The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel Island — Travel Guide — JEFF ON THE ROAD

Southwestern Florida Realness in Fort Myers Beach

This lesser known part of the Sunshine State has a lot to offer to a wide variety of travellers. When we think of Florida, we immediately picture the tall white buildings and crowded beaches of Miami or the kids playing in the attraction parks of Orlando. Now picture this: long walk on white sand beaches, cute coloured houses and an overall relaxed vibe everywhere you go. This is exactly what you’re gonna get when you’re gonna head to the west coast — the best coast — of Florida, in Fort Myers.

Let’s find out what’s good to eat, what’s to do, where to stay and what to bring on your trip?

Also, make sure to check out this video I shot while I was there.

Where to eat in Fort Myers?

The region is known for its amazing fresh fish and seafood. You can get it in almost every restaurant of the area. Since it’s close to the sea & ocean, it can’t get any fresher than this. In each restaurant we visited, the portions were way more than generous — almost too generous sometimes.

Gastronomic Recommendations in Fort Myers

Bayfront Bistro

Sunset Grill

Dollar Bill Bar

Latté Da

Keylime Bistro

The Bubble Room

Nervous Nellie’s

Ford’s Garage

What to do in Fort Myers?

While you can certainly beach all day every day while in beautiful Fort Myers, there is also a handful of nice activities to do if you’re not the beach type. While my favourite activity when in a beach area is definitely watching the sunset, I really enjoyed the more cultural side of Fort Myers by visiting Edison & Ford Winter Estate. Also, for the wildlife lovers out there, there are a few national parks nearby where you can some amazing species. Personally, I went to J.N. « Ding » Darling National Wildlife Refuge because you can hop on a guided tour and learn everything about the species you’re gonna watch.

If you’re in for shopping, hit the Sanibel Outlets where you’ll find awesome brands at a fraction of the price. I bought the nicest pair of Adidas Stan Smith, the color wheel version — hey there Apple fanboys — check them out.

Activities Recommendations in Fort Myers

Sunset Beach

J.N. « Ding » Darling National Wildlife Refuge

Captiva Beach

Cruise to Cabbage Key

Fort Myers Beach

Shopping at Mango Bay, Winds in Times Square

Edison & Ford Winter Estates

Banyan Tree

Shopping at Sanibel Outlets

Where to stay in Fort Myers?

While I was in Fort Myers, I stayed in two different resorts from the same group that is both directly on the beach. The first one was Sandpiper Gulf Resort and I loved it for its smaller size and the bright yellow exterior. Also, there are barbecues and a nice swimming pool that are ready to use.

The other resort I stayed at was Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina. It’s a family-oriented resort that has very large rooms that can accommodate a lot of people. They call their rooms “villas” for a good reason: it’s huge.

Accommodations Recommendations in Fort Myers

Sandpiper Gulf Resort

Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina

What to bring in Fort Myers?

Here’s a list of what you should consider bringing for a perfect trip to Fort Myers.

1. Different types of sunscreen. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to use a good sunscreen when you’re travelling to a sunny destination — or whenever you expose yourself to the sun. I always bring three types of sunscreen with me. First, I bring La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Lotion Spray for Face and Body, Water Resistant with SPF 60 that I discovered through my friend Eve. I also bring the cream version of the same sunscreen, La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Cooling Water-Lotion Sunscreen for Face and Body, Water Resistant with SPF 60. Finally, I bring this Banana Boat Ultra Defense Sunscreen Stick which comes very handy for the face and the neck and other sensitive areas.
2. Whenever I travel somewhere my camera can get wet, I like to bring this waterproof case for my DSLR. You have to choose the right one for your DSLR and make sure to test it before dipping it in the water but once you did, it comes very helpful if you wanna try a different kind of shot. It won’t replace a hard waterproof DSLR case, but it’s still very useful.
3. Tote bag to bring all your goods to the beach. Choose one that has enough room for your bathing suit, a large towel, sunscreen and whatever else you might need.
4. Sunglasses: Bring a pair… or two!
5. Bluetooth Speaker for the beach. My favourite one is the Logitech UE Boom that his water and dust proof. Perfect to bring in a sandy environment.
6. Sandals: while it might be obvious, bring a good pair of sandals, like these Birkenstock, which I love. Also, consider bringing another pair that you won’t be scared to wet a little since you’re gonna be near the water most of the time. Personally, when I go to the beach, I like to bring these FiveFingers water shoes from Vibram, they’re amazing and your feet won’t get hurt by whatever is in the water or on the beach.
7. The hat is crucial unless you’re bald and applying sunscreen on your hair. I like a large hat
8. Insect Repellent can be very useful in the evening
9. Towel
10. Hand fan for when it’s way too hot
11. Thermal water that you keep in the mini-fridge at night. I swear, this is a total life saver
12. Hydrating Sheet Mask
13. Gold Bond Medicated Powder is the perfect to stay dry and fresh all day in humid corners of your body

Anything missing from this list that is a must for you? Tell me in the comments section below!

How to get there?

Getting to Fort Myers by plane

Another amazing aspect of going to Fort Myers: the flights are so cheap. You can easily find flights for as low as 250$ CAD leaving from Montreal.

Getting to Fort Myers by ground

A lot of people do this the good old way, by car. If you have enough time, plan a road trip, there are amazing things to see on the way.