Ft. Myers Beach, FL...stuff to do?...places to eat?

[conjur]

Well...appears I'll be spending a couple of nights down there next week (on business). I won't have a lot of spare time but just curious if anyone knows any really good local eateries (just hate dining in chain restaurants when I travel).

 

[Shawn]

Try Carrabba's. I don't know if there is one if Ft Myers tho. Probably.... if not drive down to Bonita or Naples. Actually Naples is the place to go if you want to sight-see.

Edit: Check out Old Naples and/or Tin City, they got a lot of great places to eat. Tin City is where to go if you want to eat on the water. They have boat rides too.

 

[Shawn]

http://carrabbas.know-where.com/carrabbas/cgi/selection?mapid=us&place=Ft.+Myers&region=FL%2Cus

 

[conjur]

meh....there's a Carrabbas within walking distance of where I live.

Tin City, eh? I'll have to look into that. I'll be on the beach and near what is called Times Square?

 

[conjur]

Bump for more ideers....

 

[Placer14]

It's been a while since I've been in that area. But I seem to recall a circular drive with stores lined around the outside of it. RIGHT next to the whitest beach I've ever seen (which probably isn't that white). In the circular drive, there's a fudge shop that has been the only shop to SO closely replicate the original german recipe for Death By Chocolate. (Short story, it's GOOD). Might be worth checking out if you find anything similar to that when you're passing through.

 

[fumbduck]

i lived there for all of my childhood, infact im going to be there (ft. myers beach) in a bit.

One of my favorite places is out a bit from the main part. If my memory tells me correctly, its at Mac Gregor Boulevard and something that starts with a G. Shoot.

Its called, Hickory Barbeque. Its nothing fancy, nothing long mealed, but its real good barbeque, and its been owned by the same people for atleast 50 years. The same waitress has been workin there since i was born, and still does. its about 5-6 bucks a meal.


As far as entertainment, there is the Belltower cinema complexes, and Ft. myers Beach. Ft. Myers beach is incredibly crowded during the summer, but many many good looking easy girls. Thats why I go back every summer.

If you go on to the beach, there is this place that is GREAT for breakfast, or was when i went, its called "Gulf Shore Restaurant".

Also, as you are getting on the beach from the BiG Bridge(its a big bridge, you will know which one it is) to the left(on the side before you cross) there is a restaurant called "The Bridge" which is pretty good, and always has live music, or atleast on sundays. At the other side of the big bridge, on your left and below it is a restaurant called... something, i cant remember, but i remember that it was always a huge wait to get in.


Farther down the beach, left if you get off the bridge, is a place called charlie browns, it used to be real good, but i heard the management changed and now its iffy.

If you have some time, SANIBEL Island is the place to go for GREAT food. You have to pay a toll to get on, but the place is the nicest place in florida to live.
there are strict building restrictions so there are no tall buildings, all road signs and restaurant signs have to be made out of wood, everything looks so nice. There are quite a few 5 star restaurants on it. One in particular I know the chef personally is Nupi's and the Sundial restaurant. Nupi's is named after the chef whom my dad is great friends with. I have spent many summers at his house and with his children, he is from thailand and cooks great food of all types. He is a well renounded 5-star chef of that area. He used to work at the Sundial restaurant on sanibel. Nupi's is another restaurant that is named after him but is supposed to have good food.

 

[Placer14]

Originally posted by: fumbduck
i lived there for all of my childhood, infact im going to be there (ft. myers beach) in a bit.

One of my favorite places is out a bit from the main part. If my memory tells me correctly, its at Mac Gregor Boulevard and something that starts with a G. Shoot.

Its called, Hickory Barbeque. Its nothing fancy, nothing long mealed, but its real good barbeque, and its been owned by the same people for atleast 50 years. The same waitress has been workin there since i was born, and still does. its about 5-6 bucks a meal.


As far as entertainment, there is the Belltower cinema complexes, and Ft. myers Beach. Ft. Myers beach is incredibly crowded during the summer, but many many good looking easy girls. Thats why I go back every summer.

If you go on to the beach, there is this place that is GREAT for breakfast, or was when i went, its called "Gulf Shore Restaurant".

Also, as you are getting on the beach from the BiG Bridge(its a big bridge, you will know which one it is) to the left(on the side before you cross) there is a restaurant called "The Bridge" which is pretty good, and always has live music, or atleast on sundays. At the other side of the big bridge, on your left and below it is a restaurant called... something, i cant remember, but i remember that it was always a huge wait to get in.


Farther down the beach, left if you get off the bridge, is a place called charlie browns, it used to be real good, but i heard the management changed and now its iffy.

If you have some time, SANIBEL Island is the place to go for GREAT food. You have to pay a toll to get on, but the place is the nicest place in florida to live.
there are strict building restrictions so there are no tall buildings, all road signs and restaurant signs have to be made out of wood, everything looks so nice. There are quite a few 5 star restaurants on it. One in particular I know the chef personally is Nupi's and the Sundial restaurant. Nupi's is named after the chef whom my dad is great friends with. I have spent many summers at his house and with his children, he is from thailand and cooks great food of all types. He is a well renounded 5-star chef of that area. He used to work at the Sundial restaurant on sanibel. Nupi's is another restaurant that is named after him but is supposed to have good food.

