Stroll along boardwalks as you spot alligators and rare birds. Or simply watch the sun sink into the horizon with your toes buried in the sand. A stay at Hyatt Vacation Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Cove, will send you home with brilliant memories and sun-kissed skin.

Estero Bay’s 26-acre Big Hickory Island is home to the private beach available exclusively for owners and guests of Hyatt Vacation Club Bonita Springs, Coconut Cove, and Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa. A complimentary 15-minute ferry runs to and from the island every hour. There’s a daily limit of beachgoers, so visit the concierge desk early to reserve your spot on the sand.

Luckily, there are plenty of other opportunities for beach fun along Estero Bay. Lover’s Key and Estero Bay Preserve state parks are both excellent choices for hiking, biking and kayaking, with miles of mangrove forests and pristine marshes. Lover’s Key is a secluded barrier island with a beautiful sugar sand beach considered a favorite destination for beachside weddings. Estero Bay Preserve is a fisherman’s paradise and the perfect spot for chance encounters with Florida wildlife, including manatees, dolphins, ospreys and more.

Orchid enthusiasts and nature photographers alike flock to Audubon Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary to catch a glimpse of the Corkscrew “Super” Ghost Orchid, the largest example ever found of this exceedingly rare plant. The sanctuary, located in the heart of the Florida Everglades, is also home to alligators, wading birds, otters, white-tailed deer, red-bellied turtles, raptors and more. Spot all this and more from the 2-and-a-half-mile boardwalk through pine flatwoods and wet prairie or get your feet wet — literally — on a guided Corkscrew Swamp Walk.

If you prefer your animal interactions a little more on the wild side, Naples Zoo offers daily activities including hand feedings at Alligator Bay, Reptile Rendezvous and Meet the Keepers encounters. See lions, giraffes, giant anteaters and carnivorous fossas from Madagascar in a historical botanical garden planted 50 years before the zoo opened.

Finally, take in the beachside dining and fun with a trip to Fort Myers or Naples. Set on a barrier island, Fort Myers Beach is a popular destination for water sport lovers as it offers kayaking, parasailing, fishing charters and dolphin-watching eco-tours. The Fish Tale Marina is nearby, as well as an abundance of dining options including the Beached Whale and Salty Crab Bar & Grill, serving up all your local seafood favorites. The Naples Pier is the picture of Old Florida elegance and the perfect vantage point for taking in the endless expanse of Gulf waters. Grab a slice from Cosmos Café & Pizzeria at the concession stand, take a stroll along the sandy shore and stick around to watch the spectacular sunset over the water.