Five Things You Must Do While You Are in Cape Coral
Cape Coral (population 169,000) is 20 minutes southwest of Fort Meyers, Florida, on the Gulf of Mexico. It was built about 40 years ago by two land speculators who believed that the property's location provided abundant sunshine and almost endless opportunities for waterfront living. Cape Coral is in the state’s southern “glade” area, the most famous of which are the Everglades. Due to swamps, the city is built around a system of more than 400 miles of canals. The city is accessible by causeway to nearby Sanibel Island, home to one of the most important birding refuges in the U.S. 1. Visit a tropical-climate park:. There are more than 30 parks and facilities managed by the Cape Coral Parks and Recreation Department, where visitors can skateboard, bike, stroll, boat, and swim. They include the 27,000-square-foot Eagle Skate Park, Four Freedoms Park, Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve, Rotary Park, and Yacht Club Community Park. 2. See a manatee: Nearby Lee County Manatee Park provides the best opportunity to see the endangered marine mammal also known as a dugong -- and the basis for sailors’ sightings of mermaids. “Sea cows” may be seen slowly drifting about the shallows of the lagoon, chewing on underwater grasses. Guided sighting programs and viewing platforms are coupled with an “Eco-Torium” with manatee displays and information. Keep an eye out for alligators and tropical birds here, too. 3 . Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary: Run by the National Audubon Society, this reserve is teeming with wildlife, including alligators, deer, and more than 200 species of birds -- all seen from a 2-mile boardwalk over the swamp and through the world’s largest subtropical-growth bald cypress forest. The visitors center is a birder’s dream. 4. Sanibel and Captiva islands: The southernmost Gulf Barrier islands make for great daytrips from Cape Coral. The beaches are one of the Northern Hemisphere’s best spots for collecting seashells; there’s an excellent shell museum on Captiva. Sanibel’s DJ “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge has canoe/kayak trails and a five-mile drive to see abundant wildlife, including alligators and a huge variety of birds: six species of herons, exotic raptors, bald eagles, roseate spoonbills, flamingoes, pelicans, and anhinga. There are viewing platforms above the swamp to spot ‘gators and water birds. 5 . Edison Estate and Laboratory: In Fort Meyers, the principal tourist attraction is the winter home of prolific inventor Thomas Alva Edison. The home’s tropical grounds are lovely, with more than 400 plant species, because Edison was an amateur botanist. The laboratories were devoted to Edison’s unsuccessful attempts, at the behest of the Ford and Firestone companies, to establish a domestic source of rubber plants. Next to the lab is a museum with hundreds of Edison’s inventions and possessions. |
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