| |
||
 |
||
| |
||
What's New
Close by. But far from what you'd expect.
Close by. But far from what you'd expect.
Unspoiled white sand beaches, exotic wildlife and lush subtropical foliage are the distinctive characteristics for which travel agents book their customers from around the world to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Located on southwest Florida's Gulf Coast, the area embraces nine distinct sections, each with its own unique character. Best known are Sanibel and Captiva islands, connected to the mainland by an alluring three-mile-long causeway and to each other by a "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" bridge at Blind Pass.
But there's more than just warm weather and beautiful scenery to attract visitors to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Travel agents seeking a slice of paradise for their clients are finding that the area has a delightful selection of dining, arts and entertainment, and shopping venues to enjoy. Plus, this charming paradise offers agents' active clients an abundance of golf, tennis and water sports as well as some unusual attractions.
Find out more about booking your clients' vacations to The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel with these latest destination developments:
World's Best "Hidden Beaches" • Green Accommodations • Superior Small Lodging • Recent Renovations • New Retail Outlets • Interactive Exhibit • Air Service Additions
World's Best "Hidden Beaches"
The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel has been honored by Concierge.com, the online home of the prestigious Conde Naste Traveler magazine. The Web site named the destination's Cayo Costa Island Preserve's virtually deserted yet alluring beach among the world's best "hidden beaches."
According to the site, "There was a time, before Florida and beachfront and development evolved almost into one word, when just about all of the Sunshine State's beaches looked like Cayo Costa's – soft white sand, chill-out serenity, and nary a high-rise at the tide line."
The barrier island was purchased by the state in 1985 and is reachable only by private boat or a public ferry, operated by Tropic Star of Pine Island, the official concessionaire. Cayo Costa is mainly a state park; pristine coastal Florida at its best – wide, unspoiled white-sand beaches, rustic cabins and tent campsites, along with outstanding bird and other wildlife to watch.
The award-winning Concierge.com Web site, with 2 million average unique users per month, continues its accolades about Cayo Costa, "Once you arrive, though, count on having at least some of its nine miles of soft white sand all to yourself . . . that's our idea of heaven."
The Florida Department of Natural Resources maintains 12 primitive cabins and 18 tent campsites on the northern portion of the island. The Web site states that if you score one of these accommodations, " . . . you can be among the first to head for the south end of the island at sunrise, where the best shells wash up, especially during the winter months."
Cayo Costa's beach was the only Florida beach to rank on this coveted list. Other beaches named are located in Hawaii, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, Greece, Venezuela, California, and Antigua and Barbuda.
Green Accommodations
The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel's beautiful natural resources are a major draw for visitors from around the world, so the tourism industry has a vested interest in protecting these assets. This is why the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau is devoted to helping and encouraging local hotels and attractions to jump on the "green" bandwagon.
The good news is The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel is getting greener. Five area hotels have been named to the Florida Green Lodging Program. The Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa and the Inn at the Springs, both in Bonita Springs, as well as The Bridgewater Inn in Matlacha, the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fort Myers, and the Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Myers Beach have each earned the Green Lodging designation. This title is given by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to encourage the conservation of the state's natural resources through cost-saving "green" practices.
In addition to contributing to the health of the environment, these hotels have earned the right to display the Florida Green Lodging program's logo in their marketing materials to show their commitment to proactive environmental protection and conservation. They also receive free advertising on the Green Lodging Web site and locator, which receives thousands of hits each month.
By promoting their "green" status, these properties are offering guests a "green" option. According to a survey by the Travel Industry Association of America, 54 million adults expressed an interest in booking with travel companies that strive to protect and preserve the local environment of their destination.
Superior Small Lodging
Great things come in small packages. Although cliché, 19 of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel's smallest hoteliers have dedicated resources and efforts to validate this statement. These properties recently earned the title of Florida Superior Small Lodging (SSL).
To be considered for SSL recognition, properties must consist of no more than 50 guest rooms and undergo a rigorous, independent inspection process administered by the Property Review Program. The goal of the SSL program is to provide public recognition to smaller accommodations that demonstrate a commitment to excellence.
Lee County properties that participated in the SSL hospitality recognition program include:
- The Bokeelia Tarpon Inn, Bokeelia
- Two Fish Inn, St. James City
- Waters Edge Motel & Apartments, St. James City
- Casa Loma Motel on the Waterfront, Cape Coral
- Abaco Beach Villas, Fort Myers Beach
- Manatee Bay Inn, Fort Myers Beach
- Matanzas Inn, Fort Myers Beach
- Silver Sands Villas, Fort Myers Beach
- Beach Shell Inn, Fort Myers Beach
- Forty Fifteen, Sanibel Island
- Gulf Breeze Cottages, Sanibel Island
- The Palms of Sanibel, Sanibel Island
- The Palm View Inn, Sanibel Island
- Sandpiper Inn, Sanibel Island
- Seahorse Cottages of Sanibel, Sanibel Island
- Shalimar Resort, Sanibel Island
- Signal Inn Beach & Racquetball, Sanibel Island
- Sunshine Island Inn, Sanibel Island
- The Waterside Inn on the Beach, Sanibel Island
Recent Renovations
Several hotels on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel have completed recent renovations. The 106-room Best Western Airport Inn in Fort Myers renovated all of its guest rooms and public areas in January. Guest rooms received new furniture, bedding, light fixtures, paint and wallpaper; and the public areas were totally painted, wallpapered and carpeted. The Best Western offers guests free deluxe continental breakfast, free wireless Internet access, complimentary newspaper, and free shuttle service to and from Southwest Florida International Airport. In addition, each room of the hotel features microwaves, refrigerators, hairdryers, safes, coffeemakers, iron and ironing boards.
