The Best Things to Do in Fort Myers, Florida

We had the pleasure of staying in Fort Myers for a week and it was amazing! It was the perfect escape from the cold, rainy weather that started to take over in Washington. Fort Myers is a seaside town in Florida with beautiful white sand beaches, warm weather, palm trees, and amazing restaurants.

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Where is Fort Myers in Florida?

Fort Myers is a city on the west side of Florida between Tampa and Naples. It’s a very popular tourist destination with famous attractions like the Ford and Edison estates, and has some of the most beautiful white sand beaches around. It’s a great vacation if you’re needing to ditch the winter blues and head somewhere warm!

How to get to Fort Myers

Southwest Florida International Airport is the closest airport to downtown Fort Myers, only a 20 minute drive. Another option is to fly into Tampa International Airport, which is 2 hours 45 minutes away from downtown Fort Myers. Matt and I flew into Tampa and drove down from there since there’s a direct flight from Seattle right into Tampa, it’s perfect! I highly recommend renting a car, as some of the attractions and excursions you’ll do will require a ride or two. One thing to keep in mind when you get to Fort Myers is that traffic gets congested on the single road along the strip, so bike is one of the most preferred transportation methods.

Where to stay on Fort Myers

There are countless options for accommodations on Fort Myers. You could go on a budget friendly trip with a campsite or cheap hotel, but there are also luxury options too! Here are my recommendations for places to stay on Fort Myers:

Camping Accommodations:

Red Coconut RV Park: The Red Coconut RV Park sits right on Fort Myers Beach. So naturally, It’s the perfect place to pitch your tent or bring your motorhome! This park has 60 RV sites that sit right on the beach with additional sites across the street. To top it all off, the property also has shower and laundry facilities so you don’t have to go far once you’re all settled in! I’ve stayed here before and I highly recommend it.

Lodging Accommodations:

The Pink Shell Resort: The Pink Shell is a famous resort on the Fort Myers strip. It’s a beautiful pink hotel that includes a spa, four restaurants, multiple pools, and a marina. It’s also family friendly but has designated adult areas without children. We stayed here on our second trip to Fort Myers and loved it!

Best Western Plus Beach Resort: I saw good reviews on the Best Western Plus Beach Resort online. It’s a great beachfront hotel with access to a private beach and outdoor pool; another great option to consider.

When should you visit?

The best time to visit Fort Myers is October to May. I say that because the weather isn’t too hot and it’s nice to get away during the winter months, but you can visit year round! That being said, hurricane season runs from June through November so keep an eye on the weather in the days leading up to your trip.

Best Restaurants in Fort Myers

Fort Myers has some incredible food in the area. We loved grabbing breakfast each morning and had some amazing dinners as well! Here are recommendations based on where we went in Fort Myers.

Breakfast:

• First Watch: First Watch is a restaurant chain, but don’t let that fool you; it’s some of the best breakfast around. The menu is extensive with something for everyone and the coffee is delicious!
• MoJoe’s Coffee Cafe: The smoothies at MoJoe’s are incredible as well as the coffee’s (I got one of both!). It’s a great spot for breakfast.
• Heavenly Biscuits: The cinnamon roll at Heavenly Biscuits is out of this world, but their breakfast sandwiches are just as good. Definitely stop at this iconic spot!
• Tuckaway Cafe: So Tuckaway Cafe was Matt and I’s favorite spot for breakfast because their bagels were just as good as a New York bagel and that’s saying something! If you like bagels you have to stop in.

Lunch & Dinner:

• Yo! Taco: This spot is great if you need something to grab and go.
• Izzy’s Fish & Oyster: I didn’t get to try Izzy’s, but it’s still on my list so I decided to put it here! If you go, let me know how it is; otherwise I’ll be going next time I visit!
• Flippers: Flippers is a delicious restaurant near Lovers Key State Park. If you visit the park you’ll want to stop in here for lunch or dinner!
• Ford’s Garage: I highly recommend checking out Ford’s Garage after you visit the Edison and Ford Winter Estates. It’s touristy, but we all have to do some touristy things while on vacation!

