SW Florida tourist (Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Naples: rental car, rental, purchase)

[JazzmanLI]

Hi Everyone, So I moved to Fort Myers area back in January. I've notice since my move here there are a lot of out of state vehicles and rental cars. Is it because this is the tourist season? Warm climate here, cold climate up north? Is it like this in the summer as well?

Are there any beaches around here that residents can escape to?

Just curious, thank you

[monikac21]

Yes Snowbird Season and as long as it is still so cold up North, they are not going home. No summer is quieter, just the Europeans are coming to Florida - all the snowbirds will be up north. If you would like to go to the beach right now and escape the tourists, go to Sanible Island or take the Ferry over to Cayo Costa. (Ferry leaves from Pineland - Pine Island)

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by JazzmanLI

Hi Everyone, So I moved to Fort Myers area back in January. I've notice since my move here there are a lot of out of state vehicles and rental cars. Is it because this is the tourist season? Warm climate here, cold climate up north? Is it like this in the summer as well?

Are there any beaches around here that residents can escape to?

Just curious, thank you

Have you been in a coma since you got here?

[Kim in FL]

Originally Posted by justNancy

Have you been in a coma since you got here?

lol That's what I was thinking! How can you live in Fort Myers for several months and not know about Fort Myers Beach?? Wow.

[justNancy]

Originally Posted by monikac21

Yes Snowbird Season and as long as it is still so cold up North, they are not going home. No summer is quieter, just the Europeans are coming to Florida - all the snowbirds will be up north. If you would like to go to the beach right now and escape the tourists, go to Sanible Island or take the Ferry over to Cayo Costa. (Ferry leaves from Pineland - Pine Island)

The OP wrote that he spent a weekend on Sanibel Island in other threads, so maybe what he meant to ask is where there are some uncrowded beaches without tourists. However, even during the height of the season, there is usually plenty of room on Bowman's Beach if you take a short stroll away from the parking lot access.

In a few weeks most of the snowbirds and tourists will be gone, although I've rarely had trouble finding an isolated spot on the beach, except on holidays like July 4. I usually don't go to the beach during the winter months.

In the spring & summer months, the sun shines until after 8, and it's very peaceful during the late afternoon & early evening hours. When I lived in Bonita Springs, some evenings I would take a long walk after work from Barefoot Beach all the way to Wiggins Pass without seeing another person! (except for the occasional pervert behind the sea oats)

It's also nice to go to the beach on a cloudy day or during a light rain (not an electrical storm, of course) when the sun worshipers are gone. BTW, you can still get plenty of rays when it's cloudy, so use protection if you burn easily.

Here is a link from which you can purchase a parking sticker for all of the Lee County Parks/Beaches.

[url=http://www.leeparks.org/]Lee County Parks & Recreation | Lee County Government[/url]

NOTE: Barefoot Beach is in Collier County and I do not think a Lee County sticker is acceptable.

You can also purchase an annual pass to the Florida State parks and beaches.

[url=http://www.floridastateparks.org/findapark/district-southwest.cfm]Welcome to Florida State Parks[/url]

Wiggins Pass, which is in North Naples, just south of Lee County, is a beautiful beach. Stump Pass is very quiet too, but it's in Englewood. Gasparilla Island is another nice place to visit.