Also, the historic Island Inn on Sanibel Island just finished renovating two Gulf view historic cottages with island-style interior décor. The cottages have two bedrooms, a kitchen, sitting room, and two baths. All historic cottages on the property may be rented with a minimum stay of four nights from May through December 15, 2008. Call 800-851-5088 or email info@islandinnsanibel.com for details.
The Best Western Fort Myers Waterfront has just completed an extensive and ambitious renovation project. All rooms have received a complete and fresh new look, with an upgrade to queen- and king-size beds. Other new features include an exercise room with state-of-the-art equipment, a spacious lobby where guest can relax and enjoy CNN, and a meeting room with a capacity of 60 people theatre-style and 35 people classroom-style. In addition, the building sports a newly painted exterior, and the grounds have received all new landscaping.
New Retail Outlets
Chadwick's Square on the south end of South Seas Island Resort recently debuted three retail outlets. The new Wine Flight Up serves a large selection of fine wines and specialty appetizers. The cozy new wine bar is open every day from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m., providing resort guests the perfect spot to take a break while shopping at the charming boutiques in Chadwick's Square or to gather and socialize before heading to dinner.
Designed to satisfy even the most discriminating wine connoisseurs, an extensive menu of fine reds and whites from around the world compliments a variety of European and American appetizers, from bruschetta with white anchovy and antipasti with roasted peppers and artichoke hearts, to assorted cured meats and exotic chocolates.
Most recently opened at South Seas Island Resort's Chadwick's Square is Red Fish Pass Captiva. Here, South Seas guests find Nike golf apparel as well as mens' and ladies' resort wear from Bugatchi. Doug and Melissa toys for kids are available, in addition to Sea Bags - totes that are fashion smart, earth-friendly and recycled from the sails of sailboats that have traveled the world.
Nearby is the third recently opened outlet at the Square -- Fresh Squeezed, a Lilly Pulitzer VIA Shop, where resort guests find a charming boutique full of Lilly Pulitzer signature clothing among other items, including jewelry by Slane & Slane.
Interactive Exhibit
From now until May 4, visitors to the Imaginarium Hands-On Museum in Fort Myers can step into the world of dinosaurs through the museum's new "Be the Dinosaur" inquiry-based, interactive exhibit. The first exhibit of its kind, "Be the Dinosaur" includes traditional physical exhibits combined with advanced computer simulation that allows visitors to travel back more than 65 million years.
Travelers will first learn about the prehistoric habitat, environment and inhabitants and the relationships between them. Taking lessons garnered from kiosks, panels and pillars, they will then enter the simulator where they prepare to become a dinosaur in the virtual world. The experience incorporates 16 interactive simulator pods, which allow riders to formulate and test their own hypothesis about dinosaur behavior by "being" the dinosaur.
A hands-on paleontology field station includes a guided tour in the Dinosaur Safari Jeep and a Dinosaur Activity Table designed for children to role play using dinosaur models and 3-D Cretaceous landscapes.
The Imaginarium is located in the Fort Myers River District at Cranford Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 239-337-3332 or visit www.cityftmyers.com/imaginarium.
Air Service Additions
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) provides nonstop service to 39 destinations -- 36 domestic and three international -- by 22 different air carriers. Here's a rundown of the newest service.
AirTran Airways (FL)
- AirTran will once again have nonstop flights to more destinations than any other airline serving RSW this season.
- On February 14, AirTran inaugurated daily nonstop service to Pittsburgh (PIT) and Buffalo (BUF). Also on February 14, AirTran added a second daily flight to both BOS and MDW.
JetBlue Airways (B6)
- JetBlue inaugurated daily nonstop service to Buffalo (BUF) and White Plains (HPN) on January 8.
LTU / Air Berlin (LT)
- LTU/Air Berlin will again offer five weekly nonstop flights to Germany starting in May. They will offer three weekly flights to Düsseldorf (DUS) and two weekly flights to Munich (MUC). LTU/Air Berlin's partner airlines offer convenient connecting flights to points throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia from both DUS and MUC.
- Also starting in May, LTU/Air Berlin will offer new business-class seats on their flights to DUS. Their new lie-flat seats should make the trip across the ocean truly enjoyable.
For additional information on the latest developments for travel agents' clients on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, contact the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau at 800-237-6444 or continue looking through this Tour and Travel section of our Web site.
You Might Also Be Interested In:
 Liked this article? Order your free 2008 Traveler’s Guide and receive 168 pages of intriguing features and complete planning information.More... |
Let these sample group itineraries do the planning for you before your next tour on The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel.
...
More... |
|
||
| Or search the article library for other stories. | ||||
