Beaches, parks, recreation centers abound on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

CONTACTS:
Jackie MacKay, (407) 814-0014 or (407) 496-1770
Lee Rose, (239) 338-3500

Beaches, parks, recreation centers abound on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

LEE COUNTY, FL -- Southwest Florida tops the nation's list of favorite destinations due to its miles of pristine shorelines and an abundance of parks and recreation centers, creating opportunities for fun and leisure. Travel agents' clients will find no problem filling the time between each beautiful sunset on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.

SANIBEL & CAPTIVA ISLANDS

Bowman's Beach
Gulf-side on Bowman's Beach Road on Sanibel Island, Bowman's Beach is a county-owned and operated beach and picnic area. Parking fee of $2 per hour. Call (239) 472-6397.

Sanibel Lighthouse
Located on Sanibel Island's southern tip, visitors can view the picturesque 100-plus-year-old lighthouse while enjoying a picnic, strolling on the beach or fishing from the pier. Parking available; $2 per hour (multi-space machine). 1 Periwinkle Way. Call (239) 472-6397.

Turner Beach
Situated between Sanibel & Captiva islands, this beautiful beach is prime shelling territory and an excellent vantage point for west coast sunsets. Parking is limited. Level ground handicapped parking; no handicapped restrooms available. Call (239) 472-6397.

Gulfside Park
Located off Casa Ybel Road on Sanibel Island, this beach offers swimming, picnicking and restrooms. Parking available; $2 per hour (multi-space machine). Call (239) 472-6397.

FORT MYERS BEACH

Lovers Key State Park
Located between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach on S.R. 865 (Estero Blvd.), this romantic state park is both visually impressive and environmentally progressive. Activities include 2½ miles of white sand beaches; world-class shelling; swimming; bridge and backbay fishing; bird watching; and excursions to observe loggerhead sea turtles during active periods, as well as bottlenose dolphins and endangered West Indian manatees. Canoe and kayak explorations of miles of waterways lead to several uninhabited islands throughout the park. A 100-seat, turn-of-the-century beachfront pavilion is available for weddings, lectures and special events. Handicapped accessible. Entrance fee is $3 for a single occupied vehicle, $5 for up to eight people in one vehicle, and $1 per person for walk-ins and bicyclists. 8700 Estero Blvd. Call (239) 463-4588.

Bowditch Point Regional Park
Located on the northern tip of Estero Island, this 17-acre park offers everything to make a day at the beach complete. Stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the bay, the park's amenities include a bathhouse and changing rooms, a "village deck" for group gatherings and a covered waiting area for trolley service. A boardwalk leads to picnic areas and the beach. Onsite parking is available behind the bathhouse and includes handicapped access parking. Park free at the Main Street lot, and hop a trolley for 25 cents (call Lee Tran at 239-275-8726). Or, park at the park for 75 cents an hour. 50 Estero Blvd. Call (239) 463-1116.

Lynn Hall Memorial Park
Located in the northern section of Estero Island in the Times Square shopping, dining, and entertainment district next to the fishing pier, this county-operated park provides the perfect setting for family outings. Picnic tables, restrooms, showers, barbecue grills, and a playground are available to visitors. Parking fee is 75 cents per hour; handicapped accessible. 950 Estero Blvd. Call (239) 463-1116.

Matanzas Pass Wilderness Preserve
Overlooking Estero Bay off of School Street, this preserve features more than 56 acres of unspoiled live Oak Hammock and 4,000-feet of mangrove shoreline to explore by elevated boardwalk. Limited free parking. Call (239) 765-4233.

Mound Key
Just northeast of the southern tip of Fort Myers Beach, this island, like so many in the Fort Myers/Sanibel area, was constructed from shells deposited by the Calusa Indians more than 2,000 years ago. Accessible by boat only. Call (239) 765-0865.

FORT MYERS

Lakes Regional Park
Lakes Park offers 279 acres of Florida foliage. Visitors enjoy freshwater swimming in the summer; canoeing; paddle-boating; fishing; an observation tower; exercise course; picnic tables with barbecue grills; a concession stand; shower facilities; and 2½ miles of paved nature trails for jogging, biking and walking. Recent additions to the park include a zero-depth-water play "spray"-ground and rock climbing wall. Other amenities include a fragrance garden for the visually impaired and a 1½-mile miniature train ride through the back section of the park. Winter hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., summer 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There is a $2 per person fee to ride the train. Parking fee is 75 cents per hour, $3 for the day. 7330 Gladiolus Dr. Call (239) 432-2000.

