Lee County is home to Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Springs, and the islands of Sanibel and Captiva. It is the most populous county in Southwest Florida. The county seat is Fort Myers and the largest city is Cape Coral. The Gulf of Mexico has a major influence on the area and the three rivers – the Caloosahatchee, the Estero and the Imperial – provide fantastic recreational opportunities.
Natural sandy beaches and warm waters invite you to relax, read or participate in one of your favorite beach activities: shelling. Each beach has its own personality. Families will find soft white sand ideal for children. Couples can experience solitude and exceptional sunsets. And active types can enjoy volleyball, picnics, shelling, biking, and skimboarding.
o Lee County offers annual parking stickers for $60 per year.
o Bonita Springs residents pay a $5 annual parking sticker that allows parking at Bonita Beach Park, Access #1, and Little Hickory Island Beach Park for free.
Bonita Beach Park
Location: 27954 Hickory Blvd., west end of Bonita Beach Blvd.,
beautiful springs
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking: $2/hour
Amenities: 3 miles of beach, restrooms, picnic shelters with tables
and grills, playground, sand volleyball courts, food concession,
showers, restaurant
Activities: swimming, fishing, shelling, sunbathing, walking
Pets: No
Of Special Interest: Bonita Springs is a small coastal community with quite beautiful beaches that are less crowded than Fort Myers Beach to the north.
Playa Bonita (Access)
Location: 10 driveway along Hickory Blvd. #1 is just to the north
from Bonita Beach Park, Bonita Springs
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking: limited, Access #1, $2/hour, Access #2-9, limited and
free
Services: 3 miles of beach, no facilities
Activities: swimming, sunbathing, shelling, fishing, walking
Pets: No
Of Special Interest: The beach is residential; a mix of mid-rise and high-rise condominiums and individual homes.
Little Hickory Island Beach Park
Location: 2 miles north of Bonita Beach Park on Hickory Blvd.,
beautiful springs
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking: metered parking
Services: 3 miles of beach, picnic tables, restrooms, showers
Activities: swimming, fishing, shelling, canoeing, kayaking,
sunbathe, walk
Pets: No
Lovers Key State Park
Location: 8700 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach. 10.5 miles west of
I75 at exit 116
Phone: 239-463-4588
Hours: 8 AM to sunset
Parking: $8/vehicle
Amenities: 700 acres, 2 miles of beach, 5 miles of bike trails,
bike rentals, boat ramp, food and equipment rental concessions,
playgrounds, picnic shelters with grills, restrooms, nature trails,
pavilion, outdoor showers, ranger tours
Activities: bird watching, boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, hiking,
biking, shelling, swimming, wildlife watching
Pets: Yes, on 6′ leashes. State parks do not allow pets on the beaches
or playgrounds, or in bathroom areas, cabins, park buildings or
concession facilities
Of Special Note: A paradise for wildlife, the islands and their waters are home to West Indian manatees, bottlenose dolphins, roseate spoonbills, marsh rabbits, and bald eagles. The two-mile long beach is accessible by boardwalk or trolley and was selected as the #4 beach in Florida by the Travel Channel.
Fort Myers Beach
Location: Accesses from #11 to #35 are on Estero Blvd. de Grande
Paso Carlos to the south to Puente Paso Matanzas to the north.
Colored banners designate their location, number and have symbols
indicating if they have services, accessibility or parking
(fee required) #37 to #41 north of the Matanzas Bridge on
Estero Boulevard. allow foot traffic only, no parking.
Phone: 239-765-0202 City of Fort Myers
Hours: dawn to dusk
Parking: Metered parking is located at Old San Carlos Blvd., Estero
Blvd., Center St. and Fifth St. $2/hour, 2 hour limit. On Fifth Street,
slots are $1/hour. Long-term parking is available throughout the beach.
access streets and on the lot under the Paso Matanzas Bridge. $1/
hour, no time limit. In season, arrive very early to find a place or
park on the mainland and take the tram.
Amenities: Lynn Hall Memorial Park (Pier): restrooms and Hours
Plaza with restaurants and shops facing the sea
Activities: fishing, bathing, shelling, disabled access,
sunbathe, walk
Pets: yes, on 6′ leashes
Of Special Interest: Fort Myers Beach (Isla Estero) boasts miles of white-sand beaches, where the ocean floor gently slopes toward the horizon with no sudden drop offs or large waves. All beaches are “natural beaches” which means they are not raked or groomed. This allows beachgoers to enjoy all the amenities of the coast while preserving their native environment. The busy intersection of San Carlos Boulevard and Estero Boulevard is lined with bars, beachwear stores, restaurants, and motels that attract singles and families. It’s a Coney Island atmosphere that’s known as “Times Square.”
Lynn Hall Park
Location: 1050 Main St., Fort Myers Beach, in the heart of
center
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking: $2/hour, 100 spaces
Amenities: Licensed fishing pier with bait shop, picnic shelters
with grills, playground, outdoor showers, restaurants, shops
Activities: swimming, shelling, fishing, sunbathing, walking
Pets: No
Of Special Interest: Located just north of the foot of the Matanzas Pass Bridge, adjacent to “Times Square” in the heart of downtown Fort Myers Beach, this lively gulf-front park is adjacent to shops and restaurants.
Bowditch Point Regional Park
Location: 50 Estero Blvd., Fort Myers Beach
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: 8 am to 1/2 hour after sunset
Parking: $1/hour, 75 spaces
Services: day docks for boats up to 28 feet, rowing boats
hit the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, walking trails
through the reserve area, picnic tables and grills, food concession,
bathrooms and changing rooms
Activities: boating, swimming, fishing, sunbathing, walking,
Disabled access
Pets: No
Of Special Interest: Located at the north end of Fort Myers Beach, this park has bay and gulf access and provides a much calmer experience than the city beaches.
Bunche Beach (reserve)
Location: 18201 John Morris Road, Fort Myers
Phone: 239-533-7275 Lee County Parks and Recreation
Hours: sunrise to sunset
Parking: free lot
services: none
Activities: swimming, photography, sunbathing, walking
Pets: No
Of Special Interest: This 731-acre preserve is a natural tidal wetland area. It is pristine and completely natural and offers a sandy beach, mangrove forests, salt flats and a wide variety of wildlife to observe.