Destination: Ft. Myers, Florida

As you may know, Gman and I took a road trip for the holiday season. We started in his hometown, Ft Myers Beach, Florida. I've written about Southwest Florida briefly before here and it's true that this is where people go to experience a more relaxed lifestyle. Not only do Gman and I love to go home to visit his family but also to have downtime that we don't seem to get too much of in our daily lives. After a few days here we are refreshed and ready to take on the world again.

My favorite thing to do in Ft Myers is to lounge in the sun by the pool, drink a cold beer, and chat with Gman's family. I recommend going here if you are looking for a time out. This what you should see and do...

I highly recommend spending a significant portion of your time at the beach. Ft Myers Beach {where Gman's mother grew up} and Sanibel {which I wrote about here} are great options. Ft Myers used to rely heavily on its shrimp fishing industry and still does to a lesser degree {and now depends on tourism}. If you enjoy seafood, you can find the freshest around at the shimp docks on the mainland side of Ft Myers Beach. If you are looking for a beach-y souvenir then go to Local Color, also on Ft Myers Beach. They have a great selection of tacky, tourist-y objects and surprisingly chic beachwear.

taken with instagram

Spend a day shopping start by finding a deal at the Miramar Outlets then head over to The Shops at Coconut Point for lunch at Tony Sacco's for coal oven pizza and more shopping.  If you find yourself closer to downtown the shops at Bell Tower are great for grabbing the basics. I would stop here in the afternoon to sample beers at World of Beer and to have dinner at Paris Saigon Bistro for an interesting mix of French and Vietnamese.

You'll also want to take a drive down the palm tree lined McGregor Blvd and go for a tour of the Edison House. Both have the perfect old Florida vibe. Thomas Edison built his winter home here in Ft Myers. You can explore his laboratory, gardens, pool, and home which have all been fully restored. I found it slightly strange that you can not enter the home, only peer into the windows. However, the architecture was designed to maximize that coastal breeze so large windows and shallow spaces allow you to see everything despite being regulated to view from the porch. 

Henry Ford lived next door and you can sneak a peek into his Craftsman style house too. I'm obsessed with the wood floors and ceilings of the Ford home. The wrap around porches on both homes are also a dream come true.

Last but not least you must pick up some chocolates at Norman Love. If it's cold(ish) then try the Mexican Hot Chocolate otherwise just pick up a few truffles. They are so delicious that your mouth waters with anticipation of the next bite.