At the Shell Factory you can buy shell-related merchandise, check out the more than 400 animals in the nature park, ride bumper boats or the zip line and grab a bite to eat in the restaurant. Photo Courtesy of Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau

More than 80 years ago, the Shell Factory opened up as a kitschy tourist stop for vacationers going south for the winter.

While many of those Old Florida “tourist traps” are no more, the Shell Factory & Nature Park in North Fort Myers has reinvented itself as one of the most popular family destinations in all of Lee County.

Whether on vacation or a native Floridian, it’s a place you can spend the day at for a fraction of the cost of going to Disney. Still true to its old-school roots, you can buy shell-related merchandise, check out the more than 400 animals in the nature park, ride bumper boats or the zip line and grab a bite to eat in the restaurant.

Also, be on the lookout for special events and nightly fun, especially during season when things get really busy.

The Shell Factory is at 2787 N. Tamiami Trail in North Fort Myers. For more information, go to www.shellfactory.con or call 995-2141.