Tropical wetlands and beaches with views of the Gulf of Mexico lie between bohemian and artistic cities with plenty of dining and shopping options.
Southwest Florida is a large zone that includes many of the scenic beaches and gardens of the Gulf Coast. It has a comfortable climate year round, drawing vacationers and sunbathers to its islands, capes and parklands. Drive along the coast, enjoying views of the Gulf of Mexico to the west when you visit Southwest Florida.
Stay in Sarasota for its thriving art community and wonderful shopping opportunities. Relax at the beach on a sunny day and explore the intriguing plants of the Sarasota Jungle Gardens. Visit the Ringling Museum of Art and Harding Circle Historic District.
A little south are the wetlands and forests of the large Myakka River State Park. Go camping here and take a kayak out on the river.
As you continue south, you’ll reach the Fred C. Babcock/Cecil M. Webb Wildlife Management Area, where you can enjoy fishing, camping and hiking.
Try some of the adventure tours setting off from nearby Fort Myers to see alligators, dolphins and all types of birds. Explore the city’s various malls and stroll past the waterfall of the Butterfly Estates. Study inventions from two of the greatest innovators of the United States in the Edison and Ford Winter Estates.
Go boating at the adjacent Cape Coral, a coastal community with the Cape Coral Yacht Club. Picturesque Bonita Beach lies just south, before you reach Naples, which is known for the spectacular Naples Botanical Garden and the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. At the state’s southern tip is the vast tropical wetlands area of Everglades National Park.
The region stretches across the eastern side of the Gulf of Mexico, in the southwestern corner of the State of Florida, which juts out from the southeastern corner of the United States. Arrive at Southwest Florida International Airport or Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and travel around the area via its extensive highways.
Southwest Florida is a network of stunning beaches and marshes overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.