PLACES TO LOVE: FORT MYERS & SANIBEL ISLAND, FLORIDA
Fort Myers and Sanibel, Florida is known for warm sun and beautiful beaches, ranging from family- (and dog!) friendly to virtually unspoiled. It’s a place where an abundance of protected habitats give way to soft adventures, where birdwatching is savored and seashells seriously collected. But there is more to the region than beaches. Add in great food, a one-of-a-kind art scene, live music and slowed down beach culture, and it’s easy to see why Fort Myers, Sanibel and its surrounding islands are places to love.
CAYO COSTA
Whenever I’m in Florida, I can’t wait to get to the ocean. One of Florida’s largest barrier islands, Cayo Costa boasts eight miles of untouched beaches with incredible shelling. In addition to shelling, you can find hiking, biking, beaches and camping.
CABBAGE KEY
Near the wild island of Cayo Costa, you’ll find Cabbage Key. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, there’s been an inn here since 1944, with many of its cabins date back to the 30s. Things haven’t changed much on Cabbage Key in the last 90 years—it still holds firmly on to its laid-back vacation vibes. It was idyllic as it sounds: an 80-acre paradise of which only 20 are developed. You’ll find paths weaving through lush greenery, people kicking back on quiet beaches, and zero cars.
Though some choose to stay at Cabbage Key, you can just visit for a few hours. And there is good reason to! Known by many as “the bar with all the money on the walls”, the Cabbage Key restaurant opened 60 years ago. Though the space boasts fire places, original hardwood floors and Cypress walls, it’s the thousands of one-dollar bills taped to every surface that people remember. On any given day, there is approximately $70,000 worth of bills taped all over the restaurant. Whatever money falls from the ceiling is given to charity – roughly 15 to 20 thousand dollars annually.
J.N. “DING” DARLING NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The unspoiled beauty of Sanibel is legendary. Sixty-seven percent of Sanibel Island is designated as a natural wildlife habitat, and home to 245 species of birds. One of the best places to enjoy Sanibel? At the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Ding Darling, a Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist, loved the area so much that he was instrumental in purchasing sixty-four hundred acres of it to keep it safe from development. Today you can walk, cycle or drive through the refuge along the four-mile wildlife road for a nominal fee. And there are so many ways to enjoy some of the most beautiful and abundant bird life you’ll ever see. It’s calm, serene and almost like an impressionist painting.
MATLACHA ISLAND
Matlacha is a tiny fishing village known for its one narrow street. It’s so pint-sized you have to keep zooming in on a map just to find it! Here, you can explore art galleries and laid-back seafood restaurants. Of course, no trip to Matlacha is complete without visiting Leoma Lovegrove’s gallery. Leoma is an impressionist-expressionist painter known worldwide for her vivid colorful paintings. With its distinctive pink roof, polka dotted walls and mix of art, pop sculpture and gift ideas, Lovegrove’s gallery sets the tone for the island’s entire art district. Out the back door, guests find unexpected treasure in the form of a relaxing technicolor botanical garden with a view of the tranquil waters of Matlacha Pass.
