VIP Tour – Little Havana
The tour will provide a day immersed in the Cuban culture and history of the people and their vibrant neighborhood, located in the heart of Miami. This fun and original walking tour will explore the history and culinary delights of Little Havana. The town was recently listed as an official “national treasure” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The neighborhood is well-known for its historical, political and culinary and artistic contributions to the Miami culture. The walk will consist of several historic and food stops for 2.5 hours, covering about a half-mile.
We will be divided into small groups to enjoy this unique experience and learn about this diverse community, the traditional food and all this area has to offer. The small bites of food from family-owned eateries will be equal to a full lunch and we will be provided with a bonus beverage, the “best Mojito in town.”
Next, we go to a new museum to the area: The American Museum of Cuban Diaspora. This is a very culture-specific museum dedicated to showcasing the history and culture of the Cuban exile to the Miami area. The museum’s mission is to share the culture, history and talents through the eyes of the artists, thinkers, and creators of this movement. One important exhibit on display is by the very renowned architect, Ysrael Abraham Seinuk. He has contributed to some of the most famous landmarks in the United states.
Before we depart back to Fort Myers, we will provide a small snack and happy hour beverage for your return and conversation on the bus trip back.
Cost: members $160; non-members $175
Times are approximate and are at the discretion of staff. All tours include a lot of walking, bus stairs and sometimes maneuvering in tight spaces. For questions or to make a reservation, contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly; early registration is recommended.
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made 14 days prior to the tour date to receive a full refund, unless the vacancy can be filled. Cancellations made by Edison Ford due to unforeseen circumstances will warrant a full refund or credit for another tour in the same season.
VIP Tour – Solomon’s Castle, Babcock Ranch, ECHO Global Farm
Saturday, February 18, 7:15 a.m.
The next VIP tour will take place on February 18, with a trip to Solomon’s Castle, lunch at The Lake House in Babcock Ranch and a Global Farm Tour at nearby ECHO. The bus will depart Edison and Ford Winter Estates at approximately 7:15 a.m. and return at 5:30 p.m.
Howard Solomon began building his castle in 1972, when he returned to the states from the Bahamas. The castle is nestled in a heavily forested area and is made from recycled materials. Solomon passed away in 2016; however, his family carries on the tradition of showcasing the recycled aluminum castle and works of art.
Lunch will be served at The Lake House at Babcock Ranch — just 45 minutes from the castle. The site provides a lakefront view. After lunch, if time permits, guests can take a brief walk around Founders Square, the social hub of Babcock Ranch.
The final stop on the tour is at the ECHO Global Farm. Here, visitors will have a chance to shop at the global bookstore and gift shop and then will have a private, docent-lead tour of the site.
ECHO is a Christian non-profit organization that equips small-scale farmers and missionaries with tools to combat worldwide hunger. The tour will provide education and insight into the six different climate zones where specific crop productions can reduce hunger. ECHO estimates it has impacted the lives of more than 5.8 million people.
Tour cost: Edison Ford members $140; non-members $155
Cancellation Policy: Cancellations must be made 14 days prior to the tour date to receive a full refund, unless the vacancy can be filled. Cancellations made by Edison Ford due to unforeseen circumstances will warrant a full refund or credit for another tour in the same season.
**CANCELLED** VIP Tour to Historic Dade City
Heritage & Cultural Museum, Historic
Downtown Tour, Lunch and Pioneer
Florida Museum and Village
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 • 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
COST: Edison Ford members: $155 Per Person; Non-Members: $175
JOIN US FOR THE FIRST VIP TOUR OF THE SEASON!
On this tour, guests will experience authentic Dade City within the rolling hills of Florida as we travel back to the pioneer times of the 1880s. Prior to 1880, Dade City was known as Fort Dade and it was an Army Post during the second Seminole War. When the railroad bypassed Fort Dade by a few miles to the east, the whole town packed up and moved east to be next to the railroad. In 1884, the new town was incorporated as Dade City.
