A cornerstone of the Fort Myers arts community since the 1970s, the Alliance for the Arts continues to transform lives through education, exhibitions, and performance. The campus remains a hub for local artists, theatre productions, and seasonal art camps designed to inspire young creators.
The Alliance for the Arts 2025-2026 season includes the Youth Theatre productions of “Dreamland,” “Something Rotten Jr.,” and “The Outsiders” and the Americana Community Music Association (ACMA) Concert Series, including performances by Brain Smalley and Roy Book Binder in early 2026. The Pop-Up Auction House runs through the end of Nov. 2025, with art displayed at the Alliance from January to February 2026. Film screenings of "Reel Families" and "Michael's Monthly Mystery Movie" run throughout the year. The Alliance offers various educational opportunities. 
This winter’s lineup includes the thought-provoking production of “Marian, Or the True Tale of Robin Hood,” a clever gender-bending retelling of the classic legend that runs from Dec. 6 through 8. Bluegrass lovers will enjoy the Flatlanders on Jan. 12, while the Youth Theatre takes audiences under the sea with Disney Pixar’s “Finding Nemo KIDS” on Feb. 1 and 2. In March, the ACMA Concert Series presents The Honey Badgers and Fred Ball, and on April 25, Chase Padgett’s one-man show “Guitars” returns.

10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

239-939-2787 | artinlee.org

Artis—Naples / The Baker Museum

Artis—Naples anchors Southwest Florida’s arts scene with exhibitions and performances that blend sophistication and accessibility. The 2025-2026 season, “America 250: E Pluribus Unum — Out of Many, One,” promises to entertain, provoke and provide patrons a season full of unforgettable experiences — from Beethoven to Broadway, de Lempicka to Dolly Parton and Mahler’s grand symphony to the serene power of Ansel Adams’ landscapes. 
Highlights of the season include “Florida Contemporary” (Oct. 18, 2025 – June 28, 2026), featuring works by Mally Khorasantchi, Boy Kong, Jillian Mayer and Reginald O’Neal and Tamara de Lempicka (Oct. 25, 2025 – Feb. 8, 2026), with a sweeping Art Deco retrospective. The season includes a compelling visual exploration of local environmental challenges entitled “Entangled in the Mangroves” featuring nine Florida-based artists and a sweeping presentation of Ansel Adams’ photography. A panel discussion for “Florida Contemporary” takes place on Jan. 29, 2026. Dance lovers will enjoy Alonzo King LINES Ballet performing with the Naples Philharmonic on Nov. 16, 2025.
Led by Sharon and Timothy Ubben Artistic and Music Director Alexander Shelley, Naples Philharmonic returns with powerful momentum.
“The first concert of the Masterworks season is going to be Mahler’s ‘Resurrection Symphony.’ That’s a really extraordinary piece that speaks to the ideas of rebirth and Renewal — and frankly, of society and the role of people within it,” said Filner.
Additional season highlights include Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and Beethoven’s “Eroica” Symphony. One of the most anticipated performances of the lineup is “The Elements,” a violin concerto conceived and performed by renowned classical musician Joshua Bell and co-composed by five top American composers.
Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads four of the five signature Pops series
programs with five programs, and Artis—Naples welcomes guest conductor Stuart Chafetz to lead one of the compelling programs of the season. The lineup celebrates musical icons, including, among others, Elvis Presley (performed by Frankie Moreno), Paul Simon and Dolly Parton. Broadway star Mandy Gonzalez presents a showcase of musical theater classics and Troupe Vertigo returns with “Mysterioso,” a symphony featuring circus acrobatics and special effects. The season finale is “Threads: My Songs in Symphony,” created by Dolly Parton.

5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples 

(239) 597‑1900 | artisnaples.org

Arts Bonita | Arts Bonita Performing Arts

With two distinct campuses — each dedicated to fostering the visual or performing arts — Arts Bonita offers a vibrant mix of concerts, theater, and exhibitions for all ages. This season features live performances such as “Love Letters” on Feb. 14 and the return of Gulfshore Opera’s “Rusalka” on Mar. 25, 2026. Workshops and art classes in ceramics, painting, glass and dance run year‑round for adults and youth.
At the visual arts campus, “Beyond the Art Show Tent” by Tammy DeCaro and “Pareidolia” by Jeanette Richards run from Oct. 23 through Dec. 4, 2025. DeCaro’s vibrant collection invites observers to view art as a living part of daily life, and each piece becomes a meaningful expression of creativity and connection. In “Pareidolia,” Richards explores the human tendency to find meaning in shapes and patterns. 
January through March, Arts Bonita welcomes hundreds of nationally and internationally known artists to Riverside Park in Bonita Springs during the Bonita Springs National Art Festivals. 
Arts Bonita Performing Arts provides classes in drama, dance, film, digital arts and more for artists and hobbyists of all ages. The Arts Bonita Performing Arts Theatre offers an exciting range of live performances, including concerts, theater, improv, comedy, film screenings, lectures and multicultural events almost every night of the week. 

Performing Arts Center | 10150 Bonita Beach Rd.

Visual Arts Center | 26100 Old 41 Rd. 

(239) 495‑8989 | artsbonita.org

BIG ARTS 

BIG ARTS on Sanibel Island offers a vibrant array of opportunities to enjoy the performing and fine arts, including films, workshops, classes and community events. The organization continues its commitment to showcasing local and national talent with exhibitions that celebrate diversity and imagination. Nov. 1 – Dec. 15, 2025, the gallery hosts “Curious,” an exhibition by artist Reynier Llanes with an artist reception on Nov. 7, 2025, followed by an “Ode to Joy” exhibition presented by the Sanibel‑Captiva Art League. Additional winter and spring programming includes solo and group shows featuring regional and visiting artists. Visitors can enjoy award-winning films in a state-of-the-art theater.

900 Dunlop Rd., Sanibel 

(239) 395‑0900 | bigarts.org

Marco Island Center for the Arts

Marco Island Center for the Arts continues its tradition of bringing diverse creative experiences to the island. The fourth season at Marco Island Arts Center Theatre kicks off Nov. 6 through 23, 2025, with “Baggage” by Sam Bobrick. In December, Arts Center Theatre offers “Selections from Holidays on Ice” by David Sedaris and “Singing and Swingin’ – The Holiday Songbook.” Jan. 8 through 25, 2026, the center presents “Four Old Broads: Miss Magnolia Senior Citizen Beauty Pageant” by Leslie Kimbell. Following that in February is a production of “Moonlight and Magnolias” by Ron Hutchinson in February, “California Suite” by Neil Simon in March and “You’ve Got Hate Mail” by Billy Van Zandt and Jane Milmore in April. The center offers youth and adult art classes, including painting, watercolor, acrylic, oil, drawing, multimedia and sculpting — and they’re always adding more.

1010 Winterberry Dr., Marco Island 

(239) 394‑4221 | marcoislandart.org

Naples Art District (NAD)

The Naples Art District is a hub for working artists, galleries and studios in the heart of Naples. Located just off Pine Ridge Road, the district has grown steadily to include over 100 member artists whose studios and galleries are concentrated in that area. Recognized as a Cultural Arts District by Collier County, the district attracts tourists and locals with its array of working studios and galleries, art for sale, events and classes.

2180 J and C Blvd, Naples,

(239) 249-1977 | naplesartdistrict.com

Naples Art Institute

For 70 years, Naples Art Institute has provided a welcoming space for both established and aspiring artists to explore their creativity. Exhibitions of local and international art draw thousands of visitors annually. The arts organization encourages residents to experiment in the visual arts through a variety of classes, workshops, lectures, special programs and events. Naples Art Institute’s 2025–2026 exhibition lineup features “Joan Miró: Fire in the Soul” (Dec. 13, 2025 – Mar. 29, 2026) and “An Adventure in the Arts: The Guild Hall Collection” (through Jan. 2, 2026). The 30th Annual New Year’s Art Fair returns Jan. 4 – 5, 2026, followed by the 47th Annual National Art Fair (Feb. 21 – 23, 2026) and the Downtown Art Fair (Mar. 22 – 23, 2026).

585 Park St., Naples 

(239) 262‑6517 | naplesart.org

Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center (SBDAC) / Florida Arts, Inc. 

In the heart of downtown Fort Myers, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center continues to redefine community engagement through art, music and design. 
The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, run by Florida Arts, Inc., is dedicated to bringing world-class art events to the Southwest Florida community. Throughout the year, the center hosts concerts, art exhibitions, galas, lectures, and educational arts experiences for children and adults. Its galleries rotate monthly, with seasonal highlights including “Beyond the Brush” (Nov. 7–25, 2025) and “Edge of Couture: The Art of Fashion” (Apr. 24, 2026). 

2301 First St., Fort Myers 

(239) 333‑1933 | sbdac.com

Visual Art Center

Visual Art Center offers art classes, instructors and juried exhibit opportunities for members and visitors of all ages and skill levels. Social arts events throughout the year provide additional creative ways for community members to become part of Charlotte County’s vibrant cultural scene. Highlights of the 2025-2026 season include “Dreamings – The Art of Aboriginal Australia” (Feb. 7 – Apr. 4, 2026) and the “Fiber Arts Studio Series” on Apr. 25, 2026.

210 Maud St., Punta Gorda 

(941) 639‑8810 | visualartcenter.org

Southwest Florida isn’t just a destination; it’s a state of mind.

Gators, grapefruits, and glorious legends

History, wildlife, and art converge in SWFL. Step back in time at the Naples Historical Society Museum, opening this fall, or explore Punta Gorda’s Military Heritage Museum. The America’s Military and First Responders Museum at Naples Airport showcases over 10,000 artifacts spanning the Revolutionary War to modern conflicts. Wander the Edison & Ford Winter Estates—where the inventor’s 1886 home and laboratory sit amid fragrant gardens. 

Nature and beauty abound at the Naples Botanical Garden, home to more than 1,000 plant species across 170 acres. Stroll through the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens or the tropical trails at Wonder Gardens, admiring at flamingos and exotic birds. Meet vibrant iguanas, snakes, turtles and gators at Punta Gorda’s Iguana Land. 

Taste Florida straight from the grove with fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice and swirls of orange ice cream at Sun Harvest or pick your own berries at local family farms like Blueberry Bunch and Farmer Mike’s U-Pick. While thrill-seekers can glide across swamps on airboats, spotting gators and even follow the trails of the elusive Swamp Ape.

Sunny beaches come alive as sand sculpting competitions transform the shoreline into temporary galleries. This year, the 35th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship returns to Fort Myers Beach, drawing over 15,000 attendees to celebrate world-class artistry, creativity and community spirit. From Nov. 20-24, visitors can marvel at the awe-inspiring work of  Master and Advanced Amateur Sculptors from around the world, each bringing their extraordinary visions to life in sand.

Upcoming Highlights:

• Naples Stone Crab Festival – Naples, Oct. 2025: Fresh seafood, live music, and family fun.
• Charlotte Harbor Paddle Festival – Charlotte Harbor, Oct. 2025: Kayaks, eco-tours, and wildlife exploration.
• Fort Myers Seafood & Music Festival – Fort Myers, Nov. 2025: Waterfront dining with local tunes.
• American Sand Sculpting Championship – Fort Myers Beach, Nov.2025: International artists create ephemeral masterpieces.

Burgers, bubble rooms, and food truck frenzy

SWFL’s culinary scene is as playful as it is flavorful. With over 150 new restaurants and over 34 breweries and taprooms, there’s always a new spot to explore. Downtown Fort Myers heats things up at Sip and Sizzle with shaken martinis, while hidden gems like Escondido Lounge—a speakeasy behind a frothy door— and the moody Hogwash provide a spirited nightlife escape. Margaritaville and Sugar Shack offer sunsets with live steel drums and tropical drinks, the perfect soundtrack for the Gulf Coast’s breezy evenings.

Naples is buzzing with bold flavors and culinary surprises this season. The Rooster Food + Drink caught national attention when Guy Fieri featured it on a November 2025 episode of “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” with its inventive take on seafood and comfort classics, including the standout Texas Reuben. At The 239, cocktails are made to impress—with resh-pressed juices, sprinkled rims, and garnishes of tiny rubber ducks on dried grapefruit lily pads. Pair them with flavored popcorn and shareable small plates for a Naples night equal parts coastal and creative. 

In Fort Myers, Swamp Cat Brewery pours adventure into every pint, with beers inspired by Navy veterans’ travels and Florida-famed panther. Enjoy the tangy Wild Blood Orange or the dreamy Everglades Misty Hazy in the beer garden, where individual food kitchens satisfy every craving served to the rhythm of live music.

SWFL’s food scene mixes old Florida charm with playful twists, from Florida Burger Boy’s Swamp Stomper Burger and Key Lime Pie Shake to the return and resilience of the retro Bubble Room on Captiva with towering desserts. Food trucks line Celebration Park in Naples, Riverside Rooftop in Bonita Springs offers cocktails with a view, Backyard Social in Estero blends fun and flavor, and the new Slipway Food Truck Park & Marina in Cape Coral lets guests dock and dine right on the water.

Upcoming Bites & Sips:

• Port Charlotte Food Truck Festival – Nov. 2025: Street food and live entertainment.
• Bonita Springs Craft Beer & Food Truck Fest – Dec. 2025: Local brews paired with gourmet bites.
• Naples Winter Wine Festival – Jan. 2026: Premier wine auction and chef-curated dinners.
• 68th Annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival – Mar. 2026: Parade, carnival, and live music.

Nature, noises, and national awards

Florida’s 175 state parks span over 815,000 acres and have earned four National Gold Medals for excellence. From mangroves to beaches, SWFL is alive with exploration. Kayak through the winding mangroves at Lovers Key, wander bamboo trails and admire historic sculptures at Koreshan State Park, or paddle through tidal marshes at Charlotte Harbor Preserve. Hikers can explore Seminole State Park or the vast wilderness of Big Cypress National Preserve, where the iconic Florida panthers, ghost orchids, and native wildlife roam. 

Don’t miss the electrifying lightning shows over SWFL’s parks, with Florida earning its reputation as the Lightning Capital. Meanwhile, shell-covered beaches invite you to stroll the shoreline or recline in the sun, offering award-winning spots for collecting seashells and soaking up the perfect park-side retreat.

Seafood lovers can celebrate the region’s bounty at Stone Crab Festivals in Tin City, St. James City and throughout the Everglades. Known as the Stone Crab Capital of the World, claws are locally caught from nearby waters, served chilled and complemented by Florida-famous mustard dipping sauce or a side of melted butter. The festivals clamp onto visitors and locals alike, pairing fresh stone crabs with lively tunes that keep the celebration going long after the sun sets.

Music thrives in lush settings, from the Naples Botanical Garden’s Music in the Gardens and the Naples Jazz Festival to the Fort Myers Music Walk and free outdoor concerts across Bonita Springs, bringing melodies to the sunshine.

Nature Highlights:

• Lovers Key Mangrove Adventure Week – Nov. 2025: Guided walks, birdwatching, and sunset cruises.
• Wonder Gardens – Bonita Springs, year-round: Historic gardens and wildlife sanctuary.
• Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda Home & Garden Show – Oct.2025: Family-friendly demos and trends.

Shop, splash and swing

SWFL effortlessly blends style, adventure, and relaxation. Bell Tower Shops, Coconut Point, and Miromar Outlets showcase over 140 designer stores along open-air promenades, where shoppers can discover the latest fashions and chic resort-style designs. Downtown Naples and Punta Gorda Mercantile add a local flair, offering boutique treasures, handcrafted goods, and vibrant art for a truly unique shopping experience.

Dive into the newly opened Brightwater Lagoon in North Fort Myers, a six-acre paradise featuring lazy rivers, twisting slides, and swim-up bars perfect for soaking up the Florida sun. In nearby Punta Gorda, Sunseekers offers a rooftop pool retreat where chilled beverages and sparkling views set the stage for ultimate relaxation. 

Anglers will find their paradise in SWFL, where the shimmering waters of Cayo Costa and Pine Island Sound are teeming with snook, redfish, and tarpon. 

For land lovers, the region hosts more than 150 public and private golf courses, offering lush greens and challenging fairways for players of every skill level. Beat the heat with a round of movie-themed mini golf at HappyLand inside Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in the Mercato, then let the breeze carry you on the 90-minute Fort Myers Pirate Adventure along Fort Myers Beach — perfect for pirates-in-training of all ages.

Buckle up for a double dose of adrenaline and excitement in Florida. First, soar into thrills at the Florida International Air Show, a volunteer-run nonprofit that brings the skies to life. Over multiple days, nationally renowned performers dazzle crowds with jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers, while static displays of aircraft and military vehicles offer a hands-on look at aviation and space. Whether you are an aviation enthusiast, a history buff or just looking for an unforgettable family outing, Florida International Air Show delivers high-flying thrills and a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of flight.

Then, get ready to rev your enginesat the 22nd Annual Cars on 5th Concours, rolling into 5th Avenue South in Naples in February, hosted by the Naples Automotive Experience. As Naples’ largest one-day car event, it will showcase over 400 luxury rides—Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Corvettes, and more— filling the avenue with high-octane style and performance. Two spectacular experiences, one unforgettable adventure. 

Upcoming play dates:

• Florida International Air Show – Nov. 2025: Thrilling aerial displays.
• Naples Golf & Food Classic – Nov. 2025: Tee off with gourmet pairings.
• Classic Cars on 5th Concours d’Elegance – Feb. 2026: Exotic and vintage collector cars.
• 37th Annual Christmas Boat Parade – Dec. 2025: Festive lights on the water.
• Collier County Fair – March 2026: Carnival rides, games and live entertainment.

Why SWFL is simply irresistible

With 180 years of history, Southwest Florida is a sun-soaked haven brimming with charm, flavors, and adventure. From golden beaches to hidden mangrove trails, every corner offers something to explore, taste, and remember. Visit and experience it for yourself—Southwest Florida isn’t just a destination, it’s a feeling. Come for the sun, stay for the soul.

Since the 1950s, Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South have been the center of Naples identity — a blend of seaside elegance and small-town charm. Early visitors arrived by boat at the Naples Pier, trading with the Seminole long before boutique storefronts and fine restaurants lined the sidewalks. The district’s architecture preserves that legacy of understated luxury, where history meets high style.

In recent years, the city’s cultural core has expanded to include the Naples Design District. This creative corridor, known for its artisan studios, galleries and modern dining spots captures Naples’ evolution from a quiet fishing village to one of the Gulf Coast’s most sophisticated destinations.

Downtown Bonita Springs

Old 41 Road has been the center of Bonita Springs for years and has never been afraid of transformation. In the 1930s, visitors flocked to the Everglades Wonder Gardens, where flamingos and alligators basked in lush greenery. Almost a century later, the reimagined Wonder Gardens remains a centerpiece of the town — honoring the past while serving as a modern botanical and wildlife attraction.

Nearby, the historic Shangri-La Hotel still evokes Bonita’s early reputation for health and hospitality. Around it, a new era of vitality thrives in the preserved buildings, which have been transformed into niche restaurants, breweries and cocktail lounges. Riverside Park is home to concerts, festivals and community groups, while new ventures, such as Sugarshack Downtown, feature live music, craft beer and a welcoming, hometown vibe.

Fort Myers Historic River District

Fort Myers’ Historic River District reflects a rare success story — a downtown saved from decline through preservation and pride. Once overshadowed by suburban growth, its century-old buildings have become home to restaurants, galleries and festivals.

The Edison & Ford Winter Estates helped spark that revival — the 1915 vaudeville house transformed into The Florida Repertory Theatre, the old federal building became an art center and restaurants like The Veranda tell a story of endurance and reinvention. Today, the River District features rooftop lounges, outdoor markets and places like Bay Street Yard.

Downtown Punta Gorda

Founded in the 1800s, Punta Gorda preserves its roots as a harbor town with colorful murals that depict settlers, fishermen and the lives of early settlers. Marion Avenue’s lineup of eclectic shops and restaurants — including longtime favorites like The Perfect Caper and Celtic Ray Public House — echoes both history and evolution.

Across the river, Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor draws new energy to the waterfront while honoring the town’s maritime legacy. Rooftop lounges at the Wyvern Hotel and the lively TT’s Tiki Bar at Four Points by Sheraton embrace life on the water. At the same time, Laishley Park and the surrounding trails provide opportunities to enjoy nature.

Boca Grande

Boca Grande began as the home of tarpon fishing, grand hotels and railroad tycoons escaping northern winters. The Gasparilla Inn, built in 1913, still conveys refined sophistication, and the old rail line now doubles as a scenic bike and golf cart path.

Today, the downtown area features shops, pastel architecture and canopy-lined streets. The Johann Fust Library, century-old churches and the Port Boca Grande Lighthouse & Museum reflect the rich history of Boca Grande. Today, visitors enjoy a timeless mix of elegance and unhurried charm.

Alva
Tucked along the Caloosahatchee River east of Fort Myers, this quiet, rural town continues to feel like Old Florida. Alva’s citrus groves, cattle pastures, and oak-shaded trails offer space for horseback riding and outdoor recreation. Though often assumed to honor inventor Thomas Alva Edison, the town was named for the small white “alva” flowers discovered here by sea captain Peter Nelson in the late 1800s. Residents’ commitment to preservation over progress keeps Alva’s open skies and peaceful charm intact.

Babcock Ranch
Straddling the Lee and Charlotte county line, Babcock Ranch holds the distinction of being America’s first solar-powered town. Designed for sustainable living and outdoor adventure, its walkable neighborhoods, preserved greenways and freshwater lakes invite residents to bike, kayak and explore. Founder’s Square remains a lively center for outdoor concerts, restaurants and family gatherings nearly every weekend. With festivals, wellness activities and top-rated schools within walking distance, Babcock Ranch consistently sets the standard for eco-conscious Florida living.

Bonita Springs
Between Naples and Estero, Bonita Springs blends laid-back coastal living with creative energy. Visitors head to Lovers Key State Park for kayaking and wildlife viewing, while locals frequent the Old 41 corridor for outdoor dining and community events. Shangri-La Springs — a 1920s hotel transformed into a wellness retreat — reflects the town’s history, while the Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs and the Wonder Gardens are hallmarks of its rich cultural identity. The downtown area is home to many unique restaurants, breweries and live music venues. Growth here has been steady, yet Bonita’s coastal elegance and small-town spirit endure.

Cape Coral
Known as the “Waterfront Wonderland,” Cape Coral boasts more than 400 miles of navigable canals — more than Venice, Italy. Founded in the late 1950s by brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen, it has grown into the largest city in Southwest Florida. Today, Cape Coral is a haven for boaters, anglers and families, with more than 1,500 acres of parks and preserves, a bustling farmers market in South Cape and a growing downtown scene. Modern and approachable, The Cape seamlessly blends its waterways, community and coastal lifestyle.

Estero
Once home to the Koreshan Unity settlement, whose utopian ideals are preserved at Koreshan State Park, Estero has transformed into one of Lee County’s most dynamic residential and commercial areas. Its location between Naples and Fort Myers makes it a hub for shopping and entertainment, anchored by Coconut Point, Miromar Outlets and Hertz Arena. Concerts, hockey games, and festivals draw visitors, while riverfront parks and nature trails preserve ties to the past. Estero’s balance of growth and green space reflects its evolution from pioneer settlement to thriving suburb.

Fort Myers
Steeped in history and fueled by creativity, Fort Myers remains the cultural heart of Lee County. Once home to the Calusa and later the winter retreat of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, the city now thrives on its blend of heritage and innovation. The downtown River District showcases restored architecture, independent dining and a thriving arts scene that is home to the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, Florida Repertory Theatre and Laboratory Theater of Florida. With spring training, concerts, and waterfront festivals, Fort Myers continues to embody Southwest Florida’s unique energy.

Fort Myers Beach
Reimagined and resilient after Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers Beach continues to rebuild with heart and purpose. Stretching seven miles along Estero Island, it remains a favorite for shelling, dolphin tours and Gulf-front dining. The Mound House — a restored 1906 home atop an ancient Calusa shell mound — connects visitors to the island’s earliest roots. With new restaurants, piers and beach cottages opening, Fort Myers Beach blends renewal with nostalgia, welcoming locals and visitors to marvel at the beauty of spectacular sunsets and the resilience of local spirit.

Lehigh Acres
Lehigh Acres has grown into one of Florida’s largest unincorporated communities, offering both affordability and access to Naples and Fort Myers. More than 120,000 residents enjoy the neighborhood parks, preserves, and golf courses, including Westminster Golf Club. Outdoor enthusiasts explore Hickey Creek Wildlife Area and Frank Mann Preserve, while boaters use the Alva Boat Ramp to reach the Caloosahatchee River. With steady growth, new schools, and expanding businesses, Lehigh Acres continues to strike a balance between suburban comfort and its rural character.

