Attractions & Activities

Challenging golf courses, uncrowded beaches and upscale shopping abound in low-key South Lee County!

For starters, it's a beach-goers' heaven! The area offers miles of pristine beaches such as Lovers Key, and also boasts the only beach in Lee County where dogs are free to frolic off-leash.

For the spectator-sport enthusiast, three professional teams — hockey, arena football and basketball — call Germain Arena home. It is also open to the public for a cool ice skating or hockey outing, and hosts major concerts and other large-draw events.

If shopping is your draw, Miromar Outlets offers some of the best savings at name-brand stores in Southwest Florida. The mall is a wonderful place to nose around for bargains, sit outdoors at one of the many sidewalk cafes offered by restaurants, and feel the cool spray from its numerous fountains. You'll find yourself surrounded by luxury when visiting The Promenade — upscale shopping at its best — featuring 30 shops and restaurants. Its strong restaurant focus includes Roy's and the Silver Spoon Café, among others, while its shops are all top tier. For a great nightclub atmosphere, visit Aja.

When you're in the mood to explore the great outdoors, the area is home to three Florida state parks including the Koreshan State Historic Site, which commemorates the 1894 settlement of the somewhat peculiar followers of Cyrus Reed Teed. Framed by forests and mangrove trees, the shell mounds and ridges of Mound Key rise more than 30 feet above the waters of Estero Bay. Its complex of mounds were created by prehistoric Native Americans with an accumulation of seashells, fish bones and pottery. It is also believed to be the ceremonial center of the Calusa Indians when they were first encountered by Spaniards in the 16th century. Estero Bay Preserve carries the title of Florida's First aquatic preserve and is one of the most productive estatuaries in the state. Miles of trails offer visitors the opportunity to hike, bike, or study the wildlife and native vegetation.