Centennial Park
Along the Caloosahatchee River in downtown Fort Myers, this scenic park has eight acres of playgrounds and picnic areas with an entertainment pavilion and fishing pier. Special events and concerts take place year-round. Free parking. 2100 Edwards Dr. Call (239) 338-2287.

Manatee Park
Visitors observe the endangered West Indian manatees in their non-captive habitat from three observation decks during the winter months of November through March. The Eco-Tourium Gift Shop is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in season; interpretive naturalists are on site; and kayak rentals are available during "Manatee Season." Facilities on the 17-acre Orange River site stay open year-round for picnicking, fishing and canoeing. Nature-lovers host ongoing educational programs. Hours are April through September, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through March, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Handicapped accessible. Parking fee of 75 cents per hour, $3 for the day. S.R. 80. Call (239) 694-3537 or (239) 461-7477.

Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
Visitors journey through this 2,200-acre wetland ecosystem on a mile-long boardwalk trail, where southwest Florida's diverse plant and wildlife are found. Open daily April through September, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; October through March, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free guided walks daily, January through March at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; April, November and December at 9:30 a.m.; and Wednesdays only May through October at 9:30 a.m. Handicapped accessible. Six Mile Cypress Pkwy. Call (239) 432-2004.

Hickey's Creek Mitigation Park
This 1,020-acre wildlife preserve consists of a variety of habitats, including palmetto-oak scrub, pine flatwoods and seasonal wetlands. Offers views of scenic creek from trail and overlook areas. This ecosystem supports threatened scrub jay and gopher tortoises. Site includes rustic restrooms, canoe/kayak landing, fishing deck and more than five miles of walking trails. Open daily 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Limited parking available for 75 cents an hour, $3 for the day. 17890 S.R. 80. Call (239) 728-6240.

BONITA SPRINGS & ESTERO

Bonita Beach Park
Located between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs, this four-acre pristine beachfront park features a boardwalk to protect the sea oats, sand dunes and coastal vegetation surrounding a gazebo and eight picnic shelters. Bathrooms, changing rooms and outdoor showers. Front parking areas with handicapped access. Parking is 75 cents per hour, $3 for the day. Lee Tran trolleys offer transportation to this beautiful beach on Little Hickory Island leaving from the K-Mart store at Bonita Beach Road and U.S. 41 in Bonita Springs. Cost is 25 cents. 27950 Hickory Blvd. Call (239) 229-0459 or (239) 461-7440.

Bonita Springs Community Park
Located at West Terry Street and Pine Avenue, this park is the hub of recreation in Bonita Springs. Its 60 acres offer picnicking, a playground, sports fields, a seven-acre lake, library, community pool, and a 19,000-square-foot skate park. The recreation center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free parking. 26740 Pine Ave. Call (239) 992-2556.

Koreshan State Historic Site
This site features city remnants of a religious sect, which practiced communal living and equal rights of women long before the concept was popular. Visitors can tour the buildings and property where the Koreshans envisioned their perfect city and enjoy a picnic lunch on the picturesque grounds. Camping and canoeing are available. Located off of U.S. 41 in Estero. Open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Admission is $3 for a single occupied vehicle, $4 for up to eight people in one vehicle, $1 for each additional person. 8661 Corkscrew Rd. Call (239) 992-0311.

Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary
This 11,000-acre wilderness sanctuary, operated by the National Audubon Society, offers visitors a 2.25 mile boardwalk through pinelands, wet prairies, hammocks, and cypress ponds. The sanctuary contains the country's largest remaining stand of virgin bald cypress with its 500-year-old trees being among the oldest in eastern North America. Large populations of rare wood storks, as well as a number of wild orchid species, can be found during the winter months. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for college students, $5 for Audubon members, $4 for children ages 6 to 18, free for children younger than 6. Open daily October through March from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; April through September, 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 375 Sanctuary Rd. Call (239) 348-9151.

