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These 10 Towns Are Florida’s Best-Kept Secret

Posted on September 10, 2025
By Mina Wiebe, WorldAtlas
Cabbage Key, Recreation

The scenic setting of Cabbage Key, Florida.

After welcoming an estimated 143 million visitors in 2024, it is no surprise that Florida reigns as one of the top travel destinations in the United States. From Miami to Kissimmee, millions are drawn to all the Sunshine State has to offer. But what about the towns we don’t often see in travel vlogs and magazines? While Florida’s theme parks and resort cities are popular for a reason, sometimes the best treasures are hidden in the shadows. Whether located off the beaten path or eclipsed by more popular attractions, these 10 small towns are some of Florida’s best-kept secrets. Boasting postcard beaches without the crowds and charming downtowns without the tourist traps, these towns unveil a more authentic side of Florida you never knew existed.

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I found a little-known part of Florida with quiet beaches and incredible wildlife

Posted on September 10, 2025
By Laura Mulley and Rebecca Jones, The Mirror
Cabbage Key, Captiva, Dining, Fort Myers, Hurricane Ian, Lee County

Beautiful Captiva

This coastal region of Southwest Florida has region has overcome natural disaster and now offers wildlife, beaches and delicious seafood to enjoy, as we discovered for ourselves

Dreaming of blue skies, breathtaking sunsets and soft sandy beaches, and need some inspiration for where to go? We found all this and more on a trip to Southwest Florida’s Lee County, where we explored the rich history and top seafood restaurants of Fort Myers before soaking up the sun on nearby Sanibel Island, known as the seashell capital of the world.

Regenerated following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian in September 2022, Fort Myers and its beaches, neighbourhoods and more than 100 islands are back to being a must-visit destination.

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2 old Florida restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers area make statewide best of list

Posted on July 28, 2025
By Robyn George Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fort Myers

Hit the road in Florida and you’re bound to run into salty oyster bars, historic waterfront wonders, quirky roadside diners and a fabulous fish camp or two.

Welcome to the Sunshine State, where tastes of old Florida can be found here, there, and everywhere.

The USA TODAY Network Florida Dining & Entertainment team recently compiled a list of charmingly historic, road-trip worthy restaurants you’ll want to jump in your car, boat or golf cart to find.

Of the 16 old Florida finds from Perdido Key to Mayport to West Palm, these two were in our little nook of Southwest Florida:

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Mangroves, Mollusks, and Frozen Key Lime Pie: Cruising to Southwest Florida’s Cabbage Key

Posted on July 28, 2025
By Phoebe Skok, Matador Network
Cabbage Key, Dining, Nature & Wildlife, Recreation

Five minutes after stepping onto the boat at McCarthy’s Marina in Captiva, Florida, I was already geeking out over a salinity gradient — the gradual transition between freshwater and saltwater.

The Lady Chadwick was my home for the day as guides from Captiva Cruises steered us through Pine Island Sound to Cabbage Key, a low-slung barrier island just off the coast of Fort Myers. Our guide, Captain Richard, casually mentioned that the tea-colored water surrounding us gets saltier the farther south you go, all thanks to a lack of freshwater flow from the Everglades.

Technically, yes, I was on vacation. But when you spend years studying climate science and oceanography, you can’t not get excited about what’s happening under the waves.

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Where to Eat: Southwest Florida’s Best Classic Restaurants

Posted on July 27, 2025
By Samantha Garbarini, Gulfshore Life
Cabbage Key, Dining, History

Decades in, these beloved restaurants still serve regulars, gather memories and shape the region’s food culture.

Southwest Florida’s legacy restaurants aren’t just places to eat—they’re the institutions that shaped our dining culture and continue to gather generations in shared tradition.

Along the Gulf Coast, a handful of such restaurants stand the test of time. These institutions hold fast to the lore of times when Naples was a sleepy fishing town and Cabbage Key was an artists’ retreat. Their enduring appeal relies on a potent blend of nostalgia, reverence for the past and an unfailing respect for the loyal clientele that returns time and time again.

The Veranda may be where locals celebrate big moments, but Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant is where they go to slip off the map. Only accessible by boat, the island has a rich history, populated by the Calusa, Cuban fishers, homesteaders, artists and even a Corning glass heiress throughout the centuries.

The Dollar Bill Bar at Cabbage Key. Photography by Brian Tietz

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Best Old Florida-style restaurants? 16 beloved spots worth the road trip

Posted on July 24, 2025
By Robyn George, The News-Press, USA TODAY Network, Florida
Cabbage Key, Dining

Dollar bills on the walls, gators on the menu, sunsets in your face — here are 16 Old Florida-style restaurants worth the road trip.

Forget the chain restaurants and make sure your next road trip includes a taste of Old Florida.

From salty oyster bars and waterfront fish camps to quirky roadside diners and historic steakhouses, the Sunshine State is packed with restaurants that serve more than just food — they dish out history, charm and a whole lot of character.

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Where to eat, stay and play in Fort Myers, Florida

Posted on July 1, 2025
By Roshae Hemmings, St. Louis Magazine
Cabbage Key, Dining, Recreation

Located in southwest Florida, Fort Myers is accessible via nonstop flight from St. Louis. The popular destination is comprised of 100 islands, 50 neighborhoods, and 50 miles of beaches.

