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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Fort Myers
Fort Myers is strategically located along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caloosahatchee River, with access to a handful of gorgeous barrier islands. Known as a perennial wintertime favorite of snowbirds, the city is also great for families and young couples. The beach areas have plenty of affordable places to stay and a wide range of water activities to keep everyone entertained. Those in the know avoid high-season altogether and visit in late spring or early fall, when temperatures are still mild but northerners have decamped, leaving behind acres of empty white sand. Attractions & Activities Even if you're planning on spending most of your vacation on a towel or a boat, it's still worth renting a car to hop between waterfront areas. While the term Fort Myers technically refers to the city, most travelers find that it doesn't have enough going on to fill more than a day or two. Celebrated urban planner Andreas Duany has been commissioned to help revive the currently lackluster downtown, but it will be a few years before the city evolves into a destination in its own right. Instead, after a bit of exploration, use it as a jumping-off point to explore nearby Fort Myers Beach, on Estero Island, and the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captiva. Beginning in 1885, Thomas Edison spent his winter months on his 14-acre Fort Myers estate, toiling away in his laboratory or puttering around the Caloosahatchee River on his electric launch. Henry Ford moved in next door, and for years the two industrial innovators lent the city a glamorous air. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates, a sprawling complex that includes both houses, is outfitted with many original furnishings as well as Edison's laboratory and botanical gardens. Tours leave from across McGregor Boulevard, where there is a museum, a gift shop, and the largest banyan tree in the continental United States (239-334-7419; edison-ford-estate.com). A 15-minute drive from downtown Fort Myers, eight-mile-long Estero Island has popular Fort Myers Beach, an expanse of soft sand and safe gulf waters backed by motels and modest condos. Space is at a premium toward the northern Times Square area, a kitschy town center packed with dive bars and souvenir shops. Outfitters for water activities such as boat cruises, parasailing lessons, and fishing trips are based in this area, and the nearby pier is a popular fishing spot. At Estero Island's southern end, Lovers Key State Park is great for nature lovers or families bored of building sand castles. In addition to a two-mile sandy beach, there are five miles of biking and hiking trails (239-314-0110; floridastateparks.org/loverskey; one-hour sunset boat tour, $20 per person). In-park outfitter Nature Recreation Management regularly schedules sunset ecotours and guided kayak trips (239-314-0110; naturerecreationmanagement.com). Across the three-mile-long Sanibel Causeway, Sanibel and Captiva are desolate in the summer but are brimming with northern transplants in the winter months. Because of its unique geographical orientation, Sanibel has some of the best shelling in the world; the downside is that the beach is crunchy rather than soft. Lighthouse Park Beach occupies the southern tip of the island, and its claim to fame is its photogenic namesake beacon. In the middle of the island, Tarpon Bay Beach, one of the better all-around beaches, has wide sands and calm waters. Sanibel is also a haven for birds and wildlife—and those who love to observe them. Founded by an environmentally minded political cartoonist, the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge is 6,400 acres of undeveloped mangroves, marshes, and hammocks. Visitors can walk, bike, or drive the 4.5-mile Wildlife Drive, which has scenic viewpoints for bird- and alligator-spotting and three short trails (239-472-1100; fws.gov/dingdarling). The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation, on Sanibel, has a small museum with kid-friendly displays and well-maintained nature paths (239-472-2329; sccf.org). One of Sanibel's few rainy-day options, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum showcases shells from around the world. Kids can identify their beach finds here and check out the interactive exhibits in the Learning Lab (239-395-2233; shellmuseum.org). Captiva Beach, on the island of the same name, is a spectacular spot to watch the sunset—or, if you're lucky, the bottlenose dolphins gliding by offshore anytime of day. Captiva's 'Tween Waters Marina has a number of charter operators, as well as canoe and kayak rentals (239-472-5161; tween-waters.com/marina.cfm; kayak rentals, from $20 for two hours). One of the area's best day-trips is Captiva Cruises' boat excursion to Cabbage Key, a forgotten slice of Old Florida that's said to have inspired Jimmy Buffet's "Cheeseburger in Paradise" (239-472-5300; captivacruises.com; six-hour cruise, $30 per person). Lodging Luxury travelers usually check in to the high-end properties in neighboring Naples, where you'll find the Ritz-Carlton Naples and the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, both regulars on Condé Nast Traveler's Gold List. Near Fort Myers Beach's town center, the Edison Beach House has a bright salmon facade that's hard to miss. This unpretentious waterfront motel is all suites, and each comes with a kitchen, a washer and dryer, and a private balcony. Times Square's ice-cream shops and hot dog stands are a five-minute walk down the beach. For more than 50 years, the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa has anchored the northern tip of Fort Myers Beach. The sprawling, multibuilding complex is geared toward families, with kitchen-equipped one- and two-bedroom villas, three swimming pools, two tennis courts, and a full complement of water sports and rentals. The current multimillion-dollar renovation will spruce up the decor and add more than 40 villas. For travelers toting Louis Vuitton satchels instead of canvas beach bags, the only place to stay is the chichi Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa. Its 240 rooms have a restrained tropical decor that recalls the island's days as a sophisticated wintertime retreat. True recluses can book one of the 107 rooms at Grande Bay, the hotel's ultra-private resort within a resort, with 107 posh suites and premium concierge services. Sanibel is full of beachfront motels, but the immaculately maintained West Wind Inn outstrips the competition with thoughtful amenities such as microwaves and complimentary popcorn in all rooms, free wireless Internet, and a pleasant pool deck. Captiva's 'Tween Waters Inn was founded in 1931 as a cluster of fishing cottages. Now a resort, it includes six small buildings with guest rooms, as well as a marina, a pool, and tennis courts. The original fishing shacks have been reborn as cozy luxury cottages bearing the names of celebrated former guests, including Charles Lindbergh and J. N. "Ding" Darling. Dining Given Fort Myers' plentiful year-round fishing, it's no surprise that the area's best food comes from—and is served near—the water. The Pierside Grill at Fort Myers Beach has a pleasant deck overlooking the water and serves fresh straightforward seafood dishes. Conch fritters, a local favorite, are properly crispy and studded with chunks of fresh conch (1000 Estero Blvd.; 239-765-7800; entrées, $7-$20). For a small island, Sanibel is packed with restaurants. Amy's Over Easy Café is a favorite for breakfast and lunch. The cheerful café has marigold walls and farm-themed paintings and serves huge portions of wholesome food. Homemade cinnamon buns the size of salad plates are slathered in rich icing—and are worth every sticky, caloric bite (630 Tarpon Bay Rd.; 239-472-2625; entrées, $8-$30). Locals claim that the best fish on Sanibel comes from Timbers Restaurant and Fish Market. But because of its ho-hum maritime decor and satisfying but uninspired dishes, a better option is to get your fresh fillets to go and dine alfresco at your oceanfront condo or cottage (703 Tarpon Bay Rd.; 239-395-2722; entrées, $15-$23). Widely considered the island's top table, the Twilight Café has a teeny second-floor space and an imaginative kitchen. The cuisine has vague Asian undertones and is strikingly creative: Oversized sushi-grade scallops are seared, then served atop tangerine linguine and tangy-sweet marinated cucumber (751 Tarpon Bay Rd.; 239-472-8818; entrées, $17-$33). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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