Florida: Ft. Myers Beach, Family Vacation Ideas - Sand, Shells, Sun and Fun.
 Our
flight from Toronto went without delays, as did the transfer to our rental car.
No hassles, it set the tone for a stress free family vacation. We crossed over
the Caloosahatchee River and entered the city of Fort Myers. The kids were as
jazzed as I was to enjoy the perfect combination of sun, sea, sand, and shells.
I could already feel the cool sand between my toes.
As we drove, Neil looked
at a map of the area. He announced that there were hundreds of small islands. As
smug adults we knew that because advertisements refer to the area as the Lee
Island Coast. He looked on a map but never found Lee Island. We did discover the
very best French bakery, Sucree Salee, located across from the Red Coconut RV
Park. During our holiday we returned many times. The quiche is as good as any in
Toronto.
Our reason for choosing
the Gulf side of Florida was simple, the beaches, shells and million dollar
sunsets. Shell book in my pocket, I spent plenty of time looking for special
shells. Shama, our daughter began looking for a “Cats Paw”. Our son was more
interested in finding sharks’ teeth. At sunset each evening he would pull one or
two teeth out of his pocket and ask us to imagine, just imagine, the size of the
shark that lost the tooth.
Our vacation days were
spent enjoying the beach and slowing down. On one of our energetic days we did
stop at the Kayak Shack on the East Side of Estero Boulevard to arrange for
renting kayaks. During our information gathering, I also learned that it is
possible to rent bicycles, canoes, fishing rods & reels, and canoes as well as
kayaks.
A secret family spot is
Lovers’ Key State Recreation Area, south of the Ft. Myers Beach is a beautiful
park and terrific for families because it is well maintained and has enough to
do for a family to keep occupied for an entire day. To get to the beach a tram
operates between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. taking visitors from the parking area.
Rangers and naturalist are available to provide plenty of information about its
earliest inhabitants. We learned that along this section of the coast there is
evidence that this area was inhabited more than 1000 years ago.
The beach is narrow and
two and one-half miles long. Heading south from the concession stand, I saw that
picnic tables were nestled into the mangroves. Some of the huge trees must have
fallen during a hurricane.
 Still
resting prone they made super climbing places for kids. We found the snorkeling
was perfect in the clear water. On the beach we found sand dollars digging into
the sand. There seemed to be hundreds of them. The Kid’s wanted to take them
home until they realized that they were still alive.
I also learned from a
family on the beach that two boat excursions depart from the park each day. The
Estero Explorer is a 40-foot pontoon boat. The family oriented trip is
geared for novice anglers who would like to learn the basics of the sport of
fishing. They provide the license, equipment and bait along with the patience
needed for beginner. It sounded like fun as they explained about the bait and
the hook and the wiggling fish.
Our family did manage to
have one rather daring adventure, at least daring for us. No one in our family
had ever been parasailing. This was our chance. We rented a cabana for shade
and watched another family parasail. It looked easy. Skeptical and scared as I
was, I found courage to show my kids that I could do almost anything. Before I
had time to back out, we were on the Ranalli Parasail boat.
How does one parasail and
enjoy it? Listen and do what they say. First a person gives a detailed
description on what will happen. It varies by location so no two experiences
will be the same. In the Fort Myers version, the first person going up walks to
the back of the boat and is fitted into a harness. The same goes for the second
person if it is going to be a tandem ride. Next, (and this happened very
quickly) a large sail shaped like the top half of a balloon is lifted into the
air and quickly the people follow it into the air. What a sensation,
weightlessness in seconds. The feeling was jubilation along with terror. We
sailed along at a low level for a couple of minutes and then more line was let
out and we drifted about 500 feet high. The sight from above is incredible and
there are no words that I can use to describe the feeling.
Because when I am not on
holiday I am in the classroom,
every family vacation even one which includes a beach, also includes a museum or
two. Our first stop was the
Edison Museum once
the winter home of Thomas A. Edison & Henry Ford. The docent guided tour
included both houses and the garden took about two hours providing a snapshot in
time. I loved the piano and the old record player. The banyan tree in the garden
is awesome. It looks like something out of a Rudyard Kipling story. In addition
to the house and garden tour there is the Electric Launch River Cruise tour
aboard the “Reliance”, Edison’s electric launch. It departs hourly from
downtown Ft. Myers. Transportation in a van from the estate is free of charge
but there is a charge for the hour-long boat cruise on the Caloosahatchee River.
