Activities in and around cape coral

Southwest Florida is the region of the U.S. state of Florida, also known as the "Sunshine State," that stretches along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. More specifically: south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee, and north of the Everglades. The region consists of 5 coastal counties from Manatee County in the north to Collier County in the south. However, the most popular and well-known is Lee County, in which Cape Coral is the largest city with an estimated population of 180.000 is.

Due to year-round pleasant temperatures around 25 to 30°C Southwest Florida means for vacationers above all sunshine, beautiful beaches, water sports, golfing, boating, shopping, excursions or just relax and enjoy excellent food.

Read more about the region's beaches and vast repertoire of possible recreational activities below, or check out "Useful Links".

Beaches around Cape Coral

There are countless beaches with perfect white sand. The question about the most beautiful or best of these beaches is basically unanswerable. It is much more purposeful to ask yourself what kind of beach day you are in the mood for at the moment. The answer then determines the destination.

Naples

If you're planning a quiet day at the beach, soaking in the sun and water, reading, or just unwinding, visit Naples Beach. This lies behind stately villas on the turquoise blue sea, and the many entrances to the beach mean that everyone can find their quiet spot. Worthwhile is a detour to the historic 300m long pier of Naples or to the beachfront "promenade", the 5th Avenue South, with its many boutiques, cafes and restaurants.

Sanibel Island / Captiva Island

These two islands regularly rank among the top 10 beaches in the entire U.S. They are not quite as white and soft as Naples, but fantastically natural. With over 400 species of shells, an unparalleled mix of sandy beaches, exotic animals, lush vegetation and of course magnificent sunsets. All of which make a day on Sanibel and/or Captiva Island unforgettable.

Bonita Beach

They're in the mood for an active beach day, want to play beach volleyball, try their hand at wave runners, jet skis, hobiecats or aqua cycles, or take to the skies via parasail.

head to Bonita Beach, more specifically to Doc's Beach House. There you can borrow all the above things for a fee. Watching is fun, too: sun loungers and umbrellas can be rented for relaxing and sunbathing. A beer at sunset at Doc's Beach House perfectly rounds out your day at Bonita Beach.

Fort Myers Beach

A mix of party and family beach during the week, really gets going on the weekends. It seems all the boaters in the region gather off Fort Myers Beach to celebrate the weekend together. The beach is crowded and there is super live music right on the beach or in the many pubs and restaurants. More party hardly possible!

Cape Coral Beach

Get to the beach quickly with the whole family without driving far?

Drive to Cape Coral Beach. This is located within the Yacht Club Community Park on the southeast corner of Cape Coral and also offers everything you could want. Among other things, a pier, play facilities for the little ones, a beautiful view of Fort Myers and much more.

worked up an appetite? Then nothing like go – it is worthwhile!

Other activities and attractions

In Southwest Florida, there are truly countless ways to spend the day, active or not so active, either way, according to your own desires and whims. Only those who want to indulge in winter sports or climb mountains may have booked the wrong flight. It is therefore also not possible to go into detail about all the activities on offer. But we would like to highlight a few highlights.

Play golf

Bright sun, ideal temperatures around 25°C in the shade and above 1.100 golf courses. Many of them so beautiful that you have trouble concentrating on your game. The greens are huge and fast, in short, in a condition that makes you remember the winter greens at home like shivers down your spine. All this is only nine hours away by plane. Florida is the ideal destination for those who want to play golf even in the fall and winter seasons, the climate is ideal for it from October to May. If you like it really warm, you can of course also play in the summer and enjoy the very reasonable green fees during this time of the year.

You will find more than 100 places within a one-hour drive of Cape Coral and Fort Myers alone. Most of them are playable against greenfee, a few are pure "Private Courses", which is no limitation at all with this huge choice of courses. Like almost everything in life, how you feel about the quality of a golf course is a matter of taste.

One rather loves the quaint character of typical "public courses", where one encounters (in the most positive sense) the entire spectrum of American society. In the vast majority of cases, these courses are just as well-maintained as much more expensive facilities, but are often quite busy due to affordable green fees. An example of such a very nice course is the Coral Oaks Golf Course in Cape Coral.