Sanibel and Captiva
Sanibel and Captiva Islands capture an idyllic vision of tropical living. The islands feature 25 miles of bike trails, world-class shelling and some of Florida’s most cherished wildlife habitats. The J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge draws birdwatchers from around the world, while the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and Lighthouse Beach Park remain enduring landmarks. Beloved institutions like The Bubble Room and Keylime Bistro preserve the islands’ whimsical side. Though hurricane recovery continues, Sanibel and Captiva’s coastal charm and ecological focus remain timeless.

COLLIER

Ave Maria
Thirty miles east of Naples, Ave Maria continues to evolve as one of Collier County’s newest and most distinctive communities. Founded in 2005 through a partnership between Ave Maria Development, Barron Collier Companies, and Domino’s Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, the town officially opened in 2007 at the same time as Ave Maria University. Its dramatic cathedral, inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, remains its architectural and spiritual centerpiece. With its parks, schools and family-focused design, Ave Maria has matured into a thriving modern community in the heart of the countryside.

Everglades City
Known as the “Gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands,” Everglades City remains a historic fishing village surrounded by mangroves and unspoiled wilderness. Once the Collier County seat, it retains its Old Florida flavor with airboat tours, stone crab shacks and stilted cottages along the Barron River. The town proudly hosts the annual Everglades Seafood Festival each February, celebrating local heritage and the start of stone crab season. With nearby access to Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve, it remains a rare link between Florida’s past and its wild, natural heart.

Immokalee
In the Seminole language, Immokalee means “my home” — a fitting name for this agricultural powerhouse in northern Collier County. Known for producing much of America’s winter tomatoes, the community thrives on its deep roots in farming and cultural diversity. The Seminole Casino Hotel enhances the area’s entertainment and dining options, while the Immokalee Pioneer Museum at Roberts Ranch preserves the stories of early settlers. Surrounded by wide-open land and nature preserves, Immokalee continues to strike a balance between modern progress and the hardworking heritage that defines it.

Marco Island
The largest of the Ten Thousand Islands, Marco Island remains a tropical playground just south of Naples. Marco’s six miles of sugar-white sand and clear Gulf waters make it ideal for kayaking, paddleboarding and sunset sailing. Tigertail Beach draws birdwatchers and shell collectors, while the Marco Island Historical Museum showcases the island’s Calusa roots and the famed Key Marco Cat. Elegant resorts, local dining and year-round festivals maintain Marco’s reputation as a laid-back yet luxurious coastal retreat.

Naples
Perennially ranked among the nation’s best places to live, Naples shines with a blend of sophistication and coastal ease. Its beaches — from Lowdermilk Park to Clam Pass — are known for their white sand and gentle surf, while Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South provide boutique shopping, dining and art. Tin City retains a nostalgic, maritime feel, and Artis—Naples cements the city’s thriving arts scene. With elegant neighborhoods, golf courses and community events, Naples continues to define the good life on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

CHARLOTTE

Boca Grande
Perched on Gasparilla Island, Boca Grande remains one of Florida’s most exclusive coastal enclaves, where pastel cottages, turquoise water and understated elegance meet. The historic Gasparilla Inn, built in 1911, features a world-class golf course, spa and dining venues that attract visitors from around the globe. Bicyclists and beachgoers enjoy the scenic six-mile trail that winds past streets lined with banyan trees and white-sand beaches. Famous for tarpon fishing and timeless charm, Boca Grande continues to embody Gulf Coast grace.

Englewood
Straddling the Charlotte and Sarasota county line, Englewood carries the relaxed rhythm of a classic beach town. Founded in 1896 by three Illinois brothers, it quickly gained a reputation for fishing, boating, and winter retreats. Today, Manasota Key’s pristine beaches and Englewood’s eleven golf courses make it a haven for recreation. Enriched by live music, art shows and local theatre, Englewood blends small-town authenticity with creative energy.

Pine Island
Rustic, artistic and surrounded by mangroves, Pine Island feels worlds apart from modern Florida. The state’s largest Gulf Coast island is known for its mango farms, fishing guides and local galleries. Visitors can explore the Calusa Heritage Trail or take a ferry to Cayo Costa State Park for a day of shelling and solitude. The island’s smaller communities — Matlacha, Bokeelia, and St. James City — each have their own unique character, while Tarpon Lodge remains a landmark for old-Florida dining and hospitality.

Port Charlotte
At the meeting of the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor, Port Charlotte thrives as a retreat for those who love life on the water. With 165 miles of canals and convenient access to open water, it’s ideal for boating, fishing and kayaking. Tippecanoe Environmental Park and Charlotte Sports Park — spring training home of the Tampa Bay Rays — highlight its blend of recreation and community life. From local seafood spots to quiet parks, Port Charlotte offers a relaxed an, affordable Gulf lifestyle.
 

Punta Gorda
Along the Charlotte Harbor shoreline, Punta Gorda’s 2.5-mile Harborwalk leads past marinas, public art displays and the popular Fishermen’s Village. Visitors explore the Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens and the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center, while animal lovers frequent Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary and Iguanaland. Known for its tarpon fishing, art festivals and walkable downtown area, Punta Gorda captures the easy rhythm of Southwest Florida living.

Source: RERI Analysis of data obtained from Bureau of Labor Statistics and DatabaseUSA, obtained through Lightcast, fgcu.edu/cob/reri/resources/top-100

It’s like living in paradise.

But paradise sometimes comes at a cost.

In Florida, the tradeoff is from June 1 to November 30 — the official dates of hurricane season (although that’s not written in stone). Hurricanes are notoriously unpredictable, despite the best attempts to track the where of their specific paths or the when of the precise times they’ll make landfall. And no area of the state is immune. 

Fortunately, there are many ways to prepare for an oncoming storm. The following checklist will give you the foundational precautions you need to know. This will guide you on what to do from before the start of the season to when a hurricane is predicted to after the storm is over.

Keep this where you can easily find it. The biggest danger is often not the storm itself but failure to prepare and heed evacuation warnings. Be smart and be safe.

BEFORE THE STORM

Insurance preparation

• Examine all insurance policy coverage.
• Add insurance hotline number to your phone and establish online account access.
• Photograph and document all personal belongings.
• Compile master list of emergency contacts and account information.

Maintain a list of important phone numbers including:

• County emergency management office
• Evacuation sites
• Doctors
• Banks
• Schools
• Veterinarian
• Out of town contacts
• Friends and family

Gathering important documents

• Physical documents should be kept in a waterproof container
• Cash (banks and ATMs may not be available after a storm)
• Medical records
• Banking information
• Credit card numbers
• Copies of social security cards
• Copies of birth and/or marriage certificates
• Copy of Will
• Other personal documents
• Set of car, house, and office keys

Lighting and communication

• Flashlights (Do not use candles)
• LED lanterns
• NOAA Weather Radio
• Batteries (varying sizes)
• Cell phone chargers

Clothing and protection

• Rain gear such as jackets, hats, umbrellas and rain boots
• Sturdy shoes or boots and work gloves

Determine your protection strategy

• Identify your safest options for shelter from flooding and high winds.
• Develop both an evacuation plan and a sheltering-in-place plan.
• Keep your motor vehicle tanks filled with gasoline.
• Check motor vehicle tire pressure and fluid levels (oil, coolant).

Evacuation planning

• During hurricane season, find out if you live in a place that might need to evacuate. This includes evacuation zones, areas that flood easily, mobile homes, or buildings that aren't safe. Knowing this helps you get ready and understand what to do when local officials give evacuation orders. For more information or to find your zone, check with local Emergency Management or visit www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone.
• If officials order evacuation, leave without delay.
• Determine your destination, transportation method, and lodging.
• Arrange transportation assistance in advance if needed or if using public transit.
• Mobile homes, RVs, trailer homes, and manufactured housing are unsafe during high winds — plan to evacuate to a secure location.

Shelter-in-place planning

• Prepare to manage without internet, phone service, gas, water, and electricity for extended periods.
• Practice relocating to your designated wind shelter.
• Identify a small, windowless interior room on the lowest flood-safe floor of a sturdy structure.
• Recognize that flooding occurs rapidly—have a quick evacuation plan ready.
• Build a personal support network of individuals who can help you and whom you can assist.

Communication planning

• Register for free emergency alerts through your local government.
• Establish how you'll track local news and weather updates.
• Obtain a backup battery or charging solution for your cell phone.
• Acquire a battery-operated radio for power outages.
• Learn alert terminology and appropriate responses:
• Familiarize yourself with alert types: Hurricane Watch and Warning, Tropical Storm Watch and Warning, Extreme Wind Warning, Storm Surge Watch and Warning, Flash Flood Watch and Warning, Flood Watch and Warning, Tornado Watch and Warning. In short:
• WATCH: Be prepared!
• WARNING: Take action!

Learn emergency skills

• Complete First Aid and CPR training.
• Prepare for utility disruptions—plan for power needs including medical equipment and cell phones.
• Consult your physician about backup power requirements.

Food

• Water (1 gallon per person per day)
• Nonperishable packaged or canned food and beverages (at least 10 days)
• Snack foods
• Juices
• Baby food
• Special dietary items
• Non-electric can opener
• Paper plates
• Napkins
• Plastic cups
• Utensils (scissors, bottle opener, corkscrew, knife)
• Charcoal or propane grill
• Grill tools
• Charcoal or full propane tank 

Medications and medical supplies

• Stock a one-month minimum supply of medication
• Regularly used medical supplies
• List of allergies
• List of the style, serial number, and manufacturer information of required medical devices
• Information about where you receive medication, the name of the drug and dosage

First Aid Kit

• First aid manual
• Sterile adhesive bandages of different sizes
• Sterile gauze pads
• Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
• Triangular bandages
• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Sewing needle
• Moistened towelettes
• Antiseptic
• Disinfectant wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Thermometer
• Tube of petroleum jelly
• Safety pins
• Soap
• Latex gloves
• Sunscreen
• Aspirin or other pain reliever
• Anti-diarrheal medicine
• Antacid
• Laxative
• Cotton balls
• Q-tips

Specialty Items

• Specialty items for infants, small children, the elderly, and family members with disabilities
• Battery-powered fans, both desk/floor and handheld
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children
• Gasoline or generator (follow storage guidelines in manufacturer's manual)
• Carbon monoxide alarm
• Heavy-duty gloves for handling debris
• Insect bite treatment, and bug spray
• Bleach
• Emergency whistles
• Lighters and/or matches
• Coolers and freezer packs
• Protective gear and battery/gas-powered chainsaw
• Two-way radios and NOAA weather radio
• Portable tool kit (or at least a hammer, screwdriver (flathead and Phillips), adjustable joint wrench, and regular and needle-nose pliers)
• Gallon jugs for storing water to flush commodes
• Sunscreen
• Inflatable mattresses, pillows, blankets

Pet Supplies

• Pet food and water to last at least two weeks
• Proper identification
• Medical records/microchip information
• Carrier or cage
• Muzzle and leash
• Water and food bowls
• Medications
• Stock training pads
• Service animal I.D., veterinary records, and proof of ownership
• Supplies for your service animal
• Make copies of current licenses/vaccines and store in container
• Place animals in crates with rawhide bones and toys during and following the storm
• Restrain pets using a leash or harness when appropriate
• Stock puppy training pads
• Obtain collapsible pet carriers to use in hotels, shelters or for evacuation

Supply Organization

• Assemble food, water and medications (stores and pharmacies may be inaccessible).
• Create a Go-Kit: minimum 3-day portable supply with device chargers and backup batteries of varying sizes (cell phone, CPAP, wheelchair, etc.).
• Create a Stay-at-Home Kit: minimum two-week supply.
• Stock a one-month medication supply in child-resistant containers plus medical supplies/equipment.
• Secure personal, financial, and medical records (hard copies or secure digital backup)
• Prepare a wallet card listing all medications and dosages.

Last-Minute Tasks

• Disable icemaker and clear ice bin.
• Adjust freezer and refrigerator to coldest temperature settings.
• Fill bathtubs with water (for non-drinking purposes).
• Set HVAC to maximum cooling (remember to switch AC off if power fails).
• Charge all electronic devices.
• In a power outage, unplug TV and other electronic devices.

Wind Protection

• Bring indoors or secure outdoor items that could become dangerous projectiles (lawn furniture, trash cans, etc.).
• Anchor items that must remain outside (propane tanks, gas grills).
• Trim or remove trees within falling distance of your home.
• Install permanent storm shutters or protective sheeting on windows.

Flood Protection

• Clear gutters, downspouts, and drains.
• Stockpile sandbags and plastic sheeting.
• Consider sump pump installation with battery backup.
• Consider elevating your electric panel, water heater, and heating system.
• Review insurance coverage with your agent.

MAKE SMART DECISIONS

If evacuation is ordered

• Leave immediately as directed by local authorities.
• Take your Go-Kit.
• Use designated evacuation routes only—shortcuts may be blocked.
• Locate shelters through local officials or the Red Cross Emergency App.

If sheltering during the storm

• Move to a designated storm shelter or windowless interior room for wind protection.
• Stay away from glass doors and windows.
• Relocate to higher ground before flooding starts.

Flooding safety

• Never walk, swim, or drive through floodwater.
• Remember: Turn Around! Don't Drown!

USE CAUTION

Stay safe

• Wait for official clearance before returning home.
• Stay away from downed wires, fallen power lines, and damaged poles — they can cause electrocution.
• Avoid touching floodwaters (they contain sewage, chemicals and bacteria).
• Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when power is out to prevent fire risk.
• Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:
• Never use gasoline, charcoal, propane, or natural gas devices indoors, in garages, basements, tents, campers, or near open windows.
• Carbon monoxide is invisible and odorless — but deadly. As an extra precaution, invest in a carbon monoxide detector.
• If you feel weak, dizzy, or sick, immediately move to fresh air.

Stay healthy

• Discard any food that became warm or wet ("When in doubt, throw it out!").
• Consult your doctor or health care provider about refrigerated medications.
• Monitor local health department announcements regarding drinking water safety.

Clean up safely

• Wear protective gear: boots, goggles, and gloves.
• Clean and disinfect all wet items.
• Work with a partner when removing heavy debris.
• Ensure proper training before operating equipment like chainsaws.
• Be aware that heart attacks are a leading post-hurricane cause of death—avoid overexertion.
• Take regular breaks and practice self-care during cleanup.

Take care of yourself

• Recognize that stress, anxiety, and difficult emotions are normal responses.
• Maintain healthy eating and adequate sleep to manage stress.

While no amount of preparation can guarantee anyone’s safety in a storm, the items on this checklist will, at least, increase your chances of survival and recovery should a hurricane hit. It’s all about stacking the deck when you’re up against the uncertainty of nature.
Keep the odds in your favor.

As Fort Myers embraces the growing popularity of food truck parks, this casual downtown dining scene doubles as a block party, featuring live music, a variety of food vendors and an array of craft cocktails.  

2136 Bay St, Fort Myers 

(239) 940-8744 | baystreetyard.com 

Enjoy a delightful farm-to-table experience where rustic charm meets vibrant, freshly harvested flavors, creating memorable dishes straight from the fields. 

8250 Nalle Grade Rd., Fort Myers 

(239) 385-0415 | blossomandbrie.com 

Owners Brandon and Cailtin Schewe, proprietors of Downtown Coffee Company and The Canary Club, bring a unique small-plate concept to downtown Bonita. With craft cocktails and menu items that rotate seasonally, the swanky vibe is a refreshing addition to the local dining scene. 

27975 Old 41 Rd., Bonita Springs 

(239) 451-9619 | bohemian.restaurant 

The Bubble Room reopened in July 2025, following renovations necessitated by damage from Hurricane Ian. Established in 1979, Captiva’s most whimsical restaurant is as well known for its kitschy décor as for its oversized servings and nostalgic atmosphere. 

15001 Captiva Dr., Captiva 

(239) 472-5558 | bubbleroomcaptiva.com 

A lively, family-run spot serving old-world Italian flavors with a modern twist, offering dishes that honor tradition while exploring bold, unforgettable tastes. 

2149 First St., Fort Myers, 

(239) 278-0211 | brunosofbrooklyn.com 

10610 Founders Way, Ste 140, Bonita Springs 

(239) 776-8065 | canaryclubbonita.com 

A piano bar adds a touch of elegance to the polished service and fresh, seasonal menu. Cielo offers the perfect backdrop for celebrations or relaxed dining. 

1244 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel 

(239) 472-5555 | cielo-sanibel.com 

*Additional locations in Naples 
Deep Lagoon is owned by the Phelan Family Brands, a Bonita Springs-based company that also operates Pinchers Crab Shack restaurants and Texas Tony’s Rib & Brewhouse. Patrons can enjoy a variety of fresh local seafood dishes inside or on the patio. 

14040 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers 

(239) 689-5474 | deeplagoon.com 

Named for Randy Wayne White’s beloved literary character, this popular waterfront restaurant has multiple locations and offers Caribbean-inspired seafood in a laid-back atmosphere.  

708 Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Myers Beach 

(239) 765-9660 | docfords.com 

2500 Island Inn Rd, Sanibel 

(239) 472-8311 | docfords.com 

Fancy’s exudes warm hospitality and southern flavors in an upscale atmosphere. Owner Matthew Creach opened the first location in 2012, and the southern charm and elegant atmosphere have made this dining spot a local favorite. 

8890 Salrose Ln. #101, Fort Myers 

(239) 561-2988 | fancyssoutherncafe.com 

2214 Bay St., Fort Myers 

239-208-2564 | fancyssoutherncafe.com 

Housed in a historic four-story building, this vibrant spot features a striking two-story dining room serving top-quality prime steaks, fresh seafood, and locally sourced produce.

2224 Bay St., Fort Myers, FL 33901 

(239) 334-3473 | firestonefl.com 

For those in the mood for laid-back dining with a view of majestic sunsets, this family-friendly (and pet-friendly) favorite specializes in fresh grouper, fried baskets and local seafood. The relaxed atmosphere and friendly service make the Fish House a local favorite. 

7225 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach

(239) 765-6766 | fishhousefortmyersbeach.com

Located near the Sanibel Lighthouse, this dockside restaurant has been serving simple and delicious seafood dishes since 1987. After Hurricane Ian, Gramma Dot’s operated with only a food truck during renovations but has since reopened and added a full-service bar. 

634 N Yachtsman Dr., Sanibel 

(239) 472-8138 | sanibelmarina.com/dining 

Overlooking the bay, The Green Flash offers wide views to accompany its seafood platters. Named for an enigmatic optical phenomenon that makes the sun flash green for a few moments at sunset, the restaurant is as uniquely Florida as its name. 

15183 Captiva Dr., Captiva 

(239) 472-3337 | greenflashcaptiva.com 

The spacious dining room and sizzling hibachi showmanship make this a favorite spot for groups and celebrations. Known for fresh sushi and friendly service, Hana delivers quality with flair. 

10801 Corkscrew Rd., Estero 

(239) 495-9916 | hanasteakhouse.com 

With a seasonal menu sourced from local ingredients, Harold’s provides an intimate dining experience custom-made for conversation and wine. 

15250 S Tamiami Trl., Fort Myers 

(239) 849-0622 | haroldsfl.com 

This Captiva staple serves up simple seafood dishes and live music on a lively patio — and the key lime pie is worth saving room for. 

11509 Andy Rosse Ln., Captiva 

(239) 472-2121 | keylimebistrocaptiva.com 

Both a market and a restaurant, Lobster Lady specializes in seafood. Hearty servings of seafood towers and lobster rolls are among the most popular menu items. 

1715 Cape Coral Pkwy. W, Cape Coral 

(239) 471-0136 | lobsterladyseafood.com 

Best known for its filling breakfasts and fresh salads, McGregor Café offers simple, steady dining and neighborhood charm.

4329 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers 

(239) 936-1771 | mcgregorcafe.com 

Practically a Captiva institution, The Mucky Duck draws crowds for its sunset views and pub-style dishes. It’s the rare kind of place where flip-flops and pints of beer seem just as natural as champagne toasts. 

11546 Andy Rosse Ln., Captiva 

(239) 472-3434 | muckyduck.com 

Cajun flavors and nightly music create a lighthearted atmosphere at this Sanibel restaurant, where diners enjoy options ranging from gumbo to crawfish as they tap their feet to the music. 

1473 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel 

(239) 472-2221 | mudbugssanibel.com 

A punk soundtrack gives this restaurant an edgy and playful vibe. This pizzeria pairs craft pies with cocktails, attracting a fiercely loyal following. 

1404 Cape Coral Pkwy. E, Cape Coral 

(239) 549-7542 | niceguyspizza.com 

Experience an inventive blend of Italian tradition and Japanese artistry by award-winning Chef Brad Kilgore. The menu celebrates bold flavors, seasonal ingredients, and shareable plates. 

2262 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901 

(239) 445-0080 | oiseristorante.com 

Point 57 specializes in craft cocktails and polished comfort food. Southern-inspired main dishes anchor the menu, and food enthusiasts appreciate both the cuisine and the restaurant’s understated elegance. 

3522 Del Prado Blvd. S, Cape Coral 

(239) 471-7785 | point57.com 

A Fort Myers landmark for decades, Prawnbroker has a reputation for quality seafood and steady service. It seems to feel both polished and familiar, a combination that has garnered a loyal following. 

13451 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers 

(239) 489-2226 | prawnbroker.com 

People gather around food trucks serving tacos, burgers and seafood as boats slip through the water at the adjacent marina. This hidden gem is becoming an increasingly popular Cape Coral hangout. 

1811 Cape Coral Pkwy. E, Cape Coral 

(239) 360-8883 | slipawaycapecoral.com 

Housed in a historic cottage in the heart of Old Bonita Springs, Survey Café blends Southern staples with small-town charm. The garden patio fills quickly, especially at breakfast, and during season from January through April, the Café offers a special dinner menu of French cuisine on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

10530 Wilson St., Bonita Springs 

(239) 992-2233 | surveycafe.com 

History and hospitality converge at this bayfront Pine Island lodge. The menu features fresh seafood, and the water view is spectacular. 

13771 Waterfront Dr., Bokeelia 

(239) 283-3999 | tarponlodge.com 

Island-inspired plates and a bustling bar give Traders its energy. It’s casual enough for a family meal and fancy enough to make it a night out. 

1551 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel 

(239) 472-7242 | traderssanibel.com 

Housed in two century-old homes, The Veranda exemplifies Southern grace and refined dining. With an elegant courtyard garden and careful service, it has become one of downtown Fort Myers’ most distinctive dining experiences. 

2122 Second St., Fort Myers 

(239) 332-2065 | verandarestaurant.com 

This Pine Island bar and grill offers baskets of seafood, outdoor seating and live music most nights of the week. Diners arrive by boat or car to enjoy the casual environment and entertainment. 

3051 Stringfellow Rd., St. James City 

(239) 283-5555 | woodyswaterside.com 

COLLIER COUNTY 

The Bay House Restaurant combines waterfront dining and breathtaking views of the Cocohatchee wildlife preserve. The menu includes seafood and southern-inspired favorites. Diners can eat outside on the waterfront deck and around a fire pit on the front patio.  

799 Walkerbilt Rd., Naples 

(239) 591-3837 | bayousenaples.com 

Sophisticated Persian cuisine is layered with spices and flavor that match the chic décor and red walls of this exotic Naples original.  

865 5th Ave. S, Naples 

(239) 594-5557 | bhabhapersianbistro.com 

At Bicyclette Cookshop, chef Kayla Pfeiffer relies on years of experience and creativity to infuse familiar dishes with unexpected flavors. The seasonal menu draws inspiration from global cuisine and local ingredients, providing an evolving culinary canvas to showcase Chef Kayla’s imagination.  

819 12th Ave. S, Naples 

(239) 316-2424 | bicyclettecookshop.com 

Wood-fired pizzas and modern Italian dishes keep foodies coming back to this inviting local favorite. Seating is available in the busy courtyard or the indoor dining room. 

1177 Third St. S, Naples 

(239) 435-1166 | campiello.damico.com 

This waterfront food truck park boasts a wide array of options ranging from tacos, barbecue, seafood and global street fare. Visitors dine under string lights at communal picnic tables or enjoy drinks from the central bar. 

2880 Becca Ave., Naples 

(239) 249-2922 | celebrationparknaples.com 

For decades, The Dock has been serving Caribbean-inspired meals to hungry Neapolitans. Diners sip cocktails and watch the sunset from the outdoor seating area overlooking the bay. 

