Florida travel question

[I Should Coco]

Thought I'd post this here, because I know a lot of you live in/are familiar with Florida. And with the winter weather so many of us are having, it's nice to think about the Sunshine State!

Anyway, my parents are planning a 50th anniversary trip. They had planned to go at the end of May/early June to Kauai through some complicated time-share deal I won't get into here ... bottom line, there are still too many COVID/quarantine questions regarding Hawaii, and they are looking to change it while they still can.

Their choices have come down to a spot in Fort Lauderdale or in southwest Florida (near Fort Myers/Naples).

My question: In general, what are the differences between the two coasts? I've looked online, and would guess that the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area is for a "younger" crowd than my early 70s-aged parents, but thought I would ask here.

Thanks for any comments/thoughts.

 

[Mngwa]

I think Fort Lauderdale is definitely younger. also Fort Lauderdale's part of a huge metropolitan area so traffic is always crazy. I'm off now at the Fort Myers brains in Sarasota area then Naples, but there are some lovely hotels and resorts right on the water walkable to bars and shops. I also always think that the gulf beaches are much nicer than the ocean beaches.

 

[dixiehack]

Broward County is where old grouchy Yankees from the northeast go to wait out their last years.

Ft Myers is where old grouchy Yankees from the Midwest go to wait out their last years.

I've never been to Ft Lauderdale but it has to be better than Ft Myers. Merciful God in heaven it has to be. I may hate Ft Myers more than any metro area I've ever stayed in.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Sanibel Island, just off the coast from Ft. Myers. It's beautiful. Great beaches, lots of restaurants, etc., all in close proximity. Good airport, easy rental car pickup/return, only about 10 miles at the most to the island. Been there three times for family reunions, stayed once at a beach house and the other time we booked a block of rooms at a place called the West Wind Inn (I think), right on the beach, with a nice big pool. My parents lived their final two decades just north of Ft. Myers.

https://scontent.fhio2-2.fna.fbcdn....=4a5d65dbd1be96fa0bbb8275cebf4f8b&oe=6053D15B

 

[MileHigh]

Sanibel Island, just off the coast from Ft. Myers. It's beautiful. Great beaches, lots of restaurants, etc., all in close proximity. Good airport, easy rental car pickup/return, only about 10 miles at the most to the island. Been there three times for family reunions, stayed once at a beach house and the other time we booked a block of rooms at a place called the West Wind Inn (I think), right on the beach, with a nice big pool. My parents lived their final two decades just north of Ft. Myers.

https://scontent.fhio2-2.fna.fbcdn....=4a5d65dbd1be96fa0bbb8275cebf4f8b&oe=6053D15B

Completely endorse this. Stayed there twice when I lived in South Florida in the early part of the century.

 

[I Should Coco]

Sanibel Island, just off the coast from Ft. Myers. It's beautiful. Great beaches, lots of restaurants, etc., all in close proximity. Good airport, easy rental car pickup/return, only about 10 miles at the most to the island. Been there three times for family reunions, stayed once at a beach house and the other time we booked a block of rooms at a place called the West Wind Inn (I think), right on the beach, with a nice big pool. My parents lived their final two decades just north of Ft. Myers.

https://scontent.fhio2-2.fna.fbcdn....=4a5d65dbd1be96fa0bbb8275cebf4f8b&oe=6053D15B

Appreciate the suggestion ... but FYI, the link is to a Ted Cruz meme. I believe he prefers to vacation in Cancun ...

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Sanibel Island, just off the coast from Ft. Myers. It's beautiful. Great beaches, lots of restaurants, etc., all in close proximity. Good airport, easy rental car pickup/return, only about 10 miles at the most to the island. Been there three times for family reunions, stayed once at a beach house and the other time we booked a block of rooms at a place called the West Wind Inn (I think), right on the beach, with a nice big pool. My parents lived their final two decades just north of Ft. Myers.

As a Florida native, just let me say:

 

[micropolitan guy]

My bad. Here you go.

West Wind Inn Sanibel, Florida, US

 

[Gutter]

Sanibel Island, just off the coast from Ft. Myers. It's beautiful. Great beaches, lots of restaurants, etc., all in close proximity. Good airport, easy rental car pickup/return, only about 10 miles at the most to the island. Been there three times for family reunions, stayed once at a beach house and the other time we booked a block of rooms at a place called the West Wind Inn (I think), right on the beach, with a nice big pool. My parents lived their final two decades just north of Ft. Myers.

https://scontent.fhio2-2.fna.fbcdn....=4a5d65dbd1be96fa0bbb8275cebf4f8b&oe=6053D15B

Completely endorse this. Stayed there twice when I lived in South Florida in the early part of the century.

As a Florida native, just let me say: View attachment 10545

We just booked a house for a week in mid-May in Cape Coral. Nice place w/ pool on the canal. I've never been to this area of Florida before ... but heard good things about Sanibel and Captiva. We plan on spending a few days there. Really looking forward to this much-needed getaway, especially after seeing this.

Any tips would be welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Rockbottom]

OK, finally... something I am an EXPERT IN!

Fort Myers/Naples is very nice. If you like traditional beaches (sand...), then Fort Myers Beach/Bonita Beach/Naples is the way to go. Sugar white sand. Beautiful pretty much 24/7. A particular spot called Barefoot Beach is my favorite, but you can't go wrong anywhere.

Sanibel/Captiva is unique in that it is a true barrier island group that gets FAR more shells than sand. We are talking world-class shelling. But the "lay on the beach" factor drops quite a bit when you go over the Causeway (which is like $8 to do now, IIRC...) West Wind Inn is solid, as is Tween Waters Inn and South Seas Plantation on Captiva.

That time of year, expect it to rain like the world is going to end pretty much every day between 2-4 p.m. We are talking Biblical thunderstorms. But just as fast as they materialize, they clear up. It'll be hot as balls, but staying on the water with the constant breeze mitigates quite a bit of that.

For dining, especially that time of year, everything and anything is available. They'll be thrilled to see you.

rb

 

[Rockbottom]

We just booked a house for a week in mid-May in Cape Coral. Nice place w/ pool on the canal. I've never been to this area of Florida before ... but heard good things about Sanibel and Captiva. We plan on spending a few days there. Really looking forward to this much-needed getaway, especially after seeing this.

Any tips would be welcomed and appreciated.

Gutter,

Cape Coral is cool, and becoming more and more a place for rentals like yours. It is the ninth-largest city in the state, while still feeling like it is about 65 percent built out at all times.

Spend a day for Naples, walking Fifth Avenue and down to the pier and all around. Cool place to be and be seen.

Bring your clubs. TONS of great golf available in the summer -- at a crazy low price. All the members vanish the Monday after Easter, so they'll be eager to see anyone walk through the door.

As I said in the other post, FMB/Bonita beaches are the way to fly if you want to post up in the sand. Barefoot Beach is cool and pretty quiet. FMB down between Lynn Hall Park and the Laini Kai is prime sand, too, with lots of joints to snag a cool drink.

Six Mile Cypress Park is an interesting hike on an elevated trail through the marsh. Doesn't take too long to get to airboat rides down by Everglades City, either. That's always a fun time.

rb

 

[wicked]

Turned down a summer internship in Naples years ago. I'm still torn about it, but in the end I decided that I wasn't built for the summer sauna. That said it's a really nice town.