| One thing about road-tripping through Florida with your family is that there are plenty of places to pull off the road for some unexpected excursions. On our drive home from Naples, we saw a green road sign that said “Edison and Ford Winter Estates.”
I had a vague memory of visiting the Thomas A. Edison winter home from when I drove south from Tampa to Fort Myers with my parents more than 30 years ago. Since we had to pull off the road to feed lunch to our hungry boys, I urged my husband to follow the signs to the museum. About 15 minutes off the highway, we entered the newly renovated and restored estates of Henry Ford and Edison, his neighbor, friend and collaborator.
The boys chose to view Mr. Edison’s museum, as they are currently conducting their own science experiments. We were struck by the antique displays and black-and-white pictorial history of his life hanging on the walls.
We sat for a short movie, highlighting his long list of inventions. The man was unstoppable. It was very inspiring to our kids to learn about a man who wouldn’t stop until he accomplished what he set out to do.
When you visit the estates, you enter a world unlike any you have ever seen. The furnishings and architecture of these gracious, rambling buildings are reminiscent of a bygone era. You quickly realize, however, we have men like Edison to thank for so many of our modern conveniences.
After our history lesson, we sat outside at the café for some hot cocoa, hot dogs and sandwiches before posing for some pictures in front of the biggest Banyan trees in the United States. The tree, we learned, was brought to Mr. Edison in 1925 as a gift from his friend Harvey Firestone. When it was delivered, it stood only six feet tall; now it takes up an acre on the property.
The property features his lab, botanical gardens, the museum and a wonderful gift shop filled with fun trinkets for the kids. Mine chose an Edison flip book that was reminiscent of Edison's first black-and-white silent film and a replica of a wooden puzzle that pioneer children made for the long rides across the prairie. (The puzzle did the trick and kept them busy on the long ride home!)
The next time you are driving across the state and you see a highway sign pointing to a landmark, I urge you to pull off the road and go exploring. You may be surprised that lunch can turn into a day trip.
It is in those moments that the “light bulb” goes off: Spontaneous trips can be better than planned ones!
Plus, it sure beats a stop at a drive-thru fast food chain.
Jennifer Michaels, VISIT FLORIDA Family Travel Expert |
