When one thinks of the Gulf Coast beaches south of Sarasota County, Sanibel, Captiva, and Marco Island may be the first to come to mind. However, a recent weekend getaway to Fort Myers Beach made me feel as though it may be Southwest Florida’s best-kept secret. With a fresh beach renourishment and a revitalized downtown on the mainland, this local paradise makes for a fun-filled staycation.
In 2022, Hurricane Ian battered Fort Myers Beach, wreaking havoc on its tourism-based economy. But locals quickly went to work rebuilding the island. While there are some ongoing projects and an occasional battered husk of a structure, I’m happy to report that it looked about 90% back from the abyss.
Among Fort Myers Beach’s many charms, however, is the fact that it is not overdeveloped the way so many Gulf barrier islands tend to be. The island is long and narrow, offering a surprising number of stunning gulf-to-bay views. The long, walkable beach is lined with soft, white, sugarcane sand on par with Siesta Key and St. Pete Beach. Even on a scorchingly hot weekend, it was challenging to find the motivation to leave the surf, and on Saturday morning I strolled the length of the island without even realizing how much walking I’d put in until the sun got high enough to encourage a refreshing dip in the pool.
I really appreciated the island’s laid-back and relaxing vibe. Most of the hotels, resorts, restaurants, and pubs are on its northern end, north of the causeway. I stayed at the Pink Shell Resort on the very northern tip, an iconic Fort Myers Beach staple that dominates the aerial view of the island. I could not have been more impressed with the accommodations. The apartment-like rooms are well-appointed (including a full kitchen) and perfect for families who don’t want to pack up the kids every time someone’s hungry.
The entire resort features gulf-to-bay views. Looking down from the balcony of my sixth-floor suite, I had a perfect view of both the ocean and the resort’s colossal pool—a gargantuan oasis with a large waterfall, hot tub, and sun deck, where most of the Pink Shell guests could be found each afternoon. With breakfast, lunch, and fine dining eateries on site, as well as a beach bar, one could easily enjoy a royal vacation without leaving the property.
Not one to stay still long enough to gather dust, I eagerly explored the lay of the land. On the way in, I stopped for a delicious lunch at Dixie Fish Company, a rustic little seafood shack under the causeway that serves the kind of top-notch seafood that would be at home in the Cortez Village and in similar environs. The original Doc Ford’s is located next door and owned by the same group. However, having previously visited the location on the St. Pete Pier, I went with Dixie and had no regrets, as the golden mahi sliders and shrimp tacos did not disappoint.
On Friday night, I crossed back over the causeway and made my way downtown to explore the arts district. I was thrilled to learn that on third Fridays, there is a Music Walk event for which they close off several blocks connected to a number of pedestrian alleys. At least a dozen musical acts, from full bands to solo performers, were set up at various points, far enough apart that they did not bleed into each other, but close enough that the music never stopped. The performers were surprisingly good, providing me with a diverse soundtrack as I strolled the quaint streets of the picturesque downtown, which is framed by an impressive number of well-preserved historic buildings.
I had been invited to a rooftop happy hour at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center but had no idea what I was about to experience before I arrived. Housed in a grand building with a neoclassical revival design, the facility was constructed as the city’s first post office in 1933, thanks to a $200,000 federal grant. It later served as a courthouse before falling so deeply into disrepair that rehabilitation seemed futile while demolition seemed imminent.
Jim Griffith, a classically trained musician who arrived in Fort Myers in 1980, when the city was not at its peak in terms of prosperity, saw the potential in restoring the crown jewel of a downtown that had lost its luster. Griffith devised a plan to revive the glamorous structure at a time when the business district had become blighted and somewhat barren. Things didn’t look good until a million-dollar pledge from Berne Davis in 2006 kicked off a meticulous historic renovation that would suggest it had suffered no more than the normal weathering of time.
Griffith became the art center’s president and CEO. The main ballroom regularly hosts jazz, chamber music, and other events. Performers were setting up for the Sounds of Summer Sideshow—a multi-band modern music event featuring circus performers—when I arrived. The center also hosts monthly art exhibitions. After the tour, we enjoyed sunset cocktails in the ambitiously conceived rooftop sculpture garden, which provides a perfect view of downtown as well as a massive swath of the Caloosahatchee River.
I was lucky enough to have been recommended dinner just down the street at Bruno's of Brooklyn, an elite Italian restaurant that not only holds its own with the many 5-star Italian eateries on the Gulf Coast—but, as a former New Yorker—I would say it stands up to anyplace in the five boroughs from LaRina to Nonna Dora's. This is New York Italian done so exquisitely that finding it in a beautiful, historic, two-story, brick building in downtown Fort Myers was perhaps the biggest surprise in a weekend filled with experiences that managed to surpass my expectations.
