Get in
By planeSouthwest Florida International Airport (RSW), 11000 Terminal Access Road, Phone: 239-590-4800, . Budget flights from AirTran domestically and from LTU International from Düsseldorf and Frankfurt am Main, Germany.Get around
You are going to need a car, public transportation is generally unavailable.Sanibel Causway has a $6 toll, but it is only going onto the island, and well worth it.The Midpoint and Cape Coral Pwky/Colonial Bridge is 1$ each way and generally unavoidable unless you go through Downtown Fort Myers and US41 around.See
Check out their resident hockey team the Florida Everblades. Also check out their college team the Florida Gulf Coast University Eagles .Minnesota Twins Spring Training. If you are in Fort Meyers during the spring, you may be able to see the Major Baseball League's Minnesota Twins' during their preseason training period.Boston Red Sox Spring Training. The Boston Red Sox also have their spring training in Fort Myers. Their preseason home games are played at City of Palms park.Edison HomeSanibel LighthouseDo
Ft Myers BeachBonita BeachCaptiva Island
Sanibel Island
Buy
Miromar Factory Outlet MallGulf Coast Town CenterBell TowerCoconut Pointe Town CenterEat
Plakka Greek Restaurant, Fort Myers Beach
Lazy Flamingo, Sanibel Island and Santiva
Sub and Pub (Downtown Fort Myers, open for lunch)
Siam Hut (Thai, Cape Coral Pkwy and Del Prado)
The Mucky Duck, Captiva Island
The Bubble Room, Captiva Island
Bert's Bar, Matlacha
Drink
Lazy Flamingo, Sanibel Island and Santiva
Downtown Fort Myers
Dusseldorf's on the Beach, 150+ Types of BierSleep
Best Western Waterfront, 13021 N. Cleveland Avenue, 239-997-5511, Toll-free: (800) 274-5511, . Right on the river. Features private pier, high-speed internet and heated outdoor pool.GullWing Beach Resort, 6620 Estero Boulevard, +1 239 765-4300, Toll-free: (888) 627-1595, . Features suites and condos on Fort Myers beach as well as meeting and banquet space.Best Western Hotel in Ft Myers, 13021 N. Cleveland Ave, Phone: (239) 997-5511, Toll-Free Reservations: (800) 274-5511, Fax: (239) 656-6966, . Accommodations include private balconies, high-speed Internet access, an on-site restaurant, and more.Pointe Estero Beach Resort, 6640 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33931, Phone: (888) 627-1595, . A beachfront suite hotel located on the peaceful southern end of Estero Island close to all the beach activities.Best Western Springs Resort, 18051 South Tamiami Trail, . Marketed as a "tropical hideaway with a unique natural warm mineral water springs." Comfortable accommodations with a family restaurant and a poolside Tiki Bar.Santa Maria Harbour Resort, . 7317 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, Florida 33931, Phone: (888) 627-1595. A resort on Estero Bay, a fishing harbour on Estero Island in Fort Myers Beach, Florida.DiamondHead Beach Resort, 2000 Estero Boulevard, Fort Myers Beach, Phone: (888) 627-1595, . Fort Myers Beach's only full service, all suite luxury resort with full-service conference facilities, and 124 one-bedroom suites, right on the beach. They are also located within walking distance of Fort Myers Beach entertainment district.
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida. The population was 48,208 at the 2000 census. According to the 2005 U.S. Census Bureau's Estimates, the city had a population of 58,428.
The city is one of two major cities that make up the Cape Coral-Fort Myers MSA, the other being Cape Coral. As of July 1, 2005, the population estimate for the metropolitan area was 544,758.
Established in 1886, Fort Myers is the historical and governmental hub of Lee County. It is the gateway to the Southwest Florida region, which is a major tourist destination in Florida, as well as being a popular place to live for retirees. The winter homes of Thomas Edison (
Seminole Lodge) and Henry Ford (
The Mangoes), which are both primary tourist attractions in the region, are located on McGregor Boulevard in Fort Myers.
On August 13, 2004, Fort Myers was hit hard by Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall north of the area. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma struck south of Naples, but caused extensive damage nonetheless in Fort Myers and its southern suburbs.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) is located southeast of the city in South Fort Myers, near Gateway and Lehigh Acres.
