The Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail
Canoe or kayak along the marked trails of the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, which the Calusa Indians used before they died out in the 1700s. Mound Key at Estero Bay has a huge shell mound left by the Calusas. View mangrove tunnels, manatees, dolphins, river otters and stingrays. Birds along the trail include yellow-crowned and Louisiana herons, roseate spoonbills, osprey, bald eagles and cormorant. From May 1 to October 31 is turtle nesting season; loggerheads and Kemp's ridley turtles are the most common. Take your camping gear in order to fully enjoy as much of the trail as possible.
Put-in spots for the Great Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail
Bowditch Point Regional Park
50 Estero Blvd.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239) 765-6794
leeparks.org/facility-info/facility-details.cfm?Project_Num=0111
Salty Sam's Marina
2500 Main St.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239) 463-7333
saltysamsmarina.com
The Mound House: A Cultural & Environmental Learning Center
289 Connecticut St.
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239) 765-0865
moundhouse.org
Ostego Bay Marine Life Science Center
Take a tour of the Ostego Bay Marine Life Science Center for a three-hour tour of the center and a trip to the wharf to see the fishing fleet and a shrimp processing plant. The tour happens at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays from October through May; reservations are necessary. The center has interactive exhibits and aquariums, skeletons, taxidermy specimens and photos of many sea creatures.
Make a donation, as there is no formal entry fee.
Ostego Bay Foundation, Inc.
718 Fisherman's Wharf
Fort Myers Beach, FL 33931
(239) 765-8101
ostegobay.org
Fishing
Fishing in the Ft. Myers Beach area is nothing short of incredible. For the best experience, go with a guide on a trip into the calm backwaters, where you can fish near mangrove islands, oyster bars and more. Depending on where you go, you can reel in tarpon, mangrove snapper, pompano, shark, trout ladyfish or trout. Choose an offshore excursion to catch bonita, tripletail, mackerel and barracuda. Catch a boat at night and find grouper and yellowtail, lane, mangrove and mutton snappers. Many companies provide guides; prices are steep, but worth it for the dedicated angler or beginning fisherperson.
