Travelers seeking a winter getaway have more air travel options to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers, FL this winter. In addition, The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel have many new activity, hotel, eco-adventure and cultural diversions for visitors.
Here's a look at what's new at this destination along Florida's southwestern Gulf of Mexico coast.
New Flights
By year's end, 14 new direct flights will begin to Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers. Alaska Airlines now offers new, new direct service from Los Angeles and Seattle.
In addition, JetBlue, Southwest, United Airlines and other airlines have announced or begun new flights from New York, Cleveland, Boston, Raleigh, Pittsburgh, Orlando, Louisville, Columbus, Indianapolis and Milwaukee.
As of October, the airport has nonstop service from 49 destinations by 11 airlines.
Hotel Update
Six new hotels are under construction within The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, and by the end of 2021 those projects will add 671 guest rooms.
Earlier this year, the $91 million Luminary Hotel & Co. (see photo above) opened—paving the way for downtown Fort Myers' economic restoration. The new 243-room property pays tribute to the neighborhood’s "electric history" nearly 134 years after Thomas Edison put down roots in Fort Myers.
Newly opened this month is Luminary Hotel's signature restaurant, Silver King Ocean Brasserie, while its Beacon Social Drinkery rooftop lounge offers sweeping views of the Caloosahatchee riverfront. Luminary also has a 2,300-square-foot interactive culinary theater, The Workshop. Coming in 2021 is a new retail center and outdoor amphitheater.
New Programming
While spring is typically the peak season for the destination's arts and cultural offerings, that's shifted a bit in the wake of COVID-19. While still keeping safety top of mind, many venues have launched new programming (some virtual) during what's typically a quiet period.
- Community playhouse the Laboratory Theater of Florida is showcasing hybrid live virtual performances, such as “The Realish Housewives of Fort Myers” (November 15-28) and “The Eight Reindeer Monologues” (December 11-20). These productions have filmed stage elements and are only viewable online.
- Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre, celebrating its 27th anniversary, is welcoming guests at 50 percent capacity for its production of “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn The Broadway Musical” (November 19 through December 26).
- Florida Repertory Theatre, a professional theater company located within the restored 1915-era Historic Arcade Theatre, is now offering virtual showings through its "2020 PlayLab: Virtual Festival of New Works” (now through December 11). These programs spotlights local playwrights with five plays. Viewers can also virtually tune into “William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night On-Demand” now through December 31.
- ArtFest, planned for February 5-7, 2021, enlivens the River District with booths displaying handcrafted art and offering family-friendly activities. The festival has teamed up with Luminary to debut a special pop up to light up the new property; on November 19 and December 10, the event will feature specialty cocktails and small bites as guests peruse works from local artists. The hotel is offering an overnight package for $169 for two with complimentary parking. If visitors can't attend in person, the festival has a virtual site, ArtFest at Home.
- The Fort Myers Mural Society has tapped local artists to create a 17-panel mural called “Buck’s Backyard” for McCollum Hall, once a commercial center and dance hall that served as a United Service Organization (USO) for African-American troops during World War II. “Buck’s Backyard” aims to memorialize the venue’s historic significance. Work on the first mural begins this month.
- A new amphitheater is currently being created in Centennial Park to be used for outdoor concerts that will allow for social distancing. It's expected to be completed by summer 2021.
- IMAG History and Science Center has unveiled a new exhibit paying homage to Fort Myers’ 1950s Snack House and the era's diner heritage. Visitors can peruse the original diner sign, a mural inspired by a 1960s photograph of the diner’s interior, original menus, news clippings, matchbooks and more.
Eco-Adventure Options
New offerings also focus on nature, wildlife and outdoor activities.
Celebrating its 75th year of wildlife protection, the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,400-acre eco-zone for native species, recently debuted a virtual plant identification program named Plant ID on the Go along 25 miles of trails. Visitors can use the QR code found at each of the four trailheads, which gives access to an interactive presentation identifying native plants.
Peppered with beaches and mangrove forests, Lovers Key State Park will open a new Welcome and Discovery Center in spring 2021. The venue will host music performances, lectures and other events.
The center will also have an exhibit hall, picnic area and outdoor discovery areas for educational programming, as well as large glass walls that open up to large observation decks.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum has recently completed a $6 million expansion. A new permanent exhibit, “Beyond Shells: The Mysterious World of Mollusks," has debuted.
The expansion has created 11 aquariums that showcase cold and warm water species. In a pop-up bubble, visitors have 360-degree views of mollusks and fish, plus there are two 15-foot touch-pools.
Visitors who can’t make it to the destination in the near future can tune into Shellcast, the official podcast of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Visitors can soak up some virtual sun and experience a slice of Southwest Florida from the comfort of their homes.
Virtually, visitors will hear crashing waves and sounds of nature, hear interviews with locals, take a boat ride on Pine Island South with outdoor guide Captain Brian Holaway or find out what Thomas Edison might have thought about podcasts as virtual visitors experience Edison and Ford Winter Estates. Episodes are available on fortmyers-sanibel.com, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
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