Our first location on this step back in history will be the Dade City Heritage and Cultural Museum, the 1912 train depot. Here you will learn about early train travel, view related artifacts and if you like trains, you will definitely want to check out the model train room. Next, we will head to downtown for a historic walking tour, with Pasco County experts to learn about early Dade City historic landmarks, including the Pasco County Courthouse.
Lunch will be provided in a private dining room at Kafe Kokopelli. This cafe is housed in a building that was built in 1916 by the Ford Motor Company for Model T sales and service. Ford built a new location in the late 1970s and the location hosted multiple businesses until 1996 when it was renovated to a 150-seat restaurant. The rooms have murals depicting Florida life in East Pasco County and many photos from the dealership. The name Kafe Kokopelli comes from the southwest Native American
Indian god. There are many Kokopelli gods, but the most popular, a flute player, was considered the god of cischief and fertility.
Our final destination of the day will be to the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, with 16 acres of land and many historic buildings including a train depot, locomotive, schoolhouse, church and the Overstreet House. Pioneer living was not easy, but the people were essentially just like us. They wanted shelter, food and to improve their way of life. At the Pioneer Florida Museum and Village, they believe “through history we can better understand where we have been, where we are now and how we can do better.” This village and museum “depict pioneer village life and recalls the simple value of our forebears,
asserts the dignity of labor and emphasizes the value of craftsmanship.”
There also will be a special presentation on Florida’s Seminole Wars. This living history presentation will include a battle and skirmish, primitive skills demonstrations and a private talk and tour to round out the day. You may want to bring a foldable lawn-type chair or towel to sit on during the outdoor presentation.
For questions or to make a reservation for this tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so please reserve your space early. Times are approximate and are at the discretion of staff. Please note that all tours include a lot of walking, bus stairs and sometimes maneuvering in tight spaces. Please plan accordingly.
CANCELLATION POLICY – Cancellations must be made 14 days prior to the tour date to receive a full refund, unless the vacancy can be filled. Cancellations made by Edison and Ford due to unforeseen circumstances will warrant a full refund or credit for another tour in the same season.
VIP Tour – Downtown Saint Petersburg **SOLD OUT**
St. Petersburg is a very quaint and artsy town right on the Tampa Bay. There are many sites to see and we hope this provides you with suggestions for your next visit to the area. Many nearby locations have membership reciprocity with Edison and Ford. We will start with an early, private luncheon experience in the heart of the St. Petersburg downtown area.
Get ready to enjoy multiple venues and if you enjoy art, you will love this one. The James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art, located in downtown St. Petersburg was founded by businessman Thomas James and opened in 2018. The museum has thousands of pieces from the James’ collection including traditional as well as contemporary pieces. The Special Exhibit on the 2nd floor is called Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories. This is a story about the federally-operated, off-reservation boarding schools aimed to eradicate Native American cultures through forced assimilation of children.
Next, we will visit the Chihuly Museum. The collection is a permanent and stunning collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly’s unique work. This museum was designed to create a visitor experience where the art and architecture work together. The entrance has a 20-foot sculpture. Chihuly’s work has transformed and influenced contemporary art beyond just glass. You will love this!
Our final stop is across the street to the glass blowing studio at the Morean Art Center. This is quite a treat and you will be fascinated by the glass-blowing demonstration process. This may inspire you to come back and take a class. Watch as artists perform their glass blowing skills in this one-of-a kind demonstration. Glass pieces are also for sale in the adjacent glass shop.
At 5 p.m., you will have an hour to visit the glass shop, other nearby shops and enjoy this great cultural district within walking distance.
TOUR COST: $135 FOR EDISON FORD MEMBERS; $150 FOR NON-MEMBERS
For questions or to make a reservation for this or any tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, reserve early.
Please note all tours include a lot of walking, bus stairs and sometimes maneuvering in tight spaces. Please plan accordingly.
Cancellation Policy – Cancellations must be 14 days prior the tour date to receive a full refund, unless the vacancy can be filled. Cancellations made by Edison and Ford due to unforeseen circumstances will warrant a full refund or credit for another tour in the same season.
VIP Tour – Naples
NOVEMBER 13, 2021
NAPLES **SOLD OUT**
Naples Botanical Gardens, lunch and shopping at Tin City with a 2-hour narrated sightseeing and Eco Boat Tour from Tin City marina and Pure Florida. More details to follow. 