CAPE CORAL

R.C. Seahawk Park
The R.C. Seahawk Park is a developed facility for radio-controlled model airplanes, gliders and boats. Meets are held every weekend. 1030 N.W. 28th St. Call (239) 542-8350 or (239) 542-1624.

Veterans Memorial Park
Veterans Memorial Park features basketball, shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, playground, picnic tables, an open pavilion and restrooms. 4140 Coronado Pkwy. Call (239) 573-3128.

Four Freedoms Park
Four Freedoms Park is on Bimini Basin and has a recreation center, playground, amphitheater, picnic area and fishing. 4818 Tarpon Ct. Call (239) 574-0804.

Jaycee Park
Located at the end of Beach Parkway, Jaycee Park offers a magnificent view of the Caloosahatchee River. The park has a quarter-mile jogging track and eight exercise stations, two picnic pavilions with tables and grills, shade trees and restrooms. 4125 S.E. 20th Pl. Call (239) 573-3128.

Four Mile Cove Ecological Area
Four-Mile Cove Ecological Area is a 365-acre saltwater wetland preserve at the end of Southeast 23rd Terrace, just behind the Coralwood Mall along the Caloosahatchee River and Midpoint Bridge. Amenities include a 4,200-foot boardwalk trail through a mangrove forest, a visitor center with restrooms and picnic area, and a canoe launch at Horton Park. Open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. Free parking. S.E. 23rd Terrace. Call (239) 549-4606.

PINE ISLAND, BOCA GRANDE & OUTER ISLANDS

Matlacha Community Park and Boat Ramp
This park's community buildings complement sheltered picnic tables, restrooms, a double boat ramp and benches. 4577 Pine Island Rd. Call (239) 283-4110.

Cayo Costa Island State Preserve
Cayo Costa is a delightfully secluded island that is great for camping, swimming, shelling and fishing. Primitive cabins are available for overnight stays. Accessible only by boat. Call (941) 964-0375 or (941) 964-2965.

Phillips Park
Phillips Park features play areas, athletic fields, picnic areas and a swimming pool. The Pine Island Library is located across the street. Free parking. 5675 Sesame Dr., Bokeelia. Call (239) 656-7748.

Boca Grande Beach Park
Visitors enjoy a delightful Gulf beach equipped with picnic tables, barbecue grills and restrooms. There is a $2 honor fee to enter. Call (941) 964-0375 or (941) 964-2965. Boca Grande Community Center has picnic areas, playgrounds, multi-purpose courts and an active community recreation center. 131 First Street W. Call (941) 964-2564.

Boca Grande Lighthouse Park
Built in 1890, the lighthouse overlooks the Gulf of Mexico and is the perfect spot to observe boat traffic and fishing expeditions. Swimming is not recommended here because of the strong current. Open November through May seven days a week; June through October, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission of $2 per vehicle covers parking. 880 Belcher Rd. Call (941) 964-0375 or (941) 964-2965.

NORTH FORT MYERS

Caloosahatchee Regional Park
This 765-acre park features two sections. The north section's 400 acres offer five miles of bike trails and two miles of roads for hiking, biking or riding horses. The south section's 368 acres accommodate tent camping, picnicking and hiking on three miles of trails, 6,700 feet of it paralleling the Caloosahatchee River. A handicapped trail on a seashell-laden path leads to a scenic river overlook. Open daily 8 a.m. to dusk. Parking is 75 cents an hour, $3 for the day. 18500 N. River Rd., Alva. Call (239) 693-2690.

Nalle Grade Park
Near the Lee County Civic Center, Nalle Grade Park offers shelter and picnic tables. Free parking. 8350 Nalle Grade. Call (239) 656-7748.

Hancock Park
Hancock Park has four baseball diamonds, one football field, five tennis courts, a tennis wall, a playground and restrooms. Free parking. 2211 Hancock Bridge Pkwy. Call (239) 656-7748.

Travel agents needing more information about any of parks and recreation activities along The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel can visit www.FortMyersSanibel.com.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel include: Sanibel & Captiva islands, Fort Myers Beach, Fort Myers, Bonita Springs & Estero, Cape Coral, Pine Island, Boca Grande & Outer islands, North Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres. Images are available upon request.