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Fort Myers is blessed with wonderful weather, beautiful beaches, and stunning waterways, making it the perfect destination for a sunny getaway. This region of the Gulf Coast is a great place for family vacations because there’s no shortage of fun outdoor activities and interesting attractions. If you’re planning to visit Fort Myers for the first time and want to know which sights to see, check out this list of 17 unmissable attractions.
1. Edison and Ford Winter Estates
- Website: edisonfordwinterestates.org
- Address: 2350 McGregor Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: 9 am – 5.30 pm daily
Thomas Edison and Henry Ford were two of America’s most influential inventors and both of them called Fort Myers home during the winter. Their properties were right next to one another, and since 1947, the buildings and grounds of the two estates have been open to the public.
A visit to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates is a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the two entrepreneurs and their influence on American life. There’s a museum, a vintage car collection, laboratories, and extensive botanical gardens to explore.
2. Historic Downtown Fort Myers & River District
Downtown Fort Myers is a hub for sightseeing — especially if you want to see historical buildings that are synonymous with Southwest Florida. The area, which is also known as the Fort Myers River District, runs adjacent to the Caloosahatchee River. It’s the oldest portion of the city and is dotted with 1920s Art Deco properties, lined with palm trees, and packed with restaurants, cafes, boutique stores, and art galleries. Be sure to visit in the evening to experience Downtown’s fun nightlife, and start on First Street, where you’ll find a series of quaint restaurants in which to have dinner.
3. Fort Myers Beach
Estero Island sits just off the coast of Fort Myers, and it’s home to the popular community of Fort Myers Beach. The beach is a seven-mile stretch of idyllic white sands with shallow, warm waters for paddling and swimming. This is a fantastic spot for sunbathing, but you could also head out on kayak, paddleboard, or jet ski rentals to make the most of the calm waters. Adrenaline junkies can give parasailing a try here to get a bird’s eye view of the Gulf Coast.
4. Fort Myers Beach Pier
Address: 10 Old San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL
The pier at Fort Myers Beach was originally built in 1921, and it has since developed the nickname of Pelican Pier due to its popularity with wild pelicans. The pier extends 560 feet into the Gulf of Mexico, making it a popular fishing spot. Unfortunately, the pier was almost fully destroyed by Hurricane Ian in 2022, and only its concrete pillars remain, but locals hope it will soon be rebuilt.
5. Times Square
Address: 1035 Estero Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL
Directly behind Fort Myers Beach Pier is the lively terrace called Times Square. It’s a pedestrianized area where you’ll find many beach shops, restaurants, ice cream stores, and bars. It’s a great place to have lunch and soak in the atmosphere. Be sure to take a lazy stroll from Times Square along Old San Carlos Boulevard to Matanzas Pass, where there are more shops and open-air eateries.
6. Sanibel and Captiva Islands
Sanibel and Captiva Islands are the quieter cousins of Estero Island. They’re less developed and offer fantastic opportunities for walking in their many nature trails. They’re also renowned for having beautiful beaches that are laden with seashells. If you love collecting shells, head to Blind Pass Beach, which lies right between the two islands and is a particularly great spot for collecting seashells. If you love watersports, try kayaking in the mangroves and inner waters of Sanibel Island.
7. Naples
Naples is just over 40 miles from Fort Myers, and it’s easy to reach by car if you want a day trip to this sophisticated city. Naples is renowned for its luxury stores and chic art scene — head to Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South for retail therapy, followed by drinks and dinner at a bayside restaurant.
The long stretch of beach at Naples is beautiful and has a bustling atmosphere, particularly in high season. Check out the 1,000-foot boardwalk of Naples Pier for incredible panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico.
8. Lakes Regional Park
- Website: leegov.com/parks/parks/lakespark
- Address: 7330 Gladiolus Dr, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: 7 am – sunset daily
Lakes Regional Park is a former gravel quarry that has been transformed into a scenic 289-acre park that’s perfect for a family day out. There’s a playground, several picnic sites, miniature villages, and tropical woods, and you can see it all when you ride the park’s miniature train.
Don’t forget to check out the 3,200-square-foot train museum which has a series of fun interactive exhibits. You can rent a boat or try your hand at fishing to enjoy the park’s manmade lake. Bike rentals are available, and you can also make use of the park’s fitness stations and volleyball courts.
9. Lovers Key State Park
- Website: floridastateparks.org/Lovers-Key
- Address: 8700 Estero Blvd., Bonita Springs, FL
- Opening hours: 8 am – sunset daily
Lovers Key State Park on Estero Island is a long stretch of sand that’s much quieter than nearby Fort Myers Beach. You can reach it on foot from Fort Myers Beach or take the free open-air shuttle that runs regularly from the beach’s main parking lot. Canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are all popular activities on the inland waterways of Lovers Key. Towards the south end of the park is a dog-friendly beach.
10. Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
- Website: sloughpreserve.org
- Address: 7751 Penzance Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: 7 am – 8 pm daily
Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve provides 3,500 acres of safe haven for wildlife. These wetlands are a fantastic place for watching birds. The likes of ibis, snowy egrets, blue herons, and roseate spoonbills are all spotted here regularly.
You also have the chance to see alligators, turtles, and otters when you stroll along the looping 1.4-mile-long boardwalk through the mangroves. To learn about the wildlife here and the ecosystems that allow the local flora and fauna to survive, join a guided walk with a volunteer.
11. JetBlue Park and Hammond Stadium for Spring Training
- Red Sox Spring Training: mlb.com/redsox/spring-training/ballpark
- Address: JetBlue Park, 11500 Fenway South Drive, Fort Myers, FL
- Twins Spring Training: mlb.com/twins/spring-training/ballpark
- Address: Hammond Stadium, 14100 6 Mile Cypress Pkwy, Fort Myers, FL
The Boston Red Sox and the Minnesota Twins make Fort Myers their home during the Spring Training season of Major League Baseball. The Red Sox are based at JetBlue Park, while the Minnesota Twins are at Hammond Stadium, which sits within the Lee County Sports Complex. Spring Training games usually begin in the third week of February, and they take place almost daily for four weeks.
12. Manatee Park
- Website: leegov.com/parks/parks/manateepark
- Address: 10901 Palm Beach Blvd, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: 8 am – sunset daily
Manatee Park is situated in Fort Myers Power Plant, where the fresh, clean water serves as a warm, healthy habitat for manatees to hang out between November and March. Florida manatees are endangered, and it can be tough to catch sight of them in the wild, but Manatee Park is one of the best places to spot these aquatic creatures in a natural environment.
Give canoeing or kayaking a try for the best chance of seeing them. The park also has a native plant garden, a butterfly garden, and a series of picnic shelters.
13. IMAG History & Science Center
- Website: theimag.org
- Address: 2000 Cranford Ave, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm / Sunday: 12 pm – 5 pm
The IMAG History & Science Center boasts more than 60 interactive exhibits to inspire learning. Kids will love the huge array of fun things to do at IMAG, and the whole family is bound to learn something new about the history and science of Southwest Florida.
One of the many highlights is a 3,200-gallon aquarium with touch tanks, allowing you to meet some marine animals. There’s also a Living Lab, which is home to a python, prairie dogs, and a bearded dragon, to name just a few.
14. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge
- Website: fws.gov/jn-ding-darling-national-wildlife-refuge
- Address: 1 Wildlife Dr, Sanibel, FL
- Opening hours: Saturday – Thursday: 7.30 am – 5.30 pm
J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge was founded by Jay “Ding” Norwood Darling, a Pulitzer-winning cartoonist and a passionate conservationist.
Take the 90-minute tram tour to learn from a naturalist about some of the animals that live at the refuge, with opportunities to spot the likes of otters, bobcats, alligators, and wading birds. There are four hiking trails to explore and opportunities for kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and fishing.
15. Florida Repertory Theatre
- Website: floridarep.org
- Address: 2268 Bay St, Fort Myers, FL
For more than two decades, Florida Repertory Theatre has been producing a huge variety of dramas, comedies, and musicals, many of which have made national and international headlines. For this reason, it’s one of Southwest Florida’s most important art organizations.
There are two performance spaces within the theatre — one of which is the historic Arcade Theatre, which was originally a vaudeville house when it first opened in 1915. The second is the ArtStage Studio Theatre, which hosts more intimate performances.
16. Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium
- Website: calusanature.org
- Address: 3450 Ortiz Ave, Fort Myers, FL
- Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 10 am – 4 pm
Since 1970, the Calusa Nature Center has been educating children and adults about the unique ecosystems and environmental challenges of this region of the Gulf Coast. You can see various rescued animals at the center, including alligators, rattlesnakes, butterflies, and birds of prey, such as bald eagles, hawks, and owls. Watch an immersive educational movie in the center’s planetarium, or walk through the center’s grounds via one of its two nature trails.
17. Cape Coral
Cape Coral is a welcoming, family-friendly community built around 400 miles of canals connecting the Caloosahatchee River and the Great Calusa Blueway with the Gulf of Mexico.
There are many opportunities for kayaking and canoeing here, but it also makes for excellent cycling thanks to its interconnected biking routes that total 90 miles. Cape Coral also has a great range of stores, restaurants, cafes, bars, and farmers markets, making it a haven for foodies.
Prepare for Sightseeing on Your Fort Myers Visit
These are some of the best Fort Myers attractions, so be sure to squeeze as many as possible into your upcoming trip to this beautiful region of Southwest Florida!
