Fort Myers & Sanibel

A gateway to vacations on Florida's southwest Gulf Coast, with the Edison and Ford Winter Estates on the river and Sanibel Island's nationally famous shelling beaches.

Fort Myers is in Lee County in southwest Florida, where the Caloosahatchee River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Together with Sanibel and Captiva islands to the southwest and Fort Myers Beach to the south, it forms one of the most popular vacation areas on Florida's west coast. It's known for calm, warm Gulf beaches, nationally famous shelling beaches, mangrove wildlife and the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.

The area breaks down into three parts: downtown Fort Myers (the River District historic downtown, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, IMAG, Six Mile Cypress Slough and winter manatee viewing); Sanibel and Captiva (the lighthouse, the J.N. "Ding" Darling refuge, shelling at Bowman's Beach, the shell museum, Captiva sunsets, and boat trips to Cayo Costa and Cabbage Key); and Fort Myers Beach and the south (the beach town, Lovers Key State Park and Koreshan State Historic Site). Matlacha fishing village and Pine Island to the northwest make a good half-day trip.

Getting there: Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) has nonstop flights from across the US, and Orlando and Miami are about 3 hours away by car. Sights are spread out and public transport is limited, so you'll basically need a rental car; the Sanibel Causeway charges a toll, and parking on the islands is tight in high season. Plan on 3–5 days. The best time to visit is the Nov–Apr dry season, which is warm with little rain, though hotel prices are high in Feb–Mar during spring training and spring break; Jun–Nov is hurricane season, muggy with frequent thunderstorms. Hurricane Ian hit Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach hard in 2022; most attractions have reopened, but some facilities are still being rebuilt, so check the latest status before you go.

Top sights

• Edison and Ford Winter Estates – Winter homes of inventor Thomas Edison and automobile tycoon Henry Ford, side by side, including a laboratory, museums, and a century-old b…
• J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge – A mangrove wildlife refuge in the north of Sanibel Island, where you can drive the wildlife road to see roseate spoonbills, pelicans, and a…
• Sanibel Lighthouse & Lighthouse Beach Park – The 1884 iron-frame lighthouse at the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, with a beach, fishing pier, and nature trails nearby.
• Bowman's Beach – One of Sanibel's quietest beaches, famous for its abundant shells, and the place where the “Sanibel stoop,” the habit of bending over to pi…
• Captiva Island – A narrow small island north of Sanibel, with a tropical garden village, sunset beaches, and departure points for boat tours.
• Fort Myers Beach – A long, white-sand beach and beach town on Estero Island, with gentle waves and shallow water. Times Square is the lively center.
• Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium – The only national museum in the United States devoted to shells and mollusks, with aquariums and live octopuses and conchs.
• Lovers Key State Park – A state park made up of several barrier islands, with uncrowded white sand beaches. You can kayak and see manatees and dolphins.
• Cayo Costa State Park – A barrier island reachable only by boat, with about 14 kilometers of undeveloped beach, plenty of shells and dolphins.
• Cabbage Key – A small island restaurant reachable only by boat, with dollar bills signed by visitors covering the walls. It is said to have inspired a fa…
• Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve – A cypress wetland just outside Fort Myers. A boardwalk of about 2 kilometers runs through bald cypress forests and ponds.
• Lee County Manatee Park – A county park beside the warm-water discharge canal of a power plant. In winter, dozens of manatees often gather here to escape the cold.
• Koreshan State Historic Site – The site of a religious utopian community from the late 19th century, with preserved wooden buildings and gardens. You can go rowing on the…
• Fort Myers River District – The old town along the Caloosahatchee River, where restaurants, bars and galleries occupy historic brick buildings. Riverwalk paths are goo…
• Matlacha – A colorful fishing village on the road to Sanibel. Candy-colored cottages house galleries, seafood restaurants and ice cream shops.
• Hammond Stadium – The spring training home of the Minnesota Twins. Each year in February and March, you can watch major league stars play in a small ballpark…
• IMAG History & Science Center – A family-friendly science museum in downtown Fort Myers, combining an aquarium, interactive science exhibits and a history of southwest Flo…
• Mound House – An old house built on a 2,000-year-old shell mound of the Calusa people. It is the oldest building on Estero Island and now serves as an ar…
• Randell Research Center & Calusa Heritage Trail – A Calusa archaeological site in northern Pine Island. A trail winds past massive ancient shell mounds and the remains of canals.
• Sanibel Historical Museum & Village – An open-air museum where old island buildings, including a post office, school and general store, have been moved to one site. It tells the…
• JetBlue Park – The spring training home of the Boston Red Sox, designed after Fenway Park, with a “Green Monster” wall that has seats on top. Major league…

Where to eat

• Doc Ford's Rum Bar & Grille (Sanibel) – A longtime island seafood bar named after a bestselling novel's hero, famous for Yucatan shrimp, and one of the first r…
• Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant – A new restaurant from the team behind Island Cow and Mad Hatter, near the lighthouse beach, serving breakfast, lunch an…
• The Bubble Room – A three-story retro toy-themed restaurant on Captiva Island, reopened in 2025 after Hurricane Ian, with orange crunch c…
• Timbers Restaurant & Fish Market – A longtime Sanibel seafood restaurant with its own fish market, known for its large portions of crunchy grouper served…
• The Veranda – A longtime Southern restaurant in downtown Fort Myers, open since 1978 in two turn-of-the-century houses and famous for…

Itineraries

• Florida Grand Loop Tour – Starting in Miami, explore the Keys, the Gulf Coast, Orlando, and St. Augustine.