Florida is filled with great beach towns and Fort Myers Beach is no exception. Located on the Gulf coast side of the state, this destination on Estero Island is a great vacation spot for families and travelers of all kinds. The best part about beach vacations is they can be as active or relaxing as you want. Some people love lounging all day at the beach. But if you’re like us, you prefer to fill your day with some activities in addition to some beach time. Whatever type of person you are, there are plenty of things to do in Fort Myers Beach. In addition, the close proximity to Sanibel and Captiva Islands make it an excellent choice for a trip to South Florida.
We actually honeymooned in Fort Myers Beach, thanks to a generous offer by a friend to let us stay in their condo for free. However, this was before we were truly bitten by the travel bug. So while our honeymoon choices today would likely be a bit more adventurous, it’s also hard to pass up a free week of accommodations! But enough about us, let’s talk about Fort Myers Beach…
GETTING TO FORT MYERS BEACH
If you are traveling by air, you’ll likely fly into Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers. As a single runway airport, it’s not huge but definitely provides the most convenient access to Fort Myers Beach with a variety of major airlines. In terms of transportation, we had both a smooth ridesharing experience on arrival and a rental car dropoff on departure. From the airport, it is about a 20-mile drive from Fort Myers Beach. Depending on traffic, it’ll probably take you around 30-40 minutes.
WHERE TO STAY
The condo we stayed at was a part of Pink Shell Beach Resort and Marina. Located on the northern tip of the island, Pink Shell is a great place to stay for couples and families alike. There are plenty of onsite activities, access to watersports, solid dining options, boat rentals and spa options, all on a beachfront location.
However, Fort Myers Beach barely has any chain hotels on the island, so it’s not the greatest destination to earn or redeem points. There are more options inland, but we’re assuming most visitors will want to be staying right on the beach.
HOW TO GET AROUND
One of the best things about staying in Fort Myers Beach is that there is no reason to rent a car! There is a convenient trolley service that spans the entire island from Bowditch Park to Lovers Key State Park. The fares are extremely reasonable and only costs a few dollars for a multi-day pass. Depending on the season, there may also be a free tram service which covers a shorter distance.
Many places are also in walking distance, so what we typically would do is take the trolley to dinner and then walk back. Of course, we would stop by the convenience store to pick up some drinks to enjoy in our hotel room later in the night (a much more cost-effective way to enjoy drinks than hitting up the beachside bars every evening!)
THINGS TO DO
What’s there to do at Fort Myers Beach? Firstly, there’s the obvious: grab your swimsuit and sunscreen for both relaxation and play on the beachfront. You can also swap chlorine for salt and chill at your hotel pool for a change of scenery.
Watersports and Boats: If you stay at the Pink Shell, they offer complimentary rentals of kayaks and stand-up paddleboards. But if you’re looking for something more, they also provide waverunner, pontoon boat and sailboat rentals through third-party partners. And for the thrillseekers, you can take to the skies through parasailing. Ride solo or tandem for an exciting aerial adventure along the Gulf coast.
Dolphin Tours: One of our favorite experiences we did was a Waverunner dolphin viewing tour. We did the option available through the Pink Shell partner and had a great time. Prior to the tour, we had to quickly study and take a written test to get a Florida boating license. Once we got going, our group followed our guide for an opportunity to see some dolphins up close. We also stopped at a small island to check out some other sea creatures like starfish and mollusks. Don’t worry if you’ve never driven a Waverunner before. It may be a little tricky at first but you’ll quickly get the hang of it and be cruising down the coast by the end.
Parks: Both ends of the island have parks you can visit.
- Bowditch Point Park is located on the northern end right by the Pink Shell resort. There are walking trails and of course areas to swim and sunbathe. If you are looking for a more secluded beach away from the crowds, this may be a good option.
