Shopping - The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Vacationing in a tropical paradise includes shopping along the beaches

LEE COUNTY, FL – When you need a break from the beautiful sugar-white beaches, sparkling Gulf waters and picture-perfect year round weather, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel offers unique shopping opportunities to visitors from all over the world. For shopaholics in need of some retail therapy there are upscale malls with designer labels, elegant boutiques and outlet centers with mega savings. For visitors looking for the perfect purchase for a reminder of a vacation in paradise, there are art galleries, museum stores, and quaint seaside shops to fill hours of fun.
Antique shops, flea markets, sea shell shops, jewelry stores with inspirations from the sea and more are just waiting to be explored. There is even a salon where chocoholics can refuel and a gallery that will sell you a coconut postcard to send home! An international design center offers top name showrooms to inspire new home decorating ideas.

For your shopping list: Found only at The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel!
Calling all chocoholics to munch on decadent, handmade truffles and desserts at the famous Norman Love Chocolate Salon. Shop for your favorites and send some home! www.Normanloveconfections.com.

Flip over flip flops at Congress Jewelers on Sanibel Island. Family owned on Sanibel since 1983, the jeweler created the original Sanibel Sandal. www.congressjewelers.com.

Visit the original Chico's on Sanibel Island and see where the well-know women's clothing line began in 1983. www.chicos.com

Make unique purchases at museum gift shops such as the Bailey -Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel Island where visitors purchase Sailor's Valentine kits to make these coveted treasures at home (www.shellmuseum.com). Also check out the shopping at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates (www.efwefla.org) in Fort Myers and the Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum (http://www.barrierislandparkssociety.org) on Boca Grande.

Get inspired at the new International Design Center (IDC) in Estero, where you will find fine furniture, accessories, fabrics, wall coverings, lighting, kitchen and bath products, flooring, antiques and more...all under one roof. Open to the public, the IDC offers "designers on call" to assist with tours of the showrooms and to make purchases in a consumer-friendly environment that welcomes shoppers into the exciting world of design. Amenities include valet parking, a café and designer lounge. www.idcfl.com.

Plan your shopping excursion!
To get you started, here are just a few fun and inspiring shopping opportunities at The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

Wile away an afternoon at Sanibel Island Bookstop (known as "a great place to be stranded) and pick up a copy of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "A Gift From the Sea," her best-selling 1955 book, inspired by her many visits to Captiva Island.

Search for nautical antiques, home décor and custom-built Adirondack chairs at Flying Fish Trading Company, Fort Myers Beach. www.flyingfishtrading.com.

Park the car and browse the many colorful shops and galleries in the charming old-time Florida community of Matlacha. Once a thriving fishing village, it is home to many artists, galleries and restaurants (www.pineislandchamber.org).

Wish you were here! Drop by Lovegrove Gallery & Gardens in Matlacha and send a coconut greeting for any occasion via the post office. www.leomalovegrove.com.

Need a few more shells? Don't miss the world-famous Shell Factory & Nature Park, North Fort Myers. For shell lovers, the Shell Factory is the ultimate shopping outlet. Its 189 acres of shopping and exhibits boast more than 5,000,000 seashells and shell novelties. In addition to shells, ambling explorations yield shell jewelry, coral, shark teeth, tropical clothing, glass blowing, African art, arcade games, miniature golf, bumper boats, wildlife exhibits with big cats and alligators, and a full-service restaurant. www.shellfactory.com

No shoes required! Like its larger New York counterpart, Times Square on Fort Myers Beach is non-stop with activity. This highly-traveled pedestrian hub and shopping area finds both bare feet and high heels acceptable. It's a casual town where shops and open-air restaurants scatter along a tree-lined walkway. A great place to go for beach treasures, souvenirs, beach casual styles and decor.

Shop for bargains at outlets! On the way to Sanibel Island or Fort Myers Beach: Tanger Outlets with 45 brand name stores (www.tangeroutlet.com/fortmyers). In Estero: Miromar Outlets with 140 designer and brand name stores (www.miromaroutlets.com).

Take a stroll down Andy Rosse Lane on Captiva Island. Check out the General Store for essentials and the latest island news. Then, drop in some of the art galleries and shops as you head toward the beach and Gulf of Mexico. Jungle Drums (www.jungledrumsgallery.com) and the Seaweed Gallery (www.seaweedgallery.com) are not to be missed!

Looking for the latest fashion trends? Visit Lucky Dog on Sanibel Island or Mallie Montgomery in Fort Myers (www.malliemontgomery.com). For all things Lilly, try The Palm on Park on Boca Grande. This Lilly Pullitzer Signature Store has all of the latest resort wear (www.thepalmonpark.com).

Visit Koucky Gallery & Gardens on Pine Island. Tour the pottery studio and browse for eclectic art and designer gifts (www.kouckygallery.com).

