Known as one of Florida's most lively, pleasant, and upbeat beach towns, Fort Myers, FL is the perfect family beach escape. With the Gulf of Mexico just steps away from your vacation rental, leave the car at home and stroll along the coastline of the many beautiful white sand beaches. Spend your days playing tennis and sunning by your rental's pool, or fish, swim, sail, and relax, all amidst a beautiful ocean backdrop.

Fort Myers is the perfect place to travel by foot or bike with trails running along the length of the island. Located on the southwestern side of Florida along the banks of the Caloosahatchee River, Fort Myers is home to great day and night life, with Fort Myers Beach's "Time Square," as the area's downtown hot spot. Vibrant shops, eateries, and clubs surround the city's pier, which reaches 600 ft. into the Gulf. If you're looking for a day trip, nearby islands Sanibel and Captiva offer great opportunities to explore. Take a fishing charter trip, search for seashells, or rent bikes and ride for hours along the coastline.

Here are a few additional suggestions to get you started:

• Visit the winter estates of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison: The house's history began in 1885, when Edison first visited Florida and purchased the property to build his vacation home. The home become Edison's upon Ford's death, and opened in 1990 for public tours.
• Stroll the botanical garden: Near the house lies a beautiful 17 acre botanical garden with more than a thousand different varieties of plants from around the world.
• Encounter the wildlife of the Everglades: The Everglades Day Safari offers full day tours of the Everglades, including the sawgrass prairie, mangrove estuary, cypress swamps and pine savannah.
• Experience the Bailey-Matthews Sea Shell Museum: Located on nearby Sanibel Island, this museum is entirely dedicated to the preservation and display of beautiful seashells. Its displays are home to shells collected from beaches all over the world.
• Stroll the Fort Myers Pier: This downtown hotspot extends about 600 feet into the ocean and is a lovely place to walk, rest your feet, go fishing, and people watch.
• Take a dolphin watching cruise: Fort Myers cruises can take you into the heart of bottlenose dolphin territory, where you can watch these fascinating creatures as they interact and play in the wake of the boat.

A beach vacation rental of your own is the perfect place to stay for a fantastic Fort Myers, Florida, getaway. If you're interested in golf, there are several Fort Myers golf packages that can pick you up in the morning from your condo or beach rental and take you to some of the best golf destinations in the state. But no matter what kind of activities you enjoy, you can easily find a perfect Fort Myers vacation rental within reach of everything you need. During your visit to Fort Myers, you may want to explore some beautiful nearby Florida destinations like Estero and Destin.