845 12th Ave. S, Naples 

(239) 263-9940 | dockcraytoncove.com 

Oversized pancakes, fresh coffee and a full breakfast menu make the first meal of the day into a decadent indulgence. Both locals and island visitors enjoy the friendly service and delightful meals. 

267 N Collier Blvd., Marco Island 

(239) 394-2600 | doreenscupofjoe.com 

Known simply as “The Depot,” to locals, this Old Florida classic serves fried seafood, oyster platters and seasonal stone crab with rustic charm, giving the restaurant a timeless quality that reflects the heart of Everglades City. 

102 Copeland Ave. N, Everglades City 

(239) 695-0071 

Originally built as a home in 1864 and transformed in 1922 by Barron Collier into a private club for famous guests, Everglades Rod & Gun Club was restored in 1973, and remains a rustic lodging and dining destination today. The restaurant serves fried seafood, hushpuppies and stone crab, in season. 

200 W. Broadway, Everglades City 

(239) 695-2101 | rodandguneverglades.com 

Harold’s Place has been a poolside Naples hangout for decades. Locals enjoy the burgers and shrimp baskets, grab a cold beer and enjoy some live music. 

2555 Tamiami Trl. N, Naples 

(239) 263-7254 | haroldsnaples.com 

Known for breakfast, Cuban sandwiches and café con leche, Havana Café of the Everglades brings a hint of island rhythm to Chokoloskee. 

191 Smallwood Dr., Chokoloskee 

(239) 695-2214 | thehavanacafe.com 

Mornings find diners seated among the shaded gardens on the patio at Jane’s Café on 3^rd.  Fresh breakfast and brunch items draw patrons looking for the quiet atmosphere of daybreak in Old Naples. 

1209 3rd St. S, Naples 

(239) 261-2253 | janesnaples.com 

Known for its wagyu and prime beef, Jimmy P’s Charred offers an upscale steakhouse experience built on a family legacy that made its butcher shop a Naples favorite. The restaurant serves up premium wagyu and prime beef, classic sides and craft cocktails. Good service and great steaks keep diners coming back for more.

1833 Tamiami Trl. N, Naples 

(239) 643-2427 | jimmypscharred.com

25301 S. Tamiami Trl., Ste. 2, Bonita Springs

(239) 390-0301 | jimmypscharred.com

This humble fish market is one of Marco Island’s best-kept secrets. The fresh catch of the day goes directly from the boat to the plate, and the fish tacos are a local favorite. 

350 Royal Palm Dr., Marco Island 

(239) 389-0580 | leebefish.com 

Like Goodland, The Little Bar is an eclectic combination of influences and personality. Partially a roadhouse that features live bands and partially a seafood shack that serves up seafood baskets, it’s been a staple of Goodland nightlife for years. 

205 Harbor Pl. N, Goodland 

(239) 394-5663 | littlebarrestaurant.com 

Rustic Italy meets Naples’ sophistication at Osteria where handmade pastas, wood-roasted meats and craft cocktails entertain patrons into the night. 

466 5th Ave. S, Naples 

(239) 213-2073 | osteriatulia.com 

Established in the 1950s, The Oyster House fits right in with Goodland’s laid-back personality. Seafood platters and live music draw patrons to this waterfront relic of Old Florida. 

606 Palm Point Dr., Goodland 

(239) 394-2123 

The Art Deco decor and excellent service provide an upscale dining experience at The Oyster Society. Seafood and sushi pair with cocktails to entice refined Marco Island foodies. 

599 S Collier Blvd., Marco Island 

(239) 394-3474 | theoystersociety.com 

With a mission to ensure each guest receives prompt, professional, friendly and courteous service, Panevino Ristorante Naples has won the Best of Naples Award for four consecutive years, qualifying the establishment for the 2021 Business Hall of Fame. At Panevino Ristorante Naples, diners can expect impeccable service and thoughtfully crafted Italian fare in a welcoming environment.

8853 Tamiami Trail N, Naples

(239) 514-8655 | panevinonaples.com

A modern Chinese kitchen that blends traditional flavors with a fresh, coastal twist, emphasizing scratch-made sauces, hand-folded dumplings, and locally sourced seafood. Diners gather in a relaxed yet stylish setting to savor family-style sharing plates, creative cocktails, and a thoughtfully curated wine list. 

835 4^th Ave. S, Naples 

(239) 367-0300 | pjkchinese.com 

Featuring a menu of Caribbean classics and creative cocktails, The Real Macaw celebrates tropical living, drawing crowds of patrons to its festive outdoor patio. 

3275 Bayshore Dr., Naples 

(239) 732-1188 | realmacawnaples.com 

A chef-owned, family-oriented restaurant that delivers locally influenced cuisine from scratch, ideal for both everyday meals and special occasions. Its award-winning wine list, featuring more than 600 bottles, reflects a commitment to quality and elegance. 

1300 3^rd St. S #101, Naples  

(239) 262-5500 | ridgewaybarandgrill.com  

Stan’s, an unpretentious Goodland original, is a place where live music on the outdoor stage, water views and libations turn days into big parties.  

221 Goodland Dr .W, Goodland 

(239) 394-3041 | stansidlehour.net 

Situated on Venetian Bay, this polished restaurant specializes in steak and seafood, offering patrons prime cuts, cold martinis and sunset views.

4050 Gulf Shore Blvd. N, Naples

(239) 261-0622 | t-michaels.com

CHARLOTTE COUNTY 

The menu of Sicilian favorites makes this downtown favorite spot feel both festive and intimate. Pastas and nightly specials attract a loyal clientele.

321 W Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda

(941) 621-4091 | carmelosristorante.com

This authentic Irish pub has been pouring pints and serving fish and chips since 1997. The restaurant features live music most nights, and the conversation flows as fast as the draughts of Guinness. 

145 E Marion Ave., Punta Gorda 

(941) 916-9115 | celticray.net 

Generous portions of familiar classics give Donato’s Italian Restaurant a sense of old-school charm. 

1900 Tamiami Trail, Ste. 17, Port Charlotte

(941) 764-1600 | donatosportcharlotte.com

With its white tablecloths and polished service, FM Don’s is a perfect choice for business dinners and celebrations. Specialties include steaks, seafood and seasonal specials.  

201 W Marion Ave., Punta Gorda 

(941) 639-3720 | fmdons.com 

Hometown Grills serves up no-frills breakfasts and lunches. Good service, hot coffee and healthy portions make it a neighborhood favorite.

1931 Tamiami Trl. #10, Port Charlotte

(941) 629-5898 | thehometowngrill.com

The Grill at 1951 serves steaks and seafood with white-tablecloth service, as patrons enjoy live jazz music.

1951 Tamiami Trl., Port Charlotte

(941) 255-0994 | thegrillat1951.com 

Overlooking the harbor, the expansive dining area serves seafood towers, sushi and seasonal stone crab as diners watch boats slipping through the calm waters. 

150 Laishley Ct., Punta Gorda 

(941) 205-5566 | laishleycrabhouse.com 

It may appear to be a simple crab shack, but as locals and guests return time and again to indulge in buckets of blue crab, local shrimp and oysters, this place earns its reputation for having some of the freshest seafood in the area. 

5337 Duncan Rd., Punta Gorda 

(941) 505-8440 | peaceriverseafood.com 

Chef Jeanie Roland brings global technique to local ingredients. With a reputation for excellence that has led to a ranking on national best-of lists, Perfect Caper offers a fine dining experience that lives up to the hype. 

121 E Marion Ave., Punta Gorda 

(941) 505-9009 | theperfectcaper.com 

Prime Serious Steak is serious about good food. Generous servings and bold flavors pair well with the upscale service that draws diners for special occasions and mid-week meals. 

10361 Tamiami Trl., Punta Gorda 

(941) 347-8156 | primeserioussteak.com 

Diners love the laid-back vibes, freshly made dishes, waterfront location with boat-up access, tiki-side cocktails and live music at Riviera Bar & Grill.

5500 Deltona Dr., Punta Gorda

(941) 639-2633 | rivierabarandgrillpuntagorda.com

Located directly on the water, TT’s features live music, cold drinks and an authentic island vibe. The kitchen serves standard bar fare, but the sunsets and the stage attract the crowds. 

33 Tamiami Trl., Punta Gorda 

(941) 637-6770 | ttspg.com

Roadhouse vibes, Southern specialties and a busy stage make this The Twisted Fork a great choice for dinner and live entertainment. Revved-up roadhouse energy—Harley vibes, big Southern flavors and a busy stage make this an easy pick for dinner and a show. It’s loud, lively, and proudly local.

2208 El Jobean Rd., Port Charlotte

(941) 235-3675 | twistedfork.net

Countless people flock to the region for sports, some as participants and some as spectators. And some, presumably, for both.

Four Major League Baseball teams call the area their spring-training headquarters. Fans flock to see the 15 big-league teams that train in Florida, with 11 other teams scattered not all that far away from Southwest Florida.

The other 15 big-league teams are very far away, training in Arizona. Spring training’s Grapefruit League is a short window of opportunity for local fans and northern tourists as teams play practice games preparing for the crucible of a 162-game regular season.

In 2025, there were 231 games played in a bit more than a month, Feb. 22 to March 25. Three of the four teams that train in Southwest Florida attracted more than 100,000 in that short time.

The Boston Red Sox attracted 133,881 fans to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers. It’s been their home sine 2012. They previously played at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers from 1993 to 2011.

The Minnesota Twins attracted 106,836 fans to the Lee Health Sports Complex in Fort Myers. It’s been their home since 1991.

The Atlanta Braves had 100,855 fans flock to their home games at CoolToday Park in North Port. Only the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park failed to crack the 100,000 barrier. 

The Rays had 64,395 fans attend their home games.

Although fans flocked to Southwest Florida spring-training venues and provided boffo box-office numbers that did not translate to banner seasons for the area’s four teams.

Three of the four failed to make the Major League Baseball playoffs. The only team to snag a postseason berth was the Red Sox. They were eliminated in the wild-card round by their arch-rivals, the New York Yankees. 

The Yankees hold spring training in Tampa.

All those fans at all those games do more than purchase hot dogs from ballpark vendors. They stay in hotels, dine in restaurants, drink in bars and grab coffee at local coffee shops. 

They pay bills and leave tips for servers. It adds up.

The Florida Sports Foundation pegs the annual economic impact of spring training on the state at $687.1 million. That pays for lots of hot dogs.

Many of those fans presumably also spend part of their days as more than spectators.

Maybe they played a round of golf in the morning at a local course or some Pickleball or tennis before heading to one of the local stadiums.

Maybe they headed to a bowling alley after a game or went for an evening run following a game.

Or maybe after a baseball game at JetBlue Park or the Lee Health Sports Complex, many fans drove a few miles south to Hertz Arena to see the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, a local minor-league hockey team.

The Everblades averaged 6,578 fans during the 2025-25 season. The Hertz Arena listed capacity is 7,084, so that means the Everblades nearly filled the arena for all the home games.

Joining the Southwest Florida sports lineup earlier this year was professional soccer, FC Naples of the United Soccer League.

In its inaugural season, FC Naples proved there is an appetite for a pro sports team in Collier County. FC Naples averaged 3,558 fans at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex stadium, which has a listed seating capacity of 3,500 with room for more fans on berms.

Just up the road, across the county line, the Everblades and the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels minor-league baseball team of the Florida State League play in Lee County, as do the Red Sox and Twins.

Although it was a rough year on the field for the Mighty Mussels, the franchise has a grand local tradition.

The 2025 Mussels were 52-73. Its 0.416 winning percentage was the worst in the FSL.

But over the years, as the Mussels, or its previous incarnation, the Miracle, the franchise has won championships and produced outstanding players. Hall of Famers David Ortiz and Joe Mauer played for the Miracle on their respective march through the minor leagues and induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. When the franchise was known as “The Miracle,” it won FSL titles in 2014 and 2018.

The Everblades have been even more successful, winning the Kelly Cup, emblematic of the ECHL title, in 2012, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Everblades were also ECHL runner-up in 2004, 2005 and 2018.

The region is also home to three thriving collegiate athletic programs competing at various levels.

Florida Gulf Coast University boasts Division 1 teams in 15 sports.

The most successful program at the Lee County school is women’s basketball, which has won 12 Atlantic Sun Conference championships since 2012. The school’s basketball and volleyball teams play home games and matches in 4,500-seat Alico Arena, an on-campus facility.

Florida SouthWestern State College is a JUCO powerhouse winning conference and national championships in various sports. The Bucs field five teams and play home volleyball and basketball games in a 3,500-seat on-campus facility, Suncoast Credit Union Arena.

As autumn began, the volleyball team, coming off three successive national championships, was ranked No. 1 in the national poll.

Down in Collier County, Ave Maria University plays in 24 sports in NAIA competition. In addition to the usual sports such as football, basketball and indoor volleyball, the Gyrenes have teams in Pickleball, dance, and beach volleyball.

Speaking of Pickleball. ….

A short drive from Ave Maria in Collier County is the site of the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball championships, which are held every spring.

The event website touts it as “The Biggest Pickleball Party in the World!”

The 2025 Open attracted 3,450 players who participated in 5,600 matches. The games were watched by about 55,000 spectators at the USOP National Pickleball Center at the East Naples Community Park.

That’s quite a party, indeed.

Naples is also home to the Chubb Classic, a stop on the PGA Tour, which was once known as the Senior PGA Tour and Champions Tour.

By whatever its name, it has become a Collier County fixture since it was launched in 1988. The event has been played at several Collier County courses, but has been at the Tiburon Golf Club since 2021.

Whatever the sport, whether it’s golf or pickleball or baseball or volleyball, Southwest Florida remains a prime sports destination.

With abundant sunshine and 12 months of warm weather, Southwest Florida is essentially a non-stop sports party.

• Cape Coral-Fort Myers MSA

$389,000

Year-over-year change: -2.4 percent

 • Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island MSA

$720,000

Year-over-year change: 18.3 percent 

 • Punta Gorda MSA

$345,000

Year-over-year change: 2.9 Percent
 

• Source: Florida Realtors, floridarealtors.org/newsroom/market-data

Alliance for the Arts

Since the 1970s, the Alliance for the Arts has been a staple in the Fort Myers area, connecting the community through art and theater and opening a creative space for expression, imagination and beauty. Alliance’s mission is to transform lives and improve the community through the arts, inspiring artists of all ages. For winter, spring and summer break, Alliance runs art camps featuring all mediums and projects for young artists to enjoy.

“Marian, Or the True Tale of Robin Hood” offers a fresh and gender-bending twist on the classic Robin Hood story, showing from Dec. 6-8, between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. The Outdoor Bluegrass Concert Series welcomes the Flatlanders, one of North Florida’s premier bluegrass and gospel bands, known for their tight harmonies and robust traditional sound, on Jan. 12 from 3 to 5 p.m. The Youth Theatre will captivate audiences with Disney PIXAR’s “Finding Nemo KIDS” on Feb. 1-2 at 7:30 p.m., a 30-minute musical adaptation that promises enchantment for all ages. The ACMA Concert Series will be presenting The Honey Badgers and Fred Ball, bringing a sincere Americana sound to the stage on March 23 from 3 to 5 p.m. And not to be missed, “6 Guitars” by Chase Padgett on April 25 at 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. is a two-act, one-man show blending music and comedy, where Chase Padgett masterfully embodies six distinct guitar-playing characters, each representing their own music genre.

10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers 239-939-2787 | artinlee.org

Artis—Naples

Artis—Naples, one of the premier destinations for visual and performing arts, aims to inspire, educate and entertain. In addition to the theatre, the Naples Philharmonic, a chamber orchestra and the Baker Museum, which showcases modern and contemporary art, are part of Artis—Naples. A vast array of programs are offered at Artis, including music, film, dance, comedy and exhibitions featuring talented artists.

The holiday season begins with “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 1, presented by the Naples Ballet and the Naples Philharmonic, featuring Tchaikovsky’s enchanting music in performances at 2 and 7 p.m. Art lovers will appreciate Becky Suss’ “The Dutch House” exhibition, inspired by Ann Patchett’s novel, which explores memory and perception through art until Jan. 5. The beloved musical “Mama Mia!” takes the stage from Feb. 4 to 9, promising a heartwarming tale of love, family and friendship. On March 9, the Naples Philharmonic Youth Jazz Orchestra, led by Brandon Robertson, will delight jazz enthusiasts with a selection of timeless tunes. Finally, “Revolution: The Music of the Beatles,” from April 15 to 19, offers a unique rendition of the legendary band’s hits, performed by the Naples Philharmonic Pops and six top vocalists and musicians.

5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples 239-597-1111 | artisnaples.org

Arts Bonita

Arts Bonita offers programs to serve the educational and cultural needs of the community, focusing on visual and performing arts. Its mission is to create a space for artistic expression, education and appreciation for the arts. Arts Bonita offers both youth and adult classes for ceramics, dance, painting and drawing, glass, pottery and much more.

Upcoming events include the “Winter Serenade: Magic Holiday Memories” on Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in Hinman Auditorium, featuring a blend of classic beauty, jazzy sophistication and heartwarming American hits. Celebrating Broadway with Mark Sanders will take place on Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m. in Moe Auditorium, where the music of Broadway comes alive. Love Letters, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, tells the story of lifelong correspondence between two childhood friends and will be performed on Feb. 14 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. in Moe Auditorium. Gulfshore Opera presents Rusalka, Dvořák’s enchanting take on the Little Mermaid fairy tale, on March 25 from 7 to 9 p.m. Finally, Marlow Rosado: Encore Fiesta Latin Season Highlights on April 26 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. will encapsulate the essence of each previous performance in one unforgettable night of Latin music extravaganza.

Performing Arts Center, 10150 Bonita Beach Road 
Visual Arts Center, 26100 Old 41 Road 239-495-8989 | artcenterbonita.org

BIG ARTS

BIG ARTS on Sanibel Island was created by and for the community and will endure forever as a warm and welcoming cultural center that celebrates the artist in all of us. Its principle remains to experience and celebrate the artist in everyone and to remind people of our shared humanity. BIG ARTS offers workshops and programs for artists of all ages.

From now through Dec. 15, the Dunham Family Gallery will feature “Ghost Horizons: Poetry and Printmaking,” a collaborative exhibition between poet Chanda Jamieson and visual artist Andy Owen, exploring themes related to the waters of Southwest Florida. Concurrently, Sanibel artist Lacy McClary will present a mural and 3D installation in The West Gallery, inviting viewers to find beauty amidst brokenness, through Jan. 31. The new year brings the Young Concert Artists on Tour on Jan. 21, showcasing classical music’s rising stars in a dynamic chamber ensemble performance. On Feb. 13, the Jupiter and Jasper Quartets will grace the stage with their award-winning artistry in a program of classic and contemporary octets. Finally, the Gulf Coast Symphony will perform on March 7, offering a rich blend of dynamic performances and unique collaborations.

900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel 239-395-0900 | bigarts.org

Marco Island Center for the Arts

Founded in 1970, Marco Island Center for the Arts has brought art and culture to Marco for over 50 years, including art exhibitions, music, theater, comedy, film, adult art education, free children’s workshops, artist and author talks and events. The center and theater aim to inspire artistic expression, advance education and appreciation of the arts.

A call to artists will be running from Dec. 3-5 from 10 a.m. to noon for the Festival of Trees. Additionally, Musical Interludes will feature The Undercovers on Jan. 29 at 5:30 p.m., offering an evening where Luke McMaster, Kevin Pauls and Joel Parisien reimagine timeless songs that have become the soundtrack of our lives. The exhibition “Transparency” will be running from Jan. 13 to Feb. 25, showcasing the work of Carol Wareing, Nan LaRosa, Conrad Williams, Giampaolo Curreri and Judi Heller. Neil Simon’s classic comedy, “The Odd Couple,” directed by Paula Keenan, will be exploring complicated friendships and reconciling differences from Feb. 5-23. Finally, “Four Old Broads” by Leslie Kimball, directed by Christi Lueck-Sadiq, adds a mix of mystery, suspense, and cruise ships to the lineup from April 2-13.

1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island 239-394-4221 | marcoislandart.org

Naples Art Institute

Naples Art Institute fosters creativity, curiosity and dialogue through contemporary art exhibitions, classes, workshops and art fairs. The institute aims to unite the community by championing inclusivity, promoting learning and enriching lives with art’s transformative power. To honor the 25- year anniversary, the institution’s exhibition features works by contemporary artists like James Rosenquist, Elsie Dorey Upham, self-taught artists and former students.

“An Adventure In The Arts: The Guild Hall Collection” will be on display from now through Jan. 2, showcasing highlights from Guild Hall’s extensive permanent collection, one of the nation’s first multidisciplinary cultural centers. The 29th Annual New Year’s Art Fair, occurring on Jan. 4-5 in Cambier Park, will exhibit the works of over 250 professional artists from 30 states and abroad, across a wide variety of unique mediums. Following that, the 46th Annual National Art Fair, a competitive juried event, will take place from Feb. 21-23 in Cambier Park, featuring a fine arts and crafts show in 17 different categories. The 37th Annual Downtown Art Fair is scheduled for March 22-23 in Cambier Park, where attendees can explore the creations of over 200 exhibitors and vendors. Additionally, Art In The Park will run from now through April, offering a series of juried art fairs known for their high-quality art, engaging artists and festive atmosphere.

585 Park St., Naples 239-262-6517 | naplesart.org

Visual Art Center

Built from the ground up by the community, the Visual Art Center offers open studios, on-site classes and three main exhibits featuring local art in downtown Punta Gorda. Artistic expression spans from drawing, painting, portraits, jewelry, glass, pottery, photography and sculpture. The center features a 12,000-square-foot facility with three galleries, six classrooms, a pottery studio, a glass studio, an art supply store and a gift gallery showcasing members’ artwork.

Get ready to unleash your creativity at the Canvas & Cabernet Create & Sip Art Social on Dec. 4, where a fun evening awaits with wine and painting essentials provided. Tune into the “Partnership for the Arts Radio Talk Show” on Jan. 22 to hear Victor Gartner discuss global art. Don’t miss “Dreamings – The Art of Aboriginal Australia” from Feb. 7 to April 4, showcasing an exquisite collection of Aboriginal art by Mary and Robert Harbour. Lastly, join the Fiber Arts Studio session on April 25 to work alongside fellow art enthusiasts on your project of choice.

