Fort Myers

Fort Myers is a sunny, warm-weather city where you can fish for tarpon, spy alligators and birds at wetland reserves and learn about two of the city’s most famous winter residents: Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

The town’s premier attraction is the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the neighboring properties where the two great inventors spent their winters. Browse the exhibits in the museum, which occupies their side-by-side abodes and details the work and achievements of the two pioneering businessmen.

For further insight into local history, visit the IMAG History and Science Center. Here, displays include an animal lab showcasing alligators, iguanas, pythons and prairie dogs among other creatures. Don’t miss the dinosaur-focused exhibit where real fossils are on show.

Abundant outdoor activities and wildlife-watching opportunities can be found in the Fort Myers area. Play a round of golf at Fort Myers Country Club or at Eastwood Golf Course. Venture upriver to Lee County Manatee Park between December and March to see the “sea cows” swimming in the warm waters. Stroll along the boardwalk trail of the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, where everything from migrating birds to alligators can be spotted.

Don’t leave without driving or taking a stroll down McGregor Boulevard. This stately road is lined with attractive royal palms, some of which, according to local legend, were planted by Thomas Edison. Admire the historic houses lining the riverbank and stop for a drink or a meal in one of the roadside cafés.

The nearest airport to Fort Myers is Southwest Florida International Airport, which is about 25 minutes from Fort Myers by car. Although bus and coach routes connect Fort Myers with other major Floridian cities, such as Miami, Orlando and Tampa, renting a car is the best way to travel around the area itself. If you fancy some beach time, the white-sand stretches of Fort Myers Beach are just a 30-minute drive away.