Others rather love the benefits of exclusive facilities, which often belong to correspondingly exclusive hotel complexes or resorts. Moonlike clubhouses, famous architects, few players on the course, elaborate landscape designs even off the fairways and greens are typical features of such facilities. This luxury, which is definitely worth it once in a while, can be bought with a correspondingly higher green fee. Two of many examples of such facilities: The Ritz-Carlton Tiburon Golf Course designed by Greg Norman or the Old Corkscrew Golf Club designed by Jack Nicklaus.

In the middle of this spectrum are many beautiful courses that are often part of so-called golf communities. A few examples: River Hall Country Club, Magnolia Landing, Pelican Preserve or Pelican's Nest.

A tip: before you leave, make a list of golf courses you would like to play. It is best to book tee times for the courses you want to play first via the homepage of the respective course or via a portal like www.golfnow.com. If there are only two of you traveling, or if you can be a bit risk-averse as a larger group, it might be a good idea not to book all of your start times in advance. Maintain the flexibility to respond to positive surprises or good tips on the spot. You may like a course so much that you want to play it a second time. Also important: plan enough time for driving to the course, check-in and driving range.

If you like, we will be happy to help you choose your golf courses. In any case, we wish you A GREAT GAME!

Go motor boating

Boating is as much a part of vacationing in Cape Coral as the sun, golfing and good food. Discover the diverse and adventurous island world right on your doorstep. Beautiful goals are z.B. the islands Sanibel, Captiva, Pine Island or Lovers Key. Much further south, but of course also beautiful, are the so-called Ten Thousand Islands with Marco Island as the largest of this group of islands. But also the slow cruising through the almost endless canals of Cape Coral with the many beautiful villas definitely has its own charm.

The nice thing is: If you want to get out in front of the 01. If you were born on January 1988, you do not need a boating license in Florida. Most rental companies require a minimum age of 21 years and a valid (German) car driver's license. If you are on or after the 01. January 1988 were born, you need a so-called "Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card". Getting this is not an insurmountable obstacle, costs 29.$95 and some time. The good: once made, this ID card is valid for the rest of your life. It is best to inquire about the details before you leave home.

Depending on your existing experience and your language skills, find the rental company that most appeals to you. Meaningful services you can request include z.B. the delivery and the pick-up of the boat directly to your rented dream home, a detailed boat briefing and a first joint excursion. A good captain will take this opportunity to point out special features of the waters, explain how best to navigate the lock, what to look for when refueling, and respond to all your questions in a friendly and willing manner. Of course, he will also tell you one or the other "insider tip", which only insiders know and which will make every tour unique. For inexperienced prospective customers we strongly recommend this detailed briefing and test drive with the rental company or an experienced boat driver. On the one hand, this is fun, but above all it provides the necessary security for the first trip as the "responsible captain.

On your self-guided boat tours, you then visit the gorgeous islands or you moor off Ft. Myers Beach for swimming or lunch. Watch manatees and aquatic turtles and be escorted by entire families of dolphins. They like to play with the waves created by the boat's propeller, sometimes jumping meters out of the water. Let yourself be surprised!

As an example of often rented boats you can see a Bayliner Bowrider 245. This allows 2-8 people to comfortably spend a day on the water. Prices are around $250 per day, $650 for 3 days and at approx. 1.200$ for a whole week. Prices vary depending on the provider, but should be in the range mentioned for this class of boat. In addition, there is always the sales tax (6%) and the fuel you consume. Instruction should always be included free of charge. For a "test drive" most rental companies charge around 40-50$ per hour, for some this service is also already included in the rental price. Another bit of well-intentioned advice: don't leave without what's called "sea tow insurance". These covered the "towing costs" should you break down on the water, which can happen sometimes. This insurance does not cost the world, but can save you a lot of costs and trouble. Ask in the course of renting whether this insurance is already part of the rental price, or. What it will cost extra to take it out for you.

Since the range of boat rental companies is large and they may well differ in detail, independent research is not only useful, but also fun. Freely according to the motto: anticipation is the best joy.

More ideas for possible activities, coupled with our own experiences and well-intentioned tips, will follow soon.

As you can already see from the pictures, it should be about trips to Orlando, Key West and the Everglades.