Outdoors & Nature Insider

Jarred Rice in the Butterfly Aviary Credit: Beth Rice

Did anyone check out the Leonid meteor shower early this morning? I totally didn't hear my alarm go off, so I missed it. I also heard that the cloud cover was too dense in a lot of places to see the shower. Darn.

Anyway, all this recent talk about meteor showers conjured up thoughts of a really cool place in Fort Myers that appeals to all nature and stargazers -- the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. If you haven't been to the center before, make sure you set aside some time to swing by and take a look around. It's a great place! The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is situated on 105 acres, complete with trails (the Cypress Swamp Boardwalk is terrific), bird and butterfly aviaries, and includes an Audubon Aviary that is the home of hawks, owls and bald eagles.

In addition to all the wildlife, the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium also presents educational seminars and puts on regularly scheduled events that are great for the whole family. For those interested in astronomy, you'll want to attend one of the center's planetarium shows -- and you can even adopt a constellation!

When planning your next trip, be sure to include a stop at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. You'll love it! Visit www.calusanature.com for more information, directions and fees.