The downtown area of Ft.
Myers Beach seems to revolve around the Times Square. Toward the end of our
holiday we decided to browse the shops. We stopped at several t-shirt shops, yes
there are many, to find the perfect souvenirs. Lunch took us closer to the
water. We ate at The Beach Pierside Grill, where we sat on a deck overlooking
the beach and the fishing pier. There was lot’s of activity with people walking
to and from the pier along with fishing from it. The kid’s menu had a good
selection including fish and chips. Music entertains diners during happy hour
making this is a spot to hang out and dance with or without your kids.
More Vacation Ideas
Florida: Fort Myers Beach, Pink Shell Beach Resort & Spa on Estero Island.
Pink Shell has been an American beach tradition for more than 50 years,
catering to the needs of generations of families with children of all ages. The
resort prides itself on providing a fun, memorable resort experience, while
creating new traditions.
More
In the Area
Lovers’ Key State
Recreation Area.
8700 Estero Blvd., Ft. Myers Beach, FL 33931, 1 (941) 463-4588,
www.dep.state.fl.us/parks
Estero Explorer Tours.
They depart at about 9 AM from the south beach fishing pier and return at noon.
The same pontoon boat departs for two one-hour Backbay Ecosystem Tours in the
afternoon. Cruise the waters of Estero Bay while learning the basic functions of
the basic backbay ecosystem and how it supports the birds, marine mammals and
other wildlife. 1 (941) 765-1880,
www.tarponbay.com
The Kayak Shack. 8700 Estero Blvd. Located on the East Side of Estero
Boulevard.
www.tarponbay.com
Edison-Ford Museum. 1 (941)
334-3614 Edison & Ford Estates, 2350 McCregor Blvd., Ft. Myers Florida
www.edison-ford-estate.com
Dolphin Adventure Tour Company & Ranalli Parasail.
2000 Estero Blvd., Ft. Myers Beach, 1 (941) 463-3509.
Mound Key.
Accessible only by boat, located across from Lovers Key State Rec. Area.
Depicts early culture and inhabitants of the town of Ft. Myers Beach. On
Saturday’s host an ecological presentation along with naturalists discussing
Estero Bay, marine mammals and conservation efforts. Mound House is built on a
Calusa Indian shell mound over 1,000 years ago. 1 (941) 332-7992.
Eating Places
Sucree Salee.
This is a very fine
French bakery open until 2 p.m. get there early for the best selection. They
have a superb Key Lime Pie. They make bread in different shapes including an
alligator. This is the place to pick up a picnic lunch a different selection of
croissants is made daily. Did I mention quiche? 2943 Estero Blvd., Ft. Myers
Beach.
The Beach
Pierside Grill. 1000
Estero Blvd., Ft. Myers Beach, 1 (941) 765-7800 or
http://beachpierside.com
More Family Vacation Ideas
Florida: Fort Lauderdale, Family Vacation Ideas.
Once known as a
spring break place for college kids, Fort Lauderdale has grown up and out of
that image. Now visitors will find classy shops, world-class art, and a new
Florida-chic attitude. The
beaches, waterways and parks
frame a rich menu of activities and make it easy to unwind and escape from the
stresses of everyday life. Imagine more than 300 miles of navigable waterways
and 40,000 resident yachts. Providing sophisticated fun- in-the-sun, Greater
Fort Lauderdale offers family vacation fun beyond-the-beach.
More
Florida: Miami, Family Vacation Ideas.
Commonly known for its fabulous restaurants and lively nightclubs, the
city also has a softer side for families. Our action list includes the fun stuff
for families. Think about sunshine and shopping, Cuban coffee and luscious
pastels, theatre and dance and all things on the water including fishing,
sailing, wave running and skiing. Discover parrots, pirates, and monkeys. Wiggle
your toes in the sand at Crandon Park. Sign up for salsa lessons or kick back
and relax. Urban and definitely tropical, Miami has fun stuff to do with the
kids. More
Florida: Naples, Going to the Zoo Day or Night.
Caribbean
Gardens, the Zoo in Naples offers families oodles of great activities in a
tropical paradise. Comfortable and truly attentive to families, the grounds
showcase a variety of endangered animals and provide excellent opportunities for
wildlife viewing as well as interactive learning. It is an ideal setting for a
family field trip with plenty of spaces for a picnic too. More
Content provided by the Joshi Family and updated 2/2007. Images provided by
Visit Florida.
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