How to Enjoy Summer Vacation on Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Beach is the perfect choice for your family’s summer beach vacation. Though other beaches in Florida are better known, the Fort Myers Beach area has everything you could want, from quiet natural park preserves to festivals bustling with activity. Many families have made it their “go to” beach destination. Spend a week or more at Fort Myers Beach and you’ll discover why it has become such a popular choice.
Fort Myers Beach is located primarily on Estero Island. The island is about five miles long, with lots of beach vacation rental homes, condominiums, hotels and resorts that cater to vacationers. The beach front is a fun place for families. It’s easily accessible and has places close by to grab some lunch or stock up on sunscreen and beach supplies.
If you are looking for a quieter, less developed beach, drive or bike to the south end of Estero Island and cross the bridge to Lovers Key State Park. The two-mile long beach has lots of space to find a sandy spot with some degree of privacy. If you get bored with shelling, swimming and sunning, there are over five miles of trails for hiking and biking. There is a concession station for renting bikes, canoes and kayaks.
For a fun family day trip, consider an excursion into the Everglades. There are private companies that will will pick you up in Fort Myers Beach, take you on a tour of the Everglades and return you safely at the end of the day. Depending on the operator and options you choose, you can enjoy airboat rides, swamp buggy adventures and driving tours through various habitats in the Everglades. You are likely to see a wide range of wildlife and learn much about the ecology of this area. There are also several options for kayaking eco-tours.
If you need a day out of the sun, or if it happens to rain for an afternoon, Fort Myers Beach has several enjoyable ways to spend some time indoors. The Fort Myers Beach Theater has four movie screens and even serves dinner, beer and wine. The food options are basic, but it’s a fun way to combine dinner and a movie.
The Ostego Bay Marine Science Center is on San Carlos Island, which is between Estero Island and the mainland and is still part of Fort Myers Beach. The Center has interactive exhibits and displays, aquariums, touch tanks and several special collections. It’s another fun way to learn about the natural environment of Southwest Florida.
There are many other family activities in the area, including adventure golf, amusement parks, state parks and water-based tours. Just be sure you leave some time for relaxing on the beach. Sometimes the best beach vacation activity is the short walk from your beach rental house down to the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. You’ll find the Fort Myers Beach experience is worth returning to year after year.