All tours are subject to change and are based on availability. Spaces are limited. Pre-paid, advanced registration is required. Join the membership program and take advantage of the discounted price.
Tour cost: members $135, non-members $150.
UPCOMING TOURS:
DECEMBER 11, 2021
LARGO
Historic Heritage Village, early dinner on the waterfront and tour of the Florida Botanical Gardens holiday lights.
JANUARY 15, 2022
EVERGLADES CITY
Historic Everglades Museum and walking tour, lunch at a local establishment, Smallwood Museum and airboat ride through the Everglades.
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
SARASOTA
Private tour of the Ringling Art Museum, Ca’ d’ Zan, lunch at the Ringling Grillroom and tour the circus museum.
MARCH 12, 2022
SAINT PETERSBURG
Dali Museum, lunch, glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Art Center and Chihuly Museum tour.
For questions or to make a reservation for a VIP tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so reserve your space early.
VIP Tour – Everglades City
This is a great tour to learn about the history of the Everglades. Guests will learn about Florida’s first big-game hunters
and the sharks that once swam in the waters that covered Southwest Florida. Guests will also get to see the ancient
tools and ceremonial masks from the Calusa Indians and how they flourished in the swampy wilderness. Information
about the wars in South Florida and the journey of the Seminole people will also be covered, along with how early settlers
arrived on the frontier, plus cattlemen, clam diggers, trailblazers and crackers that wrote the history of Collier County.
A 90-minute private tour of the museum and walking tour of Everglades City will be presented by the Collier County
Museum of the Everglades’ Manager, Thomas Lockyear.
Lunch will be included at a local Everglades restaurant and favorite menu items will be chosen in advance. After lunch,
we will take a short bus trip to the Smallwood Store in Chokoloskee. This small historic site was established in 1906, by
Ted Smallwood and was the original Trading Post that served this remote and isolated area. This small wooden building
was the Indian trading post, post office and general store to the community. The store is still owned and loved by the
descendants of the family that founded it. If you like antiques, you will enjoy this tiny piece of history.
Our final experience of the day will be an airboat and swamp buggy tour. The adventure will start out with a 30-minute
grassland airboat tour. After that, we will take a swamp buggy tour through the beautiful Cypress Forest. We will ride in
the safety of experienced captains who know the area and the history. We will get to experience mother nature in this
area of more than 259 acres of grasslands, including wild alligators, manatees, birds and many other animals that call the Everglades home. This will truly be a look back at what the pioneers encountered in this vast swampland. You will
not want to miss this tour!
All tours are subject to change and are based on availability. Spaces are limited. Pre-paid, advance registration is required.
Join the membership program and take advantage of the discounted price. Please note all tours include a lot of walking,
bus stairs and sometimes maneuvering in tight spaces. Please plan accordingly.
Tour Cost for members is $135, non-members $150.
For questions or to make a reservation for this or any tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677
or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so reserve your space early.
UPCOMING TOURS:
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
SARASOTA
Private tour of the Ringling Art Museum, Ca’ d’ Zan, lunch at the Ringling Grillroom and tour the circus museum.
MARCH 12, 2022
SAINT PETERSBURG
Dali Museum, lunch, glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Art Center and Chihuly Museum tour.
For questions or to make a reservation for a VIP tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so reserve your space early.
VIP tour: Fruit & Spice Park, Cauley Square Historic Village and Coral Castle
Welcome VIPs! If you have travelled with us before, you know how great our VIP tours are. If you haven’t experienced a VIP tour yet, consider joining us this year. Touring with us is fun, educational, and a great way to meet new people. We are excited to offer new destinations this year and we hope you will join us for another fun-filled season. We will be offering the Everglades Tour again because it sold out last time and many of you asked us to bring it back. Other tours will include historical homes, museums, botanical gardens, and a holiday-themed tour at the Florida Botanical Gardens for the evening light display – get out those ugly Christmas sweaters!
All tours are subject to change and are based on availability. Spaces are limited. Pre-paid, advanced registration is required. Join the membership program and take advantage of the discounted price.
