Conservancy of Southwest Florida — Attraction in Naples

I must say that while our family enjoyed our trip, I was a bit disappointed with the trip. Maybe I had higher expectations and it ended up not measuring up to my expectations.

My first disappointment was that the place isn't very kid friendly. Even though they have a couple of rooms designated for children, there are signs in certain areas asking to keep quiet because of the animals.

This one wouldn't have been much of a problem if they had at least been friendly which is the fact that all of their employees/volunteers are elderly folks who seem to have lost their ability to interact with and tolerate little children.

The boat ride was a nightmare! We weren't aware it was an educational boat ride and that the captain would be talking the entire ride, otherwise we would have never went. But we went and good thing that we brought food for our two and three year olds in order to keep them entertained and inside the boat (lol).

Mind you, we were told the rules of the boat the minute we sailed off and one of them did not include not eating on the boat.

So after my kid had already devoured one of the snack bags we had brought for the boat ride, that's when the captain told me that we weren't suppose to be eating on the boat, which he then concluded that it was okay because he never mentioned that as a rule nor did he have it posted it anywhere on the boat or dock.

To be quite frank with you, the boat captain seemed very frustrated and irritated, first by the noise my children were making and then because of our eating.

If I had to do the boat ride again with my children at the age that they are now I would not have done it, too much stress and...

Be aware that this conservancy does not care about giving you an update about an animal you took the time to rescue and to bring to them. Outrageous! We rescued a beautiful bird . My fiance and I are filmmakers and we also have a foundation. So we went to the closest wildlife refuge to bring the bird we just rescued. We gave a name to the bird, we filled out an information sheet with our phone number and names, as they requested. For what? When we asked how the bird we saved was doing they say " sorry, our policy does not allow us to give you an update!!!" Your what??? Are you kidding??? People who rescue animals care!!! I never heard that before. Again we have a foundation and if someone brings us an animal, of course we will reply to this person if they ask how the animal they rescue is doing. Shame on this conservancy and on whoever decided to do that, whether it is the director or someone else, this is NOT OKAY, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. If you rescue an animal be sure to bring it to a competent and caring hospital and that they can tell you afterwards how the animal you saved is doing. It is so cruel to tell someone who care, "sorry, you saved a life but we cannot tell you how the fur baby you saved is doing, it is our policy. We are too busy!" Really??? Run away from this Conservancy unless they change their policy and put in place some competent and caring...

My experience at the Conservancy of South West Florida was absolutely amazing! The staff was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and cool. They made my visit with my young kids an unforgettable experience. The facilities were perfect for moms with young kids, with plenty of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities for the little ones.

The story times on Thursdays at 10am were out of this world. The staff did an incredible job of engaging the kids with fun and educational stories about nature and wildlife. It was a great way to spark a love for reading and learning in my children.

The boat ride in the Gordon River was a great adventure for all the little explorers. The kids were able to see all kinds of wildlife and learn about the importance of conservation and protecting our natural resources. It was an eye-opening experience for them and a great way to get them excited about nature.

Overall, I can't say enough good things about the Conservancy of South West Florida. It's the perfect place for families to learn, explore, and have fun together. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun and educational experience...