Excursions in Fort Myers

• Edison & Ford Winter Estates: Thomas Edison and Henry Ford had their winter vacation homes in Fort Myers. The Edison and Ford families turned these estates into a museum where you can tour both homes and the gardens. A tour price is $25 per adult, $20 per teen (ages 13-19), $15 per child (ages 6-12), and free for kids under 5. Don’t forget to grab lunch at Ford’s Garage after your tour!
• Mound House: The Mound House is the oldest standing structure on Fort Myers Beach and stands atop an ancient Calusa Indian Shell Mound. The museum showcases artifacts and explains the history of the Calusa’s, a North American Indian tribe that lived in the southwest coast of Florida. I highly recommend stopping here to learn about the Calusa’s culture and history.
• Manatee Park: Are you looking to see some manatee’s on your trip? If so, then grab your kayak or paddle board and head to Manatee Park. Remember that the water must be 68 degrees or below as that’s the preferred temperature for manatees so this might be a better activity to do in the cooler months!
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve: The preserve is over 3,400 acres of wetland in Fort Myers with animals like otters, alligators, turtles, birds, and more calling home to this area. There are nearly eight miles of hiking trails open to the public. Be sure to check AllTrails for information on the hikes before you go. Dogs are not allowed in the preserve.
• Lovers Key State Park: Lovers Key is a two-mile-long beach and is ranked one of the best beaches in the United States. You should spend the day on this beautiful beach and soak up the sun; dogs are not allowed.
• Sanibel Lighthouse: Sanibel isn’t too far from Fort Myers and has some fantastic attractions. I’m a huge fan of lighthouses and always recommend seeing them when you’re in the area.
• Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum: This is the only museum in the United States dedicated to shells and mollusks. Fort Myers and Sanibel have some of the best shelling in the world and it’s an excellent museum to learn about these little treasures.
• Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW): This wildlife sanctuary is one of the best rehabilitation hospitals for native and migratory animals. Visitors can see the patients and learn how to protect wildlife while at CROW.
• Cabbage Key: Boating to Cabbage Key was my favorite excursion from Fort Myers. You can only get there by boat, so I recommend taking a ferry from Pine Island or Captiva. Once there you have to get lunch at the Cabbage Key Inn and Restaurant – it’s said to have been the inspiration for Jimmy Buffet’s song “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” Finally, don’t forget to hike up the water tower!

What to Bring

• Bathing Suit: You’re headed to the beach! So grab your favorite swimsuit and put it in the suitcase.
• Sunglasses: The sun is definitely shining in Florida, so don’t forget these!
• Sunhat: A classic baseball cap or sunhat is a must when you’re in the sun.
• Sandals: Matt and I love our Teva Sandals and bring them with us everywhere. You can wear them both in and out of the water, which is a feature we love.
• Sunscreen: Don’t forget some reef friendly sunscreen! Sun Bum has been my favorite for a while now.

Facts About Fort Myers

1. Fort Myers and Sanibel has more shell varieties than any other beach in North America.
2. The only shell museum in the United State is in Sanibel!
3. The best way to get around this area is by bike! The bike lanes help tremendously in navigating the congested traffic coming in and out of Fort Myers.
4. You can boat across Florida from Fort Myers to Palm Beach by taking the Caloosahatchee River and Okeechobe Waterway with your boat!
5. Fort Myers is nicknamed the “City of Palms” because Edison and his wife donated the 200 trees lining McGregor Boulevard.

Final Thoughts on Fort Myers

Fort Myers is a great seaside town with beautiful beaches and plenty of outstanding excursions. We still have more to see in the city, but non the less, I loved this getaway to soak in some sun and learn more about the area! Let me know if you decide to check out Fort Myers, and have the best time!