Fort Myers? (Cape Coral, Punta Gorda, Palm Beach: rent , bars, quiet)

[gdude]

hello everyone i am planning on visiting the Ft.Myers area in late July and was wondering what does Ft.Myers have to offer? is there anything fun to do there? and most importantly is it crowded down there in July? any help is greatly appreciated!

[121804]

There are the beaches...Ft Myers Beach & Sanibel. That is the big draw. Sanibel is the far better beach & area to visit..cleaner, quainter, & has some ok restuarants. Going to Sanibel early in the AM is a very relaxing thing to do...not crowded; tide is still out; & the air temp is still manageable that time of year.

If you like boating & golfing than there will be ton of places you can do that sort of stuff. There is a nature preservation on Sanibel that is a decent one day one time sort of visit place.

Crowded in July...not at all....it is too hot & humid by noon..just be ready for that part.

Fort Myers is not that big but there are the typical bars & chain restaurants scattered throughout the city. Avoid Palm Beach Blvd.

Daniels Pkwy has some shopping areas, Starbucks, & some better restaurants.

If you are up for a ride, Fishermans Village in Punta Gorda is worth the ride--again, one of those placest hat is nice to visit one time & say you've seen. About 45 mins north of FT Myers.

[whippersnapper]

depends on what you like to do. if you're into outdoorsy stuff, go to Manatee Park or Koreshan and rent a canoe for the day. there are dolphin tours from Sanibel that take you to Useppa Island for lunch. you can go out fishing on Pine Island or on Fort Myers Beach. the heat and humidity are pretty bad toward the end of July so just make sure you pack a lot of sunscreen and lightweight clothes. no socks or shoes necessary, just sandals. oh, and Lover's Key is a nice, quiet beach if you just want to relax.

if you're into shopping, you can check out gulf coast town center, coconut pointe, miromar or tanger outlets, or some of the little independent stores in Fort Myers and Cape Coral.

if you're looking for more cerebral pursuits, you can go to the museums in the area. there's the Fort Myers Historical Museum, located near downtown, the Williams Black History museum, and the Cape Coral museum. The last two are pretty small and only take a few minutes to check out. There's a new art center too, but I don't know what events or exhibits they will have in July. It's called the Sidney & Berne Davis art center. You can check out the Florida Repertory Theater if you'd like to see a play while you're in town. They've put on a few really good productions.

good luck with your visit here! if you need any more recommendations on restaurants or things to do, just ask!