Fort Myers, FL

Fort Myers sits on the Caloosahatchee River in Lee County, in the southwestern corner of Florida, with a city population of roughly 90,000 and a metro area that pushes well beyond 700,000. It has a relaxed Gulf Coast feel, part old-Florida downtown, part bustling winter escape, and it serves as the main mainland gateway to Sanibel Island, Captiva, and a long stretch of barrier-island beaches. Tampa lies about 125 miles to the north along the coast, and Miami sits roughly 150 miles to the southeast, but most visitors arrive via Southwest Florida International Airport, just a short drive south of the city.

A short drive east of downtown, the Edison and Ford Winter Estates anchors the city's identity as a winter retreat for some of America's most famous inventors. The preserved homes, gardens, and laboratory of Thomas Edison and his friend Henry Ford draw curious travelers interested in late-19th and early-20th-century innovation, and the riverside grounds are an easy afternoon outing for guests staying anywhere in the urban core.

West of the city, a short drive over the causeway leads to Fort Myers Beach, a wide, family-friendly strip of sand on Estero Island known for soft quartz sand, calm Gulf water, and a lively Times Square-style town center. From the same general direction, the causeway to Sanibel Island — about a 30-minute drive from downtown — delivers visitors to a laid-back barrier community famous for its shelling beaches, the lighthouse, and the J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, a 6,400-acre refuge that is one of the country's best spots for birding and a regular stop on birding festival itineraries.

Closer to the urban core, the River District downtown offers a compact walkable grid of restored early-1900s brick buildings, art galleries, restaurants, and a few small museums, including the Southwest Florida Museum of History. Just south of the city, Manatee Park draws crowds in cooler months when Florida manatees congregate in the warm outflow from a nearby power plant, while Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve provides a quick immersion into old cypress swamp a short drive east of the airport.

Fort Myers works as a short-term-rental base because it bundles a characterful historic downtown, reliable warm-weather amenities, and quick access to some of Florida's most photogenic Gulf Coast scenery. Guests can spend mornings on Sanibel shelling, afternoons touring Edison's estate, and evenings dining along the river, all without straying far from a centrally located property. The combination of year-round mild climate, beach and nature appeal, and easy air access keeps demand steady through both the high winter tourist season and the quieter shoulder months.