- Lovers Key State Park is a series of barrier islands south of Estero Island. It was one of our favorite spots to visit in Fort Myers Beach. Again, you can expect smaller crowds and stretches of beautiful beaches. If you are a shell collector, look no further. Our condo at the Pink Shell came with large bottles of water and we filled up an entire bottle with shells from this state park. If you are a manatee lover like Karen, there’s a great chance you’ll see some of these gentle creatures here as well!
Sanibel and Captiva Islands: these nearby islands are another popular destination and could be a trip all on their own. But they are also good for a day trip from Fort Myers Beach. We rented a car for a day and made the short 20 minute drive over the bridge to explore these islands. There are plenty of beaches, trails, shopping, restaurants, museums and wildlife centers to fill your day here.
DINING
You’ll find no shortage of great restaurants in Fort Myers Beach. Our favorites included:
- Zushi Zushi: As you may have guessed, this is a sushi restaurant. Now, Karen is not the biggest fan of seafood, so raw fish usually isn’t at the top of her list. However, much to David’s delight, she loved the sushi here and to this day, we still talk about how good this restaurant was. It shares space with House of Brewz, which serves a wide variety of pub fare and craft beer if someone in your party is not a sushi lover.
- The Whale: Being a beach town, many restaurants are understandably seafood focused and the Whale is no exception. They have a great menu of seafood options served in a variety of ways like tacos and sandwiches. But don’t worry: they have several non-seafood options as well. If available, we recommend a table on the upper balcony for great views of the town while you eat. There’s also live music to keep you entertained during your meal.
- Nervous Nellie’s: Another great seafood option is Nervous Nellie’s. This is a fun location right on the water of the Back Bay of Fort Myers Beach. If you want, you can pull up right to the restaurant on your boat! They have a massive menu so seafood lovers will have a tough time deciding what to pick. For non-seafood eaters, there are burgers, sandwiches, pastas, salads and more. It’s definitely an atmosphere you will want to experience.
- Plaka Restaurant: This was one of the few places we ate at that wasn’t focused on seafood. Since we love gyros, this Greek restaurant was an easy choice. This pier-side dining establishment offers all your Greek favorites alongside nice ocean views.
- The Bubble Room: Unique is the only way to describe this restaurant. If you take a trip over to Captiva Island during your Fort Myers Beach vacation, The Bubble Room is a must-stop. It is truly one of the weirdest restaurants we have ever been to. From the weird kitschy decor to massive portions, it cannot be described in words. It simply must be experienced, at the very least for their well-known desserts. The Orange Crunch Cake is not to be missed!
If you stay at the Pink Shell like we did, there are some fantastic dining options on site as well. Start your day off right with the impressive breakfast buffet at Jacks’ Restaurant. However, we ate so much bacon each morning that the impossible happened: we actually got tired of bacon by the end of the week. Shocking, we know. The other on-site restaurant we enjoyed was Bongo’s Bar & Grill whose solid menu that includes appetizers, burgers, pizzas, salads and bowls. In addition, their food is also available via room service which we took advantage of multiple times.
There is also a Publix grocery store right off a trolley station if you are staying in a place with a kitchen and looking to cook some of your meals.
LET'S GO TO THE BEACH...
Whether you want to jet ski, fish, collect shells, eat seafood or just sleep on the beach, there are plenty of things to do in Fort Myers Beach. Don’t forget to stop by one of the many shirt shops to get some obnoxiously bright souvenir tank tops!
In short, we had a great honeymoon in Fort Myers Beach. On the way home, the Southwest gate agent refused to believe we were married. (“You guys look way too young!”) However, halfway through the flight, they asked us over the intercom where we were seated and poor David thought he was in trouble. Turned out they wanted to surprise us with a crown and wedding veil made with peanut packets and a garbage bag, plus a bottle of champagne. If you are flying Southwest and are celebrating a big event, let the staff know… You’ll never know what kind of surprise is coming your way!
Have you been to Fort Myers Beach? What were some of your favorite things to do? Let us know or ask any questions in the comments below. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our other Trips and Tips!