Area Guide: Fort Myers, Florida

Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee county, FL, United States. It has grown rapidly in recent years. As of the United States Census, the city population was 62,298 and in 2016 was estimated at 77,146. Fort Myers is a gateway to the Southwest Florida region and a major tourist destination within Florida. The Winter Estates of Thomas Edison (“Seminole Lodge”) and Henry Fords (“The Mangoes”) are major attractions. The city is named after Colonel Abraham Myers. The closest airport is Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), located southeast of the city.

The Ft. Myers area is well known for its beautiful endless beaches as well as numerous resort hotels. Plenty of shopping opportunities are located on the Tamiami Trail. The coastline provides excellent opportunities for world-class fishing. The Ft. Myers area includes a vast amount of quality golf courses that are ideal for vacationing golf enthusiasts.

Fort Myers was constructed as a military fort. It was utilized to prevent the Seminole Indians from continuing to kill the settlers in the region. The fort was given its name as a tribute to Col. Abraham C. Myers who was stationed in the state of Florida and was the son-in-law of the commander of the fort. In 1858 the Indians surrendered and vacated the area, which allowed the soldiers to abandon the fort. However, federal soldiers took advantage of the existence of the fort and they occupied it during the Civil War. When the Civil War ended, the fort was abandoned. In 1882, the population significantly increased by the arrival of a vast amount of settlers. The city experienced another population surge in 1924 due to the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge, which crosses the Caloosahatchee River.

Be sure to visit the:

• Sanibel Lighthouse.
• Boston Red Sox spring training.
• The Minnesota Twins spring training.
• Smugglers Cove Adventure Golf, 17450 San Carlos Blvd, Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
• Zoomers Amusement Park
• Sanibel Outlets
• Lee County Manatee Park
• The Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium.
• World famous tarpon Fishing Charters
• Seminole Lodge, formerly the winter home of Thomas Edison.
• The Mangoes, formerly the winter home of Henry Ford.

Public Golf courses:

• Eagle Ridge Golf Club, 14589 Eagle Ridge Dr, Fort Myers, FL 33912
• San Carlos Golf Club, 7420 Constitution Cir, Fort Myers, FL 33967
• Eastwood Golf Course, 4600 Bruce Herd Ln, Fort Myers, FL 33905
• Hunters Run Executive Golf Course, 1006 SE 4th Pl, Cape Coral, FL 33990