After sampling the well-curated wine list, I limbered up my belly with the Black Truffle & Ricotta Ravioli, which featured imported truffles, house-made pasta, mushrooms, pecorino cheese, and cream. It was utterly sublime. The house specialty is Seafood Fra Diavolo, featuring clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, and crushed plum tomatoes with red pepper flakes, served over fresh pappardelle.
On my eyes, this may have been the best entree I’ve enjoyed so far in 2025. For a man who gets to indulge in exquisite gastro experiences as often as I’m fortunate enough to, that’s saying quite a lot. Delizioso! Just when I thought the experience couldn’t possibly be improved upon, I was treated to an unexpected bread pudding that is undoubtedly in the running for dessert of the year, complemented by a cappuccino that rivaled Mazzaro’s, which I’ve always found to be the best in the state.
Saturday was spent on the beach and in the pool, before I ventured out for a late lunch at Snug Harbor, another open-air Cortezian-like fish house with a spectacular view on the bayside of the island. Chilled oysters on the half-shell, complemented by ice-cold bottles of Yuengling, gave way to a delicious ponzu-marinated, seared rare triple-A bluefin tuna with Caribbean spices, served with pina colada-infused jasmine rice cake, accompanied by two shrimp tempura topped with sweet chili garlic sauce. On a perfect blue sky day without a cloud above, it was the sort of seaside lunch northerners dream about in the wintertime.
Snug Harbor is located at the north end of Old San Carlos Boulevard, which bears a resemblance to Historic Bridge Street on Bradenton Beach. Lined with open-air pubs—Smokin’ Oyster Brewery, Big Dick’s Salty Seamen, Wahoo Willie’s, The Yucatan Beach Stand—and a surprisingly good cigar shop, it is almost like having a tiny sliver of Duval Street at your disposal. That evening we enjoyed another excellent seafood meal next door to Snug Harbor at Nervous Nellie's, where you can enjoy equally good local seafood with serene views of the river.
As many of you know, on each staycation, I endeavor to find the best local dive bar. So, after checking in at the local American Legion post just across the causeway, I shuffled up to Danny’s Saloon, a little strip mall haunt on the mainland portion of San Carlos Blvd, which several locals assured me would meet my criteria. When I told them how I had come to arrive at their neighborhood bar, I was welcomed by patrons and proprietors alike as if I were a long-lost family member. The ice-cold Yuenglings were cheap, and the live music was stellar. On this particular evening, there happened to be a complimentary food bar that included moist and tender pulled pork (someone had apparently stolen the smoked brisket the owner had been prepping overnight behind the bar).
After checking out of the Pink Shell on Sunday morning, I crossed back over the causeway and took the slow and scenic palm tree-lined, two-lane ride up McGregor Boulevard for a tour of the Edison & Ford Winter Estates. This resplendent riverfront spread, where famed inventor Thomas Edison would spend his winters, and for a couple of weeks around his February 11 birthday each year, his friend Henry Ford would bring his family for a visit, rivals our own John & Mabel Ringling Museum in both intrigue and beauty.
The flower-filled, tree-lined grounds are visually arresting; the homes are period-perfect examples of old Florida’s most alluring aesthetic era, and the museum is rich in fascinating history. There are vintage, early-model Fords donated by local collectors, pristine examples of Edison’s most celebrated inventions, and a baseball exhibit that filled me with nostalgia. It is easy to spend several hours absorbing all of the institution's graces, and the experience will leave you well-reminded of all the things you love best about Florida.
Next door to the museum is perhaps the most beautiful Pinchers among the Bonita Springs-based restaurant’s 10 locations, an upscale riverfront building atop a marina with a massive outdoor deck. Family-owned and operated since 1997 (with a Manatee County location in Lakewood Ranch), it proved to be an ideal Sunday morning-after eatery where one might soak up the previous night's sins after they’ve imbibed a bit more than planned, as the theme of the menu seems to be rich, hearty, and plentiful.
The catch of the day was an outstanding black grouper, which was perfectly blackened. They also offered a solid lobster roll, and both the hand-cut and steak fries were crisp and well seasoned. Each sandwich or entrée comes with two sides, and the coleslaw was also quite good. Yuengling drafts and other drinks are two for one at all times. With a riverfront view on a perfect Sunday afternoon, the experience was much better than expected.
Fort Myers Beach is less than two hours from most parts of Manatee County, but it still feels a world away. There are more than enough activities to fill a long weekend or even a full week, especially if you throw in a Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Minor League Baseball game at Hammond Stadium (unless it's March and the Minnesota Twins are in town for spring training). With gorgeous beaches, a vibrant arts scene, and surprisingly good cuisine and nightlife, I found it to be one of the very best values on the Gulf Coast for a staycation getaway.
Dennis "Mitch" Maley is a novelist, as well as an editor and opinion columnist for The Bradenton Times. In addition to his regular Sunday column, he hosts our weekly podcast and does occasional theater, travel, restaurant, and wine reviews. He is a graduate of Shippensburg University and later served as a Captain in the U.S. Army. Click here for his bio. His novels and short story collection are available here.
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.