5 Fun Summer Destination Drives Across Florida: Fort Myers
Driving Distance: Four hours from Downtown Orlando.
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Fort Myers
Just a few hours’ drive through Florida’s historic cattle country of Lee County, you’ll find a beautiful downtown crying out for your staycation dollars. Fort Myers, named after a former fort, built by Europeans to protect their rapacious interests in the territory from the “pesky” Seminoles, serves as a gateway to Southwest Florida nowadays, with easy access to nearby Bonita Springs, Miami, ex-pat hotspot Cape Coral and Naples. Northerners have been flocking to the region since the late 19th century to enjoy the abundance of natural resources, islands, beachfront and fresh fish, and even Thomas Edison bought some property there in 1885 to rest and get his groove back while dabbling in recreational fishing and more than a few rum-based cocktails. That property is now the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, where you can explore 20 acres of botanical gardens and Edison’s old research lab.
Photo by Jason Lindsey
Modern-day Fort Myers plays a bit of second fiddle to the adjacent Fort Myers Beach (its own municipality), but it’s experiencing a Gold Rush of sorts following the destruction left behind by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Millions of dollars are flooding into the downtown with fashionable overhauls of its historic downtown buildings and the Fort Myers River District, chock full of gorgeous architecture, tons of local shops and more than a few trendy restaurants like the retro-inspired Ella Mae’s Diner, the taxidermized environs of The Lodge or the delightful dockside dining experience that is Oxbow Bar and Grill (try the fish dip).
Photo by Jason Lindsey
Bars like the aptly named Lucky Screw and The 86 Room will keep you jazzed all night but don’t sleep on the VooDoo Brewery if you want to enjoy some local craft beers along with a kimchi grilled cheese that had us ordering a second one for the drive home.
If you’ve got some extra time, find a river cruise to take you out on the water; the adorable little tiki boats know where to find the best sunset dolphin photos.