Homesick?

 

[conjur]

What about Lover's Key State Park?

Looks like a pretty cool park. Does it have canoe rentals there?

 

[bambam]

RE" lLovers Key Park - They had canoe rentals last year when I was there .

 

[conjur]

Cool!!

Just hope I don't forget my digital camera. Wish my miniDV camcorder was trustworthy. Have a Canon Optura Pi and it's suffering from what is apparently a common problem...head misalignment...records but won't playback.

 

[Salvador]

Awesome area! I was there back in '90 with my girlfriend and her family at the time. I don't remember restaurant names or anything, but I do remember hitting Sanibel Island and Captiva nearby. Very beautiful area no matter where you go.

Sal

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: conjur
What about Lover's Key State Park?

Looks like a pretty cool park. Does it have canoe rentals there?

They did at least up until the end of March of this year.

 

[Shawn]

Oh yeah, definitely check out Sanibel Island. It's worth the visit.

 

[Cyberian]

Originally posted by: conjur
meh....there's a Carrabbas within walking distance of where I live.

Tin City, eh? I'll have to look into that. I'll be on the beach and near what is called Times Square?

Yeah, that's kind of the main part of Ft. Myers Beach.
It's right across the big (Matanzas) bridge that fumduck mentioned.
Tin City in Naples is probably going to be a good 1.5 hour drive south on 41.

 

[flot]

Ditto everyone else, I lived on Sanibel when I was a kid, and have been back a couple times... it's a great island to hang out on. If you have the chance (and are into food, apparently) I'd recommend going to captiva island (you get onto sanibel, drive to the end of sanibel and then cross onto captiva) and hitting a restaurant called 'the bubble room' for dinner. As I recall dinner for 2 would be in the $60-90 range, but great food and entertaining decor.

Oh wait.. business trip.. Er.. hmm... well, still worth hitting Sanibel... but if you're travelling by yourself, might as well hit up area beach dives and bars (will be easy to find) and I'm sure it'll be a good time...

 

[cpals]

I live in Fort Myers... What kind of stuff do you like to do?

 

[conjur]

Thanks for the info. Sanibel may be a possibility...appears to be a bit of a drive (time-wise) to get across the island?

Being as I'll be down there (looks like late tomorrow evening) on business..mostly just looking for good places to eat (that the locals prefer) and the canoeing is a definite possibilty (given the rentals are there and they rent in the evening (or early morning...Fri. I might have open...depends on how well work goes this week )

Digicam is all charged to expect at least a decent sunset shot or two (and maybe some beach 'sights', too, if I can be stealthy enough )

 

[Farbio]

its all about the bubble room on captiva!
huge portions of great food, very fun atmosphere and the best deserts you have ever eaten.
make sure to get a piece of red velvet cake at the very least!

 

[pyonir]

I ate at Channel Mark (?) when i was down there.... i thought that was a pretty decent place.

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: conjur
Thanks for the info. Sanibel may be a possibility...appears to be a bit of a drive (time-wise) to get across the island?

Being as I'll be down there (looks like late tomorrow evening) on business..mostly just looking for good places to eat (that the locals prefer) and the canoeing is a definite possibilty (given the rentals are there and they rent in the evening (or early morning...Fri. I might have open...depends on how well work goes this week )

Digicam is all charged to expect at least a decent sunset shot or two (and maybe some beach 'sights', too, if I can be stealthy enough )

Watch out... it's rained the last couple days here so you may not get that great sunset...

 

[cpals]

Originally posted by: Farbio
its all about the bubble room on captiva!
huge portions of great food, very fun atmosphere and the best deserts you have ever eaten.
make sure to get a piece of red velvet cake at the very least!

...and get ready to spend huge portions of money.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: cpals

Originally posted by: Farbio
its all about the bubble room on captiva!
huge portions of great food, very fun atmosphere and the best deserts you have ever eaten.
make sure to get a piece of red velvet cake at the very least!

...and get ready to spend huge portions of money.

Well....may have to forego that place then...being on a per diem and all.

Pretty cloudy here right now, too. A storm went through a bit before I checked in. Looks to be a long day tomorrow and quite possibly Thursday, too, so dinner will be about all I get to do. But, hey, don't think I'm complaining!

 

[conjur]

Ended up eating twice at a place called The Beached Whale. Damn good full rack of ribs there. The meat just fell off the bones! One night, some fisherman came in and he was already well lit and was talking about his catch (had been out about 21 days). Was a very interesting conversation (mostly one-sided...his side ). That same night I was just there at the bar on top and watching baseball and talking w/the bartender and the owner (I presume he was the owner). I got two free Kamikaze shots that night...heh heh. Cool place and the blues they had playing downstairs on Thur. night was pretty good.

Just had a burger one night at Pete's Time Out in the middle of Times Square and that was a darn good burger. I ended up back at the hotel shortly thereafter and working until about 9:30pm. I did get a couple of walks in on the beach and enjoyed it quite a bit. Wasn't much in the way of crowds and even less in the way of beach 'sights' but after driving around the town for a few days I'm hooked. Forget Daytona/Ormond!