Fort Myers Beach & Beyond: Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel

Known for its colourful atmosphere, and family-friendly beaches, Fort Myers Beach offers seven miles of beautiful white-sand beach. Lynn Hall Memorial Park is a favorite with families who enjoy its playground and calm waters. Just steps away, you will find gift and surf shops, water sports vendors, ice cream shops, pizzerias, beach bars and seafood restaurants.

The party crowd congregates where the Fort Myers Beach Fishing Pier and Times Square come together in a casual, fun beachy scene. Right next to the bridge that brings visitors to Fort Myers Beach, Times Square doesn’t resemble New York City in any way, except that it is lively at any time of the day. The energy here really picks up as the sun sets, and people gather to applaud, toast and people-watch from a string of street side cafés.

Cross the bridge at the south end of Fort Myers Beach, and you’re suddenly in the quiet, natural world of Lovers Key State Park, where hundreds of people say their vows each year at the wedding gazebo. A tram transports beachgoers from the parking lot, over an estuary filled with beautiful water birds, to the plush white sands of the Gulf of Mexico.

Those who seek quiet and nature also head to Sanibel Island, known for its wealth of seashells and shorebirds. Start at Sanibel Lighthouse Beach, a popular stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Near a circa-1884, still-working lighthouse, the beach wraps around the island’s end from Gulf to bay. On the bay side, a fishing pier welcomes anglers. Bird-watchers, beachgoers and sea shell-seekers head Gulf-side.

For a true island escape, rent a boat or join a tour to the upper islands, completely isolated from the mainland. Occupied mostly by Cayo Costa State Park, unbridged Cayo Costa features a long, natural beach where you can look for seashells, often without seeing another person. Overnighters can rent a cabin or pitch a tent.

Visit the exclusive sand beach on Useppa Island, a private island accessible only by boat, via a luncheon excursion with Captiva Cruises. Lunch takes place in the club’s historic inn.