz Arena can have hold about 7,500 or so people for any given event. Which means, there is never a bad seat in the house.  Hertz Arena also hosts concerts and various other live performances.

Before a hockey game you can get a variety of concession items including food and drinks at the Breakaway Sports bar located at the top of the arena. You also get a birds eye view of all the action during the game.

Also at the Hertz Arena there are two public ice skating rinks, a hockey pro shop, four meeting rooms, small game room. They also host men, women and children’s hockey leagues. You can also learn to ice skate with public skating at the ice rink. 

If you are looking for fun things to do there is always something on schedule at Hertz Arena.

Location: 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero, FL 33928 which is by Miromar Outlets and the communities of Grandezza and Tidewater.

HERTZ ARENA STATS

Year Built: 1998

Square Feet: 171,000

Seating capacity for hockey: 7,181

Seating capacity for concerts: 8,500+

Number of Luxury Suites: 26

Number of ice sheets: 3

Naming Rights: The Hertz Corporation

Number of acres for Hertz site: 30

Restaurant seating capacity: 220

Cone 06 Pottery Painting Studio, Naples

Cone 06 Pottery is a kid friendly place to go to paint pottery.  Their studio also offer fused glass art.

Cone 06 Pottery Painting Studio is great for beginner artists.  The staff will walk you though every step of the process of the pottery painting or glass project. They want to make sure you have all the knowledge when it comes to making art so do not feel intimidated if you feel you aren’t artistic.

They typically have a few seasonal pieces to choose from, as well as some staple pieces like plates, mugs, dishes that you can use in every day household use or to give away as gifts. They also offer a party space so if you are looking to have some sort of get together whether it is team building, girls night out or a birthday party there is a small space in the back to host your event.

Reservations are not necessary at Cone 06.  It is 1st come, 1st served. They do allow you to bring a snack if you would like.

If you are looking for fun things to do or things to do with kids, visit Cone 06.  They are located at 3369 Pine Ridge Rd #103, Naples, FL 34109. The hours of operation are:

Sunday 11am to 5pm

Monday - Thursday 10am to 6pm

Friday 10am to 9pm

Saturday 10am to 6pm

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About the Author - Angela Griffith is a long-time resident of Bonita Springs, Florida. She and her husband Jon operate a local business and are raising a son and daughter in Bonita Springs.

Celebration Park The Food Truck Park in Naples 23/365

Did you know that there is a food truck park?  It’s true. Situated at Celebration Park, located off Bayshore Road in Naples, Florida. It is positioned across the canal from the 360 market.

When we visited we enjoyed fresh beignets, a barbecue sundae,fish tacos and organic beef kebab tacos. There is outside seating on the waterfront as well as a full bar with seats.

There are plenty of food choice options to choose from so even fussy eaters, organic eaters or vegan diners will find something to enjoy. Each food truck has its own menu and each day there are different food trucks selling different types of products and cuisine.

Celebration Park is the only Food Truck Park in Naples and the only in the area.  There are a few food trucks around Bonita Springs and Fort Myers, Cape Coral areas however, unless there is a food truck rodeo, this is the only place to guarantee finding the the trucks.

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About the Author - Angela Griffith is a long-time resident of Bonita Springs, Florida. She and her husband Jon operate a local business and are raising a son and daughter in Bonita Springs.

22/365 The Great Calusa Blueway Trail 

Did you know that there is actually a marked trail through the bay and canal waters of Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers, Florida?   It’s true and it is spectacular. If you are a resident or traveling with your paddle craft be sure to look up the Blueway map. 

There is nothing more peaceful than paddling the mangroves.  The Blueway actually starts at the mouth of the Imperial River and winds through “the snake” which is quiet, shallow and teeming with wildlife and fish. This is a great place to see tarpon cresting the water and I even saw a small shark at the mouth of the Estero Bay by the Bonita Bay high rises once.  The manatees like the warm water pools, too.

Paddling the waterways in SWFL is one of the most fun things to do. To learn more about the trail, read also: The Great Calusa Blueway.

21/365 Spring Training at Fenway South JetBlue Park

We don’t mean to rush you but spring training starts in February so you will want to pick up your Boston Redsox spring training tickets as soon as possible. You know when a team wins the World Series their tickets get mighty popular and become scarce quickly. Fenway South (JetBlue Park) is located near Gateway in Fort Myers, Florida.

Fenway South is a great park and it even has “the green monster”!  Many residents who are originally from the Boston area congregate to watch the games.  It’s an easy park to get to, just off of I-75 and Daniels Parkway.

My favorite spot to sit in the stadium is along the first base line, high up in the bleachers.  If you can get the top row you get both shade and a breeze.  Depending upon the time of the day in certain places you'll be staring into the blazin sun so keep that in mind when you choose your seats.

When you leave JetBlue Park you can stop at a variety of place for dinner or drive south to Gulfcoast Town Center Mall where there are a lot of restaurants.

If you are looking for fun things to do with kids and they are fans of baseball there are other teams that train in SWFL, too. The Minnesota Twins train at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers not too far away from JetBlue Park.

