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Photo credit: Theresa Norton
As cold weather looms ahead, many families seeking a sun-and-sand vacation may find an ideal destination in Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches &Neighborhoods.
As its tagline suggests, Fort Myers in Southwest Florida offers pretty much everything a family wants in a winter getaway – high temperatures in the mid-70s, gorgeous sunsets, miles of white-sand beaches, museums, seafood restaurants, nature trails and, during the holiday season, boat parades, decorated store windows and more.
Destinations Within the Destination
What exactly does Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods include?
It encompasses Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Matlacha, Boca Grande & Outer Islands, North Fort Myers, Alva, Buckingham and Lehigh Acres.
Regarding Hurricane Ian, the powerful storm that ravaged the area on Sept. 28, 2022 – the Category 4 storm destroyed swaths of the Fort Myers area, but the destination has rebounded and now boasts new hotels, restaurants and amenities, including the first new resort built right on Fort Myers Beach in two decades.
Accommodations Options
“We’re back,” said Tamara Pigott, executive director of the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Every day, every month, every few months, something new is opening. We have new hotels under construction. And I think it’s going to be that way for a number of years going forward.
“We are a thriving community. We have over 10,000 hotel rooms open in our community for people to stay in. And our community needs visitors to come back and spend their dollars in our community because it’s so important to our local economy.
“I mean this genuinely, please don’t forget about us,” Pigott said. “You will be surprised how happy our businesses are to see you. They can’t wait to welcome you back. And honestly, they have worked so hard to get to where they are. They need you.”
Fort Myers Welcomes Margaritaville
The biggest news on the hotel front was the opening of Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach in December 2023. The resort was under construction when Hurricane Ian hit. The portion already built actually shielded other buildings behind it, so they escaped worse damage when the hurricane made landfall at Fort Myers.
A King Guestroom at Margaritaville Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach – Photo credit:: Margaritaville
Margaritaville opened with a celebration of the destination’s resilience. The property has 254 guest rooms and six restaurants, including JWB Grill – named after the late James (Jimmy) William Buffett – which features steaks and dishes made from local fish and Gulf shrimp.
Other options include the License to Chill Bar & Grill for breakfast and an all-day menu of casual fare; and the 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar for appetizers, salads and burgers.
The ambiance at Margaritaville is breezy and casual. A giant flip-flop welcomes visitor in the lobby. The guestroom décor features beach-washed floors, aqua-colored walls, crisp white sheets and a pillow with the phrase “Changes in Latitude” on it.
New properties downtown, in the River District, include The Banyan Hotel Fort Myers, Tapestry Collection by Hilton. This historic hotel was completely renovated in 2022 and has an outdoor pool and rooftop bar on the eighth floor.
The 118-room Hampton Inn Fort Myers Downtown opened in January 2024 with an outdoor pool, free parking and complimentary daily hot breakfast.
Visitor Demographics
The Fort Myers area, which offers a more relaxed feeling than Miami and Fort Lauderdale, is also popular with families, which comprised about 41 percent of visitors last year. About 35 percent of visitors traveled with children under 18, according to a Fort Myers tourism study.
The majority of visitors in 2023 hailed from the Midwest (33.8 percent), Southeast (20 percent) and New York/New England (19.5 percent).
Photo credit: Theresa Norton
“The Midwest is definitely our number-one market. This is old travel patterns when you used to load up in the station wagon, and your mom and dad and maybe a sister and brother drove down I-75 to the west coast of Florida,” Pigott said. “So, Midwesterners, for sure, but followed closely by the southeast. We offer easy flights, but it’s also an easy drive if you want to drive. We have a fantastic airport.
Excellent Flight Options
“Southwest Florida International Airport is super; the airport code is RSW. We encourage people to check the flight prices before they decide to drive because sometimes it’s cheaper to fly. We have good air service from all the major cities.”
Families and multigenerational groups are drawn to the beaches on the Gulf. “The nice thing about the west coast of Florida is the way the beaches are,” Pigott said. “They’re the continental shelf. It’s a very gentle slope, and of course the Gulf is gentle with lapping waves, so little kids can play on the beach without a lot of fear of the undertow. The water’s warm. So, it’s really nice for families.”
“You can be confident going back to the places that have reopened, although we are still in recovery and that there will be some things that don’t look as pretty as they used to,” she said.
“The sand is still white. The water is still blue. It’s still a special place. You can be confident that we’re going to take good care of you when you come back here,” Pigott added. “Our community really is thrilled to welcome you back, to have them you contributing to our economy, which is, in essence, contributing to our recovery.”
This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.