210 Maud St., Punta Gorda 941-639-8810 | visualartcenter.org

Bonita Beach
Located between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs, this 2.5-acre beachfront park offers a boardwalk, swimming area, gazebo and picnic shelters amidst sand dunes and coastal vegetation. With bus and trolley access and a $2 per hour parking fee, it provides convenient beach and paddle craft access along with restroom facilities.
27954 Hickory Blvd., Bonita Springs 
239-229-0632

Bowditch Point Park
Bowditch Point Regional Park, spanning 17 acres at Estero Island’s northern tip, offers a mix of recreational spaces and a natural preserve, complete with tranquil bays, walking trails, and amenities for picnicking and beach activities. It’s recognized for its accessibility and bird-watching opportunities.
50 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach 
239-823-1447

Bowman’s Beach
This picturesque beach on Sanibel is renowned for shelling and unspoiled natural beauty, offering amenities such as grills, fishing, and hiking just a short walk from the parking area. Its pristine white sand stretches provide a serene escape for beachcombers and adventurers alike.
1700 Bowmans Beach Road, Sanibel Island
239-472-6397

Cayo Costa State Park
Cayo Costa Island is a secluded paradise accessible only by boat or kayak. It offers a natural retreat with 9 miles of pristine beaches for swimming, snorkeling and more. It’s a wildlife haven where visitors can enjoy everything from birdwatching to spotting manatees and sea turtles. Access requires an online single-use day pass.
4 Nautical Miles West of Pine Island (26.685789, -82.245381) 
941-759-2007

Estero Bay Preserve State Park
Estero Bay Preserve offers a chance to explore its natural wonders through rugged trails, perfect for hiking with necessary gear and is dog friendly. It features diverse ecosystems accessible via the Estero River Scrub, with amenities like pavilions and restrooms to enhance your visit, offering activities such as bicycling, boating and wildlife viewing.
4940 Broadway W., Estero 
239-992-0311

Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park
Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park offers a variety of natural landscapes for visitors to explore, including scenic boardwalks, canoe-accessible rivers, tranquil lakes, and extensive trails suitable for hiking and biking. The park is focused on conservation, providing opportunities for visitors to engage with the natural environment through activities such as hiking, wildlife viewing and water sports.
137 Coast Line Drive, Copeland 
239-961-1925

Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Beach, located on Estero Island’s southwest Florida coast, boasts 29 public beach accesses, including Newton Beach Park and Seven Seas Cottage, along with seven miles of sandy beaches, vibrant shops, and unique cultural spots, demonstrating remarkable resilience and recovery from one of the world’s top five most catastrophic natural disasters.
FMB Town Hall - 2731 Oak Street, Fort Myers Beach 
239-765-0202

Gasparilla Island State Park
Gasparilla Island State Park features the historic Port Boca Grande Lighthouse, a unique public beacon since 1890, and offers activities like swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. Boca Grande Beach provides a serene escape with pristine shores and vibrant waters amid lush tropical flora.
880 Belcher Road, Boca Grande 
941-759-2007

J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge
J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, renowned for its untouched mangrove ecosystems and spectacular migratory bird populations, offers a plethora of activities including biking, hiking and kayaking. Start your adventure at the free Visitor and Education Center to explore engaging exhibits before embarking on wildlife discovery through scenic trails or guided tours.
1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel 
239-472-1100

Koreshan State Park
Koreshan State Park reveals the intriguing story of 19th-century pioneers, the Koreshans, through restored historic buildings and lush natural surroundings in Fort Myers. The park offers a range of activities such as camping, canoeing and wildlife viewing, inviting visitors to explore a unique chapter of history and enjoy outdoor leisure.
3800 Corkscrew Road, Estero 
239-992-0311

Lighthouse Beach Park
This is the site of a historic, functioning lighthouse. It is located on the eastern tip of Sanibel, wrapping around the bay side. The t-dock-fishing pier is here, and a boardwalk nature trail winds through native wetlands.
1 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel Island 
239-472-6397

Lovers Key State Park
The park offers tram services to the beach and rental options for paddling gear and beach essentials. It also offers a range of activities like canoeing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The park is equipped with amenities such as a boat ramp, gift shop and Discovery Center.
8700 Estero Blvd., Bonita Springs
239-707-6328

Tarpon Bay Beach
This popular beach near Bailey’s Grocery Store at the island’s center offers a lively atmosphere and easy access. It is just a short walk from a public 75-space parking lot, restrooms and showers. There are also walking and nature trails.
111 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel Island 
239-3472-6397

CHARLOTTE COUNTY

Audubon-Pennington Nature Park
Close to downtown Port Charlotte, Audubon-Pennington Nature Park offers a tranquil setting for picnicking, hiking and nature photography from sunrise to sunset. With trails like the Sandhill and Gator Hole, visitors can explore diverse landscapes and encounter Florida’s wildlife.
1153 Alton Road, Port Charlotte 
941-625-7529

Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park
Charlotte Harbor Preserve State Park extends over 42,000 acres, guarding a vast 70-mile shoreline that spans across Charlotte and Lee counties. This area, skirting the scenic Charlotte Harbor, is ideal for numerous outdoor activities. Boating, canoeing and kayaking stand out as popular pursuits, inviting enthusiasts to explore the tranquil waters. Additionally, the park offers exceptional fishing opportunities, catering to anglers seeking both relaxation and the thrill of the catch.
12301 Burnt Store Road, Punta Gorda 
941-575-5816

Don Pedro Island State Park
Don Pedro Island State Park, located between Knight Island and Little Gasparilla Island on Florida’s Gulf Coast, offers a range of activities including boating, hiking and snorkeling on its secluded 1-mile white sandy beach and mangrove-lined bays. Accessible only by private boat or ferry, the park features amenities such as a kayak launch, fishing dock and picnic shelters, alongside a 100-acre land base on the Cape Haze Peninsula.
8450 Placida Road, Placida 
941-759-2007

Englewood Beach
Spanning 12.67 acres, this beach is renowned for white sands, clear waters and spectacular sunsets, featuring a 900-foot boardwalk, viewing pavilions, sports facilities and playgrounds. It offers amenities like BBQ grills, basketball and volleyball courts, bird watching, fishing spots, picnic shelters, and restrooms, catering to visitors’ every need.
2100 N Beach Road, Englewood 
941-681-3742

Gilchrist Park
This waterfront park offers various amenities, including a large playground, sports courts, a fishing pier and picnic pavilions. It also hosts smaller events like weddings and concerts. The Bayfront Center located there offers YMCA programs and event rental opportunities.
400 W. Retta Esplanade, Punta Gorda 
941-575-3367

Peace River Preserve
Peace River Preserve spans 450 acres, showcasing diverse ecosystems from scrubby flatwoods to mangrove swamps, and supports scrub-jay habitats as well as high marsh and mangrove communities. Management efforts like prescribed burns are in place to improve habitat quality and address environmental challenges.
28000 Sandhill Blvd., Punta Gorda 
941-613-3220

Port Charlotte Beach Park
Established in 1972 and revitalized in 2012, this 16.08-acre beach park offers sandy shores, sheltered waters, and amenities like BBQ grills, sports courts, and pavilions for events. It is a perfect spot for weddings, picnics and various recreational activities. Its scenic beauty and year-round sunsets provide a serene backdrop for any gathering.
4500 Harbor Blvd., Port Charlotte 
Park: 941-627-1628, Pool: 941-629-0170

Punta Gorda Nature Park
The 19-acre Punta Gorda Nature Park, a unique urban oasis acquired in the 1990s, offers a serene escape with preserved areas for walking, bird watching and wildlife observation in the heart of Punta Gorda. Connected by bicycle and pedestrian pathways, it features amenities such as benches, an observation deck and picnic tables, among diverse habitats like palmetto forests and salt marshes.
1623 Aqui Esta Drive, Punta Gorda 
941-575-5050

COLLIER COUNTY

Barefoot Beach
Barefoot Beach Preserve spans 342 acres and is one of the few remaining untouched barrier islands along Florida’s Southwest coast. It serves as a refuge for various species and a tranquil retreat for visitors. It is accessible from Bonita Beach Road and the preserve is bordered by Barefoot Beach Access to the north and Bonita Beach Park.
505 Barefoot Beach Blvd., Naples 
239-252-4000

Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress has been protecting natural landmarks since 1916, attracting over 318 million visitors yearly to connect with America’s essence. It collaborates with various stakeholders to preserve cultural heritage and natural treasures for future generations, offering activities like canoeing, hiking and tours.
Nathaniel P. Reed Visitor Center 33000 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee 
Oasis Visitor Center 52105 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee 239-695-2000

Clam Pass Beach
Spanning 35 acres, Clam Pass Park offers a pristine coastal environment with a three-quarter-mile boardwalk leading to its beautiful sandy shores. This makes it ideal for those who appreciate the great outdoors and beach activities. The park is equipped with amenities such as beach wheelchairs, bike racks, showers, a complimentary tram service, educational nature walks, a life jacket borrowing service, an attended parking booth, onsite dining and restroom facilities.
465 Seagate Drive, Naples 
239-252-4000

Collier-Seminole State Park
Collier-Seminole State Park spans 7,271 acres, showcasing unique wildlife, royal palms, and vast mangrove swamps, alongside historical explorations like the Bay City Walking Dredge crucial for the Tamiami Trail Highway. It offers various activities such as camping, canoeing, hiking, and wildlife viewing, with special programs from December through March to deepen visitors’ understanding of its natural and historical significance.
20200 Tamiami Trail East, Naples 
239-393-7306

Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park
Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park, a 166- acre tropical paradise with a mile-long stretch of pristine beach, has reopened for limited day use. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as sunbathing, boating, fishing, and wildlife viewing in this coastal haven. The park offers amenities like beach wheelchairs, a beach shuttle from Conner Park due to limited parking and an accessible boat launch area into Turkey Bay.
1135 Gulfshore Drive, Naples 
239-409-0637

Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park offers a unique ecosystem that is home to several endangered species, including the manatee, American crocodile and Florida panther. Visitors can embark on a Ten Thousand Islands boat tour from Everglades City to explore the park’s mangrove islands and potentially spot diverse wildlife.
Gulf Coast Visitor Center - 815 Oyster Bar Lane, Everglades City 
305-242-7700

Freedom Park
Spanning 50 acres, Freedom Park offers a tranquil retreat with a Conservation Collier portion, boardwalk and trails, alongside a memorial to 9/11 and war heroes, emphasizing habitat preservation. Open daily from 8 a.m. to dusk, it features amenities like free parking and restrooms, set amid freshwater marshes, native plants and diverse wildlife.
1515 Golden Gate Parkway, Naples 
239-252-4062

Lowdermilk Park
Lowdermilk Park features amenities such as parking (both metered and unmetered), a playground, picnic areas, volleyball courts, restrooms, showers, two gazebos available for rental and accessible beach paths. Located at the northern tip of Naples City Beach, it also offers a concession stand for snacks and refreshments.
1301 Gulf Shore Blvd. N., Naples 
239-213-3020

Nancy Payton Preserve
The 71-acre Nancy Payton Preserve, home to 147 plant species and a space for endangered wildlife like Florida panthers and bobcats, focuses on habitat enhancement for the red-cockaded woodpecker and gopher tortoise among its pine flatwoods. This vital refuge in Collier County, featuring smooth hiking trails for wildlife viewing, plays a crucial role in safeguarding biodiversity.
1540 Blue Sage Drive, Naples 
239-252-2961

Naples Beach & Pier
Naples Municipal Beach and its iconic Naples Pier, renowned for their white sandy shores and 1,000-foot pier into the Gulf of Mexico, are popular attractions near downtown Naples. However, due to Hurricane Ian, visitors should be aware that while efforts are ongoing to repair significant damage to the Naples Pier and several beach accesses, some areas remain closed for safety.
25 12th Ave. S., Naples 
239-213-1800

Picayune Strand State Forest
Picayune Strand State Forest in Naples is a restored 50,000-acre area critical to the Everglades’ ecology. It offers improved water quality and diverse recreational activities like hiking, biking and horseback riding. Once a failed subdivision, it now protects wildlife habitats and supports outdoor adventures, including camping, fishing and seasonal hunting.
2121 52nd Ave. SE, Naples 
239-348-7557

Vanderbilt Beach
Vanderbilt Beach Park, located in the desirable North Naples area near upscale hotels, offers white sandy beaches and amenities like beach wheelchairs, bike racks and a parking garage. To secure parking during the busy tourist season from January to March, it’s recommended to arrive before 10 a.m.
100 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Naples 
239-252-4000

South Marco Beach
South Marco Beach provides a public parking lot on Swallow Avenue, leading to one of the island’s two public beaches. The beach is equipped with 70 parking spaces and restroom access and requires a Beach Parking Permit. It is accessible from sunrise to sundown, and parking on the streets or swales in the South Beach area is not allowed.
930 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island 
239-252-4000

2. Lee County Public Schools 11,174 

3. Lee County Local Government 9,377

4. Publix Super Market 9,362 

5. Collier County Public Schools 5,810

6. Collier County Local Government 5,045 

7. Arthrex 3,983

8. Chicos Fas Inc. 3,903 

9. Walmart 3,689

10. NCH Healthcare System 3,288 

11. Charlotte County Local Government 2,655

12. Herc Rentals 2,400 

13. Charlotte Country Public Schools 2,333

14. Amazon 2,200 

15. Gartner 2,100

16. Gargiulo 2,082 

17. McDonald’s 2,065

18. Florida Gulf Coast University 1,778 

19. Home Depot 1,770

20. Walgreens 1,440 

21. Shell Point Retirement Community 1,401

22. Radiology Regional Center 1,377 

23. Bayfront Health 1,342

24. Florida SouthWestern State College 1,245 

25. HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital 1,162

26. CVS Pharmacy 1,100 

27. Winn-Dixie 1,098

28. Hertz 1,073 

29. Ace Hardware 1,048

30. Hope Hospice 1,035

31. Millennium Physician Group 1,021 

32. Truist Financial 1,019

33. Hendry County Public Schools 989 

34. South Seas Island Resort 980

35. Walsh Group 971 

36. Suncoast Credit Union 908

37. Pacific Tomato Growers 872 

38. US Sugar 843

39. Marriott International, Inc. 833 

40. Subway 828

41. Dillard’s 826 

42. Salus Care 811

43. Bank of America 806 

44. Burger King 774

45. Downing-Frye Realty Inc. 767 

46. Wells Fargo Bank 738

47. News-Press 730 

48. 7-Eleven 723

49. Hendry County Local Government 718 

50. Heartland Health Care Center Fort Myers 707

51. Community Health Systems Inc. 700 

52. Moorings Park 697

53. Lee County Electric Co-op 687 

54. Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida 644

55. U-Haul 641 

56. WCI Communities 633

57. Fifth Third Bank 603 

58. Outback Steakhouse 602

59. Lowes Home Improvement 588 

60. Bonita Bay Club 579

61. Wendy’s 579

MEDIAN HOME PRICES: 
AUGUST 2023

¦ Cape Coral-Fort Myers MSA

$420,000
Year-over-year change: 2.4 percent

¦ Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island MSA

$846,900
Year-over-year change: 5.9 percent

¦ Punta Gorda MSA

$370,325
Year-over-year change: -2.5 Percent

Downtown Naples

Fifth Avenue South and Third Street South have held the heart of historic Naples since the 1920s when distinguished visitors and winter residents arrived by boat to the Naples Pier and traded with Seminole natives, where today glamour shops sell jewelry, fashions, home accessories and other wares in historic buildings.

The neighborhoods, too, are known for their fashionable sidewalk restaurants and cultural venues. Famed downtown Naples has spread in recent years to include the Naples Design District. Like nearby Fifth Avenue South, it blends vintage vibes with modern trends and is famed for its galleries, home craftsmanship and contemporary spots to eat, socialize and spend the night in luxury.

Downtown Bonita Springs

Old 41 Road has seen heydays come and go ever since its youthful tourism era. Today, its magnetism has returned, built on the very foundation of historic hotels and the nature attraction that brought the Everglades wilds to a main street in the 1930s, it’s now undergoing a rejuvenation as Wonder Gardens.

Today, Shangri-La Hotel stands as a symbol of Bonita Springs’ healthful reputation and 20s alluring hospitality. Around it, historic buildings have turned into fine restaurants, craft breweries, cocktail lounges and a new food truck park that overlooks the town’s lifeblood, the Imperial River. Discover here Bonita Springs’ deep roots at Riverside Park, devoted to olden days and new waves of festivity and vigor. Looking to the futILure, the town continues to build a party reputation as Sugarshack Downtown – a combo live music stage, craft brewery and restaurant – prepares to open any minute now.

Fort Myers Historic River District

Like many downtowns of a certain age, there came a time when Fort Myers’ urban sprawl left its core looking a little abandoned. Wiser heads prevailed, however, to save the Historic River District with all its vintage gems from falling victim to trends and “out with the old” attitudes.

Thanks largely to the endurance of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates at its fringe, the historic downtown was renewed. An old, handsome federal building became an art center, a vaudeville house circa 1915, and a theater. Stores and restaurants moved into buildings dating back to the late 18th century, as was the case with The Veranda, a gracious restaurant that lives in two pioneer homes.

Bars and lounges today draw a young crowd to frenzied hangouts such as the Sky Bar and Downtown Social. The new Bay Street Yard takes the party outside.

The Historic River District continues to take full advantage of its waterfront beauty and bygones intrigue as hotels move in and people of all ages come out for its monthly street parties and annual festivals.

Downtown Punta Gorda

The wide and placid Peace River separates old from new in Charlotte County, where Punta Gorda dates to the 19th century and tells its story through a series of vibrant murals. Marion Avenue, the pretty and picturesque main street, lines up eclectic shops and eateries like The Perfect Caper and Celtic Ray Public House, each with its unique charm. It overlooks the river and the county’s newest attraction on the opposite shore – Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor, a vital entertainment center for visitors and residents alike.

Along the riverfront in Punta Gorda, Wyvern Hotel’s rooftop bar and Four Points by Sheraton with TT’s Tiki Bar maintain the lively atmosphere. Laishley Park and its crab house cater to sea enthusiasts and families, complementing the extensive bike trails along the river.

Boca Grande

The railroad, tarpon fishing and the grande dame Gasparilla Inn first brought captains of industry to tiny, island Boca Grande at the turn of the century. The railroad has transformed into a path for bicycles and golf carts, while the historic depot holds boutiques, an ice cream shop and Keylime Bistro.

Within its three-block-long area, downtown Boca Grande holds historic gems well beyond the circa-1913 Gasparilla Inn. You can easily stroll or bike around its beautiful churches, pink-hued Johann Fust Library and handsome Community House, then along canopied Banyan Street and to the beach. The Port Boca Grande Lighthouse & Museum encapsulates local history, overlooking tarpon-rich Gasparilla Pass. n

Florida Boy Burger Co.

4480 Fowler St., Fort Myers

Florida Boy Burger Co. brings back the authentic flavors of old Florida straight from its swamp roots. It reels in the state’s cattle legacy with high-stacked burgers and handcrafted grub. With a backyard setting atmosphere, the burger joint is decked out in true Florida fashion with gator skins and historical wood paneling from Moody Farms.

Roger Lolly, the owner of Florida Boy Burger, highlights his favorites: the Alligator Alley Burger and the classic beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon.

“There is something special about beer and burgers. Beer is the ultimate tenderizer and naturally enhances the flavor of your meal,” said Lolly. “For us, nothing pairs better with the Alligator Alley than an ice-cold Pabst Blue Ribbon on a hot Florida day. Beer is just $2.”

Each burger is inspired by iconic locations across South Florida, such as The Alligator Alley. This burger features the hub’s twist on the In-N-Out style, humorously noting that once you venture deep into the alley, there’s no easy way to escape.

“The Alligator Alley is our classic burger. It features two 4-oz beef patties, sautéed onions, lettuce, tomato, dill pickle, American cheese and our secret fancy sauce, all on a toasted bun,” said Lolly.

Burgers can be served with upgraded and signature specialties of truffle fries, mac and cheese or fresh greens.

“What makes our beef patties special is that they are crafted from a 100 percent beef short rib blend. All our sauces are made in-house by our Chef Dominick Cioffi,” said Lolly.

He continued, “Florida Boy Burger Co proudly salutes the history of Old Florida while Pabst Blue Ribbon is America personified. Put them together, and it’s hard to beat.”

5 O’clock Somewhere Bar & Grill at Compass Hotel

408 Tamiami Trail N, Naples

It is always “5 O’clock somewhere” when you navigate to the bar and grill at the Compass Hotel in Naples. Known for pouring “frozen concoctions” and “booze in a blender,” the spot serves vacations on a plate accompanied by live music and stunning views—all infused with the iconic Jimmy Buffett vibe.

“Nothing says ‘Southwest Florida paradise’ like sipping on a cold, refreshing cocktail at our poolside and tiki-style restaurant while enjoying fresh blackened grouper,” said Cassie Pollio, bartender at 5 O’clock Somewhere Bar & Grill at Compass Hotel by Margaritaville.

Since its opening, Pollio has been known for her craft cocktails, which feature sultry flavors. Her favorite combination is the signature Blackened Grouper Sandwich paired with the Sunburn cocktail, which offers a delightful taste of harmony.

“These two favorites are perfect first mates and truly indicate Margaritaville-cool. The Grouper Sandwich is fresh, delicious and never overstated. The Sunburn perfectly complements the sandwich with its light, fruity flavor and citrus undertones,” said Pollio.

The Blackened Grouper Sandwich is served with lettuce, tomato, red onion and tartar sauce. It can be ordered any way you want it: fried, grilled or blackened. “I like it blackened because it highlights the freshness of the fish with a subtle touch of heat,” said Pollio.

“The Sunburn is light and refreshing, with a splash of the tropics. It can be served on the rocks with 1800 Silver Tequila, Deep Eddy Lemon Vodka, strawberry puree and our house-made lemonade. “It’s like sunshine in a cup!” said Pollio.

M’Xuma Tacos – Mexican Grill

42091 Cypress Parkway, Babcock Ranch

M’Xuma Tacos is a family-owned Mexican grill offering a menu rich in authentic recipes and unique cocktails served in hand-painted mugs, all set against the backdrop of two fully stocked bars.

“My favorite drink is our Leslie Bonita Margarita because it’s refreshing, and the elderflower liqueur gives it the perfect sweetness,” said bartender Leo Ramirez.

The Leslie Bonita Margarita is the latest addition to the drink menu. It is garnished with edible flowers that enhance its visual appeal as much as its flavor. Elderberry flowers have a slightly sweet and earthly flavor with woodsy and dark fruit zest notes.

“My favorite entree to pair the drink with is our Tampiquena. The dish is flavorful, hearty and brimming with variety,” said Ramirez. “At its center is a tender, juicy cut of grilled carne asada, perfectly seasoned with a smoky blend of spices. Surrounding it are vibrant sides: refried beans, fluffy Mexican rice and two semi-sweet red mole enchiladas.”

He continued, “A side of creamy guacamole adds a cool contrast, while the warm enchiladas allow you to create your own savory bites. Each element of the dish brings bold, distinct flavors that come together to create a satisfying and genuine Mexican experience.”

Old Vines

9105 Strada Place, Naples

Old Vines Naples at the Mercato offers the perfect mix of fine dining and casual character in the heart of the town. It pours signature cocktails and wines and has happy hours and late-night specials.

Troy Davis, Bar Director of Old Vines, is a renowned mixologist, pairing the Duck Confit and Outlawed Orchards as his top culinary duo.

“The acidity of the apples in the cocktail helps cut through the mouthwatering richness of the duck. It cleanses the palate and encourages a fresh bite full of flavor. Additionally, the smoky Mezcal and fall spice flavors complement the subtle heat from the mole sauce on the duck,” said Davis.

The Outlawed Orchards cocktail, topped with a dangerously delicious apple cider foam, is made with Illegal Mezcal, Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac, house-made apple cider, lime and apple blossom bitters.

“Originally from New England, apple cider was always a staple in my house growing up. I knew I wanted to include that in our cocktail program, so I started Outlawed Orchards by making my own cider,” said Davis. “I begin with various apples, orange segments, cinnamon sticks, allspice, clove and a dash of brown sugar. Then, all the ingredients are reduced to a slow simmer and strained, resulting in a rich, warm, fresh apple cider.”

Davis continued, “Cognac was an obvious choice due to its subtle notes of sweet apple, pear and everything ‘fall.’ Adding Mezcal offers more depth to the cocktail, complementing the rich cider flavors with a touch of smokiness. The cider foam adds more body, more fun and more flavor.”

Davis noted that the Duck Confit is a mixture of savory, spicy and subtle notes of sweetness. The duck leg is slowly cooked in duck fat, making it fall off the bone tender. It’s topped with dark chocolate mole, which brings a kick of spice and concentrated flavor, along with charred scallions and tart cherries for a well-balanced dish.

“When pairing cocktails with food, I always pay attention to the origin of the ingredients. Chef Brooke’s unique Duck Confit combines Mexican cuisine (mole) and French cuisine (Duck Confit) lines up perfectly with our Outlawed Orchards cocktail as it combines Mexico’s smoky Mezcal and France’s historic cognac,” said Davis. “The pairing celebrates two cultures famously known for their extraordinary cuisine.”

JWB Grill at Margaritaville Resort

1170 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach

Experience coastal cuisine on the water with local flavors and international favorites at the laid-back yet refined JWB Grill at Margaritaville, located on the shoreline of Fort Myers Beach.

Bartender and team member Brett Werner of the beach spot shares his favorites, including the Bone-in Ancho Chili Rubbed Pork Chop and drink forte, Ridin’ in the Slow Lane.

“The ancho chili and chipotle flavors from the pork chop pair perfectly with the smoky hints from Elijah Craig bourbon. The cocktail and the pork chop make you want to slow down and truly appreciate the flavors and the company around you,” said Werner.

He continued, “The pork chop is served with truffle parmesan fingerling potatoes and green beans. This flavorful and impressive dish is a fan favorite at JWB Grill, and for good reason. The stunning Gulf views from the restaurant set the scene for enjoying this masterpiece of a meal.”

Ridin’ in the Slow Lane is crafted with Elijah Craig Bourbon, Zirbenz “Stone Pine,” Demerara syrup and splashes of Dashfire J Thomas Decante Bitters. The signature cocktail is garnished with filthy Luxardo black cherries, trimmed orange peels and fresh rosemary. The cocktail is shaken over ice and served on a handcrafted ice ball.

“This duo inspires a laid-back enjoyment that might make you want to stay a little longer. Ridin’ in the Slow Lane lives up to its name. It’s a perfect excuse to sit back, relax and enjoy the finer things in life, like a Southwest Florida sunset from JWB Grill,” said Werner.

Werner added a dessert swill recommendation, the Espresso Martini, to finish the night and pairing.

