Nature's Wonders

The Nature’s Wonders program provides hands-on, interactive learning and fun in an assortment of nature-themed activities. Sample programs include:

All about Alligators
Become an expert on these modern day dinosaurs. Learn where to find them, what they eat and how they have survived for so long. Discover the many differences between crocodiles and alligators.

Beach Combing
Accompany the Nature’s Wonders team on this discovery beach walk. Search the shoreline for sea shells and other mysteries of the deep. Sift the sand for some surprising finds, then collect your own treasures and identify them.

Budding Botanist
Designed as an introduction to the flora of Florida, this activity focuses on four specific plants found on the hotel property. We will locate them and explain their importance in the environment. They are the mangrove, sea grape, sabal palm and sea oats. View many other beautiful plants and flowers we have growing at the resort.

Estuary Adventure
Take a boat ride with a staff Naturalist into the estuary, witnessing firsthand all of the elements such as tidal mud flats, oyster bars and the all-important mangrove islands. Sightings may include eagles, ospreys, manatees, dolphins, turtles and more.

Exploring the Aquarium Underworld
Delve into the world of the deep seas without even getting wet! Embark on an aquarium tour of our very own Nature’s Wonders center. Learn all about fish, shrimp, lobsters, crabs and turtles – some of which you can touch – and view different marine environments like reefs, near-shore and estuaries.

Habitats and Conservation
Learn how to make a difference in the future of our planet by protecting species, reducing the threat of global warming and conserving our oceans. This program provides you with the tools you need to make sustainable living choices every day.

It’s Critter Feeding Time
Assist the Nature’s Wonders Counselors as they feed the many different critters throughout the tanks in the center. Learn about the eating habits of fish, shrimp, crabs and turtles and view different marine environments like reefs, near-shore and estuaries.

Marine Encounter
Explore the beach and assist the naturalists as they beach comb, sieve and seine for fish, crabs, and other beach inhabitants. This popular program increases awareness of the abundant life forms occupying the surf. Bring your swimsuit and have a ball getting wet and being a junior marine biologist!

Nature Detectives
This session is designed to assist our young outdoorsmen and women to become skilled observers, searching for wildlife sometimes spotted on the resort property. Learn where to look and how to use all of your senses to locate many interesting critters, including alligators, lizards, egrets, herons and turtles to name a few.

Nature Scavenger Hunt
Teams compete to photograph specific critters, plants and trees. For instance, which team can identify the red mangrove among all the mangroves? Or, who can find the gopher tortoise? Learn more about your scavenger hunt discoveries back in the Nature’s Wonders center and compare your photos with the other teams.

Nature Walk
Join Ranger Randy on a casual stroll of the resort’s boardwalks and beach. Search for and talk about some of the most colorful critters found in Southwest Florida, including dolphins, manatees, reptiles and birds. Find out what mangrove swamps have to do with what is on your dinner plate. Learn the story behind a number of interesting plants such as the Spanish bayonet, the gumbo limbo tree, the strangler fig, and sea oats.

Only at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples will you find the fun and entertaining, yet exploratory and educational summer experience for your child during the Nature’s Wonders Summer Camp 2010. The atmosphere of the center and the interactive experience will leave your child with summer camp memories they will never forget.

Summer Camp Dates:

June 14 – June 18, 2010

June 21 – June 25, 2010

July 12 – July 16, 2010

July 19 – July 23, 2010

July 26 – July 30, 2010

Fee:
$400 per child plus applicable taxes

Hours of Operation:
Monday – Friday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Ages:
Minimum age requirement is 5 years old.
To ensure that the level of programming provided will engage all of our young guests, during certain programs in Nature’s Wonders, children will be separated by age into different groups.
Little Rangers: Ages 5 through 8
Junior Rangers: Ages 9 and older

Reservations, Drop-off and Pick-up
Reservations for Nature’s Wonders Summer Camp are required. Please call Leisure Reservations at (239) 598-3300 or extension 6001 from within the hotel.  Parents will be required to sign a release form before their children participate in the camp. 

Meals
Lunch is included. Snacks and beverages are also available throughout the day.

Daily Programming
Activities are subject to weather and may change. The program descriptions are general in nature; each program is not solely confined to that description. The programs are supplemented with other activities such as laboratory work, computer time, supervised swim, nature films and crafts.

Monday
Exploring the Wonderful World of Aquariums – Delve into the world of the deep seas without even getting wet! Follow the Nature’s Wonders counselors on an aquarium tour of our very own Nature’s Wonders center. Learn about fish, shrimp, lobsters, crabs and turtles – some of which you can touch – and view different marine environments like reefs, near-shore and estuaries. 
Estuary Adventure – Join a hotel naturalist for a boat ride into the back bay, witnessing first-hand all the elements of the estuary such as tidal mud flats, oyster bars and the all-important mangrove islands. Sightings may include eagles, ospreys, manatees, dolphins, turtles and more.

Tuesday
Marine Encounter – Our attendees assist our naturalists as they beach comb, sieve and seine for fish, crabs, and other beach inhabitants. This popular program increases awareness of the abundant life forms occupying the surf. Bring your swimsuit and have a ball getting wet and being a junior marine biologist. Return to the Nature’s Wonders center to learn more about your finds.
Tennis Clinic – Pick up a racquet and have fun learning all about this great sport from The Ritz-Carlton Head Tennis Pro.

