Fort Myers Quick Trips
Root, Root, Root: The Minnesota Twins step up to the plate at Hammond Stadium (239-768-4210), Fort Myers, for spring training in March. During the summer, fans gather for Fort Myers Miracle Florida State League home games.
Pet a Snake: Inside, outside – live animals (more than 100 in all) are everywhere at Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium (239-275-3435), Fort Myers. Hike among butterflies, rehabilitating birds, a contained bobcat and a rare albino raccoon. Inside, pet a snake and come eye-to-eye with a baby gator.
Hear the Song of the Sirens: Gentle and doe-eyed, West Indian manatees collect at Manatee Park (239-694-3537), Fort Myers, for warmth each winter. See (via polarized filters) and hear (through special hydrophones) the large marine creatures.
Buy Me Some Peanuts: City of Palms Park (239-334-4700, 877-RED-SOX9) in downtown Fort Myers is home to Boston Red Sox spring training games.
Geniuses at work!: In the late 1880s, inventor Thomas Edison made Fort Myers his winter home, later convincing his friend Henry Ford to move in next door. At Edison & Ford Winter Estates (239-334-7419), Edison’s laboratory is just as he left it, and his experimental gardens line the Caloosahatchee River.
Follow in Pioneers’ Footsteps: Ancient Calusa Indians, Spanish conquistadors, cow hunters, Cracker farmers, fish camps, ferry boats and World War II soldiers – the Southwest Florida Museum of History (239-321-7430), Fort Myers, follows them all on their travels through local history.
Walk through a Thunderstorm: Tap into your children’s imagination and sense of discovery at Imaginarium Hands-On Museum and Aquarium (239-321-7420), Fort Myers, where the old city waterworks has been brightened and outfitted for play with educational value, including aquariums and a stay-dry thunderstorm.
Chill Out: Fort Myers Skatium (239-461-3145), THE place to be cool when the sun is sizzling, offers indoor ice skating and laser tag.
Take it Easy: Ply the wide waters of the historic Caloosahatchee River for lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch aboard a three-deck paddlewheeler with J.C. Cruises (239-334-7474), Fort Myers.
Drive Historic McGregor Boulevard: You can thank Thomas Edison as you drive past the stately royal palms that line Fort Myers’ most famous thoroughfare. The inventor had them planted during his winter stays – hence Fort Myers’ nickname, City of Palms.
Applaud Then and Now: The glory of the 1920s – the Arcade Theatre (239-332-4488, 877-787-8053) in Fort Myers – has been restored and advanced to the 21st century, where it hosts the professional Florida Repertory Theatre company.
Be Amused by the Muses: Fine art exhibits, cutting-edge stage fare and special outdoor jazz concerts make Fort Myers' Alliance for the Arts (239-939-2787) a well-rounded stop for a taste of culture in any flavor.
Pick Your Stage Pleasure: The Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall (239-481-4849), Fort Myers, is where it happens entertainment-wise – from Broadway musicals to big-name comedians and symphony orchestras.
Walk among Cypress: Witness wetland ecology along a 1.2-mile boardwalk through stately cypress trees at Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve (239-432-2004), Fort Myers.
See a Birdy, Hit a Birdie: Lee County has more golf holes than you can count, most amid lush foliage and avian habitat. Eighteen of the holes lie within Eastwood Golf Course (239-321-7487) Fort Myers, one of its oldest and most beloved.
Head Back in Time: The Lee County Black History Society keeps its collection and exhibits in a clapboard, circa-1942 African-American school in Fort Myers today known as the Williams Academy Black History Museum (239-332-8778).
Love Thy Chocolate: Love and chocolate just go together. At Norman Love Confections (239-561-7215) in Fort Myers, Southwest Florida’s most renowned chocolatier creates handcrafted artisan bonbons and other desserts to bliss-out the most obsessed chocoholic.
Dine with a Sense of Heritage: Ghosts, pioneers, Southern grit cakes with pepper jack cheese and peanut butter fudge pie to die for – they’re all part of the story that the historic restaurant The Veranda (239-332-2065) in Fort Myers tells.
Follow Fashion: Find the chic crowd sipping novelty martinis and scarfing California rolls against a true-blue waterfall background at BluSushi (239-489-1500), a hot restaurant-scene newcomer in Fort Myers.
Strike the Bell Tower: Besides its delightful collection of stores, this handsome Mediterranean-style shopping enclave in Fort Myers has made a reputation in inventive, cutting-edge dining. Local favorites include Bistro 41 (239-466-4141), Crü (239-466-3663) and Saigon Paris Bistro (239-936-2233).
Get Your Vitamin C: Part fruit stand, part tourist attraction – buy your citrus products and watch the packing process at Sun Harvest Citrus (239-768-2686, 800-743-1480) in Fort Myers.
