Strolling through the Historic Downtown River District

To get a good grip of Ft Myers downtown, you can start with River district, where pretty shops, restaurants and imperial palms line its streets, looking for historical buildings and various sculptures.

Ft Myers used to be a compact city on Caloosahatchee River’s shore. Now it is expanding to the south east side, and no wonder if one day it will unite with Fort Myers Beach.

Fort Myers Beach

Do not mistake, Fort Myers Beach is a small town located on Estero Island, in the same County Lee, as Fort Myers. As the name suggest, it boasts with seven miles of white sandy beaches along the Gulf of Mexico. Only 25 km from Fort Myers, driving may be a drawback, depends on the traffic, as there is only one bridge at the north end of the island. Also, another drawback could be the parking fee, as it varies from $5/hr to $25/day. An afternoon visit is a must, and if you are lucky enough, you may witness an unforgettable sunset. If not, you can still enjoy the white sand, the endless sky, and the various shades of blue water, as well as one of the many terraces and restaurants along the shore.

By 1965 the Postal Office building was converted to a Federal Courthouse, which, later on, being abandoned, was saved by the $1 million pledge from Berne Davis for the building restoration.

Today, the art center hosts a large variety of events throughout the year. Beside the first and second floor opened for monthly exhibitions, the rooftop is opened to the public since 2021. While the Grand Atrium is opened during the day time for the monthly gallery, at night time, or in the weekend, the space is changing its gown, like a Cinderella, turning it itself into a concert room, where various artists will play for the public.

Art scene

Beside the museums and the galleries opened all year round, there are many concerts, and art related events during a month time. But Fort Myers boasts itself with a great amount of outdoor artwork as well, free to the public along several venues.

Often inspired by history, artists, like Jim Sanborn, will challenge the viewers with their art-works. The Caloosahatchee Manuscripts, consisting of two bronze, lantern-like cylinders grace the sidewalks in front of the Sidney & Berne Art Center. The eastern lantern-like sculpture drum contains the text of a story told by Maskoki Indian leader Tchikilli to James Oglethorpe about the migration of Native Americans into Florida, and the western drum contains the Latin names of 500 botanicals that Edison tested in an effort to develop a local source of latex from which to make rubber.

Trying local food

Food might not be the first thing to come to your mind when speaking about Florida. But we tried enhancing our gastronomic experiences finding some places with local food. Or drinks. As first-time travelers to Florida 7 years ago, we enjoyed gator bites, so we didn’t miss them this time either.

River district has an array of restaurants you can chose from, which can boast with fancy menus, and own galleries. Trying some local beer is definitely worth it, especially when the second one comes for free.

Sanibel Island

Sanibel Island is another popular tourist destination, known for its shell beaches, and wildlife refuges. More than half of the island is made up of wild refuges, the largest one being J. N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. The only drawback is the traffic, as only a two-lane bridge is connecting the island with mainland. Be prepared for long waits, as this is one of the most popular places, not only for tourists, but for locals as well.

Water sports

From the moment you arrive in Fort Myers, you are assaulted by the sunshine and nature, a salty breeze in your face and hair, and bounties of fresh seafood, and tropical fruits. Beside the hundreds of charters, cruises, tours, and rentals, Lee County invites paddlers to explore the bays, rivers, back rivers, and shorelines of Southwest Florida. The Great Calusa Blueway paddling trail is a 190-mile marked canoe and kayak trail that meanders through the coastal waters and inland tributaries.

Parks and Preserves

Nature walkers may be lured by any of the several parks and preserves around Fort Myers. Wetland ecosystems, boardwalk trails, plants, wildlife, everything invites you to spend some quality time in the middle of the nature. The preserves are very popular for their free entrance, but the $ parking is quite limited. For options and details, you can check the Lee County list here.

Nightlife

For an unforgettable night, with live music and entertainment, Naples has few nice selections. Blue martini Lounge was our choice of the evening, and if you are in the area for a night or two, you can check here what band will play or event will take place every night.