Spend a leisurely afternoon at beautiful Periwinkle Place on Sanibel Island. A cluster of intimate shops set in a park-like atmosphere with covered walkways shaded by banyan trees offers original art and fashions that reflect southwest Florida. The lush landscaping and gardens offer soothing solace while shopping for whimsical gifts, art, tropical fashions, jewelry and home décor. Need a break? Check into the day spa or take time out for some ice cream. (www.periwinkleplace.com).

In the market for a boat? Try one out on the 22-acre lake at the new Bass Pro Shops in Estero. Don't forget to enjoy the 12,000-gallon saltwater aquarium inside (www.basspro.com).

Each area of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel offers unique shopping. Artists and designers come to the area for inspiration and their resulting artwork shows up in the area's bountiful boutiques and galleries. Exotic scenery and relaxed rhythms call to these creative minds, who each interpret the local beauty in individual ways.

On Sanibel and Captiva islands, find charming boutiques and village-style centers with meandering walkways, many that observe the flavorful history of the islands. Fort Myers Beach is a popular area that beams with activity and endless creative shops within view of the beach. Fort Myers is known for its colorful local venues, including a dinner theatre, art galleries, boutiques and restaurants. Downtown Fort Myers, the city's entertainment district, surrounds shoppers with charming historic architecture, where each corner brings a fresh surprise. Newly renovated shops and buildings feature a professional theatre, contemporary music and jazz clubs, bistros, coffee shops, cigar and martini bars, art galleries, bookshops, clothing and jewelry boutiques, antiques, sidewalk cafes and fine continental cuisine. In Bonita Springs, upscale shopping at The Promenade includes a dining palazzo, outdoor waterfalls, a sprawling amphitheater and domed gazebo, all in a rich Mediterranean orange-coral color scheme. Cape Coral's roads and side streets are filled with delightful choices for shopping. Furniture and jewelry stores offer original pieces, and specialty boutiques house everything from handmade candles to art galleries. On Pine Island and Boca Grande unique stores and art galleries offer one-of-a-kind gifts.

When the mall calls!
If you just need a mall for some of your favorite stores, the area has everything from Saks Fifth Avenue to all the major department stores to bookstores and movie theaters (when you need a rest from shopping!).

Coconut Point mall, Estero. The recently opened Coconut Point is the place to shop, dine, play and see a movie. An all open Main Street-style shopping destination with Mediterranean Revival-style architecture is designed to fit gracefully with the flavor of southwest Florida. The 135 stores include Dillard's, Barnes & Noble, West Elm, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Designer Shoe Warehouse, Golfsmith, Office Max, Old Navy, Party City, PetsMart, Pier One, Ross Dress for Less, Sports Authority, West Coast Surf Shop, Coldwater Creek, Z Gallerie, Old Navy, Sephora and Ulta Cosmetics and a variety of great restaurants. For more information, visit www.simon.com/mall.

Gulf Coast Town Center, Fort Myers. Also new, this open-air, regional shopping center includes a Courtyard by Marriott and a Residence Inn by Marriott, along with 120 specialty shops, restaurants and a Regal Cinema 16. Visitors will not want to miss Bass Pro Shops with the area's largest selection of quality outdoor gear, clothing and accessories from top industry names and at value prices. This famous, new outdoor store encompasses a 75,000 –square-foot retail center that includes Islamorada Fish Company Restaurant. Also: equipment for hiking, backpacking, wildlife viewing, camping, outdoor cooking and an expansive boat showroom. The outdoor feel is brought indoors through massive log and rock work, large indoor aquariums and water features stocked with native fish species, as well as an extensive collection of museum quality fish and wildlife art. www.basspro.com. For more information about Gulf Coast Town Center, visit www.GulfCoastTownCenter.com.

Edison Mall in Fort Myers is newly renovated and showcases more than 160 specialty shops and eateries. Florida department stores Macy's and Dillard's as well as national favorites JC Penney and Sears are anchors. www.simon.com/mall.

Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers is filled with upscale shops in a Spanish-style plaza. Major retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and Williams-Sonoma are just the beginning. Purchases in hand, shoppers can stop in restaurants, then top the day off with a movie at Bell Tower's 20-screen multiplex www.belltowershops.com.

Flea market finds
For an eclectic mix of produce, Florida souvenirs, handmade goods, antiques and more, the Fort Myers/Sanibel area includes several fun flea markets. Billing itself as "Southwest Florida's No. 1 Tourist Stop," Fleamaster's Flea Market in Fort Myers may be the granddaddy of them all, with more than 400,000-square-feet of eclectic booths (900 at last count), restaurants and snack counters. Also visit Ortiz Flea Market in Fort Myers and in Bonita Springs,adventurous shoppers can uncover a treasure or two at the Flamingo Island Flea Market.
For more on planning a vacation and shopping along The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, visit www.FortMyersSanibel.com.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel in southwest Florida includes: Sanibel Island, Captiva Island, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Boca Grande & Outer islands, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres.
Shopping images available upon request.

Updated 03/08