Bay to Beach

Beach Access

by tpangelinan

Beach access point are all up and down Estero Blvd., there are many but each one has not many parking scapes in them. If your handicapped you will have an easier time finding a spot. Some can be hard to get in and out of, so be careful. I would not park any where on the side of the road, they will tow you!

Barefoot Beach Preserve County Park

by AnnS

Barefoot Beach is well worth a visit if you like nature. It's about a 20 minute drive from Fort Myers Beach, towards Naples, and the best time to go is early evening, when there's hardly anyone around and the wildlife is more active.

To get to it, you drive through an exclusive gated community of luxurious dwellings and you are not allowed to stop the car and gawk at them... sadly. You have to drive very slowly because the Preserve is the home to gopher tortoises and they tend to walk in the middle of the road.

There are a number of car parks, with paths leading through to the beach. We use the last car park from where there is a trail right through to the far end of the Preserve and if you're very quiet, you are likely to see some interesting animals. The best of these for me was an armadillo who came trotting out of the bushes right beside us but unfortunately, it was before I had my digital camera.

At the end of the trail, there's a sound where shore birds and pelicans fish and often a few people are there too, enjoying the evening in their boats.

The beach itself is lovely. It has no services so is very natural and usually almost deserted. You are likely to find some nice shells along the water line and again, you'll see a variety of birds on the beach and ospreys nesting in the nearby trees. It's a wonderful place to stay until nightfall and watch a glorious sunset.

J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge

by AnnS

The Refuge is just a short drive from Fort Myers Beach, on neighbouring Sanibel Island, and is well worth a visit. It's home to over 220 species of birds and is a great place to observe them in their natural habitat. It's also a wonderfully peaceful location for a walk.

Entrance costs $5 per car (less for a cycle or on foot). A well-maintained road runs the length of the Refuge and you can stop wherever you like. You can also park the car and walk along several trails. If you keep your eyes peeled you'll see lots of wonderful things. I visit at least once every time I'm in Florida and always see something different. I've even seen a couple of alligators.

I would recommend visiting either early morning or early evening, when the birds are more active. The Refuge is open every day except Friday, from 7:30am until sunset.

Welcome to Fort Myers Beach

by tpangelinan

"Beautiful beach and great sunsets"

This is a great beach town, full of things to do and see. Lots of wonderful little stores along the main drag to keep you busy eating & shopping. The beach is wide, clean and has soft and hard sand for your tanning pleasure. Terry & I took the family here on vacation this year and had a wonderful time exploring the area. So come have a look and see the many thing to do here. At night this town really comes alive, shopping, entertainers in Time Square, people watching, icecream and much more!