“Our Espresso Martini has been dubbed ‘the best on the island’ by guests, and it’s been our top-selling cocktail since opening. Here is how we make it: Skyy Espresso Vodka, Kahlua, espresso and either white or dark chocolate liquor, depending on whether you like it more dark or creamy. I shake it in a tin, strain it over the chilled glass, and sprinkle it with hand-ground espresso beans,” said Werner.

Del Mar Naples

494 5th Ave. S, Naples

Del Mar Naples offers rotating, made-from-scratch menus that showcase the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean, drawing inspiration from Greece, Spain, Turkey and Morocco.

Michael Persian has been a bartender for the elegant spot for the past three years and has recommended pairing the Beach Party cocktail with Red Snapper Ceviche.

“If you’re looking for a cool refreshment on a hot Southwest Florida day, this is the duo for you,” said Persian.

Persian explained, “The Beach Party is pineapple-infused Aperol, which is then topped with a sparkling rosé to give the cocktail the right amount of refreshment.”

The praised beachy cocktail is also served in the Del Mar’s lounge during Happy Hour, Monday through Friday between 4 and 6 p.m. With $5 off the specialty drink.

The Red Snapper Ceviche is $14 and featured on the main dinner menu, alongside the restaurant and bar’s acclaimed selection of chill seafood offerings.

“The Red Snapper Ceviche is the perfect combination of red snapper, lime juice, radish, pickled red onions and cilantro. It creates a tangy and refreshing dish,” said Persian.

Persian described the combination as “pair beautifully,” with the cocktail complementing and balancing the dish’s natural acidity created through the revitalizing orange segments.

Ocean Prime

699 5thAvenue South, Naples

Ocean Prime, the recipient of the Open Table’s “Diner’s Choice of 2024” award, features an upscale menu of steaks, seafood, and cocktails. The restaurant offers a main dining area, a relaxing lounge, a social bar and private and seasonal rooms overlooking the Sugden Theater on Naples’ lively Fifth Avenue.

Order this duo if you’re looking to have a memorable experience on 5th Ave with Naples’ favorite bartenders and the most exquisite fish dish of your life,” said bartender Tayla Kuehne.

Kuehne combines the Teriyaki Salmon entrée with the Pineapple Picante cocktail as the perfect pairing for an elegant night out that is full of vibrant flavors.

“The dish and cocktail pair well due to the complementary character of the spicy Serrano simple syrup and the Asian flavors of the teriyaki marinade, which emphasizes the juicy orange citrus notes of the cocktail. The fresh tart lemon juice of the cocktail cuts through the savory soy butter and decadent salmon,” said Kuehne.

The signature drink is crafted with pineapple-infused Don Julio Blanco tequila, fresh lemon juice, orange bitters and picante – a hot and spicy sauce blend.

“The Pineapple Picante is a slightly spicy, citrus-forward cocktail highlighted by a house-made intoxicating (literally and metaphorically) pineapple-infused tequila,” explained Kuehne.

She added, “The pineapple-infused tequila can be made by anyone, at home for any cocktail they like, by soaking one pineapple in one liter of tequila for 28 days.”

The Teriyaki Salmon, located in the seafood section of the menu, combines citrus hints with savory undertones.

“The dish is seared Teriyaki Salmon over sticky rice topped with Asian-inspired vegetables, finished with a rich, sweet soy butter sauce,” said Kuehne.

Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktails

3522 Del Prado Blvd. S, Cape Coral

Point 57 is a modern American restaurant that draws inspiration from Florida’s coastal cuisine. It offers a menu that is both casual and sophisticated, with made-from-scratch dishes. Specializing in steaks and seafood, the restaurant emphasizes using fresh, local ingredients. Point 57 Kitchen & Cocktail is proud of its extensive craft drink offerings, featuring house-made infusions and a curated selection of wines and regional craft beers.

“I have been working at Point 57 for four years,” said Kayti Burns. “If you live in Cape Coral, then you probably have already had one of our local famous ‘House Old Fashions’ cocktails. Everyone needs to try it.”

“This cocktail has been around since the 1800s and has had many different variations and recipes. These vintage-type cocktails have become more present than ever, which I think is great. What sets our Old Fashioned apart from the others is the addition of apple-flavored brandy and black walnut bitters. This adds a subtle note of nutty and sweet to an already delicious cocktail,” said Burns.

Burns paired the classic cocktail with the Crusted Grouper, noting that the apple brandy hints in the Old Fashion strikingly complement the fresh seafood.

“My favorite dish on our menu is our Crusted Grouper. It is my favorite because the grouper is fresh and so delicious. The abundance of fresh seafood in this area is just one of the perks of living in Southwest Florida, our own little paradise,” said Burns.

The grouper is expertly seared in a pan before being finished in the oven, ensuring that all its juicy flavors are sealed in. It’s presented atop a bed of creamy shrimp risotto, then crowned with a crunchy apple slaw enhanced with lemon butter.

Burns added, “I believe an Old Fashioned can pair with any entrée, but this one with the apple brandy goes very well with my favorite grouper entrée. We also use hickory wood chips to smoke a glass skull and serve our House Old Fashioned in that skull to add a depth of flavor that is like no other.”

“Also, if you are not partial to smoked drinks, just ask for it without the smoke. It is just as delicious,” said Burns.

Hurricanes are unpredictable. You never know when one will change its course at the last minute and come right at you just when you breathe a sigh of relief. Take, for example, Hurricane Michael, which took a last-minute turn from Southwest Florida heading north to literally flatten Mexico Beach and parts of Panama City in 2018.

It’s not a matter of if but when disaster will hit. Sadly, hurricanes aren’t our worst enemy; it’s our complacency and disregard for the inevitable that will probably harm us the most. In other words, if you’re not smart, not realistic and not prepared, you’ll have no one but yourself to blame if you’re not organized when disaster hits.

Following is the only hurricane checklist you’ll ever need. Yes, it’s long. And yes, there are some items that might seem a bit eccentric, such as dry shampoo, but trust me, if you were here and experienced the physical devastation and mental distress brought on our beautiful community by the ravages of Hurricane Irma in September of 2017 and Hurricane Ian in September of 2022, you know first-hand that you can never be too organized or too prepared.

Standard essentials

Pet owners

Optional

• Generator and gas (store per manufacturer’s manual)
• Carbon monoxide detector
• Gas or battery-powered chainsaw and protective gear
• NOAA weather radio and two-way radios

As far in advance as possible

One week before the storm

Three days before the storm

24 hours before the storm

Day of the storm

After the storm

This rural, unincorporated, quiet town on the Caloosahatchee River is in Lee County, east of Fort Myers. Alva is known for its citrus groves, cattle, oak trees and woodland trails, which are ideal for horseback riding. Although many assume Alva is named after Thomas Alva Edison, an American inventor and businessman, the town was actually named after Peter Nelson, a sea captain who discovered small white flowers called alvas in the late 1800s. The quaint, modest town has preserved its charm by devoted residents who want to keep Alva a special place, full of nature, without any large condos or shopping centers. Alva continues to be just as beautiful as when Capt. Nelson ventured up the river, full of lush and vibrant vegetation.

Ave Maria

One of Southwest Florida’s fastest-growing areas is the town of Ave Maria, about a half-hour drive east of Naples. Ave Maria was founded in 2005 by Ave Maria Development Company, Barron Collier Companies and Roman Catholic philanthropist Tom Monaghan, founder of Domino’s Pizza. This unincorporated community officially opened in July 2007, and Ave Maria University welcomed students in August for the 2007-2008 school year. The Ave Maria Catholic Church is the focal point of this up-and-coming town as the distinctive steel structure and architecture were heavily influenced by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. With affordable housing, a good community and excellent education, Ave Maria is attracting many to move to this hidden treasure.

Babcock Ranch

America’s first solar-powered town, Babcock Ranch, is passionate about living a well-balanced life full of fun, wellness and environmental appreciation. The town, in southeastern Charlotte County and northeastern Lee County, is designed to aid residents in living their happiest, healthiest lives in its vast array of outdoor adventures in a walkable urban landscape. In addition to great education in the area within walking distance, Babcock Ranch plans to build trails to connect the neighborhoods. The social hub of this town is Founder’s Square, with residents and visitors bustling about during community events, music and celebrations, enjoying a stroll through boutiques or grabbing a bite with friends at one of the eateries.

Boca Grande

This small residential community on Gasparilla Island was named “the preppiest place on earth” by The Wall Street Journal. Boca Grande, a beautiful coastal town, oozes charm, class and wealth. The clear blue waters are perfect for fishing, shelling and snorkeling. A picturesque bike path stretches over six miles across the island and offers a perfect way for visitors to immerse themselves in the Old Florida charm. One of the main attractions in Boca Grande is the grand Gasparilla Inn, built in 1911. The inn offers various activities to guests and residents, such as a pristine golf course, a relaxing spa and salon, boating and fishing excursions, a sparkly white beachfront and local restaurants. The inn is also a popular wedding venue with scenic views, exceptional service, and fine dining.

Bonita Springs

This town in southern Lee County is just 15 miles from Naples and is known for its pristine golf courses, open-air shopping and white sandy beaches. Lovers Key State Park is a popular destination loved by visitors and residents. It is home to breathtaking vegetation and wonderful wildlife, such as bald eagles, dolphins and manatees. The Center for the Arts Bonita Springs offers fun for all ages with various performances, festivals and art classes. The historic hotel, Shangri-La Springs, built in 1921, provides a full-service organic spa, beautiful gardens, and a highly sought-after venue for weddings and events. The Wonder Gardens is home to a diverse mix of rescued and rehabilitated wildlife, perfect for a family day learning about nature and animals native to Florida.

Cape Coral

In the late 1950s, two visionary Baltimore businessmen, brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen, founded Cape Coral, promoting the town as a “waterfront wonderland.” Cape Coral, the largest city in Southwest Florida, has one of the world’s most extensive waterways, with more canals than Venice, Italy. The city offers many opportunities for all nature and water lovers, with more than 1,500 acres of parks great for hiking, camping, fishing and water activities. The city’s premier family adventure park, Gator Mike’s Family Fun Park, offers thrilling excursions for all ages, such as go-cart tracks, miniature golf, batting cages and a zipline. Every Saturday in South Cape, local vendors are featured in the farmer’s market, offering everything from fresh produce to baked goods.

Englewood

Founded in 1896 by three brothers from Illinois, Englewood became one of the first winter resorts in Florida known for its excellent fishing, hunting and aquatic activities. This classic beach town straddles two counties, Charlotte and Sarasota, and is home to 11 picturesque golf courses. Englewood also offers many notable artistic events, such as live theatre, musical performances and museums. Manasota Key has four breathtaking beaches that dwell in this artsy town. All waterways and beaches are protected, ensuring visitors enjoy the beauty of sparkling white sands and the Gulf of Mexico in these natural habitats all year round. From kayaking to enjoying the theatre, there is much to do in this unique beachfront community.

Estero

Before major developers and communities swarmed to inhabit Estero, this unincorporated village in Lee County was previously occupied by the Koreshans. The religious cult held many beliefs that are no longer practiced today. However, their history remains in the Koreshan State Park, where visitors can tour the grounds and learn about communal utopia. Estero, back in the day, was a hotspot for citrus farming and fishing. This town, nestled between Naples and Fort Myers, has abundant outlet stores at Miromar Outlets, 140 retailers and eateries at Coconut Point and an impressive stadium to catch a hockey game at Hertz Arena. Whether visitors fish, explore state parks or enjoy the arts, Estero has much to offer for everyone.

Fort Myers

Fort Myers has long been a desired location for communities from the Calusa to the Seminole Indians. With excellent visibility and access to the beachfront, it’s understandable why the U.S. Army chose it for a military fort twice. With a population of 349, Fort Myers was incorporated in 1885, later becoming the county seat of Lee County two years later. Along the Caloosahatchee River, the River District is speckled with architectural gems such as the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, the Burroughs Home and the Lee County Courthouse. The city’s diverse art scene includes the Florida Repertory Theatre, the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall and the Laboratory Theater of Florida. Fort Myers also hosts the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins during spring training.

Fort Myers Beach

Located on Estero Island, Fort Myers Beach is known for its seven miles of white sandy beaches and waterfront resorts full of island adventures for friends and family. Its fresh coastal cuisine boasts a vibrant fishing community. Visitors can enjoy the water by seeing dolphins and other wildlife native to Florida, sightseeing or sunset cruises. Fort Myers Beach stands resilient as this beloved beach community rallied to rebuild, restore and recover its precious gem after Hurricane Ian. Long before the first Europeans reached the area in the 1500s, the native Calusa resided on the island. Remains of the Calusa culture can be found at the Mound House, an early 20th-century cottage built atop one of the Calusa mounds with an active archeological dig site.

Immokalee

In the northwest corner of Collier County is the town of Immokalee, meaning “my home” in the Seminole language. With a thriving agricultural industry, Immokalee produces 90% of the nation’s winter tomatoes along with other crops such as cucumbers, bell peppers and citrus. Immokalee has abundant wildlife in the many open acres of natural habitats. The Seminole Casino and Hotel is owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which also has various other casinos across South Florida. The casino offers multiple fun activities for visitors, such as trying the local Seminole cuisine and classic games like poker and blackjack, along with performances and music concerts. For history lovers, visitors can learn tales of how Immokalee came to be at the Pioneer Museum.

Lehigh Acres

Similar to Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres was created by visionary Northern businessmen from Chicago in the 1950s. As one of Florida’s most prominent residential communities, Lehigh Acres offers affordable housing within close proximity to major cities such as Naples and Fort Myers. Lehigh Acres remains a census-designated place, with around 124,000 residents calling this quaint, vibrant place their home. Many family-friendly activities are available to visitors, such as exploring parks and preserves, scenic golfing at Westminster Golf Club and aquatic activities. Visitors and residents can also discover and view wildlife at Hickey Creek Wildlife and Environmental Area and Frank Mann Preserve. Aquatic adventures can be found at the Caloosahatchee River, accessible through the Alva Boat Ramp.

Marco Island

Marco Island is the largest barrier island in the Ten Thousand Islands and a four-hour boat ride from Key West to Fort Myers, the Key West Express. It is the perfect place for all sorts of water sports, from kayaking and standup paddleboarding to fishing and sailing. From superb hotels, such as the Olde Marco Island Inn & Suites, to the six miles of sparkling white beaches, Marco Island residents and visitors call this special gem paradise. Tigertail Beach is a popular destination for bird watching, shelling, tidal pool exploration and beautiful, serene sunsets. Visitors can learn about the history at the Marco Island Historical Museum, which features famous sculptures like the Key Marco Cat crafted by the Calusa people who originally inhabited the island.

Naples

It comes as no surprise that this tropical paradise, full of sunshine and miles of beautiful beachfront, was named the No.1 place to live by U.S. News & World Report this year. A city full of arts and culture, local fine dining cuisine, high-end shopping and luscious vegetation, Naples is beloved by all residents and visitors. Enjoy a delicious, sweet treat from Kilwins, a popular local ice cream spot, while strolling down Fifth Avenue, which features many shops and local boutiques. Naples’s historic Tin City is a hidden gem on Fifth Avenue South, showcasing local vendors on the waterfront. Lowdermilk Park and Clam Pass are premier beachfronts with soft white sand and blue waters that people and manatees can enjoy.

Pine Island

Surrounded by mangroves and coral rock, Pine Island is the largest island on the Gulf Coast of peninsular Florida. Known for its abundant tropical fruits such as mangos, papaya, and jackfruit, Pine Island is mainly agricultural land that offers the small-town feel of a classic Old Florida fishing village. Boating and water activities are popular in this area and visitors have the option to take a ferry and explore the beautiful beach at Cayo Costa State Park. Visitors can also learn more about the island’s history and the Calusa Indians who first inhabited Pine Island 2,000 years ago at the Museum of Islands and Calusa Heritage Trail. Tarpon Lodge, a four-star restaurant, offers exquisite fine dining featuring local cuisine and wine-tasting events.

Port Charlotte

This small coastal community is nestled along the southwest coast, where Peace River joins with Charlotte Harbor. Home to 165 miles of man-made waterways, Port Charlotte is popular for its vast recreational activities, such as boating, fishing, sailing, kayaking and many more. Visitors can rent jet skis for a fun day on the water or relax and see the dolphins and manatees in the harbor. Visitors and residents can hike and explore wildlife at Tippecanoe Environmental Park, a 380-acre preserve. Local eateries feature the coastal community’s fishing with a catch of the day at Brother’s Fish House or seafood boils at Captain Crab Seafood. Baseball fans can visit Charlotte Sports Park to see the Tampa Bay Rays during spring training.

Punta Gorda

Along where the Peace River meets Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda remains a place to embrace the Old Florida charm. Just 30 minutes from Fort Myers, Punta Gorda is full of freshwater and saltwater adventures, including prime fishing of largemouth bass, grouper and tarpon. Visitors can stroll the 2.5-mile Harborwalk, taking in the beautiful views of the Charlotte Harbor shoreline leading to Fisherman’s Village, where visitors and residents enjoy coastal cuisine, local shops and boutiques and stunning scenery. Beauty, art and culture are abundant in Punta Gorda, with destinations such as Peace River Botanical & Sculpture Gardens, Iguanaland and Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary. Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center is a great opportunity to learn about the wildlife and ecosystems in Punta Gorda.

Sanibel-Captiva

Awarded for having the best shelling beach in Florida, Sanibel-Captiva Island is a wonderful gem of the Gulf of Mexico with abundant wildlife, sparking white sandy beaches and 25 miles of picturesque bike paths. In a place where Key lime pie is served at many restaurants, this secluded hideaway has much to offer, such as the Lighthouse Park Beach, the Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum and the Bubble Room, which are known for their memorable dining experiences. Visitors and residents have various aquatic activities to choose from for a fun day in the sun, like paddleboarding, snorkeling and kayaking. Avid birdwatchers can see over 245 species at the “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge and many other animals native to the area.

Fast forward a century, in 2025, the area once again steps into the spotlight with the debut season of FC Naples in the USL League One, making the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples its esteemed home.

FC Naples is in its formative stages. Open tryouts in early September attracted 60 job candidates from around Florida and beyond, eager to show they have what it takes.

The season begins in March when baseball’s Grapefruit League season will be in full swing.

Unlike spring training games, which are tune-ups for the real thing, FC Naples and its opponents will be playing for real for slots in the USL playoffs.

For now, FC Naples staff and coaches have been preparing for the inaugural season. A two-day fan fest was held in September.

The open tryout was a significant step in turning FC Naples from concept to reality. It was the first time balls were kicked under the FC Naples banner on the home pitch. FC Naples CEO Roberto Moreno liked the energy he witnessed.

“We saw the passion and the work ethic from all the players throughout the tryouts,” Moreno said.

As in all pro sports, many have the dream, but few have the talent. FC Naples will carry a roster of 23 and only 18 will be active on game days.

Another open tryout is slated and then a more select tryout near the end of the year is scheduled. That will be an invitation-only event. The best from that group will be invited to a pre-season camp.

“We have a database of over 200 players,” FC Naples coach Matt Poland said.

Moreno enjoyed the atmosphere of the fan fest.

“It was great to see people of all ages, all walks of life just coming out to have a good time,” Moreno said.

The good times will continue to roll into 2025.

FC Naples is in League One of the USL. It is one of six new clubs in the division, going into the league with teams such as the Portland (Maine) Heart of Pines, Santa Barbara Sky FC and Westchester SC.

Although the schedule has not been announced, Moreno and his staff on the club’s business side of the club have been preparing. They held a fan fest and fans selected seats in the 5,000-seat stadium. At the fan fest, the beer garden was open for the first time and FC Naples Blond Ale was available.

Moreno said more than 1,000 season tickets had been sold since late September.

The Southwest Florida sports landscape is as diverse as its population involving all sorts of sports. That diversity now includes pro soccer.

The pro sports landscape includes but is not limited to soccer, baseball, hockey, golf and pickleball. Pickleball didn’t exist in 1925 but is huge in 2024.

The Pros

Southwest Florida is the spring training home of four Major League Baseball franchises.

The Boston Red Sox are at JetBlue Park and the Minnesota Twins are at Hammond Stadium. Both facilities are in Lee County off I-75’s Exit 131, 30 miles north of the exit for FC Naples and the Paradise Coast Sports Complex.

The Tampa Bay Rays call the Charlotte Sports Park their spring home and a short drive away is CoolToday Park in North Port, the spring home of the Atlanta Braves.

Hertz Arena is located adjacent to I-75 in Lee County and is the home of the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. The Everblades won their third consecutive Kelly Cup earlier this year. In Game 5 of the finals, they beat the Kansas City Mavericks 4-3 in overtime before a sellout crowd of 7,910. It was the Everblades’ 18th sellout of the season.

Although Pickleball is still relatively young, it is also clearly an economic force. The 2025 Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championships will be held from April 26 to May 3 at East Naples Community Park. It’s been held there since 2016 and generates an estimated $14 million in economic benefits for Collier County.

Earlier in the year, the Chubb Classic was played in Collier County. The 2025 stop on the PGA Tour Championship calendar is scheduled for Feb. 10-16 at the Tiburon Golf Club in Naples. Winners of past events include names familiar to even the most casual of golf fans - Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples and Craig Stadler.

Southwest Florida is not the full-time home to big-time professional sports teams such as those found in Miami and Fort Lauderdale and the Tampa Bay Area. Those regions, though, are a short drive away.

The Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, Miami Marlins, Florida Panthers and Inter Miami CF are roughly a couple hours east on I-75. The Tampa Bay Rays, Bucs and Lightning are about two hours to the north on I-75.

The Colleges

Florida Gulf Coast University is located between the Paradise Coast Sports Complex and the Fort Myers spring training venues.

The campus is 27 miles from the Paradise Coast Sports Complex and 8.6 miles from JetBlue Park.

FGCU does not have a football program, but it offers a variety of sports including basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, swimming and golf.

The program’s signature team is women’s basketball, coached by Karl Smesko, the only coach the program has ever had.

The Eagles have won seven consecutive ASUN titles. Over those seasons, the Eagles have an overall record of 207-48 and 108-4 in conference play.

Since 2014, the Eagles have won 11 ASUN titles.

The most prominent former FGCU athlete is not a basketball player. That is likely pitcher Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves. Sale was a first-round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox in 2010 out of FGCU.

The 6-foot-6 lefty enjoyed a banner 2024 season. By late September, as the regular season neared its conclusion, his record was 18-3 with a 2.38 earned run average, .857 winning percentage and 225 strikeouts. All those statistics led the National League.

A short drive from FGCU, about 12 miles, is Florida SouthWestern State College. It is a juggernaut on the world of JUCO sports and has built its success since reviving the school’s sports programs in 2016.

The softball team won national titles in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

The volleyball team is two-time national champions and in September was ranked No. 1 in the nation. It compiled a 58-2 record over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

FSW’s baseball program has sent 22 players into the pros and pitcher Carlos Rodriguez debuted this past summer with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The FSW men’s basketball team has sent 14 players into pro leagues around the world. Keon Ellis went on to play for the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. The school’s women’s basketball program won five consecutive conference titles from 2017 to 2022.

FC Naples is new, but it has a great tradition of excellence on which to build.

What about those 1925 Philadelphia A’s?

They became a juggernaut within a few years of moving to Fort Myers for spring training. The A’s won the American League pennant in 1929, 1930 and 1931 and won the World Series the first two years of that run.

Like the zebra longwing, which holds the honor of Florida’s official butterfly, the state’s lower left wing (aka Southwest Florida) has metamorphized in the past few years on its way to becoming a thing of beauty, a symbol of resilience. As coastal areas continue to reinvent themselves and shake off the impact of 2022’s destructive Hurricane Ian and Miton in 2024, they introduce fascinating new facets to redefine their wild, natural, sunny cultural character.

Culinary explosion

The most robust growth of the region reflects in its ever-compounding gustatory delights. The latest trend brings indoor-outdoor entertainment complexes where neighbors gather to eat, drink, dance and socialize. Celebration Park in Naples and Rooftop Riverside in Bonita Springs started the upswing of food truck dining coupled with bars and live music.

More recently, Backyard Social in Fort Myers brings its rendition with eight food trucks circling a 300-person capacity hall for drinking and playing games -- from cornhole to duckpin bowling. It attracts the student crowd from nearby Florida Gulf Coast University. Then came Bay Street Yard in downtown Fort Myers, with its stage and Jumbotron screen to keep the entertainment large and lively. Food trucks and repurposed shipping containers update the definition of food court in this outdoor space.

