We were very disappointed to see the animals in small cages that were in need of repair. The smell was bad. The hurricane took its toll and if it was a great place to visit it definitely is not now. Sorry to have to say this. The employees were very welcoming which gave us a feeling that they were trying to make the best of it. We played miniature golf on the course that was in extremely poor condition but smiled and made it fun.

Interesting place to kill time. Free to go into gift shop, tons of things to browse/buy. Taxidermy museum was gone, sales associate gruffly told me it was permanently closed when I asked where it was. Unfortunately that was the main reason we stopped so it was a disappointing trip in that regard.

Sometimes when tragedy strikes, you just have to make the most of it. The place has so much heart and the employees here show their passion for it. We could tell the Nature Trail and main building took a major hit from Hurricane Ian which is really sad to see. I wish we could’ve seen it in it’s prime. Nonetheless, my fiancé and I had an amazing time! The food at the adjacent restaurant and bar was simple and yummy. Not mindblowing but definitely surprisingly tasty. The sweet potato fries are KILLER. Our server, Taylor, made us some of the best orange mojitos we have ever had! She was ON FIRE making drinks nonstop with a smile on her face. We need more bartenders like her! Despite some areas being under construction and some attractions out of order, it was a nice distraction, and a perfect way to spend New Years Day. We will ABSOLUTELY be returning back to buy some of the Jim Shore collection models of Lilo & Stitch and Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas.

Having been to the Shell Factory restaurant numerous times I finally visited the nature park and miniature golf course with my daughter’s family which includes two boys, ages 3 & 6. The restaurant offers decent food at a fair price with live entertainment throughout the week, however we did not eat there on this visit. We visited on a Tuesday during a flea market event taking place in the front parking area so we parked on the backside which offered ample parking at 10:30. Rather than walk down the driveway into the other parking lot we entered through the ice cream parlor doors. We were greeted by a lady who seemed a bit grumpy but did offer us fudge to sample. After browsing the massive collection of shells we exited and made our way to the entrance to the nature park. We had purchased a Groupon for four in advance which included the nature park and mini golf and I would strongly urge others to do so too. The nature park had many exhibits with animals not commonly found at zoos and was good enough to hold the kids interest. There were few empty cages and the animals appeared to be in good health. A peacock was roaming around and there were two aviaries that we walked through. We spent about one hour in the park then headed to the mini golf booth to get our balls and clubs. I’ve played a lot of mini golf over the years and this course was the worst. The brick pavers bordering the holes weren’t set close together so the balls consistently would bounce backward or sideways making the hole more challenging than it should have been. The green surfaces were in need of replacement and the hazards were often cement stumps just plopped on the course at random. If the golf was not included in the Groupon we would not have purchased it. We did not do the bumper boats or any of the interactive activities which cost extra. The Shell Factory appears to have been in a state of decline even before Hurricane Ian severely damaged the sign and other parts of the park. There is an on-site funding box for repair of the sign if you’re so inclined. I’d say it will take much more than they’re asking to get the factory back to its original state. All-in-all at the Groupon price it might just be a good alternative to the beaches, especially on a cold day.

I’m a local, and this place has been such an important part of my life, beginning in childhood. Wonderful place, and how much it’s changed through out the years. The Shell Factory has endured. The animal park is nice, there is a fantastic fudge shop inside, and a few rides. It’s not the most inexpensive place around but not as bad as some are making it out to be. The last I checked the carousel ride only cost $1. There’s also an awesome restaurant where you can sit outside and listen to live music performances several days per week. The gift shop isn’t cheap but really, you’re probably not going to find a cheap gift shop around here. This is a historical gem in Southwest Florida, and us natives are very proud of it. There’s something for every age here, go check it out.

Outside, there's a few things to do: miniature golf, bumper boats, merry-go-round and zip line. Inside are large gift shops. There are LOTS of shells that you can purchase, in addition to jewelery, candy, stuffed animals, etc. We went with our two young grandchildren, ages 3 and 5, and felt the hour we spent there was sufficient (we did not play mini golf or go on the zip line).

It’s looked a little run down but the people were really nice.. it looks like they are trying their best to keep it running. Animals look well fed and well taken care of. The zip line was fun.. petting zoo was pretty cool. Overall a solid place to come visit … wish I can do more to help. That place would do great with a little remodeling. Definitely recommend if you are in the area looking for something to do with the kids.

I read the reviews before going, so I was prepared. I was in the area, so I stopped by for curiosity. They look like they suffered a big hit from Covid and Hurricane Ian, but trying to get back into the business. I love to support local business, so I always try to stop by these kinds of places. For the people that love shelling, this place has an amazing shell offering. The staff is very nice too. I didn't go to the paid attractions, so I will not comment here. I loved the experience, and I hope they get back to the business soon.