Looking for things to do with kids and teens in Southwest Florida this week? Halloween lands on Saturday, October 31, and the week ahead carries the last of the season's family fun into November: the Edison and Ford Winter Estates hosts its free Fall Festival in Fort Myers, the 5th Avenue South Halloween Spooktacular fills Cambier Park, Bonita Springs closes Old 41 for Trick or Treat on Old 41, The Moorings neighborhood in Naples opens its doors for trick-or-treating, W.O.N.D.E.R. runs at Naples Botanical Garden, and the libraries hold their regular storytimes in Naples and Marco Island. Here are seven picks for the week, each with the age range, date, time, cost, and the official page so you can confirm before you go.
Key Takeaways
- The Edison and Ford Winter Estates Fall Festival is free on Saturday, October 31 from 9 AM to 4 PM in Fort Myers: a pumpkin patch, face painting, food trucks, an artisan market, and live music, with museum admission separate.
- The 5th Avenue South Halloween Spooktacular is free on Saturday, October 31 from 3 to 5 PM at Cambier Park in Naples: trick-or-treating, games, live music, and a costume contest, followed by Evening on Fifth from 5 to 8 PM.
- Trick or Treat on Old 41 runs 5 to 8 PM on Halloween in downtown Bonita Springs, with the road closed so kids can visit participating businesses, and the final night of the free Happy Haunts stroll at Riverside Park right after.
- W.O.N.D.E.R. runs at Naples Botanical Garden Sunday and Monday, November 1-2, and Friday, November 6, from 10 AM to noon, included with garden admission.
- Free storytimes this week: Toddler Storytime at the Collier County Headquarters library in Naples Tuesday and Wednesday, November 3-4, and Family Storytime at the Marco Island branch Friday, November 6.
The Week's Picks
Fall Festival at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates
The estate's fifth annual Fall Festival fills the riverfront grounds with a pumpkin patch, face painting, food trucks, an artisan market, and live music on Halloween day. Families can wander the historic gardens for free and pay only if they want museum admission. The estates sit on McGregor Boulevard along the Caloosahatchee River; our Fort Myers area guide covers the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: All ages
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 9 AM to 4 PM
Cost: Festival is free; museum admission separate ($28 adults, $20 ages 13-19, $15 ages 6-12, free 5 and under)
Official page: visitfortmyers.com/event/fall-festival
5th Avenue South Halloween Spooktacular at Cambier Park
Fifth Avenue South and the City of Naples fill Cambier Park with a free family Halloween afternoon: trick-or-treating, games, live music, a costume contest, and community vendors handing out candy and food. It runs at the park's band shell area on 8th Avenue South, and when it winds down, Evening on Fifth takes over the avenue with musicians playing along the sidewalks from 5 to 8 PM. Our Naples area guide covers downtown and the neighborhoods around the park.
Ages: All ages
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 3 to 5 PM; Evening on Fifth follows 5 to 8 PM
Cost: Free
Official page: fifthavenuesouth.com/halloween/
Trick or Treat on Old 41 in downtown Bonita Springs
The Bonita Springs Downtown Alliance closes Old 41 between Wilson and Dean Streets on Halloween evening so kids can walk the closed road and visit participating downtown businesses for candy. It is free and stroller friendly, and when the candy crawl ends, the final night of the city's free Happy Haunts immersive Halloween stroll at Riverside Park (décor lit 7 to 10 PM) is a short walk away. Our Bonita Springs area guide covers the downtown and the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: All ages
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 5 to 8 PM (Happy Haunts décor lit 7 to 10 PM)
Cost: Free; the Happy Haunts stroll hands out no candy
Official page: visitnaplesfl.com/event/trick-or-treat-downtown-bonita
Moorings Halloween Trick or Treat in Naples
The Moorings neighborhood welcomes everyone for its annual Halloween trick-or-treat on the evening of October 31, with a "Don't Ghost Us, Scarecrow" theme and free candy, no registration needed. It is a classic neighborhood-style Halloween, which makes it an easy, low-key option for families who want to stay in one area. The Moorings sits between the Gordon River and the Gulf in north-central Naples; our Naples area guide covers the community.
