Cape Coral & the SW Gulf Coast
Cape Coral, the largest canel city in the world, lies west of Fort Myers across the broad sweeping estury of the Caloosahatchee River.
Cape Coral is located only 20 minutes drive from the white sandy beaches of Sanibel Island and 35 minutes from the city of Naples and provides a annual average temperature of 80 degrees with endless sunshine.
Cape Coral, surrounded by coastline and its extensive system of canals and lakes provides great opportunities for boating, fishing and all the popular and fun watersports. Boats are available to rent and charter and there are many trips available out to sea for fishing or just relaxing.
Known as an ideal location for family fun, Cape Coral offers a 12 acre family water park, a family sports amusement center, and a children's science center Four Freedom Parks and a Four Mile Eco-park.
Cape Coral's harbour and waterfront provides a magnet for prestigious yachting marinas. While the downtown development provides a variety of unique specialty shops to well-known national favorites with dining at fabulous restaurants that specialize in ethnic foods, all in an elegant but frinedly atmosphere.
Whatever you want from your holiday you'll find that this growing community maintains a friendly, small-town atmosphere which invites you to discover a wealth of activities and attractions.
Fort Myers & the Gulf Coast
Fort Myers, a thriving city rich in history and nature, serves as gateway to a stretch of islands known for their white-sand beaches, bird life and recreational opportunities. The city hugs the shores of the wide Caloosahatchee River, which created the town and levered its importance during the Seminole Wars. Since the early 1800s, settlers and visitors of fame and wealth came to Fort Myers and area, most notably light bulb inventor Thomas A. Edison, who built his home, laboratory and botanical gardens between the river and McGregor Boulevard, the town's most celebrated drive, thanks to Edison. He lined the old road with stately royal palms that remain a signature today. His contributions to the city (he also plugged Fort Myers into electricity) are celebrated on his birthday every February with the Edison Festival of Light Pageant, culminating in a nighttime parade.
Professional theater, a sophisticated performing arts hall and two sports parks, which host the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins for spring training, provide entertainment in the Fort Myers area. Downtown is evolving into a lively night scene where clubs, coffee houses, street performers and cafes draw a young, artsy crowd. For nature lovers, parks preserve fragile habitat while providing trails for hiking, biking and paddling. Manatee Park is home to a herd of endangered Florida manatees that come to winter in its warm waters every year. Visitors can kayak among them or listen to their singing through special hydrophones.
Main among Fort Myers’ litany of barrier islands are Fort Myers Beach, a bustling beach town priced for families; Sanibel Island, centered around its famous shelling beaches and birding mecca at J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge; Captiva Island, a jumble of quirky shops and restaurants; and Bonita Beach, where the Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail begins to head north 90 miles. Sanibel is also home to the one-of-a-kind Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, plus a historic village and a couple of nature attractions. Its Tarpon Bay lies along the Blueway and is part of the wildlife refuge. Roseate spoonbills, bald eagles, ospreys, manatees, dolphin, sting rays, tarpon and bob cats dwell in forests and waters of the refuge.
Besides canoeing and kayaking, the islands lure with nature boat tours, fishing and shelling charters, a sailing school, boat rentals, parasailing, sightseeing voyages, and cruises to the upper islands, reclusive and accessible only by boat. Shelling, secluded beaching, nature hikes, camping, lunching and cottage or home rentals beckon adventurers to these castaway islands.
With its gentle Gulf of Mexico waves, shell-strewn beaches, neighborly attitude and laid-back tempo, Fort Myers and its islands coerce a mood of peaceful relaxation