Fort Myers, Florida Review

Fort Myers, Florida is a great vacation spot. We always fly into the Southwest Florida Regional Airport which is located in Fort Myers. Personally, I would strongly suggest that you rent a vehicle at the airport. It can be difficult to get around the city using public transportation or taxi cabs as well as expensive. Rental cars are cost effective ways to get to where you want to go.

It is best to visit Fort Myers between December and May as the hurricane season begins on June 1st and ends on November 30th. Nobody would want to be evacuated because of a hurricane threat. It would be wise to check with NOAA before leaving on your holiday to Fort Myers.

flickr image by paulhami

Ft. Myers beach is a draw any time that college students have winter, summer or spring break. The beaches are quite lovely with soft, light coloured sand that is comfortable under bare feet. The blue waters of the Gulf are enticing and will beckon you into wading or swimming in them. A fact that many visitors are unaware of is that Fort Myers Beach is one of the best beaches in the world for shelling. You can find a wide variety of shells right on the coastline. Take a stroll along the shore and you are bound to find a load of interesting shells.

The Edison and Ford Winter Estates are incredible sights to see. The admission prices are a bit dear but are actually well worth it for the tours. There are twenty acres of gorgeous gardens, buildings which are historical in nature, a museum as well as the Edison Research Laboratory. It’s amazing that most people don’t realize that Thomas Edison, Henry Ford and their nearby wintertime neighbor Harvey Firestone were all great friends and lived closely to each other. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates are well worth the visit.

The Lakes Regional Park on Gladiolas Drive is a great park to visit while on holiday in Fort Myers. They have a really cool train ride that takes the riders on a journey around the lake which lasts fifteen minutes. Kayaks, water bicycles and paddleboats are available as rentals Visitors will enjoy this great park.

The Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre is a nice place to enjoy the live orchestra and Broadway style theatre as well as a delectable buffet filled with delicious foods. The entertainment is wonderful and you will surely have a great evening at the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre.

Baseball enthusiasts will love visiting Fort Myers, Florida in the summer. The City of Palms Park is home to the Atlanta Braves for their Spring Training. Guests to the area are able to purchase tickets to Major League Pre-Season baseball games. We got several autographs while we were there so be sure to bring a baseball or glove so that the players can sign it for you. This will eventually become a part of history as well as a souvenir from your trip to Fort Myers.

A wonderful place that you should visit is the Butterfly Estates. This is an enclosed eco-structure filled with tropical plants with brightly coloured flowers, a babbling brook that is soothing to listen to and a lovely pond with Koi swimming around. Of course, there are loads of butterflies of numerous species. Although the Butterfly Estates is rather small, it is well worth the visit. When we visited, we got a personal tour from the manager. He explained all about the life cycle of these gorgeous creatures and even showed us real butterfly eggs. Afterward, we stopped in the little café onsite and had delicious fresh ice cream. Do try some; it’s quite refreshing on a hot day.

Those who enjoy nude sunbathing will love Bunche Beach. It’s the only gulf beach in Fort Myers where nude bathers will not be fined, arrested or ticketed. Bunche Beach isn’t as nice as the other Fort Myers beaches but it does have beautiful wildlife. If you’re planning to be on the beach at dusk for the sunset, be sure to bring plenty of insect repellent. The mosquitoes are wicked big and swarm beachgoers.

The Shell Factory and Nature Park is a staple for Fort Myers visitors. It is primarily a large store that seemingly goes on forever. We were put off straight away because there were animals mounted all over the place. Taxidermy isn’t our thing but other visitors seemed to enjoy the creatures. The Shell Factory is a bit worn down but it is the best place to purchase a variety of shells native to the area.