Where to stay

The city of Fort Myers is near many beautiful beaches that are great for family activities, such as sandcastle building, seashell hunting and watersports. The surrounding neighborhoods have many additional activities for families. Stay in central Fort Myers and head north of the city to Manatee Park, where beautiful marine creatures come to enjoy warm waters. Just across the Caloosahatchee River, book a hotel in North Fort Myers to kayak down Yellow Fever Creek. Lehigh Acres, east of Fort Myers, has four golf courses and 16 lakes for fishing and boating. West of the city, Matlacha is a good place to book accommodations for fishing charters. Stay in Villas to spend days visiting the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve for wildlife and a butterfly garden while hiking along wetland trails.

Fort Myers lies along the Caloosahatchee River, but just south of the city are numerous great beaches. Stay near Fort Myers Beach, which is on a small island perfect for parasailing, kayaking and viewing dolphins. Book a hotel in Sanibel, famous for its sunsets and seashell hunting. Before starting your hunt, visit the Sanibel Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum to get familiar with types of shells. Estero Island also has great beaches. Stay here to take a boat ride to an island with Mound Key Archaeological State Park, where the Calusa Indians are thought to have conducted ancient ceremonies. Captiva Island accommodations are convenient for relaxing beach days as well as biking, sailing and bird watching. Lessons are available for sailing and catch-and-release fishing. Hotels in Cape Coral are near beautiful beaches along the Gulf Coast. The neighborhood also has inland canals, golf, boating, fishing and watersports. To enjoy both the city of Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach, book a hotel halfway between in Villas.

Fort Myers River District is filled with a variety of cultural interests. Book a hotel here to tour the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, where two great U.S. inventors took time to relax. Bring the family to the IMAG History and Science Center, meet artists during the neighborhood art walk on the first Friday of every month and admire the yachts moored along the river. While the River District Florida Repertory Theatre is also in this neighborhood, hotels across Fort Myers are also convenient for visiting this award-winning theater to enjoy its year-round performances. Stay in Villas, south of Fort Myers, to see touring Broadway shows, dance performances and other well-known entertainers at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall.