With special events, reopening of favourite restaurants and attractions, new openings and more, this summer is packed with fun. For vacation planning to our islands, beaches and neighbourhoods, check out the 2024 Visitor Guide for everything you need to assist in making vacation memories. Fort Myer's Visitor Guide 2024
Scotty McCreery to headline 10th Island Hopper Songwriter Fest
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest, recently named one of the Top 5 music fests by USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards, celebrates its 10-year anniversary with 10 days of outstanding performances, Sept. 20-29.
This year’s headliner is BMI singer-songwriter Scotty McCreery, whose hit song, “Cab in a Solo,” currently tops the country radio singles chart, according to Mediabase. On Sept. 29, McCreery will wrap up Island Hopper with a pool party performance at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach.
In addition, Island Hopper also welcomes five-time Grammy nominee and BMI singer-songwriter Jeffrey Steele. On Sept. 26, Steele will join the Gulf Coast Symphony in a live performance at the Florida Repertory Theatre in downtown Fort Myers.
Island Hopper gives fans the opportunity to see singer-songwriters perform in smaller venues with a tropical setting as the backdrop. Catch a live Island Hopper performance at these four locations around the Fort Myers area:
- Captiva Island, Sept. 20-22
- Cape Coral, Sept. 23-24
- Downtown Fort Myers, Sept. 25-26
- Fort Myers Beach, Sept. 27-29
While most Island Hopper performances are free, the McCreery and Steele performances, along with a few experiences, will be ticketed. Look for these events to go on sale this month. For the full lineup and ticket information, visit IslandHopperFest.com or download the Island Hopper app.
Island Hopper Songwriter Fest is presented by BMI, iHeart Radio’s Cat Country 107.1, Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association and Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods. Follow the festival hashtag #islandhopperfest as well as Instagram and Facebook.
National Seashell Day, June 20
Our visitors know the joy of searching through seashells to find that perfect lightning whelk or alphabet cone. These natural treasures are a part of the seashells that wash onto our shores every day of the year.
With nearly 50 miles of beaches and over 400 species of seashells that often cover the white sands, there’s no other place quite like Fort Myers for shell hunting. People come from all over the world to search for unbroken seashells on our shores. In fact, Sanibel Island is known as the “Seashell Capital of the World” because of its unique east-west orientation that brings countless seashells in pristine condition to its white-sand beaches. visitfortmyers.com/national-seashell-day
Sea turtle nesting season runs through Oct. 31
Sea turtle nesting season is underway and runs through Oct. 31. And like our visitors, who return year after year to enjoy our beautiful beaches, the loggerheads return to the same beach time after time to deposit their eggs. For more information about sea turtle nesting season and how you can help, contact the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) sccf.org/what-we-do/protect-wildlife/sea-turtle-program or Turtle Time, Inc. at turtletime.org
Accommodations news
’Tween Waters to host music-filled weekend
The 6th annual Captivaville, a music-filled weekend with six singer/songwriters, is set for June 14-16 at ’Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa on Captiva Island. Book accommodations (the event is free for guests) now and join Sheena Brook, Brian Sutherland, Dean Alexander, Emma Zink, Megan Linville, Danny Myrick, Kristin Forbes, Katie Lyon and Claire Liparulo for the weekend. tween-waters.com/captivaville
New 12-hole golf course opens at South Seas
South Seas on Captiva Island has opened its 12-hole golf short course, The Clutch (named after a turtle’s nest). The walking course is designed by Beau Welling and pairs natural beauty, strategic challenges and a family-friendly atmosphere. Designed for players of all ages and skill levels, the course caters to a wide spectrum of abilities and enhances the enjoyment of the game for everyone. The course is available to members and resort guests with a confirmed reservation during their dates of stay. southseas.com/the-clutch
Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Bonita Springs ranked as the 17th top pool hotel in the U.S. News & World Report “Best Hotel” awards. The awards are based on an evaluation of rankings from awards, hotel class, and guest ratings. travel.usnews.com/hotels/pools-florida-r59
South Seas, Captiva Island
Visit southseas.com for reservations. Resort amenities that are open include Sunset Beach, Yacht Harbour Marina, trolley service and Bayview pool complex with more scheduled for spring and fall openings.