In Bonita Springs, watch for the genesis of Sugarshack Downtown, an outgrowth of music-making that will bring regional and national acts to the stage. Its partnership with Maine’s Brickyard Hollow brand of food and drink ensures another entirely fresh way to party day and night.

Out on the islands, fans cheer the return of longtime culinary institutions along with new-to-the-scene gems. Like old friends, Lighthouse Café, Gramma Dot’s, Sanibel Café and The Original Cheeburger Cheeburger are back on Sanibel Island, showing off facelifts and, in the case of iconic Lighthouse Café, a new and bigger location. In a delicious game of musical chairs, Wickies Lighthouse Restaurant, a mash-up of the old Mad Hatter and Island Cow restaurants, has remastered the original Lighthouse Café location for an entirely delightful outcome.

Fort Myers Beach, too, welcomes back longtime favorites like Island’s Pancake House and Snug Harbor Waterfront Restaurant. At the same time, Margaritaville Beach Resort injects new vitality with Jimmy Buffett-inspired beach hangouts like the Lah De Dah Beach Bar and Grill and It’s Five O’clock Somewhere. JWB Grill takes the tropical vibe up a notch with fine coastal cuisine and a beach overlook.

Yucatan Beachstand Bar & Grill once more juices up the lively vibe around FMB’s Times Square, and Yucatan Waterfront Bar & Grill has made a Matlacha comeback on Pine Island.

Like Margaritaville, Sunseeker Charlotte Harbor resort has elevated the foodie cred in Port Charlotte with options ranging from a classy food court to sit-down topnotch restaurants such as Stretto, serving Coastal Italian, and Maury’s steakhouse – all overlooking the expansive, cobalt blue beauty of the waterfront.

One of the best culinary surprises to make the scene this past year, Blossom & Brie opened a field-to-plate wonder on the grounds of the former Rosy Tomorrows Farm in North Fort Myers. The happy, specially tended farm animals are still there, plus the owners have added hydroponic produce to its field-grown repertoire.

Playgrounds and getaways

Of course, the huge news this year on the topic of Southwest Florida accommodations is Great Wolf Lodge, a 20-acre resort and waterpark complex east of south Naples. Newly opened this fall, it accepted only overnight reservations at first, but with plans to offer day passes in the future. Non-guests can purchase an activity pass for non-waterpark games and attractions and enjoy any of the resort’s several dining outlets.

Elsewhere around the region, the beach is still the best place to stay and most beach resorts have returned in the Naples and Marco Island area. Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel Island beach accommodations are building back and building better. Fort Myers Beach stalwarts like Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina and DiamondHead Beach Resort have opened their doors and steadily upgraded vacation spots that have survived hurricanes and time. On Sanibel, Sundial Beach Resort & Spa is expected to accept overnight guests this month, and Casa Ybel Resort will open its accommodations by next year. In the meantime, Sundial offers day passes for access to the beach, dining, pool, and other amenities.

New in the neighborhoods

The very concept of day passes is somewhat new to the region, perhaps a product of hurricane recovery that kept accommodations closed after certain resort facilities had reopened. Or perhaps the two new destination resorts – Margaritaville Beach Resort on Fort Myers Beach and Sunseeker Charlotte Harbor – ignited the trend with the availability of opportunities to enjoy exclusive amenities, such as an adult pool level and a beach club, without spending the night.

Other initiatives and developments have given new life to our neighborhoods. One especially colorful project brings the Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau together with the Fort Myers Mural Society to create street art that defines each of the county’s 10 communities. By spring 2025, the mural trail will be complete, a complement to Fort Myers’ already rich mural culture and a tradition started decades ago in Punta Gorda.

At Babcock Ranch in the region’s northern reaches, The Shoppes at Yellow Pine expands the young community’s retail and commercial offerings with eateries specializing in pizza, Asian cuisine, grilled food and ice cream.

On Fort Myers Beach, the rebirth of Bayside Park brings the community together for a free concert series waterfront every Sunday afternoon. North Naples continues to exude youthful energy as it undergoes a makeover at Mercato shopping center that includes the addition of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema with food, drink, luxe theaters and even mini golf.

Events that define

The community of Sanibel Island has a lot to celebrate this season. In November, it threw a 13-month-long party cheering the 50th anniversary of the city’s incorporation, a result of a grassroots movement to keep the island a sanctuary for nature and wildlife. A time capsule reveal, holiday tree lighting, Luminary Stroll, historical events, art shows and community festivals fill the calendar. Taste of the Islands even made its return in its original outdoor party format at City Hall.

Another welcome comeback festival, the American Sand Sculpting Championship brings artists, families and other festival-goers to Fort Myers Beach in November to compete, demonstrate and simply admire masterpieces arising from granules on the beach.

Other signature annual festivals across the land include the Florida International Air Show in Punta Gorda, Edison Festival of Lights in Fort Myers, Collier County Fair & Exposition in Naples, and various seafood festivals, art fests and spring training competitions.

¦ Cape Coral-Fort Myers MSA

$405,810

Year-over-year change: -1.4 percent

¦ Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island MSA

$732,000

Year-over-year change: 1.9 percent

¦ Punta Gorda MSA

$371,500

Year-over-year change: -2.3 Percent

—Source: Florida Realtors

2. Lee County School District 11,003

3. Publix Super Market 9,768

4. Lee County Local Government 9,142

5. NCH Healthcare System 8,159

6. Walmart 7,286

7. Collier County School District 5,756

8. Collier County Local Government 5,173

9. Arthrex 4,087

10. Marriott International Inc. 3,620

11. Bayfront Health 2,801

12. Charlotte County Local Government 2,614

13. McDonald’s 2,613

14. Home Depot 2,497

15. Charlotte County School District 2,152

16. Winn-Dixie 1,899

17. Hope Hospice 1,838

18. Chico’s Fas Inc. 1,552

19. Florida Gulf Coast University 1,519

20. Bloomin’ Brands Inc. 1,395

21. Realogy Holdings Corp. 1,381

22. Darden Restaurants 1,380

23. Target 1,300

24. Walgreens 1,170

25. Yum! Brands Inc. 1,141

26. Lowe’s Home Improvement 1,135

27. Inspire Brands 1,133

28. USPS 1,132

29. Seminole Tribe of Florida 1,128

30. Hertz Inc. 1,073

31. John R. Wood Properties 1,051

32. Vance Brothers 1,001

33. Shell Point Retirement Community 1,000

34. Keller Williams Realty 989

35. Brookdale 985

36. Moorings Park 924

37. Hendry County School District 892

38. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. 841

39. YMCA 820

40. Pacific Tomato Growers 800

41. Bealls 773

42. Dillard’s 764

43. Gettel Automotive 760

44. Burger King 753

45. U.S. Sugar 750

46. Hilton Brand 750

47. Naples Grande Beach Resort 750

48. Hendry County Local Government 710

49. Herc Rentals 700

50. GenesisCare 699

51. Waterman Broadcasting 688

52. CVS 670

53. TJX Cos. 659

54. RE/MAX Realty 650

55. Culver’s 635

56. Florida Cancer Specialists 620

57. Perkins 612

58. Costco Wholesale 600

59. Downing Frye Realty 600

60. Wendy’s 597

61. Bonita Bay Club 596

62. Apollo Global Management 595

63. Vi at Bentley Village 585

64. Florida SouthWestern State College 559

65. Raymond Building Supply 554

66. IHG Hotels & Resorts 547

67. Dine Brands 526

68. Germain Cars 514

69. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 505

70. Gulf Bay Group of Companies 500

71. South Seas Sanibel & Captiva 500

72. Chili’s Grill & Bar 494

73. Farm-Op Inc. 480

74. Best Buy 470

75. JC Penney 458

76. Quick Lane 450

77. News-Press 450

78. Hyatt 440

79. Texas Roadhouse 439

80. UPS Store 435

81. Life Care Centers of America 405

82. Truist 405

83. Pandera Bread 405

84. Golden Gate Capital 401

85. Naples Luxury Imports 401

¦ South Cape 

Three parallel roads — Cape Coral Parkway, SE 47th Terrace and Lafayette Street — define Cape Coral’s downtown area, which has evolved over the past decade into a dining and entertainment mecca. Cape Coral Parkway, the main thoroughfare, takes motorists from the Caloosahatchee River waterfront to the heart of the city, lined with fun and quirky dining establishments with names like Nevermind Awesome Bar & Eatery and Nice Guys Pizza. 

Slip off the parkway in either direction to find more fun spots. To the west on Lafayette Street, you’ll find Jungle Bird Authentic Tiki and the Monkey Bar Steak & Seafood. Head east to SE 47th Terrace and you’ll land at a streetscaped pedestrian mall, where deciding on a place to eat and drink requires serious research (or determined barhopping). There’s Cork Soakers Deck & Wine Bar, Front Porch Social, Sage on 47th, Fish Tale Grill, Dixie Live —the list goes on and on. Many establishments on Cape Coral Parkway are also accessible from the pedestrian walkway through their backdoors, giving them a speakeasy feel. 

Downtown Cape Coral takes advantage of its abundant eat-and-sip options with trolley-hop events to celebrate everything from New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day to bacon and martinis. Other downtown events include arts festivals, gay pride parades, farmers markets, bike nights, symphonies in the park and pub crawls. 

South Cape’s renewal got its jump start in 2019 with a $13 million beautification project that added brick-paved pathways and pedestrian crossings, decorative streetlamps, a traffic roundabout and public Wi-fi. Today, the SE 47th Terrace promenade continues to buzz day and night with diners and clubbers looking for the heart of Cape Coral’s social scene. 

¦ Downtown Bonita

Old 41 Road takes you to the historic heart of Bonita Springs. Dating back to the 1920s, downtown backslid for many decades as the action moved out to the new U.S. 41, or Tamiami Trail. 

In the past handful of years, however, downtown Bonita has slowly but surely reverted to its glory days. Three historic hubs reflect the community’s roots and glow today with restoration and preservation efforts. 

Since 1921, Shangri-La Hotel has graced the banks of the springs that gave the town its name. Since then, it has undergone several reincarnations, eventually as today’s healthful asylum and spa with the organic garden-fed Harvest & Wisdom restaurant. 

To the north, Wonder Gardens surfaced as a roadside wildlife attraction in 1936. Today’s version keeps the gator appeal and adds sophistication with Victorian structures, a tearoom and animal encounters. 

Riverside Park has returned as downtown’s community center, where festivals, movie nights and other family-friendly gatherings happen among the amphitheater, mid-20th century Liles Hotel and fish houses turned retail shops and galleries. Rooftop at Riverside food truck park was scheduled to add to the excitement in October. 

Interspersed between the relics of yesteryear, entertainment venues such as Chartreuse Craft Cocktail Lounge, Downtown Coffee and Wine, Ceremony Brewing and The Bohemian restaurant have blossomed among longtime favorites like Grandpa’s Pizza and Mexican-steeped Maria’s Restaurant. Also in October, The Causeway Bonita was set to open on the fringes of downtown- Southwest Florida’s first food hall with craft beers, three restaurants, and a bakery-ice creamery. 

¦ Fort Myers Historic River District 

Like many downtowns of a certain age, there came a time for Fort Myers when urban sprawl left its core looking a little abandoned and forlorn. With all its historic gems, however, wiser heads prevailed to save the Historic River District from falling victim to trends and “out with the old” attitudes.

Thanks largely to the vigor of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates at is fringes, historic downtown renewed. An old, achingly handsome federal building became an art center; a circa-1915 vaudeville house, a theater. Stores and restaurants moved into buildings dating back to the late 18th century, as was the case with The Veranda, a gracious restaurant that lives in two pioneer homes. 

Ambitious undertakings like the Franklin Shops turned one vintage structure into a crafty mall of sorts. Bars and lounges drew a young crowd to frenzied hangouts such as the Sky Bar and Cowboy Up. 

The riverfront spruced up with the remastering of Centennial Park and the appearance of Luminary Hotel & Co. with its modern good looks rooted in local history (named for Thomas Edison’s glowing claim-to-fame). With it came another rooftop bar, a sports bar with a golf simulator and a smattering of other food and beverage hotspots. 

The Historic River District continues to take full advantage of its waterfront beauty and bygones intrigue as more hotels move in and people of all ages come out for its monthly street parties and annual festivals. 

¦ Downtown Punta Gorda 

Another downtown, a different river running through it, old Punta Gorda turns its face toward the Peace River, as it has since the late 19th century. It remembers the past in a series of larger-than-life murals throughout its streets. They recall railroad days, the area’s fishing heritage, conquistadors, cattle drives and other highlights of the small town’s heyday. 

Marion Avenue constitutes the main drag for shoppers and diners, who find anything but cookie-cutter in art galleries, gift boutiques and restaurants like The Perfect Caper at the high end and Celtic Ray Public House, a long-enduring Irish pub filled with character and, typically, characters. 

Streets and avenues such as Sullivan, Taylor, and Olympia hold more gems begging to be explored. On the riverfront, Wyvern Hotel and its rooftop bar and Four Points by Sheraton and its TT’s Tiki Bar keep the party going day long. 

Laishley Park and its namesake crab house serve the salty crowd and families along the town’s extensive system of bike trails skirting the river. Stately historic homes and Gilchrist Park on Retta Esplanade keep Punta Gorda rooted to its past. 

Follow the river west to Charlotte Harbor and you reach another relic of the past: the old city docks remade into the entertainment, lodging and shopping center known as Fishermen’s Village. 

The new Military Heritage Museum next door is worth a visit. Its Gulf Theater hosts tribute bands and other live performances, while downtown’s Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center books acts from concerts to expos.

¦ Naples Design District

One of the most burgeoning retail neighborhoods of Southwest Florida has been around for decades, but only in the past few years has hit its stride. Just in time for Hurricane Ian to hit below the proverbial belt, but it has completely recovered.

Defined as a 12-block area northeast of famed Fifth Avenue South’s tony eat-and-shop strip, the Naples Design District at the intersection of Central Avenue and Tamiami Trail started out as a shopping destination for working decorators and DIY home improvers. 

More recently, art galleries, architect offices and food-and-drink venues joined antique shops and second-hand stores. The vibe turned youthful and lively, with a brand of chic between shabby and snobby. The future brightened with the recent opening of The Collective, a hub of design businesses. Warren American Whiskey Kitchen will be opening its doors in November at the complex, joining other restaurants within the District, including Bodega Ole and Grappino. Riptide Brewing Company pours craft beers. A community sculpture park, in partnership with Naples Botanical Garden, opened in March to celebrate the District’s comeback from Hurricane Ian destruction and Naples’ centennial. 

On the horizon, Gulfshore Playhouse’s new and state-of-the-art facility plans to open in 2024 and boutique AC Hotel by Marriott Naples 5th Avenue by December 2023. 

Local history lessons 

How were Punta Gorda’s early Black population important to the settling of Charlotte County? What ancient discoveries on Marco Island deepened knowledge of Native American history? Who were the Baileys of

 Sanibel? 

Small museums and historic sites reveal the untold stories of Southwest Florida. Blanchard House Museum in Punta Gorda, for instance, tells how African Americans settled the area and even signed the Punta Gorda charter. 

In Fort Myers, the Williams Academy Black History Museum further explores African American contributions in a historic clapboard building, part of the first government-funded Black school serving the local three-county area. 

The Marco Island Historical Museum delves into a different culture: Its life-size dioramas illustrate the lives and times of the ancient Calusa tribe, who built towering mounds and one of their major settlements on the island. 

Other sites throughout the region concentrate on different periods and facets of local history. Naples Depot Museum (currently closed during hurricane recovery) focuses on how trains, planes, automobiles and other forms of transportation impacted the city’s development. The nearby Historic Palm Cottage, Naples’ oldest house, interprets the early days of settlement by the town’s first snowbirds. 

Stroll through the past al fresco at a number of novel historic experiences. Punta Gorda’s Mural Trail, for instance, takes in more than 30 outdoor, larger-than-life paintings that revisit local scenes from marine creatures to early military aircraft. 

The Punta Gorda History Park features a collection of historic structures including a cigar home, a jail and the town’s oldest building. The Sanibel Historical Museum & Village gradually reopens after Hurricane Ian in 2022. It takes visitors on a trip into island bygones, including, when fully reopened, 11 historic structures and a pioneer garden. 

Film as art 

Film is very much alive in Southwest Florida, despite rumors that streaming has stabbed it in the back like a ruthless murder-mystery villain.

The annual Naples International Film Festival has established a reputation in these parts for deep appreciation of indie, mainstream, documentary, domestic and foreign film. It takes place in October at various Naples venues and is the gala culmination of Artis—Naples’ popular seasonal film and lecture series called “Four O’clock at the Movies.” 

In its wake, other festivals and series have bolstered the region’s film obsession. One of the most notable festivals takes place in Fort Myers during one week in May at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. In its 14th year, FMFF spins off from a popular T.G.I.M. (Thank God It’s Monday) monthly series that takes place in the months before the festival. 

The long-running Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival airs independent short, full-length, student-produced and documentary films in September.

Punta Gorda hosts its one-day Short Film Festival each March at the Charlotte Harbor Event and Conference Center. 

Bonita Springs, also hosts a Short Film Festival, but in May, and its Center for the Arts runs a seasonal Monday night film series in its Moe Auditorium & Film Center. 

Other film goings-on in the area fill different niches. 

Three festivals, for instance, concentrate on Jewish films: the Sydney R. Hoffman Memorial Jewish Film Festival in Marco Island, the Jewish Film Festival of Southwest Florida presented by the Jewish Federation of Lee & Charlotte Counties in Fort Myers, and the Beth Tikvah Naples Jewish Film Festival.

Souvenir savvy

Skip the beach snow globes (does that even make any sense?) and alligator jaws. Look instead for creations made by local crafts-folk and artists. Watch for seasonal art fairs and markets for a well-rounded selection. Many year-round, specialized shops, galleries and boutiques also carry gifts that convey a sense of place. 

You will find some of the best buys at attraction gift shops. Our favorites include Naples Botanical Garden and the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, where, besides live plants, you can find garden accessories and locally made gifts. The Refuge 

Nature Store at J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge devotes much of its space to local artisan wares. 

Art facilities throughout Southwest Florida showcase the work of local creators. The Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda houses an art supply shop and an expansive gift gallery featuring mediums from jewelry to pottery. Downtown Punta Gorda’s Artisan Atelier affords opportunities to meet and watch artists as they create. Besides exhibition art, Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers sells one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces in its gift shop. Likewise, the visual arts component at Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs has fine arts and crafts for purchase in its galleries and gift shop. Handcrafted keepsakes, wearable art and other gifts made locally fill the airy, glass-walled space at BIG ARTS on Sanibel Island.

In the literary arts genre, Southwest Florida boasts several local authors whose books make great reminders of time spent here. Most well-known, Randy Wayne White pens bestselling murder-mysteries, many with a local setting. Find his books at Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar & Grill, named for his leading protagonist, or at indie bookstores such as MacIntosh Books + Paper at Bell Tower Shops in Fort Myers) and Copperfish Books in Punta Gorda. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates gift shop also carries Mr. White’s books. 

Food and other products made right here in Southwest Florida also make nice souvenirs. Think Tervis Tumblers, the durable insulated drinkware available at various brand stores and other outlets throughout the area, and Sun Harvest Citrus in Fort Myers for locally 

produced juices, honey, hot sauces and other culinary goodies. 

Must-pause places for breakfast or lunch 

Don’t even think about going to these restaurants for dinner. They do breakfast, brunch and lunch so well, they simply shut down after that and call it a day. Many serve breakfast until they close, affirming its importance in the meal-of-the-day hierarchy.

The eateries range from well-loved, all-American, hash-slinging institutions to specialized houses serving global fare and vegan/vegetarian offerings. 

In the first category, Sweet’s Diner in Port Charlotte lives in a strip mall, as many of this ilk do, and touts its Breakfast Pile Up, an apt description of its monumental layering of home fries, biscuits, meat, veggies and gravy. 

Long-standing Marti’s Family Dining has a faithful following in south Fort Myers on the way to Fort Myers Beach (go for its pork tenderloin sandwich), as does 35-year-old Oasis Restaurant in downtown Fort Myers. 

Philly food fans should check out Old 41 Restaurant in Bonita Springs. Southern eats? The Rooster Food + Drink in Naples defines soul comfort food in a modern setting. 

For something a bit different, Cape Coral’s Café YOU dabbles in Australian and healthy fare plus yummy baked goods. Skinny Dogz Brunchery’s scratch kitchen is all over the globe, but you can’t beat its burgers. Harvest & Wisdom at Shangri-La Springs in Bonita Springs draws from the property’s organic gardens at brunch. For a taste of Europe in Naples, try Jane’s Café on 3rd and The Café Kitchen & Juicery downtown or Café Crème de la Crème midtown for ooh-la-la crepes, pastries and sandwiches.

There’s also croquet and shuffleboard, swimming and tennis, softball and volleyball. That includes indoor and beach versions of volleyball.

Four Major League Baseball teams make their Spring Training homes here: the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins in Lee County, the Tampa Bay Rays in Charlotte County and the Atlanta Braves in North Port, which is in Sarasota County.

Southwest Florida is blessed with a division 1 collegiate athletic program at Florida Gulf Coast University and features a top-flight junior college athletic program at Florida SouthWestern State College. Both schools are in Lee County and have on-campus arenas for their basketball and volleyball teams as well as baseball diamonds.

In Collier County, Ave Maria University has a robust athletic program that includes men’s baseball, basketball, football, golf, tennis and women’s basketball, soccer, lacrosse, softball, and beach and indoor volleyball.

The region has minor-league sports such as the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels baseball team and the Florida Everblades hockey team.  

¦ Bowling, Bocce and Croquet

Although Southwest Florida is blessed with 12 months of sunshine and warm weather and abundant outdoor sports opportunities for participants and spectators, indoor sports also abound.

Bowling alleys proliferate in the region, from north to south. A quick survey finds more than we can mention here but the list finds Bowland Beacon in Naples, Bowland Midpoint in Cape Coral and Bowland Port Charlotte in that community.

No list of local bowling facilities would likely be complete without a mention of Gator Lanes, a fixture in Fort Myers since 1978.

Bocce is another sport that includes rolling a ball but is typically played outdoors. In Southwest Florida, that means 12 months of outdoor bocce.

There are bocce courts available in community parks such as Veteran’s Community Park and Cambier Park in Naples and Veterans Park in Cape Coral.

Babcock Ranch offers bocce as well as a wide range of other sports options.

Bocce is immensely popular in many gated communities. There is a 12-team Naples Bocce League. It is comprised of teams from 12 communities such as Bentley Village The Quarry and Vineyards.

Another outdoor sport involving a ball is croquet, which also includes mallets. Croquet isn’t as widely available as bocce or bowling but croquet lawns are scattered about the region.

Babcock Ranch and the Naples Croquet & Lawn Bowling Club offer lawns as well as Wyndemere Country Club.

The oldest croquet in the area is likely the one on Useppa Island, which opened in 1978.

¦ Disc, Not Disco, Golf 

This variation of the traditional sport doesn’t require as much space or money and the courses aren’t as numerous around Southwest Florida. But we do have disc golf courses scattered around the region, from the Bird Bay Executive Course in Venice to courses in Collier County, Estero, North Fort Myers and Port Charlotte. 

The Bonita Springs Recreation Center, Naples’ Palm Springs Park Ave Maria’s North Park all provide disc golf courses.

Wait! There are more!

A disc golf course is likely nearby no matter where one resides in Southwest Florida. 

For example:  South Charlotte Regional Park and Fort Myers Riverside Church and Estero Disc Golf Course and one in North Fort Myers Community Church.

¦ Pickling Away 

The sport of pickleball didn’t even exist when many of its most fervent players were born. The sport was created in 1965. The cross between badminton, table tennis, and court tennis has boomed beyond what anybody could likely have imagined half a century ago. 

And today in Southwest Florida, pickleball courts are nearly as ubiquitous as chain drug stores. 

East Naples Community Park has 64 courts and is the home of the U.S. Open Pickleball Championships. 

But the sport is played all over the region, from the 16-court PicklePlex on the Charlotte County campus of Florida SouthWestern State College to courts in thriving new communities such as Babcock Ranch and some that have been converted from tennis courts at the venerable Fort Myers Racquet Club. 

Courts can be found down south at the Marco Island Recreation Center and up north at the Venice Community Center and in between at Cape Coral parks.

Many gated communities now also sport pickle ball courts as well as community parks in places between Marco Island and Venice. Courts have sprouted up in YMCAs in Bonita Springs and Marco Island.

The Estero Recreation Center and Brooks Community Park in Fort Myers and Camelot Park in Cape Coral all boast pickle ball courts.

