Trade snow boots for flip flops.
Step Into the Sunshine
When temperatures at home drop, it’s time to book your flight to the Fort Myers area, where you can discover everything that makes our corner of Southwest Florida an idyllic winter retreat, from amazing beaches to parks filled with wildlife.
For generations, snowbirds have counted on spending their winters in Fort Myers — including Thomas Edison and Henry Ford! In fact, Edison purchased 13 acres of land on his very first trip to Southwest Florida in 1885. For six decades, the Edison family made memories in their winter home on the Caloosahatchee River. Henry and Clara Ford arrived in 1914 at Edison’s invitation and had such a good time that they bought the adjacent home two years later. See how these innovators spent their winters on a visit to the iconic Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
With as many as 300 days of sunshine all year, Fort Myers can help stave off the winter blues. Start your day with a healthy dose of light as you explore parks, nature centers and preserves. Gentle boardwalks allow for easy outdoor strolls in places like Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium and through the wetlands of Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve. In Estero, Koreshan State Park is open for daytime visitors to wander among the oak trees by the Estero River. You can also catch a spectacle as migratory birds make the Fort Myers area their home for the season.
Winter sun also means it’s prime season for fruits like oranges, grapefruits, loquats and sweet canistels. Pick up plenty of vitamin C on Saturday mornings at the Bonita Springs Farmers Market and the Cape Coral Farmers Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Or head to the northern end of Pine Island to visit Bokeelia’s plentiful fruit stands.
If a city break is more your style, you’re in luck. From dining outdoors in the historic River District to sipping a cold beer at a local brewery, there’s time to enjoy a different style of dining at every meal. There’s no reason to wait — start planning your vacation full of sunshine in Fort Myers.
