Let’s start with the obvious one. Fort Myers Beach is named for its beach, and it earns it: about seven miles of fine, white, sugar-soft sand running the length of Estero Island, with the Gulf of Mexico doing its calm, warm, shallow thing the whole way along. From the house it is a few minutes’ drive, and there are public access points scattered up and down Estero Blvd, so you rarely have to hunt for a spot.
The water is gentle enough for little ones and clear enough for a lazy float. Shelling is good after a storm or on a low morning tide, and the sandbars that show up at low tide make for easy wading. Bring chairs and an umbrella; a few of the beachfront resorts rent them if you’d rather travel light.
Our advice on timing: mornings for quiet and shells, late afternoon for the show. The sun sets straight out over the Gulf here, and a slow walk along the waterline as it goes down is the single most reliable thing to do on the island. Grab a drink from a beach bar on the way back and you have your evening sorted.
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