I'm headed to Ft Myers area March 6 to take in some Red Sox spring training games. Anyone have any advice on:
1. Sanibel vs. Fort Myers - Sanibel seems to be the nicer (beach area) place to stay, but is traffic to Ft. Myers from Sanibel more of a hassle than it's worth?
2. Ft Myers hotels - The Holiday Inn Select on Bell Tower, Residence Inn on Colonial, and the Courtyard by Marriot on Metro Parkway are listed as hotels nearby the stadium. Are these decent hotels?

3. Best spot(s) to get player autographs. Can anyone offer any tips? Get to the game very early (how early?)? Best spot at the stadium to run into players?
4. I also read that the warm up facility is a better place to get autographs than the actual ballpark. Is this true? Any tips for where to hang out, and when to hang out, at the warm up facility?


Does anyone know which hotel the Red Sox stay at during spring training? I figure that has to be a decent hotel and not too far away from the stadium. Probably not a bad place to stay to pick up a few autographs too!!

Lastly......any general advice for a spring training first timer is greatly appreciated !

Thanks,
David

I can't help with all your answers, but I can tell you that if you stay on Sanibel Island you'll have to pay a toll each time you enter the island.

I've stayed several times at the Holiday Inn Select at Bell Tower and highly recommend it. Great pool area and when I was there the restaurant was sports-oriented. It's also very close to plenty of restaurants and things to do. I don't know about the other hotels you mentioned.

Have fun!

Best hotel location wise is the Holiday Inn at Bell Tower. The Marriott properties are primarily business hotels and the area is less than ideal (they are close together).

Great restaurants outside your door at the Holiday Inn and Shoeless Joe's is a favorite sports bar in town.

As far as the athletes, I'm not sure where they stay these days. They used to stay at the dismal Ramada on the river downtown but I think no longer do so. There is a lively pub area in the old downtown Ft Myers. That would be fun after a game.

LMF

Actually the Red Sox play at the downtown ballpark, the Twins play at the one south of town near the motels mentioned. There are motels closer but I would not stay at them & I have lived here for almost 40 yrs. I would stay on Sanibel & drive in to see the games & then back. The traffic is not that bad unless you go up to Captiva Island, then getting off the island is a hassle. The toll is $3. Autographs, my experience is unless you are a good looking gal, half exposed in a box seat, forget it. Some of the players, mostly farm teams have stayed at the Ramada on s. 41.

We were just talking about this on our way home from Ft. lauderdale. I agree with Lilmiss foodie about the Holiday Inn BellTower, good location close to restaurants and movies. Pitchers and catchers are showing up now, and I think your chances of getting an autograph would be better there. WE go to both Twins and Sox games, and I feel the Twins stadium (Hammond) seems more "fan" friendly. I never tried to get an autograph before, but I might try to get one for my nephew when the Yankees play the Twins. If you need anymore info, email me at Yahoo. I LOVE spring training games BTW . Judyrem

Actually it is about 5.5 miles from Bell Tower to the Red Sox park and about 3.0 miles to the Twins park. The Holiday Inn is centrally located and Sanibel is an hour commute during the high season. I know, I have to make it often. Last March it took me 90min to 2 hrs. to drive from Captiva to my home which is near the Bell Tower area. LMF