By the Light of the Full Moon
Stellar views of the night sky are a gift in Fort Myers, thanks to lower light pollution over Gulf beaches and secluded islands. From moonlit kayaking to hushed beach walks, find Southwest Florida’s best spots for full-moon adventures, stargazing and celestial magic in 2025.
Paddle out on a full-moon tour at Lovers Key State Park. With Lovers Key Adventures, a Master Naturalist guides you as you glide through the mangrove-protected estuary with the moon bouncing off the water.
Or experience the estuary and all of its life under the moonlight at Mound House. Kayaking excursions set out just before the nautical twilight and culminate in time for the moonrise over the mangroves.
The next full moon is known as the Harvest Moon (closest to the autumnal equinox), and it will be a supermoon! Look up on October 6 to see the bright orb in the sky, especially photogenic from a waterfront. Two more supermoons will follow on November 5 and December 4.
Before you watch the stars outdoors, learn all about space at the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium, home to the area’s only public large-dome planetarium theater. Shows change monthly and alternate on odd and even days — including a voyage through space in search of water with “Oasis in Space” and “Surviving in Space” with astronaut Karen Nyberg.
A tip: Get to know other star enthusiasts! The Southwest Florida Astronomical Society meets at the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium the first Thursday of every month.
The Southwest Florida Astronomical Society also holds regular events in the Fort Myers area. Peer through astronomical equipment between sunset and 2 a.m. at Seahawk Park in Cape Coral, with upcoming dates on October 18, November 15 and December 13. Other star parties take place at Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva and Rotary Park in Cape Coral.
The Orionids, an annual meteor shower that usually takes place in October, will be especially bright this year, with a New Moon creating dark-sky conditions. This year’s event will take place October 21–22.