Wednesday
It’s Critter Feeding Time – Assist the Nature’s Wonders counselors as they feed the many different critters throughout the tanks in the center. Learn about fish, shrimp, crabs and turtles – some of which you can touch – and view different marine environments like reefs, near-shore and estuaries.
Butterflies and Blooms – Explore the fascinating world of caterpillars and butterflies and investigate the different types and their life cycles. Take a tour of the resort’s butterfly garden and learn how to plant your own.
Beach Day Bonanza – Spend the rest of the day on the beach playing games and having fun in the sun!  A separate area of beach cabanas and umbrellas will be set up for shade to retreat to throughout the day. Activities may include bocce ball, horse shoes, Frisbee golf, sandcastle contests and kickball to name a few.

Thursday
Nature Scavenger Hunt – Teams compete taking creative photographs around the hotel grounds. This fun activity emphasizes team building skills and best of all, you get to take the photos home as a souvenir.
Snorkel Lesson – Have fun splashing around in the water and learn to snorkel at the same time! Then use the new snorkeling skills to search for hidden treasures!

Friday
It’s Critter Feeding Time – Assist the Nature’s Wonders staff as they feed the many different critters throughout the tanks in the center. Learn about fish, shrimp, crabs and turtles – some of which you can touch – and view different marine environments like reefs, near-shore and estuaries.
Nature Detectives – This session is designed to assist our young outdoorsmen and women to become skilled observers, searching for wildlife sometimes spotted on the resort property. Learn where to look and how to use all of your senses to locate many interesting critters, including alligators, lizards, egrets, herons and turtles to name a few.
Budding Botanist – Designed as an introduction to the flora of Florida, this activity focuses on four specific plants found on the hotel property. We will locate them and explain their importance in the environment. They are the mangrove, sabal palm, sea grape and sea oats. View many other beautiful plants and flowers we have growing at the resort.

Create exceptional memories for your child with a birthday celebration in the new Nature’s Wonders Center, exclusively at The Ritz Carlton, Naples. With an engaging underworld environment, the center and staff provide a fun, interactive and educational experience for your child and their party guests.

Fee:
$50 per child plus applicable taxes and service gratuities
(10 child minimum/25 maximum)
Note: minimum age is 5 years old.

Includes:
• Exclusive two hour party
• Party attendants
• Pizza and beverages
• Choice of one of the following activities: 
    - Treasure hunt 
    - Beach Olympics 
    - Ping pong tournament 
    - Sand castle building contest

Party Enhancements:
• Birthday Cake
• Balloons
• Gift Bags
• Tokens for the arcade
• Face Painting/Balloon Artist
• Helium Balloons
• Karaoke Entertainer/DJ
• Magician
• Guest Speaker from the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Topics include: Nails and Scales, The Life Aquatic, Alien Invaders, Critter Scene Investigation, Hoot and Toot and Bird is the Word.

In addition to our Nature's Wonders program, The Ritz-Carlton, Naples offers junior guests a variety of special services and amenities, including:


Nanny Service
Nannies at The Ritz-Carlton are certified in infant, child and adult CPR as well as basic first aid.

Little Wonders Registration
Your vacation begins with Little Wonders registration where children receive their very own working keycard and welcome gift.

Special Holiday Activities
Celebrate in style! Check out our calendar for special events, such as Teddy Bear Tea or Children's Buffet Dinner.

P.O.L.O. Program
We will do everything possible to make your stay more comfortable with our Protect Our Little Ones program.

Imagine a luxurious, comfortable setting, where your senses are stimulated through the latest in entertainment technology. Guests may now enjoy an interactive virtual user experience (vue) exclusively at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples.

The ultimate entertainment lounge, vue features all of the popular interactive virtual-reality games played via consoles hooked up to 40” Samsung LCD TVs from Microsoft XBox 360 game stations with wireless controllers, to Sony Playstation 3, and the latest from Nintendo Wii.

Sleek, white furniture, eco-friendly bamboo floors, and a modern black and white color scheme with green accents, all contribute to the contemporary wired lounge setting. Additionally, two individual lounge areas each offer a personal 19” flat screen television with DVD player, and iPod docking station for a more intimate experience.

In addition, vue boasts a 63” LCD with Blu-ray player controlled via remote touch pad, a top notch Bang and Olufsen surround sound system and several flat screen high definition LCD televisions to kick back and watch HDTV content and select movies in a home theater environment.

Central to the room is the Mac station, surrounded by six stylish green leather bar stools for the iMac computers. Rising through the middle of the Mac station is a dramatically lit column further creating an intriguing atmosphere.

Guests may participate in a variety of entertaining options from weekly Wii bowling tournaments to Wii Fit exercise classes and casual, fast-paced arcade action or multiplayer frag-fests on Xbox LIVE.

Staffed by experienced gamers, vue provides the perfect setting for the ultimate social gaming experience with the latest in technology.

vue is available for a nominal daily fee for children ages 8 and older.

For the little guests younger than 12, our chefs have created a special offer at select dining venues at the resort. Whether your kids choose their favorite lunch by the pool or enjoy dinner in The Terrace, all children’s menu food and beverage services are included. The Kid’s Meal Plan is available for $35 per day, per child.

The Kids Meal Plan Includes:

• Breakfast Buffet at The Terrace
• Lunch from the Children's Turtle Menu at The Poolside Café or Gumbo Limbo
• Dinner from the Children's Turtle Menu at The Terrace, Gumbo Limbo or The Grill

Pricing:
The Kid’s Meal Plan is available for $35 per day per child 12 years old and younger.

Offer is for children 12 years of age and younger.  Price is per day, per child and includes tax and gratuity.  Kid's Meal Plan must be purchased for entire length of stay prior to arrival or during check-in; does not apply to in-room dining or any other restaurants, venues or special events; and no reimbursement for unused portions. Children must be accompanied by an adult and display wristband.