Interesting facts
Fort Myers is still considered by local residents to be the "main" city of South West Florida, even though Cape Coral now has more than twice as many people. Thus Cape Coral is thought of as a suburb of Fort Myers, much in the way the larger Virginia Beach is thought of as a suburb of Norfolk even though Norfolk is now smaller in population.The first known resident of Fort Myers was Manuel Gonzalez, a Cuban immigrant who settled there in the 19th century.Fort Myers Senior High School, an International Baccalaureate school, was ranked as one of the best schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.Dunbar High School's Science Olympiad team won 8th place in the 2007 Florida State Science Olympiad.American Idol runner-up Vonzell Solomon graduated from Cypress Lake High School's Center for the Arts.In the premier episode of the final season of The Sopranos, Eugene Pontecorvo inherits $2 million from a relative and asks Tony Soprano if he can take the money and buy a retirement home in Fort Myers.The abandoned city scene from "Day of the Dead" was filmed in downtown Fort Myers.Local private school Canterbury was listed in Forbe's "Top 400 Schools to Get Your Kid into Harvard". Canterbury students have also won the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Grand Award five times in the past 20 years. Higher Learning
Edison CollegeFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityInternational CollegeNova Southeastern UniversitySouthwest Florida CollegeGeography and Climate
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 104.7 km² (40.4 mi²). 82.4 km² (31.8 mi²) of it is land and 22.2 km² (8.6 mi²) of it (21.25%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2006
, there were 65,729 people, 19,107 households, and 10,738 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.8/km² (1,514.6/mi²). There were 21,836 housing units at an average density of 264.9/km² (686.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.35% White, 33.39% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 5.69% from other races, and 3.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.49% of the population.
There were 19,107 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% were married couples living together, 18.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,514, and the median income for a family was $32,477. Males had a median income of $26,292 versus $20,529 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,312. About 18.1% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.3% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
Edison and Ford Winter EstatesThe city is the home of the Fort Myers Miracle baseball club of the Florida State League, and is the spring training locale for the Boston Red Sox. The Minnesota Twins hold their spring training in suburban South Fort Myers.Fort Myers shares the Florida Everblades ECHL hockey team, Florida Firecats af2 arena football, and Florida Flame NBA Development League basketball team with nearby Naples. For the golfing enthusiast, the Fort Myers Area (Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, Estero, Lehigh Acres, Sanibel Island and Venice) is home to over 50 of Southwest Florida's renowned 130 public and private golf courses. Florida's great weather combined with the scenic and challenging nature of these courses makes the area an excellent stop for the vacationing golfer.The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium is a private, not for profit, environmental education organization. Set on a 105 acre site has a museum, three nature trails, a Planetarium, butterfly and bird aviaries, a gift shop and meeting and picnic areas
List of people from the Fort Myers area
Terri Kimball - Playboy Playmate of the Month for May 1964.Earnest Graham - NFL Player - RB - Tampa Bay BuccaneersGreg Spires - NFL Player - DE - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (current team), New England Patriots, Cleveland BrownsPhillip Buchanon - NFL player - CB - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (current team), Houston Texans, Oakland RaidersJevon Kearse - NFL player - DE - Philadelphia Eagles (current team), Tennessee TitansDeion Sanders - Former NFL player - CB - Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Baltimore Ravens; Former MLB Player - New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco GiantsVonzell Solomon - American Idol 3rd place finisherElissa Steamer - Pro skateboarderMike Greenwell - Former MLB Player and current NASCAR driverAnthony Henry - NFL Player - CB - Dallas Cowboys (current team), Cleveland BrownsMindy McCready, country music artistNoel Devine, High School RB - One of the top college football prospects for 2007B.Y.R.D., rapper signed to Slip-n-Slide Street and CEO of Yoda Brothers EntertainmentI.V., rapper signed to Yoda Brothers EntertainmentPlies, rapper signed to Slip-N-Slide RecordsKenneth Hughes, professional wrestler.Ross Raabe, CEO of Renni Souf EntertainmentJay Seidl, Host of Music Mix USARaven Haywood, actress/model. www.myspace.com/plasticxbarbi3External links
Fort Myers TravelCity of Fort MyersGreater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce
