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Fort Myers is a palm-lined city on the broad Caloosahatchee River in southwest Florida, a few miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. It grew from a fort built during the Seminole Wars in the 1850s, and by the late 1800s it had become a quiet cattle and citrus town. Its fame began when inventor Thomas Edison built a winter home and laboratory on the riverfront in 1886, and his friend Henry Ford later bought the house next door. The royal palms Edison planted along McGregor Boulevard earned Fort Myers its nickname, the City of Palms.
Today Fort Myers is the seat of Lee County and the center of one of Florida's fastest-growing regions, with around 100,000 residents in the city and many more in the surrounding area. The River District downtown has restored early 1900s buildings, brick streets, galleries, restaurants and bars, the historic Arcade Theatre and a lively waterfront with a yacht basin. The city is also the spring training home of both the Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins, so baseball fans arrive every February and March.
Visitors come for history and the Gulf Coast outdoors. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates preserve the two inventors' homes, laboratory and a huge banyan tree, while Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve and Lakes Park offer boardwalks, birds and alligators close to town. Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel and Captiva Islands, with their famous shelling beaches and wildlife refuge, lie a short drive away, and manatees gather in winter at Manatee Park on the Orange River.
The riverside winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford on the Caloosahatchee River, with Edison's botanical research lab, a museum of inventions and acres of gardens including a giant banyan tree. Allow two to three hours and arrive early to beat the midday heat.
A 1901 Georgian Revival mansion on the riverfront in downtown Fort Myers, one of the oldest homes in the city, set in gardens with old trees and river views. It hosts tours, events and occasional living history programs. Check the schedule before visiting, as opening times are limited.
A hands-on museum in downtown Fort Myers combining science exhibits and local history, with a large aquarium, live animal encounters, interactive physics displays and galleries on Southwest Florida's past. It is aimed at families and school groups. Plan two hours and check for daily animal talks.
The historic downtown along the Caloosahatchee River, with brick streets, restored early 1900s buildings, restaurants, galleries and a riverfront walkway. The monthly Art Walk and Music Walk bring street crowds. Park in a downtown garage and explore on foot in the evening when it is cooler.
A restored 1915 theater in the River District that is home to Florida Repertory Theatre, one of the leading professional regional theaters in the state. It stages plays and musicals through most of the year in an intimate auditorium. Book ahead for weekend shows, which often sell out.
The two spring training ballparks of Fort Myers: JetBlue Park, the Boston Red Sox camp with a replica of Fenway's Green Monster, and Hammond Stadium, spring home of the Minnesota Twins. Games run from late February to March. Buy tickets early for popular matchups and bring sun protection.
The main performing arts venue of Southwest Florida, on the Florida SouthWestern State College campus, presenting touring Broadway musicals, concerts, comedy and dance in a hall seating about 1,800. The winter season is the busiest. Book seats early for Broadway tours and allow time for parking.
A wetland preserve with a 1.2-mile boardwalk through cypress swamp, ponds and marsh, where you can spot wading birds, alligators, turtles and otters. A small interpretive center explains the slough ecosystem. Bring insect repellent and come in the dry winter months for the best wildlife viewing.
A large regional park built around former rock quarry lakes, with walking and biking trails, a fragrance garden, a children's splash area, fishing spots and kayak and paddleboat rentals. A model railroad operates on some weekends. It is a good shady stop for families, with picnic shelters throughout.
A county park on the Orange River next to a power plant whose warm discharge water draws manatees in the cold months, with observation decks, a butterfly garden and kayak rentals. Manatees are most visible from December to March on cold mornings. Parking is paid and the lot fills early on chilly days.
A nature center on 105 acres with boardwalk trails through pine flatwoods and cypress, a butterfly aviary, live native animal exhibits and a planetarium offering star shows and films. It is especially good for children. Check the planetarium show times when you arrive and plan your walk around them.
An arts center housed in the neoclassical 1933 former federal building and post office in the River District, with grand columns and a restored interior. It hosts exhibitions, concerts, theater and the monthly Art Walk events. Look up the event calendar, as the building is mainly open for shows and exhibitions.
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