Tour cost: members $135, non-members $150.
– – –
Our first tour of the season is to the Redlands in Homestead, known as the agricultural area of South Florida. The first destination is the Fruit & Spice Park. This 37-acre subtropical paradise, with more than 500 hundred varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, nuts and other plants is nestled in the heart of the historic Redlands area. It is the jewel of the
agricultural community, and was started by a woman with a vision named Mary Calkins Heinlein. It is the only public garden of its kind in the U.S. A knowledgeable docent will lead us on a private tram tour of the property. Next, we will visit Cauley Square Historic Village. Refreshments will be provided as we stroll through the shaded garden paths to learn about the history of the Flagler Railroad and the agricultural community of the early 1900s. We will have a private lunch (included) at the Chalet. Our final stop will be to the famous Coral Castle. This oolite limestone structure was created by the Latvian-American eccentric
Edward Leedskalnin or “Ed.” We will learn how Ed, who barely weighed 100 pounds, single-handedly and secretly carved 3 million pounds of coral rock into his castle! Join us and learn more about the mystery. This tour is limited to 40 participants.
UPCOMING TOURS:
NOVEMBER 13, 2021
NAPLES
Naples Botanical Gardens, lunch and shopping at Tin City with a 2-hour narrated sightseeing and Eco Boat Tour from Tin City marina and Pure Florida.
DECEMBER 11, 2021
LARGO
Historic Heritage Village, early dinner on the waterfront and tour of the Florida Botanical Gardens holiday lights.
JANUARY 15, 2022
EVERGLADES CITY
Historic Everglades Museum and walking tour, lunch at a local establishment, Smallwood Museum and airboat ride through the Everglades.
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
SARASOTA
Private tour of the Ringling Art Museum, Ca’ d’ Zan, lunch at the Ringling Grillroom and tour the circus museum.
MARCH 12, 2022
SAINT PETERSBURG
Dali Museum, lunch, glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Art Center and Chihuly Museum tour.
For questions or to make a reservation for a VIP tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so reserve your space early.
VIP Tour – Largo Historic Heritage Village
LARGO
Historic Heritage Village, early dinner on the waterfront and tour of the Florida Botanical Gardens holiday lights. More details to follow.
All tours are subject to change and are based on availability. Spaces are limited. Pre-paid, advanced registration is required. Join the membership program and take advantage of the discounted price.
Tour cost: members $135, non-members $150.
UPCOMING TOURS:
JANUARY 15, 2022
EVERGLADES CITY
Historic Everglades Museum and walking tour, lunch at a local establishment, Smallwood Museum and airboat ride through the Everglades.
FEBRUARY 19, 2022
SARASOTA
Private tour of the Ringling Art Museum, Ca’ d’ Zan, lunch at the Ringling Grillroom and tour the circus museum.
MARCH 12, 2022
SAINT PETERSBURG
Dali Museum, lunch, glass blowing demonstration at the Morean Art Center and Chihuly Museum tour.
For questions or to make a reservation for a VIP tour, please contact Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677 or smuske@edisonford.org. Tours fill up quickly, so reserve your space early.
VIP Tour – Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Garden/Nature and Ecological Boat Tour
Join us for a tour of the Peace River Botanical and Sculpture Garden. This 30-acre wonder and preserved native habitat can be seen on expansive boardwalks surrounded with rare plants and inserted with world class sculptures.
Next, we will travel to nearby Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda for lunch and shopping on your own.
Then, beginning at 3:00 we will embark on a 3.5 hour boat eco-tour with interpretation by naturalists from the well-know Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center. We will experience the flora and fauna of the four different ecosystems as we journey up the winding Peace River. Relaxation and cameras or binoculars are definitely in order on this trip!
We will accept reservations for 30 guests on a 55 – passenger bus so guests are adequately spaced apart.
All tours are subject to change and are based on availability. Spaces are limited. Pre-paid registration is required. Masks are required when not social distancing.
Please register by calling Sherri Muske at 239-335-3677. Cost for each tour is $125 Members and $135 for Non-Members.
*This tour is sold out, we are currently accepting names for the waitlist.
