Fort Myers Beach
 

Hi, we are hoping for some ideas for upcoming long weekend in Fort Myers Beach in mid-November. Two ladies, late 20's-early 30's, who can only get away for a few days. We have a good bit of insight into Sanibel/Captiva, but need more info on Fort Myers Beach, where we will be staying.

Anyway, we are looking for advice on the following:

1. Fun, casual beachfront restaurants/bars
2. A nicer, upscale, fine dining experience (on beach, preferably)
3. A short cruise where we can hopefully view dolphins in their natural environment
4. A day spa with reasonably priced massages
5. Not-to-miss sights/attractions, shops, etc.

As I said, we only have a few days, so most of our time will be spent relaxing on the beach, but we would like to have as much information as possible before we get there, to maximize our time.

We will be staying at the Sandpiper, on Estero, I think it's in the center of the beach area.

Any help you can offer will be much appreciated...thanks!!!

Hi Elizabeth
We are late 40s early 50 who winter in Bonita. I think you would enjoy Doc's for drinks right on Bonita Beach. The Holiday Inn (mid-Estero Island with a very wide white sand beach) has a beachside deck with bar and tiki hut for casual food, they have entertainment on weekends but it is (or was last year) a couple singing mostly oldie but goldies. The Lani-Kai just south of the pier attracts a much younger crowd (than us!)and can be fun. I definitely wouldn't eat here though, the rats won't! The Beachside Pier has a casual outside patio which is great for people watching and has okay 'roadhouse' type food. Someone else may help you with the fine-dining aspect, we have never had good luck with a beachside restaurant. You didn't say whether you are renting a car, but even if you are there is a trolley that runs up and down Estero Blvd from Bowditch Point to K-Mart in Bonita and for 25 cents you can avoid the parking hassles at Times Sqaure (The Pier). As for the dolphins you will almost surely see them if you take a boat cruise. Very often you can just watch them from the beach and you will surely see them swimming in front of your hotel. Have fun.

To Travellin: We also will be heading to Bonita for six months after election. Any news on how 41 is progressing?

If you're asking when all the various "repaving" and "restructuring" projects along 41 will be done, we now have an answer. It will be just after Hell freezes over!

Ya think Patrick? Doubt they'll be working that quickly myself!

Regarding Rt 41 in Bonita--I was afraid of an answer like that!! Can understand delays due to hurricanes, but it come on now, for the most part the weather is great for construction. Another season, more construction.

Getting back to your main questions... Stop at the Parrot Key at the
Marina on Main Street just before the bridge to Estero Island... Its a fun place with music and decent food and its also by the docks for the gambling boats... its also fun to take the beach road down to Naples... thats a 45 minute drive through Bonita with some great food places and boutique shopping once you get to Naples... stay around third av. and steer clear of Tin City... you will also find much better spa- ing in Naples...

They opened a new restaurant sometime last year at Santini Marina Plaza (southern end of FMB) called South Beach. It's part of an ongoing upgrade of that center. The food is good, the atmosphere is quite nice - or I would imagine it would be a good place for drinks.

Thanks to everyone who has responded thus far, you have all been most helpful!

Keep those ideas coming...ha ha

If $$$ is not an issue, your place is The Ritz hotel in Key Biscayne...
Place will meet all your demands

The pier area is fun (near the previously mentioned Lana Kai). Like someone said earlier, you'll see the dolphins from the beach, but if you want to take a cruise, book it down by the pier. There is a little kiosk there that will do it for you. There are a couple of restaurants just under the Ft Myers bridge that are good for dining, but they are mostly harbour front, not beach side (but still pretty). You will be hard pressed to find a "nicer, upscale, fine dining experience" ANYWHERE on Ft Myers Beach. You'll have to drive into Ft Myers or go the other direction (bonita or naples) for that. Roy's is great in the Bonita direction, and if you spend a day in Naples, do go to Tommy Bahamas for lunch (delicious! and a fun atmosphere) and shop the boutique stores surrounding 3rd and 5th Aves. There is probably a good day spa somewhere in that vicinity also. If you go the other direction, towards Ft Myers, try Spada Day Spa, on McGregor, about 5 miles from the bridge, easy to find. If you choose that route, you could have a nice dinner afterwards at the Prawnbroker (very clsoe to Spada). Or, you could shop at the BellTower shops a little farther into Ft Myers (I do recommend; it's an outdoor mall with a mix of chain stores and specialty stores) and eat a really nice upscale dinner at either Bistro 41 or Baccus. (The Bistro is my favorite.) Also, for shopping, skip the outlets close to Sanibel, but you might want to hit the more upscale Miramar Outlets on the interstate between the airport and Naples. GREAT SHOPPING! Have fun!

Bacchus is closed at Bell Tower. It had declined to the point that there would be no one there all day. Dragonfly Bistro which was on Ft. Myers Beach last year has moved in and the food is excellent. Cru would be my recommendation for a nice evening out for you two. It is at the Bell Tower Shops, much closer than Naples and Cru attracts a younger crowd. Very chic bar, fun drinks, very good menu.

Here's a link to a local review:
http://cityguide.news-press.com/fe/D...529_jlbcru.asp

LMF

Oh I am sad about Bacchus. :( We just moved from Ft Myers and my husband loved that place. I am still partial to the Bistro though!

We were just in Ft. Myers last week at our house which was thankfully spared from Hurricane Charley. Ft. Myers Beach is in pretty good shape. Our favourite place for a fun, casual lunch is The Cottage at the top end of FMB. They are gutting/renovating the Gulf Shores restaurant attached to it, but the Cottage is open and has the best Grouper fingers ... plus you sit up high and can watch all the beach activity (right beside the Lania Kai). Have fun!

My Mom lived in Ft Myers for 20 years. I never missed a trip to the Prawnbroker on McGregor; they have the best seafood in the area. It's not really "upscale" in the manner of the Ritz, but more dressy casual and very, very nice. Service is great as well.Most of Florida is very casual in dress. The Ritz in Naples if you want upscale can't be beat. Have fun and watch out for the crazy drivers, LOL.