Fort Myers: Legendary Florida Destination

The city of Fort Myers is the commercial center and county seat of Florida’s Lee County. Fort Myers is a major tourist destination within the state and serves as a gateway to the Southwest Florida region. The city, which has a tropical savanna climate, leads the nation in the number of days annuall in which a thunderstorm is close enough to be heard.

Planning a visit? Stay at Seminole Campground.

Fort Myers was one of the first forts built along the Caloosahatchee River as a base of operations against the Seminole Indians during the American Indian Wars. During the conflict, Fort Myers was a strategic location for its visibility and access to Atlantic waterways. In February 1866, Manuel A. Gonzalez and his five-year-old son, Manuel S. Gonzalez, became the first permanent settlers of the then-abandoned Fort Myers after arriving from Key West.

In August 1885, Fort Myers was incorporated—with less than 350 residents. By 1898, the city had become a nationally known winter resort destination with the building of the Royal Palm Hotel. With the opening of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, connecting Punta Gorda to Fort Myers in May 1904, access to the Fort Myers area was greatly improved. The city continued to grow with the construction of the Tamiami Trail Bridge in 1924.

The winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford attract tourists year round. Visitors and residents alike will enjoy the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium, a private environmental education organization set on 105 acres that houses a museum, three nature trails, a planetarium, butterfly and bird aviaries, a gift shop and meeting and picnic areas.

Other attractions of note include the Murphy-Burroughs House, Imaginarium Science Center, and Historic Downtown and waterfront entertainment districts.