The Lee County VCB has unveiled a new look and feel, with new branding and a new name, ‘Fort Myers – Islands, Beaches and Neighborhoods’ – to replace ‘The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel’. A new website and a new visitor guide have been completely revamped to feature the new branding, and along with the new logo, there’s a new colour palette designed to connect with the nature and landscape of Lee County.
Francesca Donlan, Communications Director for the Lee County VCB, said, “The objective was to build a strong brand reflective of our destination today, boosting local pride and increasing a collective sense of community.”
Meanwhile, there’s always plenty to do and see in Fort Myers and the surrounding areas – which includes Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel & Captiva islands, Boca Grande & Outer Islands, Pine Island, Matlacha, Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, Estero, Alva, Buckingham, and Lehigh Acres.
Check out the new website, and here’s a sample of some upcoming events:
ArtFest Fort Myers returns Feb. 4-6 along the waterfront featuring art by more than 200 artists, entertainment, food, and fun children’s art activities. The show was named among the best in the country by Sunshine Artists Magazine
The 23rd Annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival takes place on March 5. This free event is great for all ages. The popular annual outdoor festival gives fans the opportunity to meet a diverse line-up of bestselling authors, participate in contests and activities, and discover the latest in books and technology. In addition to author appearances and autograph sessions, there will be food truck vendors, storytelling programs, arts and crafts, youth writing contests, and a free book for every child and teenager.
Island Hopper 2022! Returning for its eighth year, this 10-day music festival features performances by some of the country’s greatest singer-songwriters. The festival takes place in three areas, with the first weekend kicking off on Captiva Island, Sept. 16-18, then moving to downtown Fort Myers, Sept. 19- 22, and ending with a weekend on Fort Myers Beach, Sept. 23-25. Most shows are free except for a few ticketed experiences (headliner shows)
Accommodation News
The soon-to-open Fairfield Inn & Suites Bonita Springs and the newly renovated The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village received Convention South Magazine’s ‘Top New or Renovated’ awards for 2022.
New Dining and Brewery Openings
Bonita Springs has two new breweries. Hopsized Brewing Co. opened in the new Bernwood Trade Center with a focus on sours and New England IPAs. Ceremony Brewing (www. ceremonybrewing.com) celebrated its grand opening in downtown Bonita Springs with 18 taps and a bottle shop selling hard-to-find brews.
The owners of the Tacos & Tequila Cantina, which has three locations in the region, have opened Aldos Italian Table & Bar in University Village adjacent to Florida Gulf Coast University in Estero. The focal point of the 4,500-square-foot restaurant is the imported Italian pizza oven, which can bake a 12-inch pie in 90 seconds.
R.A.D. Winery & Cidery is open at Miromar Outlets in Estero. R.A.D. (short for Really. Awesome. Drinks.) carries its own line of wines and ciders on tap, as well as a selection of wines from Gravity Winery and Red Top Winery in Michigan.
Attractions News
Recently opened, Topgolf Fort Myers features 70 climate-controlled hitting bays for year-round comfort with HDTVs in every bay and throughout the sports bar and restaurant. Visitors may use complimentary clubs or bring their own as they take aim at giant outfield targets. https://topgolf.com/us/fort-myers
Free guided beach walks at San Carlos Bay Bunche Beach take place at 9 a.m. Wednesdays through April 27. Visitors of all ages may enjoy this volunteer-led program and learn the basics of different beach ecosystems, types of shells and more. Free tour with paid parking. leegov.com/parks/beaches/bunche
Visitors are invited to a free tour of the Manatee Park butterfly garden and habitats at 9 a.m. Sundays through March 27. Visitors will enjoy walking the ADA accessible paths through the restored native plant habitats and butterfly gardens. A volunteer naturalist will lead the tour. Manatee Park is a non-captive refuge for the threatened Florida manatee. Optimum viewing is now through March. Free tour with paid parking. leegov.com/parks/parks/manateepark
Save with Fort Myers Sun Saver Passport
Fort Myers’ islands, beaches and neighborhoods has a free mobile savings passport giving users access to exclusive deals on attractions, restaurants, and experiences throughout the destination.
To participate:
Sign up at https://explore.fortmyers-sanibel.com
The passport will be delivered to your mobile phone via text.
For more information on all there is to see, do and experience Fort Myers and surrounding areas, check out VisitFortMyers.com.
To view or download the new visitors’ guide, click HERE.