My partner and I are visiting Florida for Thanksgiving and are wanting to exlplore the Everglades as well as enjoy a beach in the southwest part of the state. We are flying in and out of Ft. Meyers and have 4 days. Any suggestions on where to stay for the best trip? We want a beautiful- breath taking beach for relaxing and then want to enjoy the natural areas that are especially unique to FL. we are open to staying in different places if that makes the most sense. The beach are we are hoping for would be laid back, and relaxing and stunning. We don't need lots of night life. Being teachers, we enjoy the peace and quiet of nothingnes... thanks for any and all ideas.

The beach towns that are easily accessible to the Everglades are Bonita Beach (farthest but low key), Naples (central, beautiful beaches, upscale), and Marco Island (closest but many high rises on beach and farthest from the airport).

I love the Everglades and Fakahatchee Strand. Go east on 41, then south to Everglades City, which has a fascinating history. The end of the line is Chokoluskee Store, with an interesting history of its own. You can take a boat tour of the 10,000 Islands section of the National Park or go back to 41 and head east.

Around the Turner River, you will see all the alligators you ever need to see, though they are often on the banks all along the highway, and there are tropical birds galore. Continue heading east to various Seminole villages and other sections of the park. Don't go too far east, or you will be in Miami!

Another option in the SW neighborhood is staying on Sanibel with Captiva next door. Sanibel does not have high rises. Sanibel has some accomodations so close to the beach you can almost put your toes in the sand from your bed. You certainly can put your toes in the sand from your patio or deck. Captiva is nature preserve.

Sanibel has a causeway from the mainland that has traffic back ups at peak hours and you are a few miles further from the Everglades. From your description of your ideal beach, you need to have Sanibel on your list.

I have not been recent enough to suggest best hotel or condo. Will defer to another.

Marco is a beautiful, breathtaking beach, but has high rises and may or may not be laid back depending on what's happening during your week.

November is one of SW Florida's best weather months. You should have a great trip.

A teacher friend and I just returned from Florida last week newbies. (We've taken our spring breaks togethe for many years as her husband can't get the time off from work, and it's her opportunity to travel.)

At any rate, we were in Ft. Meyers, Sarasota, and Clearwater Beach near St. Petersburg. Quiet frankly I think pretty much any of the beaches are beautiful and the water temp is very warm. We also took a boat trip down to Key West which I highly recommend. The boat trip is a lot of fun (I normally get sea sick but the boat was smoother than driving) and takes about 4 hours each way.

We stayed overnight in Key West which I HIGHLY recommend as it is a exceptional place to visit. I also recommend seeing the Earnest Hemingway home tour, and the Pres. Truman White House tour. You'll absolutely love Key West.

I second the Sanibel Island idea! It is further from the Everglades but is definately close enough to go for the day.Also if you are willing to give up some time(I see you don't have alot) you could drive to the other side of the state and stay in Key Largo which is at the tp of the Florida Keys and go to Everglades National Park.Its very beautiful and natural and there is probubly more then you can see in a few days there but its very cool!

Wow thanks for all the quick help! We wish we could spend more time and take in ALL that we want (key west etc) but we have to save that for another trip! Originally we were going to Key West first- but then realized we were not going to have enough time for everything so went with where we found the cheapest air fare . I will use all your suggestions and any more that you might have. thanks for listening carefully and providing such great feedback.

Sanibel has lovely low key beaches, but it is not at all convenient to the Everglades. You have a long slog across a highly built up exurban area (there's no there there) before you even get to the highway. Google Maps makes it a 2 hour 12 minutetrip (nonstop) to Everglades City. Captiva is worse because there, you have to slog the length of Sanibel before you can begin the slog across Lee County.

I agree with Ackislander, look to Bonita beach or south for lodging with an easy drive to the
Everglades. Close by look for Corkscrew Swamp an Audubon sanctuary with a platform walkway through a cypress swamp. It will take an hour plus, but do go across alligator alley to Shark Valley NP for a nice look at the Everglades as well as the park service boat from Everglades City into the mangroves.

Yes, Corkscrew Swamp is awesome and convenient. And I couldn't remember Shark Valley to save my life, thus cryptic reference to Seminole settlements.

So...would you NOT recommend Sanibel even for one day/night?
Is the beach at Bonita white sand and clear water? we are used to the Atlantic....brown gross water and boring brown sand. We were hoping for something a little more reminiscent of Turks and Caicos the whitest sand ever and the clearest water i've ever seen.

We ar kinda hoping to create a cross between TCI and Costa Rica for this quick FL visit

Corkscrew is Definately on our list....

Do you have a recommendation for lodging?
Thanks for your input.

I think it is worth staying one night out on Sanibel or Captiva and then head down to Naples. Captiva/Sanibel and Naples do not have a lot of "nightlife". If you stay closer to downtown Naples, it will be on the more expensive side but you will be closer to the everglades and still close to the beaches. November is the start of season so hotels may start jacking up there prices. Not sure what your price range is but some of the hotels that come to mind are South Seas on Captiva or Naples Beach Hotel and Tennis Club in Naples or LaPlaya also in Naples but North Naples.

The beaches are very beautiful here in SWFL but if you're looking for the whitest sand and clearest water, then I would find a way to make time to head down to the Keys, specifically Bahia Honda State Park on Big Pine Key. The beaches on the Ocean side of the keys are the most beautiful I have ever seen in Florida.