No matter where one resides a pickleball court is likely a short drive or even walk away. Courts can be found at the Harold Avenue Regional Park in Port Charlotte and Gilchrist Park in Punta Gorda.

The pickleball world has certainly changed and grown since 1965.

¦ Mountain Biking 

They’re called the Florida Mudcutters, a band of mountain bikers who participate in their sport a very long way from the nearest mountain. Its 100-plus members in Collier, Lee, Hendry, southern Charlotte and southern Glades counties pedal trails from Fort Lauderdale to North Port, Gainesville and Lakeland. Caloosahatchee Regional Park near Alva in east Lee County has 11.5 miles of trails that the Mudcutters website refers to as “single track.” 

Trails are typically open from mid-October to June or July, depending on the amount of rain that has fallen (most trails are made from clay-based dirt that becomes slippery when wet). 

From the Mudcutters website: “Our goal at Mudcutters is to improve the cycling experience for new and advanced mountain bike riders, as well as to maintain and improve the bike trails at Caloosahatchee Regional Park.”

For more information, visit mudcutters.org or send an email to florida.mudcutters@gmail.com. 

¦ Spring Training 

MLB training has been a Southwest Florida fixture for nearly a century, dating back to 1924 when the New York Giants started training in Sarasota. In 1925, Fort Myers joined the spring training party when the Philadelphia A’s started training at Terry Park.

The first Southwest Florida World Series winners were the Philadelphia As, who won it all in 1929 and 1930. They trained at Terry Park in Fort Myers from 1925-1936.

Now four teams train in the region. The Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins call Fort Myers home. The Tampa Bay Rays’ spring training home is the Charlotte Sports Park and the Atlanta Braves are in North Port.

The Twins, Rays and Braves all qualified for the 2023 playoffs.

Teams arrive in February and play about 17 home games in what is called the Grapefruit League. Find out more about the 2024 Spring Training season at mlb.com.

This rural, unincorporated swath of Lee County east of Fort Myers is a place of citrus groves, cattle, oak trees and woodland trails ideal for horseback riding. 

An assumption many newcomers make is that the town must be named for Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor who owned a winter home in Fort Myers. Not so. Sea captain Peter Nelson chose the name for the small white flowers, called alvas, that he found here in the late 19th century.

Residents have been successful at preserving Alva’s charms. No big condos, overpasses or shopping malls here. Alva was beautiful when Capt. Nelson first ventured up the river, and it remains much the same today.

¦ Ave Maria

One of Southwest Florida’s fastest growing areas is the town of Ave Maria. About a half-hour drive east of Naples, it was founded in 2007 by Barron Collier Companies, the founding family of Collier County, and Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s Pizza.

Today’s Ave Maria is home to thousands of residents and growing commercial businesses as well as private schools, including Ave Maria University. The focal point of the town center is the Ave Maria Catholic Church.

¦ Babcock Ranch

Babcock Ranch is a solar-powered city destined to house around 50,000 residents at buildout. It’s also a regional outdoor adventure destination, with walking/cycling trails and lakes stocked with bass, all among a mosaic of oak hammocks and dry prairie, palmetto flatwoods and cypress domes. 

Start discovering Babcock at Woodlea Hall in the town’s Founder’s Square. The civic and information hub of Babcock, it is perhaps the most important initial destination for first-time visitors, whether here to enjoy a day on the lake or to learn more about Babcock Neighborhood School (grades K-5) and Babcock High School (grades 6-11, with grade 12 coming in the next academic year).

¦ Boca Grande

Called “the preppiest place on Earth” by The Wall Street Journal, this tony resort community on Gasparilla Island is an outpost of charm, grace and wealth. The town centerpiece is the grand and gracious Gasparilla Inn, circa 1911 and with three croquet lawns. It’s not all about lawn bowling and the beach here, though. The village has a picturesque bicycle path and is home to the World’s Richest Tarpon Tournament.

¦ Bonita Springs

This golf mecca in southern Lee County is much more than tee boxes and greens. Indeed, there are numerous golf courses throughout the city’s 39 or so square miles, but there’s a whole lot more here, too.

The Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs is home for film festivals, art shows, performances and classes of all kinds for all ages. There’s also Riverside Park, complete with a bandshell.

Everglades Wonder Gardens, a charming throwback to the days of Florida roadside attractions, has been right there along Old 41 Road since 1936. There’s also Shangri-La Springs, a stately property that opened in 1921 and has been revitalized in recent years to offer an organic garden and restaurant, fitness studio and spa, a gift shop and an event/wedding venue.

Longtime residents know their city has come a long way in a short period of time. In 1970, the population was just a bit shy of 2,000 and today, it’s approximately 57,000.

¦ Cape Coral

Back in the late 1950s, two visionary Baltimore businessmen, brothers Leonard and Jack Rosen, essentially created Cape Coral by buying a huge swath of land, bulldozing trees and digging one of the world’s most extensive canal systems.

Then the people started coming. And they haven’t stopped. Today, Cape Coral is the largest city in Southwest Florida in size and population, a community of almost 200,000 people spread over 120 square miles. Where early locals once hunted and fished in a vast expanse of pine trees and palmettos is now a place where people of all ages shop, dine, work, raise families and enjoy retirement. 

¦ Englewood

Englewood straddles two counties, Charlotte and Sarasota, but it’s a singular place.

So much can be found around its bustling, art-district heart on West Dearborn Street. Just east of town, visitors can hike, camp and ride bikes in the Myakka State Forest. On the other side of Englewood is Manasota Key, a beautiful barrier island with restaurants and cottages overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.

¦ Estero

Estero used to be little more than a wide spot on U.S. 41 between Fort Myers and Naples, an unincorporated place where folks grew oranges and fished the Estero River.

But since Dec. 31, 2014, it is the Village of Estero, Lee County’s newest incorporated community, bustling beyond what anybody might have imagined even very late in the 20th century.

Bits of the past remain at the Koreshan State Historic Site, which preserves 11 buildings that provide a glimpse into the Koreshan Unity, a religious cult that moved here in 1894. The Koreshans are gone now, but a vibrant community where business mixes with pleasure remains.

¦ Fort Myers

Fort Myers was incorporated in 1885 with a population of 349 and two years later became the county seat when Lee County was carved out of what was then Monroe County. Today the downtown area along the Caloosahatchee River is known as the River District,  speckled with architectural gems such as the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, the Burroughs Home (built in 1901) and the Lee County Courthouse, which was constructed in 1915.

The city’s diverse art scene includes Florida Repertory Theatre, the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Theatre Conspiracy and Laboratory Theater of Florida.

 Two Major League Baseball teams, the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, call Fort Myers their Spring Training home. 

¦ Fort Myers Beach

Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island, although heavily impacted by Hurricane Ian, stands resilient. Once a vibrant 7-mile-long haven of beaches, hotels, restaurants and shops, this beloved beach community is rallying together for an inspiring journey of rebuilding, restoration, and recovery that will showcase its strength and resilience in the years to come. The community’s determination and spirit will reignite the island’s charm, making it an even more remarkable destination.

Long before the first Europeans reached the area in the 1500s, the native Calusa resided on the island. Remnants of their time and culture are at the Mound House, an early 20th century cottage built atop one of the mounds the Calusa tucked away from the main road. While the structure survived the storm, the Mound House remained closed to the public weeks after the storm while officials ensured its stability. 

¦ Immokalee

Immokalee — “my home” in the Seminole language — has a connection to millions of Americans who likely have never even heard of it: About 90% of the nation’s winter tomatoes come from farmland here. Cucumbers, bell peppers and citrus also are major crops.

But Immokalee is about more than farming. Seminole Casino Immokalee and its hotel stay abuzz with gaming, food and drink, special shows and concerts.

¦ Lehigh Acres

In some ways, Lehigh Acres resembles Cape Coral. Both were created by visionary Northern businessmen in the 1950s and have grown beyond what anybody could have predicted 60 years ago.

But while Cape Coral long ago became an incorporated city, Lehigh Acres remains an unincorporated, 86-square-mile tract of eastern Lee County that about 120,000 people call home.

Known as a community where housing is affordable, its location just east of I-75 puts it within easy driving distance of downtown Fort Myers, Southwest Florida International Airport, Florida Gulf Coast University and the region’s beaches and golf courses.

¦ Marco Island

The largest of the Ten Thousand Islands and about a four-hour boat ride from Key West, Marco is the perfect place for all sorts of water sports, from kayaking and standup paddleboarding to fishing and sailing.

Once you cross the SS Jolley Bridge from the mainland, you’ll find everything you need for a good time: hotels, restaurants, shops, beaches, golf courses and plenty of ways to get out and enjoy the water, including 6 miles of beaches. Off the sand, there’s the Marco Island Historic Museum and the Marco Island Art Center.

¦ Pine Island

Along with Fort Myers Beach and Sanibel-Captiva Islands, this 18-mile-long stretch, Florida’s largest island, bore the brunt of Hurricane Ian’s devastating force.

Before the storm, Pine Island provided a pleasant glimpse into Florida’s past, to a time before high-rise condos and five-star resorts. Its no-frills communities include Bokeelia to the north to St. James City to the south. Before driving onto the island, motorists go through Matlacha (“mat-la-SHAY”). Wiped out by Hurricane Ian but with a temporary road now in place, the once-walkable span connecting Matlacha and Pine Island proudly bore the nickname “The Fishingest Bridge in the World.”

¦ Port Charlotte

When Forbes magazine in 2015 named the best 25 places to retire in America, Port Charlotte was on the list.

Forbes noted that the cost of living was 8% lower in Port Charlotte than the rest of the country and cited the unincorporated community for its above-average air quality and low rate of serious crime. It also has great recreation, shopping and culture.

And just a short drive to airports in Punta Gorda, Sarasota and Fort Myers, Port Charlotte isn’t just a great place to retire, as Forbes noted. It’s a great place to live, period.

¦ Punta Gorda

In Punta Gorda, time is divided between now and B.C., or Before Charley, the powerful hurricane that barreled through the city in 2004.

In the wake of the storm, Punta Gorda essentially reinvented itself.

Nestled along the water where the Peace River meets Charlotte Harbor, the city retains that old-time Florida feel with a historic district near a charming downtown. Although small, Punta Gorda offers much in the way of beauty, art and culture. One of the biggest post-Charley changes was the addition of the Charlotte Harbor & Event Center, a waterfront venue for all sorts of activities a short walk from downtown restaurants, shops and galleries.

¦ Sanibel-Captiva

The reopening of the Sanibel Causeway linking these barrier islands to the Lee County mainland within two weeks of Hurricane Ian was an astonishing accomplishment by all measures. It was 1963 when the 3-mile-long span first made the islands accessible by car. Check for updates about public access to the islands. 

Residents and visitors alike all look forward to the day when Sanibel and Captiva welcome beachcombers back to do the “Sanibel Stoop” in search of shells, to pedal miles of idyllic bike paths and to hike, bike or drive through the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, where more than 220 species of birds come to roost. 

from exhibitions featuring local artists and late masters to single-night workshops and multiweek classes for all skill levels and preferred mediums.

¦ Alliance for the Arts

A visual and performing arts center, the Alliance exuberantly embraces art in its myriad forms. Year-round, it hosts gallery exhibitions featuring both established and emerging artists, captivating theater and music performances (with a spotlight on bluegrass), lively art festivals, and an array of creative classes catering to all ages and interests. Representing a vast network of 50+ arts and cultural organizations, along with a membership of 1,200 artists, this non-profit organization thrives on curating unexpected communal experiences. From jazz to hula and belly dancing, seamlessly blending art and exercise, to vibrant greenmarkets and night markets held at its expansive 10-acre ArtsPark on McGregor Boulevard.

 The 2023-24 theater season features “Clown Bar” (Nov. 9-26), “Which Way to the Stage” (Jan. 18-Feb. 3) and “The Women who Mapped the Stars,” a Feb.8-18 fundraiser for the Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium at the Planetarium. As the Alliance’s signature juried show, the all-Florida exhibition (March 1-30), now in its 38th year, attracts artists throughout the Sunshine State and entries in drawing, painting, printmaking, video, photography, glass, textiles and digital media.

The Alliance also offers Fringe Fort Myers, a three-day non-juried lottery-drawn festival in late May, the greenmarket every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and the night market featuring local artist booths and open-mic performances. 

— 10091 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers
239-939-2787, artinlee.org

¦ The Baker Museum

Start your visit by exploring – and playing with – the museum’s 20 or so outdoor installations. Created by internationally renowned artists, including kinetic artists Yaacov Agam and George Rickey, glass artist Dale Chihuly, and stripe-and-color-loving conceptional artist Daniel Buren, the large-scale sculptures represent the nation’s largest concentration of public art and are designed for an interactive, immersive experience that shifts with light, wind and the environment.

 The Baker’s permanent 3,500-work collection emphasizes 20th and 21st century American and Mexican contemporary works – “Dawn’s Forest,” the museum’s iconic monumental sculpture by Louise Nevelson and selections from the modern collection of Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegün (on display Feb. 10 to June 16). Ongoing exhibits include “Chihuly Collection,” and “Magritte: Reflections of Another World” featuring six never-shown-in-North-America paintings by the artist known for his amusing surrealism. 

Its 2023-24 show schedule also features Tamara Kostianovsky’s “Botanical Revolution” (through April 7), the annual “Florida Contemporary” exhibit (Oct. 14-June 30), American photographer “Frank Stewart’s Nexus” (Oct. 14-Jan. 7), “The Art of Food” (Nov. 18-March 10), the public art project “The Faces of Immokalee” (Nov. 18-April 28), “George Gershwin and Modern Art” (Feb. 10-June 16) and “Andy Warhol Portfolios (April 6-Sept. 8).

 — 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd., Naples
239-597-1111, artisnaples.org

¦ BIG ARTS Sanibel

BIG ARTS, the hub of everything art on Sanibel and Captiva, returns to regular programming in December with a host of holiday events following an extended Hurricane Ian intermission. Its full calendar hits a high note in January with performances by Grammy award-winning vocalist Judith Hill, Metropolitan Opera soprano Susanna Phillips accompanied by clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist Myra Huang of the New York Philharmonic, bluegrass groups Twisted Pine and Alan Bibey & Grasstowne, plus tributes to Neil Diamond and piano men Elton John, Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, et al. There’s also contemporary dance a la Bodytraffic, the comedic “Late Night Catechism – Sister’s Summer School” and spring concerts presented by BIG ARTS concert band and community chorus. 

 BIG ARTS is also the island destination for artistic pursuits, with one-day workshops in watercolors, fused glass, drawing and Zentangles, which resumed in October, and multi-week classes beginning in January. 

 Gallery exhibits now through Jan. 31 include Mariapia Malerba’s manatee mural “In the Blink of An Eye” and a retrospective of experimental artist Bea Pappas. The gallery also showcases paintings by Dana Roes and poetry by Brandi George in “Involution” (Oct. 27-Dec. 10), the Sanibel-Captiva Art League’s 48th annual juried exhibit “Imaginary Lines” (Dec. 15-Jan. 28) and shows by Shah Hadjebi, Al Chailosky, Wendy Klemperer and students from Florida SouthWestern State College.

 — 900 Dunlop Road, Sanibel 

239-395-0900, bigarts.org

¦ Arts Bonita

Find your happy place. Arts Bonita, formerly the Centers for the Arts Bonita Springs, offers a bevy of fine-art and fun art experiences. Over 50 multiweek classes and year-round sessions cover categories from coiled basketmaking, stone carving, metalwork, mosaics, mixed media, glass and jewelry as well as painting, pottery, pastels, drawing and sculpture. The Atelier program caters to serious students of the human form, following the time-honored academic traditions in cast drawing, figure study, anatomy and still life. 

 Arts Bonita also offers workshops, daylong mini-workshops and single evening BYOB-optional sessions – our kind of night class – and hosts exhibits showcasing the work of its students, faculty and members. This fall it features the exclusive “America’s Everglades: Through the Lens of Clyde Butcher” (Oct. 2-Dec. 29) highlighting the black-and-white photos of internationally renowned local photographer Clyde Butcher. The show is so big it’s displayed at Arts Bonita’s Visual Arts Center on Old 41 Road and the Performing Arts Center on Bonita Beach Road. 

 The two locations also offer dance classes, PG-friendly open mic nights, documentaries, concerts, and plays.

 — Visual Arts Center, 26100 Old 41 Road

Performing Arts Center, 10150 Bonita Beach Road, Bonita Springs

239-495-8989, artcenterbonita.org

¦ Marco Island Center for the Arts

Open studios and multiweek classes in clay, drawing, painting, pastels and stone channel creativity and artistic expression. The center’s popular clay curriculum covers the spectrum of tiny thrown teapots and cups, each produced from less than a pound of clay, plus wheel-throwing for neophytes, mold-making, sculpture, and themed instruction for crafting cookie jars, sea creatures and large hand-built figures. It also offers single-day specialty classes exploring collage, basketweaving, Chinese brush painting and batik, plus illustrated watercolor journaling during a plein-air session at the Naples Botanical Garden.

As part of ¡ARTE VIVA!, Collier County’s yearlong tribute to Hispanic arts and culture,  the center’s La Petite Galerie features colorful “terra guitarra” paintings by musician and guitarist Bruce Hecksel (Oct. 9-Nov.21) and “Just Another Canvas: Tattoos as Art” (Jan. 8-Feb. 27) with individual shows by Myriam Kriel and Margarita Angel. The gallery schedule also includes the Clay Guild’s “Shape Shifters” (Dec. 4-Jan. 2), the members show “Past and Present” (March 4-April 2) and student exhibits and the Collier County High School competition in April.

 — 1010 Winterberry Drive, Marco Island

239-394-4221, marcoislandart.org

¦ Naples Art Institute

The institute’s multiweek sessions and short-term workshops cater to aspiring adult and child artists with introductory sessions covering the basics of oils, acrylics, watercolors and drawing and classes in all mediums and art styles for advanced students – from abstract, trompe l’oeil and realism to artist-specific instruction for painting like Claude Monet, Georgia O’Keeffe and Vincent Van Gogh. The organization also offers private lessons and a kid-centric Lego art studio and classes in comics, creative clay, drawing, collage, printmaking and college credit-earning portfolios for students pursuing the College Board’s AP Art & Design program.

 The institute hosts the Naples Invitational, a biennial survey featuring local contemporary artists through Oct. 15. Coming exhibits include “Victor Vasarely: The Absolute Eye” (November through January), “The Power of Photography: Iconic Images from the Collection of Peter Fetterman” (February through April) and “Childhood Classics: 100 Years of Picture Book Illustration” (April through June).

 — 585 Park St., Naples

239-262-6517, naplesart.org

¦ Visual Art Center

Local art is the focus of the downtown Punta Gorda center, where open studios and on-site classes cater to an array of artistic interests and exhibits in three galleries feature plenty of local flavor. Artistic expression runs the gamut from drawing, painting and portraits to fiber, jewelry, glass, pottery, photography and sculpture. The center’s youth program includes parent-and-child holiday-themed crafts for 5- to 7-year-olds, multimedia painting for 8 to 12 years, and landscape, faces and figures, color theory and still life for teens. 

Local artists are well represented in annual and special exhibits: the holiday showcase featuring gifts and art under $200, the 3D glass and pottery “Through the Fire” display (Jan. 9-Feb. 1), the National Art Exhibition (Feb. 16-April 12), Charlotte County student showcases in April and the member showcase (July 9-Aug. 23). 

— 210 Maud St., Punta Gorda

941-639-8810, visualartcenter.org

¦ Burak Çakir 

Ephesus Mediterranean Grill 

Port Charlotte

Chef-owner Burak Çakir was 18 years old when he moved from Turkey in 2007 to accept a kitchen position at the Gasparilla Inn in Boca Grande. He met his wife, Michelle, in Florida and decided to stay. 

 In 2014, they opened Ephesus, serving authentic Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine made from age-old recipes dating back to the Ottoman Empire. Chef Çakir learned the recipes for shawarma, doner kebab, baklava and other traditional dishes from his mother.

 The operation has grown, thanks to an appreciative fan base who has discovered the off-the-beaten path gem. Belly dancers and other live entertainment often add ambience to the ornate Turkish-decorated dining room and its bakery next door. 

 When the Çakirs head out for a special-occasion dinner, however, they target a different cultural flavor at Nicola’s Italian Kitchen in Englewood. 

 “It’s owned and operated by an Italian family with amazing atmosphere,” said Chef Çakir. “You can almost forget that you are in America. My favorite dish is chicken marsala.” 

 For something more casual? Mango Bistro in Englewood Beach is his go-to. He lauds the owners’ care, their always fresh ingredients and flavor that is “out of this world.”

¦ Jeanie Roland

The Perfect Caper 

Punta Gorda

Like most busy chef-owners, Jeanie Roland doesn’t find much time to dine out. “When I do go out, I am usually starving and want something good. I love supporting Chef Stephen at Italia and River City Grill,” said the frequently James Beard-nominated chef.

Besides the superlative cuisine, Italia at River City is close by her restaurant, and it’s open on the days The Perfect Caper is not (Monday and Tuesday), making it ultra-convenient. Chef Roland says a salad and some chicken parm, and she’s good to go. 

She and her husband, James, opened The Perfect Caper in 2002 and immediately set a new standard downtown Punta Gorda. They debuted another restaurant in Westerly, Rhode Island, in 2012. 

Since then, Chef Roland has published two cookbooks, the most recent during COVID lockdown, when everyone was at home cooking and looking for new recipes to try. Thus, “The Perfect Caper Home Cooking.” 

Although a Culinary Institute of America grad who has sampled cuisines around the world, she’s a self-admitted fan of American diner cuisine. In Port Charlotte, she gets her fix at Little Good Times, a strip-mall joint where she she’s been going faithfully many years for breakfast and Mexican specialties. 

¦ Bob Boye

Liberty 

Fort Myers 

“Over the past few years, I’ve been a lot pickier with my dining out spots, as going out to dinner has become quite expensive,” says chef-owner Bob Boye, who has evolved into a Fort Myers culinary fixture starting with his run at Cru, where he began as a bartender and ended up as chef-owner six years later. 

He bases his dining choices on quality and places that accommodate his busy schedule, especially chef-owned and -operated restaurants like his own. “I’ve been very surprised with some of the little spots I’ve found,” he says. 

Known for his truly original, alternative style of small-plate cuisine at Liberty, Chef Boye admits a penchant for barbecue, and he counts off-the-beaten-path Big Nick’s Barbecue in Fort Myers among his favorites. In the pizza food-group, he picks Uncle Rico’s and Fine Folk Pizza & Restaurant, both in Fort Myers. 

“But when we are celebrating something, I usually get in touch with my friend and former co-worker Josh Zeman at Sea Salt in Naples and ask for a tasting menu,” he says. Otherwise, “date night” means a trip to Namba Ramen & Sushi, also in Naples, where “literally anything and everything” pleases his discerning palate.

¦ Adam Nardis 

Coldwater Oyster Market

Fort Myers

Chef-owner Adam Nardis has established himself as a chef of passion and extraordinary expertise in both Naples and Fort Myers. Not to mention Block Island in Rhode Island: His six summers at The National Hotel sparked a love for northern seafood and the genesis of Coldwater Oyster Market. 

In 2021, he realized his culinary dream by opening a restaurant alongside his wife, Erin and their four children. This achievement came on the heels of an impressive tenure as an executive chef at M Waterfront Grille (the sister restaurant of the National Hotel) and Crave Culinaire, both located in Naples.

That Block Island connection runs deep as cold water. Chef Nardis’ loyalty to past colleagues makes Dos Sabores Restaurant, a Mexican experience in Estero, a favorite, but it also has to do with quality. 

“I worked with Chef Ramiro Ruiz for years on Block Island and at M,” he says. “His food is alive, honest and cooked with heart. He also understands proper seasoning and balance. The wet burrito there is the best I ever had.” 

When it comes to “the ultimate special occasion restaurant,” he picks Wylds Café in Bonita Springs. It is, after all, where he proposed to Erin, and the Tenderloin Saga makes his top hits list. “The combination of rich bleu cheese fondue and frites!” he exclaims. “The tenderloin is, you know, tender. So, you don’t get texture from the meat, but the rest adds just the perfect amount of texture.” But then, again, there’s that creme brulé to contend for favorite.

¦ Brandon Schewe 

The Bohemian Restaurant 

Downtown Coffee and Wine Company 

Bonita Springs

Chef-owner Brandon Schewe and his wife, Caitlin Emery-Schewe, have helped change the culinary landscape of downtown Bonita Springs. First came Downtown Coffee and Wine in 2019, followed in 2022 by The Bohemian, which has all Southwest Florida raving. To their kitchens, Chef Schewe brings the know-how learned in elite local restaurants such as Tulia, The French and BALEEN.

