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.

Cabbage Key Restaurant patrons enjoying a meal in the dollar bill bar at Cabbage Key. A sea of thousands of individually signed dollar bills hang from the walls and ceiling.

Patrons of Cabbage Key Restaurant enjoy their meals surrounded by dollar bills. -Photography courtesy of Cabbage Key

EAT

Fort Myers offers no shortage of stunning waterfront views, the best of which are enhanced by a delicious meal. High Tide Social House serves up a bit of everything, from comforting classics such as shrimp and grits to fusion dishes like a Thai-style pizza—not to mention fresh seafood. Marker 92 Waterfront Bar and Bistro is a convenient, flavorful choice for guests at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. Marker 92 takes pride in its seafood offerings and rotating seasonal menu, which are inspired by global cuisines. Summertime offerings include jerk-spiced salmon bites, grouper piccata, and steak au poivre. Try authentic Italian dishes at Bruno’s of Brooklyn in downtown Fort Myers. Inspired by summers spent in Italy and his father’s dream of owning a restaurant, chef Cal Bruno runs the kitchen alongside his wife, Genevieve. Dishes at Bruno’s are prepared fresh daily from recipes that are more than a century old. Must-try dishes include the meatball speciale, shrimp scampi, and long-stem artichokes, as well as veal parmigiano with house-made pappardelle and cavatelli sausage and broccoli rabe. For those stopping at Cabbage Key Restaurant during a boat tour with Captain Brian, you’re in for a one-of-a-kind experience. Adorned with signed dollar bills on its ceilings and walls, Cabbage Key has been a mainstay for boaters and fishermen for more than 60 years. Today, Cabbage Key is known for its fresh catch of the day, Island salad with house-made honey citrus vinaigrette, and Gulf shrimp cocktail. Don’t miss the frozen key lime pie or homemade cookie dough ice cream sandwich. (Pro tip: Save the painstaking decision between the two by ordering both.) And there are no shortage of other options, including a Cuban sandwich pizza from Nice Guys Pizza, a nightcap at Escondido Lounge, an old-fashioned breakfast at Farmer’s Market Restaurant, and caramel cheesecake at Tarpon Lodge Restaurant.

This is an excerpt from an article by Roshae Hemmings, originally posted on St. Louis Magazine

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

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 ©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

Dock & dine in style: Discover Fort Myers’ best waterfront restaurants

Posted on October 6, 2023
By Travelweek
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fort Myers, Recreation, Tarpon Lodge

Inhale those fresh Gulf breezes and feel the warmth of the sun on your face as the day unfolds before you.

All throughout Fort Myers’ islands, beaches, and neighborhoods, you can go straight from an exhilarating boat ride to an amazing meal while overlooking the water.

You’re invited to experience a local legend. Cabbage Key Inn sits on its own 100-acre island and has been feeding guests for decades. Hop aboard a charter or book your own private boat to reach this remote restaurant famed for its cheeseburgers, fresh seafood and frozen Key lime pie. Its defining feature is the thousands of dollar bills taped to the restaurant’s ceilings and walls, and you’ll likely spot tortoises and other wildlife roaming the walkways outside.

Feel the charm of an Old Florida landmark at the Tarpon Lodge & Restaurant in Bokeelia on Pine Island. This historical 1926 house overlooks Pine Island Sound and is surrounded by a restored boathouse, bungalow-style cottage and comfortable Island House. Enjoy a leisurely lunch or exquisite evening meal at Tarpon Lodge Restaurant, where you can dine on the catch of the day, prized Gulf pink shrimp or other locally sourced favourites.

This is an excerpt from an article originally published by Travelweek.

Cabbage Key among the 15 Best Things to Do in Lee County, FL

Posted on June 3, 2023
By Rice Ocampo of Travel Lens
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fort Myers, Lee County, Recreation

Lee County is your ultimate beachfront destination on the Gulf Coast within southwestern Florida.

Founded in 1887, this county is more famous for its sandy beaches, historic homes and estates, quirky galleries and museums, and islands. It got its name from Robert E. Lee, who was an American Civil War general who helped the country reunite.

Aside from its noteworthy attractions, the county also offers access to an impressive water channel, including the Imperial River and the Gulf of Mexico. It’s also home to a variety of collegiate opportunities, what with the Florida Gulf Coast University within the property. Keep your beachfront vacation simple and elegant by choosing to travel to its county seat, Fort Myers, or any of its cities, including Cape Coral and Bonita Springs.

Fort Myers Tip-Off Tournament Features Cabbage Key

Posted on May 23, 2022
Cabbage Key, Dining, Recreation

Special thanks to Jade Mallard, of the Fort Myers Tip-Off Tournament, and Captain Brian for stopping by Cabbage Key on their Fort Myers promotional tour:

A Return To Old Florida: 6 Fantastic Experiences On Pine Island

Posted on March 2, 2021
By Fred Mays, Travelawaits.com
Cabbage Key, Dining, Fishing & Boating, Local Attractions, Nature & Wildlife, Pine Island, Tarpon Lodge

We all have those favorite vacation spots that keep bringing us back. It’s that feeling of peace and comfort that draws us again and again. That’s the way it is for me and Pine Island. I’ve been there four times and still want more.

There are any number of reasons to visit laid-back Pine Island off Florida’s Gulf Coast near Fort Myers. There is solitude and relaxation. Art galleries, fresh seafood, peace, and quiet are in abundance. There are no beaches, no hi-rise condos, not much traffic. But the biggest reason people come here is to fish!

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Dining | Cabbage Key Inn & Restaurant