Things to Do in Cypress Lake

It only took two weeks on the picturesque shores of Tahiti and Moorea to send Craig Stewart into a tailspin. He and wife Evelyn fell in love with the South Pacific’s crystalline waters and beachy breezes, so much so that the prospect of remaining in their native Oklahoma turned gloomy. Six years after the Stewarts’ Pacific vacation, they stumbled upon Sanibel Island. With a love for the waters still coursing through their veins, they uprooted and moved there, making it home base for Adventures in Paradise. In 1986, they started out with one boat—Miss Paradise—and one tour, the sunset dolphin cruise. Today, the Stewart family maintains a much larger operation. Their tour topics range from fishing and shelling to dolphin watching to historical sightseeing on a trolley.

To say that Captain Peter Williamson has been a scuba fanatic his whole life is somewhat untrue—he lived six whole years before even discovering what scuba diving was. A fan of the sport since the ripe old age of six and an avid diver since the age of 12, Captain Pete has attained three teaching certifications and a USCG 50-ton master’s license to captain a dive boat. When he’s not exploring coral or unpopular Atari game cartridges at the bottom of the ocean, he slings gear from all the major producers of scuba equipment in his dive shop.

The staff at Dlynne Designs helps patrons to create iridescent, eye-catching jewelry and keepsake items. The lesson calendar contains a variety of options and subjects, including a two-hour introductory course and private instruction. During the workshops, blossoming artisans learn techniques for cutting and fusing glass, skills useful for creating colorful works of art or combining glass eyes into larger, unusable glass eyes. Experienced teachers show pupils how to make pendants and jewelry in small-group or private-party settings, both of which allow students to bond with one another.

With a stable of two schooners, Appledore IV and Appledore V, which split their time between Fort Myers, Florida, and Bay City and Mackinaw City, Michigan, BaySail's captains ferry passengers about the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico during leisurely and educational tours. The sea vessels depart from Bay City to wind along the Saginaw River and into open water, letting passengers soak up summer sun or, in the autumn, traveling upriver for spectacular views of changing leaves and scarecrows playing hooky on the riverbanks. Come winter, the Appledore V makes its way to Florida, where it seeks out the dolphin populations of San Carlos Bay. All of BaySail's excursions are interactive seafaring affairs in which passengers are encouraged to help to crew the watercraft, learn about fish brought into onboard tanks, and force seagulls to walk the plank.

A 3,614-square-foot glass greenhouse dominates the landscape at The Butterfly Estates, where hundreds of butterflies flutter about. Monarchs, swallowtails, and rarer breeds flash their prismatic wings as they sip from tropical-nectar plants, alight on tree branches, and play proboscis patty-cake with their neighbors. Visitors soothe their souls with the peaceful sound of rushing waterfalls within the space, which is also punctuated with signs describing the insect residents and promoting environmental conservation. When sitting in the front yard dressed like a giant butterfly fails, the center can advise guests on how to attract butterflies to their gardens at home.

The Estates comprises more than just the glass conservatory, however; in adjacent refurbished homes from the early 20th century, the caretakers have installed a café, a gift shop, and a sweets shop serving ice cream and fudge. At Flutterby's Café](http://thebutterflyestates.com/public/cafe.asp), patrons recline on a covered wraparound porch to nibble paninis and salads or sip from cups of shade-grown organic coffee. Fresh breezes waft through the outdoor area as diners empty their cups and plates, all made from natural compostable materials in keeping with the center’s eco-conscious philosophies.

After accumulating more than 14 years of Pilates experience at other fitness venues, Helen Wagner opened The Pilates Scoop to provide affordable Pilates equipment classes. The Pilates method works to tone the body’s core without adding bulk, ensuring that students don't emerge looking like a football player who just ate a medicine ball. The pulleys, cables, and springs of Reformer and Cadillac machines extend and contract as students tone their stomachs, backs, hips, buttocks, and knees.

Helen caps equipment classes at no more than six students, and also leads private, duet, and triples lessons to provide more tailored instruction. She also teaches classes in traditional Pilates methods incorporating mats, chairs, and the high ladder barrel.