The Bohemian takes its name and theme from a menu that creatively wanders global cuisines. When the Schewes head out for a nice dinner, they prefer Passage to India nearby in Bonita Springs, which Brandon terms a chef-owned and -operated hidden gem. “Chef Boran makes every single meal himself,” he says. “I have never had a bad meal there.” His favorite dishes? Scallops malaee and sweet naan. 

For a more impromptu dining experience, he returns to the scene of one of his former workplaces, downtown Naples’ Bar Tulia, and often orders the lamb sausage pizza. “It has good vibes and good food galore,” he raves about the establishment. “You can go there late night and still get the best food in town, sit back and enjoy friends and craft cocktails.

¦ Tony Ridgway 

Ridgway Bar & Grill 

Tony’s Off Third 

Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar 

Naples

Often considered the “godfather” of the modern-day fine dining scene in Naples, Tony Ridgway capped off his S50-year restaurant career in 2019 with the publication of a cookbook — nay, a cook-tome of 500-plus pages titled “Kitchen Privileges.” 

Self-taught in the ways of kitchen wizardry, Chef Ridgway purchased his first Naples restaurant, Wurst Place, in 1971, then went on to raise the bar for Naples dining with Truffles Café and Ridgway Bar & Grill’s predecessor, The Chef ’s Garden. 

He knows a thing or two about fine dining, so when the occasion calls for pulling out all the stops, he reserves a table at Fuse Gastrobar in Naples. 

“Fuse is a great example of a local restaurant that is beloved by its clientele. Co-owners Greg Scarlatos, who runs the kitchen, and Monika Czechowska, who runs the bar and front of house, know all their best customers, and they work hard to turn every new customer into a best customer,” said Ridgway. “The menu is diverse and full of unique flavors. Monika’s cocktail program is as good as it gets.”

Another local favorite where he and his wife, Wynne, dine on a regular basis, Alexander’s Garden Restaurant is not only close to their home, but serves consistently good food. The garden setting seals the deal for Chef Ridgway, who recommends the sauteed veal.

¦ Todd Johnson 

Nosh on Naples Bay 

Naples

“Every time I go to Barbatella, I tell myself I’m going to order something new,” says Todd Johnson, chef-owner of Nosh since January 2022. But inevitably he ends up ordering the Rigatoni Alla Norma at the Third Street fixture, subtitled a “spirited Italian trattoria.” 

The pasta, the tomato sauce, the eggplant: He can’t help himself! He’s also a fan of the Artichoke La Plancha appetizer, served with parsley and garlic aioli. “I like the comfortable neighborhood vibe of Barbatella,” he says. 

Chef Johnson cut his culinary teeth at some of Naples’ finest restaurants, including Chef ’s Garden and Bistro 821, and later made a name for himself at Fort Myers’ Bistro 41 and most recently at his Rumrunners restaurant in Cape Coral for 18 years. Now back in his hometown, the Johnson & Wales University (North Miami) graduate lives out his love for small plates and creatively paired fine ingredients at Nosh. 

Running their own restaurant leaves little time for Chef Johnson and his wife, Dana, to schedule in fine-dining nights out, but when they do manage to steal away, they often make The Cave Bistro & Wine Bar in Naples their destination. 

“It’s a little more intimate than most places – smaller and not as crazy,” said Johnson. The Johnsons, known for their love of exploring culinary delights, savor the expansive array of wines and appetizers. As a standout choice for a main course, Johnson highly recommends the perfectly seared scallops. 

Wildlife specialists with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences depend on geographic information to determine this lizard’s potential impacts on the environment, wildlife and human health. They need more information to stay ahead.

“We receive anecdotal reports of brown basilisks in areas where the reported sightings are thin and sporadic, but we know they are thriving in south and central Florida. There are reports of brown basilisks from the Florida Keys to Gainesville,” said Ken Gioeli, a natural resources and environment agent at UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County. “Residents and visitors can enhance the data by taking photos of brown basilisks and uploading them to EddMapS or the IveGot1 app.”

This call to action goes out as National Invasive Species Awareness Week began on Feb. 20 to teach and boost awareness among the public on the brown basilisk.

The lizard has prominent markings and characteristics that distinguish it from other reptilian species. Most notable is the head crest. They also appear to run across water. There remains a mystery to scientists about how far and wide they have spread and what they are consuming and disturbing.

To help residents and visitors identify the brown basilisk, a peer-reviewed Extension document is available in English and Spanish. UF/IFAS faculty hope the information will galvanize more people to report the species.

“Providing information in multiple languages is vital to extending the reach in search of scientific data,” said Lourdes Perez Cordero, an agriculture and natural resources agent at UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County. “Hispanics living throughout Florida can provide valuable insight to the presence of brown basilisks in places where they haven’t been reported previously. Their feedback also enriches our general knowledge of these lizards and helps us develop more educational materials for Spanish speakers in the future that can reach local communities in both languages.”

Currently, numbers indicate that the reptiles are in South and Central Florida.

“It is important for us to determine where the invasion front currently is, where it might be heading, and the numbers likely to be found,” said Gioeli, a co-author of the document. “Right now, we can work with the limited reported sightings on EddMaps, but scientists need more accurate numbers.”

Of particular interest is the space between Orlando and Palm Beach County, said Gioeli. “We know the brown basilisks are on the Treasure Coast, and we can see there is a likely move northward and west.”

Florida’s west coast has also seen sporadic reports. More residents reporting their locations provides credible research-based information to scientists and keeps residents informed among local communities.

The additional geographic points can give researchers a jump ahead of the invasion front and start letting people know what to watch out for. This will help scientists record how far and wide the brown basilisk continues to spread while studying their behaviors, impacts and potential as an invasive species.

“There is still a lot we don’t know about the impacts of brown basilisks in south and central Florida,” Gioeli said.

While not all nonnative species evolve to become invasive, those that become established can impact waterways, wildlife, agriculture and urban areas — a concern for scientists, wildlife organizations and communities.

Here are some highlights from the update.

The brown basilisk is within the family Corytophanidae, also known as iguanian lizards. They go by several names, such as helmeted or casque-headed lizards due to their head crests and as “Jesus lizards” because they can sprint across the surface of waters when fleeing predators.

Brown basilisks are brown or dark olive. They have a distinct yellow or cream-colored stripe on each side of their body that runs from the eye down their back. A second stripe is often visible on the face extending to the shoulder. They have long, thin tails and long rear toes. Adults can range in size from 11 to 27 inches.

A study published in Frontiers in 2022 by UF/IFAS Florida Medical Entomology faculty finds that Culex mosquitoes prefer to feed on nonnative lizards. The brown basilisks are among five identified nonnative lizards that could potentially serve as significant hosts for West Nile virus and St. Louis encephalitis virus vectors in Florida.

As of February 2023, more than 160 specimens have been collected and recorded at the Florida Museum of Natural History Herpetology Collection database. The range of specimens found in this database are from primarily coastal southeast and southwest counties stretching from Brevard to Monroe, with additional samples from Manatee, Lee, Pinellas and Collier counties. The southern shore of Lake Okeechobee also has established populations.

While they are typically found near fresh water, including canals, shorelines of lakes, retention ponds and ditches, they prefer areas with thick vegetation and are often seen basking and searching for insects on sidewalks, roads and parking lots.

“UF/IFAS plays a critical role, studying these nonnative species and teaching Floridians about the impacts they can have on our environment,” said Gioeli. “The great thing about residents reporting is the ability to expand our reach to Floridians interested in helping us spread unbiased research-based information.” For more information, see ifas.ufl.edu. ¦

And felines known as feral cats may be among the most damaging critters in the Florida environment, wildlife ecologists say. Birds, in particular, with a profound effect on the control of insects and the seeding, growth and environments of trees and plants we depend on, are subject to population-depleting predation by feral cats living cheek to jowl with humans, ecologists say.

Like other animals that adapt well to human proximity, whether native or invasive — coyotes, raccoons, opossums, feral hogs, not to mention reptiles and amphibians such as Burmese pythons, cane toads, alligators and iguanas — feral cats can create significant problems, whether or not they make the “nuisance” list. And bobcats don’t make that list.

“The term ‘nuisance’ pertains to the behavior of an individual animal that may be causing conflicts with humans,” explains Ariel Callender, the public information officer for the South Region of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or FWC.

Scientists urge Florida residents to report nonnative lizards

“Native Florida wildlife are not considered nuisance species and serve important roles in Florida ecosystems. The FWC provides guidance on ways people can prevent conflicts with native wildlife, which typically will involve the removal and/or securement of any human-provided attractants of food or shelter.”

Yeah. Don’t leave your garbage out and exposed or pile pet food or birdseed outside. And go here, if bears knocked over your garbage cans — or alligators invaded your gated community, coyotes ate your neighbors’ cat, or iguanas are pooping in your pool: myfwc.com/conservation/ you-conserve/wildlife/remove/

There are right ways to deal with nuisance animals (or any others), and wrong ways, the experts say. The wrong way happened last June when Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s deputies were called into a Royal Palm Beach neighborhood where a black bear was hanging around, refusing to leave. Residents stayed inside, worried.

“Of all the non-natives I’ve come across — feral hogs, iguanas, cane toads, feral cats and dogs — feral cats are the worst animal out there, worldwide, hands down.” — Donna Kalil, founder and head of Everglades Avengers

Florida black bears are not only smaller than others in North America, they are rarely or never dangerous to humans, unlike black bears can be in the west.

A few hours later and against the direction of FWC officials, when the bear came down a tree and began to leave, deputies shot it, citing a public threat.

Since then, says Ms. Callender, they’ve likely gotten some training in how to deal with such animals, although the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office didn’t return a phone call and email to confirm that training. But it did provide information on how the PBSO handles escaped livestock and other animal problems.

The FWC response to the incident is included with this story. Which doesn’t solve the cat problem — either bobcat or feral.

That dang bobcat

“Of all the non-natives I’ve come across — feral hogs, iguanas, cane toads, feral cats and dogs — feral cats are the worst animal out there, worldwide, hands down,” says Donna Kalil, founder and head of Everglades Avengers. She doesn’t even mention pythons. Her team of celebrated python hunters enters the Everglades from the east coast by night, and captures then euthanizes the big invasive snakes, selling them when possible, to purse and boot makers, and taking the fee the state now offers for their removal.

She isn’t usually called to the ‘burbs to solve python problems, however, the way sheriffs’ departments, animal control agencies, and the state’s FWC, are called to solve every other kind of animal problem people have.

But when a single bobcat decides to create a big nuisance whether it’s on the nuisance list or not, apparently it can.

“Bobcats are a little special. They aren’t plentiful but they are territorial,” explains Amy Kight, executive director of the nonprofit Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter, where a lot of calls asking for help with nuisance animals usually aren’t as dramatic as a particular one, she recalls.

“A woman called and said there was a bobcat that wouldn’t let her out of her house. It didn’t sound rabid to us, because it would come and go.”

That’s not behavior typical of rabid animals. But it didn’t go away, either.

“She kept calling, and curiosity got the best of us, so we went to check it out,” Ms. Kight says. “When we got to her home, she had recently purchased a leopard print couch, and it extended three or four inches past her glass doors.”

It was distinctly visible to anyone outside, looking in.

The problem immediately became clear, Ms. Kight recalls: the bobcat thought a creature behind the glass was trespassing on its territory.

“The bobcat kept seeing this leopard print on the other side of the glass. So we helped her push over her couch just a few inches.”

Suddenly, the couch disappeared to outside viewers.

“It was a wonderful, easy fix,” she says.

The bobcat went away and the woman never saw it again, most likely. Best of all, nobody got shot.

But in a state with more than 500 nonnative fish, animal and plants, goodwill and patient curiosity are not always the response of humans, either to natives or nonnatives.

“Raccoons getting into garbage cans, or pooping in pools, like iguanas — it annoys some people,” Ms. Kight says. “And this time of year is baby season for all kinds of animals, so we have calls about birds, too, swooping at people. Mockingbirds, blue jays, even some birds of prey.”

Her organization, like others, leaves the birds alone, along with raccoons. The law prohibits property owners from trapping and relocating them. “So most of the time, you recognize they’re doing something that attracts the animals in their yard and you educate them.”

Don’t create attractions

One of the keys in living with these kinds of nuisance animals is simply not creating environments that attract them.

“It might be bird feeders, or outdoor cats people feed, or fruit trees — and most of the animals in Palm Beach County are born and raised in urban areas, so they’ve lost some of their natural fear of humans.”

And then there are alligators, for which Busch only occasionally receives calls. “We talk people through it, and there are nuisance wildlife trappers that handle them. Sometimes people are astounded there would be an alligator in a gated community — that the creatures didn’t know they weren’t allowed in there.”

Non-native nuisances such as green iguanas, capable of growing to 6 feet in length and breeding at prolific rates, or pythons, are not looked on as kindly or with a sense of humor.

“Estimates of their populations can be in the tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand,” Rory Feeney, the land resources bureau chief at the South Florida Water Management District has told Florida Weekly.

“Every snake we remove can make a difference, because in five to seven years it could eat hundreds of native animals,” ranging from rabbits, raccoons and opossums to otters to white-ailed deer.”

The pythons have now depleted populations of mammals in the Everglades by as much as 95%, wildlife biologists estimate.

Eradication of the very invasive species is now likely impossible, just as it is for green iguanas, a much more immediate nuisance to humans on both the southeast and southwest coasts, where weather, food and a lack of natural predators created ideal conditions for them to prosper and multiply.

Iguanas can take over neighborhoods near water, overrunning backyards, swimming pool landscaping or areas along seawalls, and eating both native and popular introduced garden plants, like hibiscus.

Frank Mazzotti, a wildlife ecologist and professor at the University of Florida, compares the invasives simply for problems they cause humans.

“Statewide, feral hogs might be at the top of the list, but they’d be fighting a battle with feral cats.

“Feral hogs cause a lot of damage by rooting and burrowing, disturbing soil and eating everything they encounter; and feral cats are notorious predators of birds, small mammals and lizards.”

But why are green iguanas now seemingly so common?

“A little bit of a different story,” he says. “People were aware of their presence for awhile. Everybody just kept saying they’re just confined to urban areas, just eating hibiscus, they don’t provide a threat — until they looked at water management canals, which are lined with iguanas happily burrowing into banks and causing erosion and collapse. So they’re threatening our ability to mange water.”

Iguana reaper

A growing legion of iguana exterminators armed with air rifles and pole nooses have been enlisted to control populations.

“Each mature female can lay up to 80 eggs. So if you guestimate a female every mile, and probably 50% of those eggs will hatch and you have four hatches (in less than a year), you’re going to have a lot of iguanas,” says Chris Harlow, who’s been in the iguana removal business for several years.

He doesn’t use traps, he says, because they don’t produce effective numbers.

His tools are snare poles and air guns.

“You can get more numbers versus a set trap,” he explains. “You can get 20 iguanas in a half-hour sometimes” — in places like Sanibel and Captiva, or along Cape Coral canals.

“Anywhere there’s a body of water. They’re very good swimmers, they can hold their breath for a long time.

“I average about 1,500 to 2,000 a year … that’s 200 a month, something like that. In the summer months you get a lot more, over 100 a day. They’re on the ground feeding, exposed.

“But this time of year they’re up in the trees. It’s breeding season. So there are a lot of variables.”

The prices he charges may not seem like a nuisance to those under invasion from iguanas.

“An individual home is $135 to $155 to come out, and $35 per iguana after the first one.”

And he can solve more than iguana problems, he says. “I remove anything that moves, like armadillos, raccoons, ‘possums, bats, rats, rabbits, even birds, owls, and snakes.”

He’s not euthanizing them, he’s moving them, he notes, and glad to do it. “A lot of times if I don’t get there first a homeowner will kill something that doesn’t need to be killed,” he says.

“But iguanas have to be euthanized on the spot.

Anything invasive, you have to euthanize them. And it’s better just to shoot them.”

Florida’s FWC, an organization far from trigger happy judging by its effort to accommodate wildlife under siege from massively growing human populations, tracks many of the nonnatives now inhabiting the Sunshine State, offering both information and direction about the most common.

But the FWC also offers this general rule of thumb, says Ms. Callender: “Non-native wildlife species in Florida are not protected except by anti-cruelty law (Florida Statutes 828.12). The FWC encourages removal of invasive species to help prevent negative impacts to native wildlife, habitats, and people.”

As for nuisance animals, whether native or not? Best tread lightly. ¦

In the KNOW

Critter 411: Helpful links

Bears: To learn more about bears and how to avoid conflicts with them: MyFWC. com/Bear or BearWise.org. Threats, or bears injured or dead: Call the FWC’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404- FWCC (3922).

Coyotes: Tips and information about coyotes can be found here: MyFWC.com/ Coyote

Key information about animals you may see

RACCOONS:

Raccoons and other wildlife that have been fed and habituated by humans may display aggressive behavior toward people or pets. To avoid habituating raccoons, do not feed them, and secure any food attractants around your residence, such as trash, grills, bird feeders and fruit or vegetables. It is illegal to feed raccoons in Florida. Hazing unwanted wildlife from around your property can encourage them to move along and help retain their natural fear of humans.

IGUANAS:

Green iguanas are large nonnative, invasive lizards that are established and have reproducing populations in South Florida. Green iguana populations are found in Broward, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Collier and Lee counties in Florida. Reports of iguanas in more northern counties are likely escaped or released captive animals. Report sightings of green iguanas at Ivegot1.org, to help biologists track distribution.

Green iguanas negatively impact native plants and wildlife by feeding on a wide variety of vegetation and bird eggs, as well as competing with other native wildlife for the same natural resources.

Individual green iguanas may dig burrows that erode and collapse sidewalks, foundations, seawalls, roadways, berms and canal banks. They can be removed and humanely killed on private property year-round with landowner permission. Landowners can also seek assistance from a professional nuisance wildlife trapper: public.myfwc.com/HGM/NWT/NWTSearch.aspx.

To deter iguanas: Remove plants that could attract them. Fill in holes and gaps under structures to discourage iguanas from burrowing or seeking refuge on your property. Hang wind chimes that make intermittent noises. Hang CDs that have reflective surfaces.

BEARS:

If you see a bear, give it space, do not approach it, and never feed it. To reduce human bear conflicts, remove or secure all food attractants from around your house and yard, including garbage, pet food and bird seed. Store garbage in a sturdy shed or garage and then put it out on the morning of pickup rather than the night before. If not stored in a secured building, modify your existing garbage can to make it more bear-resistant or use a bear-resistant container.

Secure commercial garbage in bear-resistant dumpsters. To avoid encounters between a bear and pets, bang on your door and flip your house lights on and off before letting your pets outside. This will give the bear (and any other wildlife) time to leave the area before your pets come outside. If you do not have a fenced yard, keep your dog on a leash when taking it outside.

COYOTES:

Coyotes are in Florida due to natural range expansion and can be found throughout the state; they have been documented in all 67 Florida counties. Coyotes began expanding their range into northwestern Florida in the 1960s and are now considered to be a naturalized species in all 67 Florida counties. They can be found in several habitat types and are common in rural, suburban and even urban landscapes. They are not considered to be invasive, as they were not introduced to the state by human means.

Coyote observations are often reported more frequently this time of year.

Coyotes in Florida breed in late winter, with a litter of 4-6 pups born after a 63-day gestation. Pups will not emerge from dens until 3-4 weeks of age and will remain with parents until approximately 9 months of age. Coyotes denning with pups may be more protective and defensive, as many species are when raising offspring.

Coyotes raising pups do have increased needs for food sources, so it is always a good idea to remove any attractants from around your home and to take steps to prevent interactions between coyotes and pets.

King Arthur wants to return knights to acts of chivalry and sets up his Round Table with its motto “Might for right”; meanwhile, his wife Guenevere falls in love with Sir Lancelot, though she still loves Arthur.

“It’s an eight-person adaptation by David Lee, where he distills the story,” says Jeffrey Binder, Gulfshore Playhouse’s former associate artistic director. He’s returned to Naples to direct this musical.

When the venue staged the eight-person version of Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady,” it was “a big success, beautifully done. It showed Gulfshore Playhouse that they could do things like that and have a lot of fun with it and be dramatically compelling and the audience would really take to it.”

The musical’s book from 1960 is “pretty ponderous,” he says, “and from a different time. It’s at least a three-hour foray into that world. It’s one of those musicals that is loved by everyone, but it’s difficult to do. Everybody loves the music but the script needs some love in 2023.”

The musical returns to Broadway this spring, with a new version of the book by Aaron Sorkin and direction by Barlett Sher, the same duo of the recent production of “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

The 1960 Tony award-winning musical’s based on T.H. White’s novel, “The Once and Future King” and features beloved songs such as “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “What Do the Simple Folks Do?” “The Lusty Month of May,” “I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight,” as well as the title song, “Camelot.”

The show, which starred Julie Andrews, Richard Burton and Robert Goulet, initially has problems with its length, as its Toronto tryout before it hit Broadway ran 4½ hours … and that had been cut down from its previous six!

Even though it was pared down, the show can still run long and feel kind of clunky.

“So what David Lee did,” Mr. Binder says, “is focus on the love story and trim a lot of the fat out of it. And it’s much more streamlined, in my mind, much more dramatically compelling in the way it tells the story without meandering. You really get to focus on this love story between these three people with the backdrop of Camelot.”

Like the venue’s 2016 production of Lerner and Loewe’s “My Fair Lady,” this production features a reduced cast — this time, only eight actors. And instead of two pianos onstage, there are three musicians playing new orchestrations by Steve Orich.

“Like that production of ‘My Fair Lady,’ you’ve got to get very creative and tell the story in a unique way,” Mr. Binder says. “That’s the sort of thing I love to do. I love that kind of challenge and I love to jump in and think of alternate ways to tell the story. Not that we’re altering it or changing it, but it becomes the musicians and the actors almost around a campfire telling this mythical tale that survived for well over a millennium. It gives us intimacy with the story but also allows it to have that mythical vibe that needs a lot of imagination from the audience, actors, and from directing. It’s been a fantastic challenge to dive into it that way.”

The book, he says, holds up better.

“It’s such a massive story,” Mr. Binder says. “It’s epic, and it’s a love story. What do you choose to put into a musical so that it’s compelling and resonates? At the time, they were being compared to ‘My Fair Lady.’ There was enormous pressure on them to (replicate that previous success). They were in the shadow of that, and it put extra pressure on them. They had a decent run at the time, but ‘Camelot’ wasn’t the runaway magnificent success ‘My Fair Lady’ was.

“But people love it. The album was No. 1 on the album charts for a long time. The music was always, always incredibly successful.”

In fact, it was one of the albums played repeatedly in his home when he was growing up.

“All these songs I’ve heard many, many times, out of context,” he says. “They haven’t lost their beauty, but one of the challenges is, how do we make them alive in the show? What is happening in this story that makes these stories something that needs to be sung? When you find that, these songs come alive in a way that I haven’t felt since the first time I heard them. We have incredible singers and good actors. I’m so grateful this cast is as talented as they are. They just move me. They just make these songs come alive.”

The way Lerner and Loewe wrote the songs is a standard musical comedy, he says, “and then the writing turns, and it turns into something very tragic. It’s fascinating to hear the songs and the style in the context of how they wrote it, and that they did that in a really profound way.”

The theme of “Camelot” is always relevant, he says and speaks to modern times.

“I think we’re always grappling with this, the idealism of striving for perfection, the idealism of humanity searching for something pure. And that purity in the play is Camelot and the Round Table, and ‘might for right,’ that the knights put aside their violence towards one another and use their knighthood and their strength to protect the innocent and meek and create a better world. It’s incredible idealism, the shining city on a hill, where everyone works for the betterment of humanity.

“But,” he says, “that ideal is contrasted by the unfortunate fact that we’re all human. We strive for things that we want to be true, but we are human: we have frailties, we have pride, we have lust, we have all those things that are constantly challenging the perfection for which we strive to achieve. The harder we reach for it, the more devastating it is when it comes crumbling down.”

And yet…

“And yet, we take the things we learned and go forward with hope again, to find that ideal again.” ¦

In the KNOW

“Camelot”

» When: Feb. 11-March 12 (previews Feb. 9, 10)

» Where: Gulfshore Playhouse at The Norris Center, 755 8th Ave. South, Naples

» Cost: $80 to $45

» Information:239-2671-PLAY or www.gulfshoreplayhouse.org