Fins Up! Beach Club opens at Margaritaville Beach Resort at Fort Myers Beach
Resort guests and day pass holders enjoy the amenities of this action-packed aquatic playground situated on the Gulf of Mexico and Matanzas Bay.
margaritavilleresorts.com/margaritaville-beach-resort-fort-myers-beach
Sanibel Moorings Resort, Sanibel Island
The Sanibel Island resort has reopened half of its one- two- and three-bedroom condo suites on the Gulf of Mexico. Each unit includes a living room, dining area, full kitchen and a large, private screened lanai. sanibelmoorings.com
DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Myers at Bell Tower shops in Fort Myers
The 224-room hotel opened with major renovations to the hotel’s lobby, 6,196 square feet of meeting space. Shoeless Joe’s Sports Cafe and deck are being completed. The hotel features refreshed guest rooms, fitness center and heated outdoor tropical pool. hilton.com/en/hotels/fmybtdt-doubletree-fort-myers-at-bell-tower-shops
Dining/entertainment news
Popular Lighthouse Café of Sanibel has reopened in a new location and is serving its “World’s Best Breakfast,” and lunch daily. On the island since 1968, it now has outdoor seating, some of the same servers and the treasured vintage lighthouse photos from the previous location. The same sweet and savory dishes are on the menu along with daily specials. lighthousecafe.com
Bay Street Yard opens in downtown Fort Myers
Bay Street Yard, a destination for live entertainment, craft beers, artisan beverages and food trucks, has opened at 2136 Bay St. in downtown Fort Myers. The new venue features two full-service bars, food trucks serving up tailored menu options, seating for over 300 people and a second level with VIP seating, and accommodations for private functions of up to 451 people. With an emphasis on entertainment, a covered stage will feature live performances. BayStreetYard.com
The Yucatan Bar and Grill has reopened its popular spot in Matlacha. Popular with locals and tourists, the waterfront restaurant serves up a menu of island cuisine, live music and fun. yucatanwaterfront.com
Three new restaurants coming to Coconut Point, Estero, this fall
After relocating his original Fort Myers Beach restaurants, Fresh Catch Bistro and Junkanoo Below Deck, to a new location on Estero Boulevard on Fort Myers Beach, Franco Russo recently launched Stone’s Throw restaurant, as well as co-launched Hooked Island Grill in Cape Coral. The new Estero location of Fresh Catch will include an expanded menu to include burgers and pastas along with seafood favorites. freshcatchbistro.com
PJK Neighborhood Chinese Restaurant specializes in scratch-made coastal Chinese with fresh specialty dishes that showcase a mix of traditional and modern Asian flavors. Its menu includes exclusive entrees, small plates, wok classics, dim sum and craft cocktails. pjkchinese.com
Third restaurant scheduled for fall at Coconut Point is Real Seafood Co., specializing in a full range of seafood including such as grouper, sea bass, salmon, perch, blue crab, clams, oysters, shrimp, scallops, and Maine lobster, as well as a raw bar, steaks and chicken. In addition to dinner entrees, the upscale restaurant’s menu includes shared plates, soups, salads, and desserts. realseafoodcorestaurant.com
Attractions news
Off the Leash Charters is offering sunset cruises on Tuesday and Wednesday along with private charters on the picturesque Caloosahatchee River. Pick up points are North Fort Myers and downtown Fort Myers with alternate locations available. Guests bring food and beverage and enjoy lounge seating, drinking water, ice-filled cooler and restroom. Details and reservations: offtheleashcharters.com
Steve and Doris Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School has returned to sailing instruction at Pink Shell Beach Resort & Marina on Fort Myers Beach. Celebrating its 60th anniversary year, Offshore Sailing School instructors will teach basic sailing lessons, 3-day Learn to Sail certification courses, as well as its popular Fast Track® to Catamaran Cruising 7-day course, combining learning to sail aboard a Colgate 26 sailboat and training aboard a big yacht, such as a Leopard 40 catamaran.
The sailing school offers the same courses on Captiva Island at ‘Tween Waters Island Resort & Spa aboard a Colgate 26 and 40’ monohull yacht. Coastal and Offshore Passage Making courses are also offered at these Southwest Florida resort locations. Team building and corporate group sailing and racing events are available at both locations aboard a fleet of Colgate 26 sailboats. offshoresailing.com
Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum & Aquarium
The museum has reopened its Living Gallery of Aquariums with a mix of mollusks, corals, fish, and other marine life species that were featured pre-hurricane. And there is also much that is new for visitors to enjoy. The surrounding exhibits have been significantly expanded to dive deeper into the biology and behavior of mollusks, the dynamics of their ecosystems, and challenges and successes of their conservation. Species of marine life on exhibit include two-spot octopus, flamingo tongue, disco clam, giant clam, queen conch and others. Select other species, such as the giant pacific octopus, will be added in the near future. shellmuseum.org