Ages: All ages; trick-or-treating geared to kids 12 and under
Date: Saturday, October 31
Time: 5 to 8 PM
Cost: Free
Official page: mooringshalloween.com
W.O.N.D.E.R. at Naples Botanical Garden
W.O.N.D.E.R. is the garden's drop-in family program where kids walk, observe, draw, and explore together through educator-led activities in the Wonder Circle on the Hoffmann Lawn. It runs three days in this window, and the garden itself is settling into its fall season, so it pairs well with a morning stroll. Admission covers the program, and activity booklets are available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole at the visitor center. Our Naples area guide introduces the neighborhoods around it.
Ages: All ages; families with children
Dates: Sunday and Monday, November 1-2; Friday, November 6 (also runs November 7-9)
Time: 10 AM to noon
Cost: Included with garden admission: $27 adults, $12 ages 4-17, free ages 3 and under, members free
Official page: naplesgarden.org/series/w-o-n-d-e-r/
Toddler Storytime at the Collier County Headquarters Library
The Collier County system keeps its regular children's storytimes going into November. Toddler Storytime at the Headquarters Regional branch on Orange Blossom Drive in Naples runs twice this week with sensory singing, stories, fingerplays, and puppets for the youngest readers. It is free and open to everyone, and storytime start times can shift, so the library calendar is the best place to confirm before you go. Our Naples area guide covers the neighborhoods around the branch.
Ages: Recommended for birth to 3½; all ages welcome
Dates: Tuesday and Wednesday, November 3-4
Time: 10 to 10:30 AM
Cost: Free
Official page: library.collier.gov/Events-directory
Family Storytime at the Marco Island Branch Library
The Marco Island Branch Library on Heathwood Drive holds Family Storytime on its regular Friday morning slot this week, with stories, songs, and a craft for all ages and no registration needed. It is free and open to everyone, residents and visitors alike, and the branch sits a few minutes from Mackle Park if you want to make a morning of it. Marco Island listings for early November can shift, so check the library calendar to confirm the Friday time before you go. Our Marco Island area guide covers the island's neighborhoods.
Ages: All ages with a caregiver
Date: Friday, November 6
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 AM (confirm on the library calendar)
Cost: Free
Official page: library.collier.gov/locations/Marco-Island-Branch
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Edison and Ford Fall Festival free?
Yes. The festival itself is free and open to everyone on Saturday, October 31 from 9 AM to 4 PM, including the pumpkin patch, face painting, food trucks, artisan market, and live music. Admission to the museum, laboratory, and riverside of the property is separate.
Where can kids trick-or-treat on Halloween in Southwest Florida?
Three good free options this year: the 5th Avenue South Halloween Spooktacular at Cambier Park in Naples (3 to 5 PM), Trick or Treat on Old 41 in downtown Bonita Springs (5 to 8 PM), and the Moorings neighborhood Halloween in Naples (5 to 8 PM). All are open to everyone.
What is there to do with teens this week?
The Edison and Ford Fall Festival in Fort Myers suits older kids and teens with its artisan market, live music, and inflatable course, and Evening on Fifth in Naples runs 5 to 8 PM with musicians along the sidewalks. The Florida Everblades are on the road this week; they return to Hertz Arena in Estero November 13-14 against the South Carolina Stingrays, and IMAG's Science Saturday in Fort Myers is November 7.
Do I need tickets ahead of time for these events?
No. All seven picks this week are free or included with regular admission, and none require advance tickets. W.O.N.D.E.R. is a drop-in program included with garden admission, the storytimes are free and open to everyone, and the Halloween events are pay-nothing, show-up events.
A couple of dates to save for the week after: the Florida Panther Festival at the Naples Zoo runs Saturday, November 7 from 9 AM to 1 PM, free for Collier County residents on a Collier County Free Day (non-residents pay regular zoo admission), with panther biologist presentations and family exhibits. IMAG's Science Saturday at the History and Science Center in Fort Myers is the same day, 10 AM to 2 PM, with themed STEM shows and hands-on activities free with museum admission.
For the free highlights of Halloween weekend, including the Fort Myers Farmers Market and the Marco Island Historical Museum, see this week's free things guide. Past editions of this kids and teens list live in the Family Activities archive.
A note from the author: I'm Catalina Quintero, a bilingual REALTOR with The Miranda Group at Premiere Plus Realty, Co., serving Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, Fort Myers, and Marco Island. Every week I put this guide together from dated, published event listings, so things can shift and it always pays to confirm the official pages before you head out. These are public events open to all residents and visitors, and everyone is welcome. If you're exploring Southwest Florida with a move in mind, email or text me any time.
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Contact Catalina Quintero at (239) 206-6909 or visit catalinaquintero.com/contact/ to schedule a consultation.