Silhouettes of three kayakers on the water at sunset in waters of Fort Myers, FL. A lovely gradient of blue and orange.

Paddle activities such as kayaking are a common way that locals and visitors explore the wildlife and nature of Fort Myers. – Photography courtesy of Cape Coral Kayak

PLAY

To visit Florida, especially Fort Myers, and skip the beach would be a missed opportunity. Island hopping is a popular way to explore the geography and natural beauty of the islands off the coast of Fort Myers. Several companies in the area offer private boat tours, including Captain Brian on the Water. Captain Brian Holaway has been a beloved fixture in the Fort Myers community since 1995. Tour options include trips to Cayo Costa, known for its shell-covered beaches, and Cabbage Key, where guests can stop for lunch at the iconic Cabbage Key Restaurant. Paddling is another great way to get up close to nature and wildlife. Cape Coral Kayak offers several guided and self-guided excursions, including dolphin-spotting tours. If leisure is high on your priority list, then try Fins Up! Beach Club at Margaritaville Beach Resort, where paradise awaits for visitors who yearn for long days by the pool. Fins Up! Beach Club features a 15,000-square-foot heated pool, live entertainment, and various dining options, including 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill. Access to Fins Up! Beach Club is included for Margaritaville Beach Resort guests; visitors can also enjoy the fun by purchasing a day pass. Lynn Hall Memorial Park, located in the Fort Myers Beach neighborhood, is a popular option among locals and visitors, as it’s within walking distance from local shops and restaurants. Among other stops to consider: Bailey-Matthews National Shell Museum and Aquarium, Dunbar-McCollum Hall mural wall, First Fridays at Downtown Fort Myers Art Walk.

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Cabbage Key continues to enthrall with old Florida charm, dollar bill bar and storied past

Posted on April 11, 2025
By Robyn George, The News Press
Cabbage Key, History, Reviews

The small tropical island of Cabbage Key, Florida, accessible only by boat, is a beloved destination with an inn, restaurant and bar keeping it afloat

Story Summary:

  • Cabbage Key is a small, 112-acre island accessible only by boat, located in Pine Island Sound near Pineland, Florida.
  • The island, once home to the Calusa Indians, is now a popular destination featuring an inn, restaurant, and cottages.
  • The restaurant’s “Dollar Bill Bar” is a unique attraction, with thousands of dollar bills stapled to the walls, some of which periodically fall off and are donated to charity.
  • Cabbage Key is rumored to be the inspiration for Jimmy Buffett’s song “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” though the connection is anecdotal.
  • The Wells family has owned and operated Cabbage Key since 1976, maintaining its “Old Florida” charm and laid-back atmosphere.

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Brendan O’Connor Is Livin’ the Salt Life In Fort Myers

Posted on September 26, 2024
By Brendan O’Connor, Orlando Magazine
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fort Myers, Hurricane Ian

Post Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers hasn’t lost a bit of its allure.

I had heard of Fort Myers, but I don’t think I really understood what it was all about. Just another waterfront playground for the rich that I’d never see, I assumed. I’d been to Naples and streaked on a few golf courses before, how different could it be? Completely different, y’all.

I was extended an invitation by Visit Fort Myers to come and see firsthand what made them so special, and I have to say, at the end of the trip, I had drunk the Fort Myers Kool-Aid.

…

After I washed those dreams out of my hair the next morning, we all hopped on a private boat tour with our guide, Captain Brian on the Water. Brian took us out to the barrier islands, which were beat to hell by the hurricane. These places are only accessible by boat, haunted islands where whole trees had been stripped of foliage and jutted out of the sand like wizard wands or gnarled fingers poking skyward. We cruised by North Captiva Island, where only 36 permanent residents call it home and traverse the island in little golf carts. He knew all the critters that poked their noses out at our boat, from spotted eagle rays and ospreys to manatees, dolphins and permit fish. His enthusiasm was contagious.

he Gulf Stone Crab Claw appetizer at Cabbage Key ©Brendan O’Connor

he Gulf Stone Crab Claw appetizer at Cabbage Key

I knew lunch was going to be a treat when I saw the glint of mischief in Capt. Brian’s eye. He shuttled us over to Cabbage Key, the home of the historic Dollar Bill Bar and Restaurant, a beautiful collection of buildings that opened to the public in 1944. The place was packed to the railings with happy and hungry visitors. The walls and ceilings were covered with paper currency from around the world, with names and messages scrawled in Sharpies, and stuck in place with a prayer and a piece of gum.

The Dollar Bill Bar and Restaurant

The Dollar Bill Bar and Restaurant ©Brendan O’Connor

It was that afternoon with Capt. Brian that really drove home it was the water and the islands that made Fort Myers so special. The resorts and the restaurants were all top notch and we still had more to see on the mainland, but you could tell that both Capt. Brian and Capt. Dan (if that was his real name) had embraced the Salt Life and weren’t coming back.

This is an excerpt from an article by Brendan O’Connor that originally appeared on orlgnaomagazine.com on September 3, 2024

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