Is there a lot to do in CC? (Cape Coral: landscaping, movies)

[themixtape]

Take it from someone who lived there from 1988-1999, then from 2000-2004-- Cape Coral is fine and dandy, if you're an outdoors/fishing/beach person. If you're not (and I am NOT), it is hell on earth.

I'm almost 36.. very artsy and passionate. Cape Coral is just dull. It used to be decent when nearly all of my friends lived in either it or Ft. Myers, but since 2002, all of them moved away to various parts of the country, except a small handful.

There really is NOTHING to do except eat out at buffets and steakhouses... go to the movies or beach, or out in the middle of nowhere and party. Don't even think about raising a family here... your kids will be miserable and resent you for moving them there.

My parents moved me there in 1988 when I was 12. It was ok and I had a good amount of friends, but I would have much preferred to have spent most of my life growing up in Ocean County, NJ, where I spent all of my childhood. Cape Coral did nothing for me other than help me move back up north.

There are no jobs down there. NONE.

I don't mean to be a downer like the other guy who everyone's bashing, but believe me... there's nothing the area offers. Beach, movies, steakhouses, and your average bar filled with douchebags, boring people, and alcoholics.

Let us know what you decide, and best of luck.

[themixtape]

Oh and no... the area is definitely NOT walkable. The boring downtown of CC and FM are walkable... but after one night of walking around you'll be like... "this is it?"

No joke.

[Izmack]

You moved away 8 years ago?! That time away is more than 15% of the entire time Cape Coral has been in existence. Things have changed a lot since then.

Fort Myers is a arts destination now, with the great downtown River Walk scene. You'd be pleasantly surprised at how well we're doing:

Art League of Fort Myers | ArtSWFL.com

Originally Posted by themixtape

Take it from someone who lived there from 1988-1999, then from 2000-2004-- Cape Coral is fine and dandy, if you're an outdoors/fishing/beach person. If you're not (and I am NOT), it is hell on earth.

I'm almost 36.. very artsy and passionate. Cape Coral is just dull. It used to be decent when nearly all of my friends lived in either it or Ft. Myers, but since 2002, all of them moved away to various parts of the country, except a small handful.

There really is NOTHING to do except eat out at buffets and steakhouses... go to the movies or beach, or out in the middle of nowhere and party. Don't even think about raising a family here... your kids will be miserable and resent you for moving them there.

My parents moved me there in 1988 when I was 12. It was ok and I had a good amount of friends, but I would have much preferred to have spent most of my life growing up in Ocean County, NJ, where I spent all of my childhood. Cape Coral did nothing for me other than help me move back up north.

There are no jobs down there. NONE.

I don't mean to be a downer like the other guy who everyone's bashing, but believe me... there's nothing the area offers. Beach, movies, steakhouses, and your average bar filled with douchebags, boring people, and alcoholics.

Let us know what you decide, and best of luck.

[equalrightsforeveryone]

If you a tired of walking around you could always go to the no Swim Beach, at the drainage ditch and Whoopitup.
Just don't over do it the fun could do permanent damage to you.

[fiege1224]

I am sure glad that drainage ditch is there because that is how I get my cruiser out to the gulf to go to the keys, cayman and Bimini islands.

[equalrightsforeveryone]

Originally Posted by fiege1224

I am sure glad that drainage ditch is there because that is how I get my cruiser out to the gulf to go to the keys, cayman and Bimini islands.

Yes it's good for the folks with boats. How ever to put a beach there was just plain Stupid.
The other problem with the ditches is that there are over four hundred miles of them and only 100 feet of public access.
No planning on the cities part and then they compound the whole thing by putting a beach where it shouldn't be.
Can you imagine when they advertise this to potential tourists, and the look on their faces when they finally see said "Beach"

[fiege1224]

I live on a canal not a ditch.They do say 200 ft. of beach added to a park. I am no math genius but I would not expect much of a beach with that number. But the short distance I have to drive by car or boat to get to very nice beaches and shopping would make up for any short fall I see in the cape. You are right about the poor planning of the capes water layout for the public and business. Its not fixable without tearing down a lot of buildings.That is just not going to happen. They are just trying to make do with what the are stuck with. In this day and age if you want access you will have to buy it. Even with public access the parking fees will kill you if you go to them a lot. The cape may not be much but it is still nice with free public access.