20/365 Play & Learn at CMON Naples FL

The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples, Florida also known as C’MON is an interactive museum with hands on learning exhibits.   It’s the place where learning can be fun. CMON is located by North Collier Regional Park so you can spend the whole day enjoying the park area.

If you are like us and want to go all the time they are really affordable membership packages starting at $135 for the whole family for a year!  If you are a local resident with regularly visiting grand children you should look into the annual membership. The great thing about the CMON children’s museum is there is something for children of all ages and the adults can kind of stand back and watch the kids explore and learn through different exhibits.  There are tons of fun things to do at CMON.

To learn see photos of activities CMON read also: Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples

The official website of CMON is www.CMON.org.

The hours for the museum are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm Sunday 11:00 am-4:00 pm Wednesday CMON is closed. The cost (2019) is $10 for adults & seniors and $12.00 for kids 1 and older.

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys.

19/365 Lunch on Bonita Beach Florida

Did you know that Doc’s Beach House is the only place for the public to dine on Bonita Beach?  It’s a great spot located across the street from Bonita Beach and Tennis Club and Kinleyland where King's Kew is located.  Here’s the skinny on how to park and a few other insider details.  

First, Doc’s is a cash only restaurant.  They do have an ATM on site. Just an FYI if you aren’t a cash carrier.  The parking is limited and parking is valet parking.  On occasion you could expect to wait in line on the street until the valets make room for your car to be able to pull in.  There is also a pedestrian walkway in the area so it gets a little congested. Bring your patience.

Second, everyone wants to see the sunset so get there well before it if you expect to get a parking spot or to find a seat.  It’s a very popular activity in Bonita Springs!  Don’t be afraid to dine “off hours” such as a late lunch or and early dinner to avoid the crowds.

Third, there is open air seating outside, downstairs and upstairs with air conditioning so plan your dress and footwear accordingly.  It’s the beach but you need to be dressed to go inside.

Fourth, enjoy yourself! You’re on the prettiest beach so have a cold one in your flip flops and don’t forget to toast to your friends up north shoveling snow!

There are tons of fun things to do in Bonita Springs but this is the only beach front, on the sand, dining in Bonita Springs, Florida. There is nearby waterfront (on the bay) dining at Coconut Jacks, The Fish House and at Big Hickory Grille.

18/365 Mini Golf at Golf Safari in Bonita Springs, Fl

Golf Safari mini golf is located at 3775 Bonita Beach Rd. in Bonita Springs, Florida. It is open 7 days a week 10:00am-10:00pm. The mini golf course has been open for over 30 years, I remember going as a kid and now I get to take my own kids. It is a fun family activity that is affordable and there are always coupons online! (2019) $10.49 for adults ages 13-54 ,$9.49 for children age 4-12, 3 and under are free with the purchase of an adult and seniors 55 and up are $9.49. Extra rounds of mini golf are free, you can even leave and bring your receipt back to golf again for free later in the day. Mini golf at the orignal course in Bonita Springs is a low cost and one of the most fun things to do in Bonita Springs.

After we go to Golf Safari we always grab a scoop of ice cream at Royal Scoop Bonita Springs 15 8th Street, Suite D, Bonita Springs, Florida 34134. It’s just around the corner from Golf Safari.

Read also, Evening at Golf Safari in Bonita Springs Florida

Watch also: Golf Safari in Bonita Springs, Florida

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys.

17/365 Mini Escape at Bonita Beach Access #6

If you’re cruising down Hickory Blvd. in Bonita Springs and you’ve never noticed the flags on the gulf side of the street, pay close attention next time.  Those flags indicate the free public parking beach access spots.  Now don’t kid yourself, they fill up quickly on sunny days in-season and they’re full around sunset but if you slow your roll past a few of them you’ll be able to park, stroll to the beach and take a mini-vacation!

The last stop I made at Bonita Beach the water was beautiful, the sun was out, there was a large family visiting and set up for the day, complete with fishing equipment.  They even caught a fish while I was there.  I took a seat and just listened to the waves for a few minutes.  It’s a beautiful sight and it’s a fun (and free) things to do in Bonita Springs.

If it’s off-season it’s always fun to grab dinner on Fort Myers Beach after the sunset. Our favorite dinner spot on FMB is South Beach Bistro in Santini Plaza.

16/365 Track & Spot the Space Station

Our southwest Florida winters are mild and the sky is clear and spectacular. It’s not only great stargazing weather but did you know that you can also track the International Space Station (ISS) and see it travel across the sky with the naked human eye?  It’s true.

I’ve lived in Bonita Springs most of my life and have followed the ISS and tracked it dozens of times. It’s very easy to do.  All you have to do is find the schedule of when it is expected to go over Bonita Springs or the surrounding area. On the website you’d get the same time/direction results for Naples, Fort Myers or Bonita Springs, for example. 

One of my favorite sites is: https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/.  You can not only find out when it will be near you but also track it on a live map so that you will understand the trajectory it will take over you.  I actually watched it go over today and it was directly over Bonita Springs and bright as can be.  There are other times that I have seen it low on the horizon and harder to identify as though it is going over the Florida Keys. 

It’s a great activity if you are looking for fun things to do with kids. You can also download the SkyView app to see the stars and constellations.