[equalrightsforeveryone]

With a little elbow grease they could get things don't, but they either are to inept or do not want to do th changes necessary to turn this in to a viable city.
I don't agree with your assessment of the access at all, the down turn of the housing market has made the city of Cape Coral the biggest land owner of the city. People have abandoned their properties for tax reasons alone and all those properties are now owned by the city. There are plenty of properties available to the city to turn in to public access. Also there is plenty of room to figure out with minimal impact, to have property available for business growth, all it would take is the will to do it. I can't agree with your statement that we have to "make do with what we a stuck with".
The property situation is probably never going to get better than it is today, and much could be accomplished toward a much better city.
But only stagnation is the result of the ineptitude of the local government.
This city has more government per capita then most places. But they can't get anything done, the things that do get done are crap and a waste of the taxpayers money. The main problem with the city is that all the rules and regulation are designed to feed the city coffers and then the money disappears.
Less regulation would bring more revenue then what they are doing now, and ultimately it would be a boon for everyone.

[fiege1224]

Originally Posted by equalrightsforeveryone

With a little elbow grease they could get things don't, but they either are to inept or do not want to do th changes necessary to turn this in to a viable city.
I don't agree with your assessment of the access at all, the down turn of the housing market has made the city of Cape Coral the biggest land owner of the city. People have abandoned their properties for tax reasons alone and all those properties are now owned by the city. There are plenty of properties available to the city to turn in to public access. Also there is plenty of room to figure out with minimal impact, to have property available for business growth, all it would take is the will to do it. I can't agree with your statement that we have to "make do with what we a stuck with".
The property situation is probably never going to get better than it is today, and much could be accomplished toward a much better city.
But only stagnation is the result of the ineptitude of the local government.
This city has more government per capita then most places. But they can't get anything done, the things that do get done are crap and a waste of the taxpayers money. The main problem with the city is that all the rules and regulation are designed to feed the city coffers and then the money disappears.
Less regulation would bring more revenue then what they are doing now, and ultimately it would be a boon for everyone.

I think you should get involved in local government to see if you can fix the problems you have with them and maybe get your access you want. Good luck with that! Me, I will stick with just buying my access and what ever bone they through me. I like the area small beach ditch and all.

[rikoshaprl]

Originally Posted by equalrightsforeveryone

With a little elbow grease they could get things don't, but they either are to inept or do not want to do th changes necessary to turn this in to a viable city.
I don't agree with your assessment of the access at all, the down turn of the housing market has made the city of Cape Coral the biggest land owner of the city. People have abandoned their properties for tax reasons alone and all those properties are now owned by the city. There are plenty of properties available to the city to turn in to public access. Also there is plenty of room to figure out with minimal impact, to have property available for business growth, all it would take is the will to do it. I can't agree with your statement that we have to "make do with what we a stuck with".
The property situation is probably never going to get better than it is today, and much could be accomplished toward a much better city.
But only stagnation is the result of the ineptitude of the local government.
This city has more government per capita then most places. But they can't get anything done, the things that do get done are crap and a waste of the taxpayers money. The main problem with the city is that all the rules and regulation are designed to feed the city coffers and then the money disappears.
Less regulation would bring more revenue then what they are doing now, and ultimately it would be a boon for everyone.

The Cape just did put aside land for an additional park near you in the NE. It is on the Del Prado extension a couple blocks north of Kismet.

Rosen Park was just added a couple of years ago.
Rosen Park

I also like what the city is doing to upgrade the downtown area.