Travel Diary: Spring Break in Fort Myers

Happy Tuesday, y’all!

I’m not gonna lie, I’m feeling a bit down because a few of my roommates and I just got back from our spring break trip to Fort Myers and I wish we were back there for another week or two 😭 On a more positive note, I’m beyond grateful for having some out-of-state vacay (especially after being in a pandemic for over a year!), and we had an absolute blast together! We got to hang out at the beach every day, eat some yummy food (and frozen margs of course!), sit in the sun (and got a little too sunburnt lol), and so much more. I haven’t been to Florida in so long, and boy it sure felt amazing to be back! I love going to the South for vacation. Something about the atmosphere, weather, and people makes me so happy. I honestly could see myself living there if I didn’t live in Ohio!

Our one roommate Abby has been going to Fort Myers with her family since her childhood, and she actually was there with them the week before, so she got to go twice! I was very jealous, especially because she’s now extremely tan and looks like a gorgeous beach goddess! Anyway, since she’s been going there for so long, she had a lot of recommendations and fun things for us to do, so we didn’t have to worry about figuring it all out by ourselves!

So without further ado, here’s how we spent our spring break and some recommendations of what to see and do in Fort Myers!

Where We Stayed

• Residence Inn Fort Myers Sanibel: We stayed at this Marriott hotel for the whole trip. We have my dad to thank as he helped us get reservations with some points! It was a very good and relaxing experience. They have a gym open for 24 hours which I was able to use in the mornings to get some workouts in. They also have free breakfast, a basketball court, a pool, an outdoor fireplace, and it’s right across from the Sanibel Outlets. It’s also only a 20 minute drive from Fort Myers Beach! I definitely recommend checking it out if you’re looking to book a trip to Fort Myers in the near future!

Where We Dined

BREAKFAST

• Heavenly Biscuit: This is another one of Abby’s top recommendations as she said they have the world’s best cinnamon rolls, and she was not wrong at all! Y’all, they will literally melt in your mouth, they’re so good! Plus, it’s so fun to watch them drizzle the icing on! It’s not called “heavenly” for no reason! We took them and got some coffee to sit on the beach in the morning and it was absolutely amazing. I will say to get there as early as possible as it’s always busy because so many people want a cinnamon roll or something else. Plus, parking here is also tricky, just warning you ahead of time!

LUNCH/DINNER

• Dixie Fish Co.: This is by far my favorite restaurant that we ate at during our trip! Abby has dined here with her family on previous vacations and recommended it to the three of us, so we went and it was awesome! The atmosphere is so nice, they have great food (their fried calamari is absolutely divine!), there’s live music (Sam DeArmond played the night we were there and he had the voice of an angel!) and the quality service is top-notch. We had S’iva as our server and she was so sweet and a fantastic waitress!

• Doc Ford’s Rum Bar & Grill: This is actually the sister restaurant to Dixie Fish Co. as they’re literally right next to each other. Though I liked the food and experience at Dixie more, Doc Ford’s still made the list of top favorites with where we ate! It’s right on the dock with a great view and it’s very relaxing with good food, drinks, and music. We also didn’t have to wait as long which was nice, but I still recommend getting there early or making a reservation as it is very popular!

• Junkaroo Beach: This was one of the places we ate at for dinner right on the beach and the view we had was so nice, just in time for the sunset. They have lots of good options on their menu and are really well known for their fried foods! I will say parking sucks because it’s such a small lot 😂 So try to get there as soon as possible so you can find a good spot!

• GatorBites: No joke, we had no idea eating actual alligators was a thing in Florida! We were tempted to try it just for the heck of it to say we ate some gators, but we couldn’t get the courage to do so, or at least I didn’t 😂 They do have a lot of other really good options for food and drinks, and the employees there are super friendly!

DRINKS

• Outrigger Tiki Bar : This was one of our favorite places to get drinks and watch the sunset on the beach. It’s part of the Outrigger Resort and has outdoor seating where you can relax after ordering from the bar. I absolutely recommend trying their strawberry daiquiris. It was my first time ever trying one and they tasted so good! It’s basically like a frozen margarita but a little sweeter, perfect for all y’all with a sweet tooth out there!

• Pinchers: We came here for lunch twice during our trips to the beach. They have really tasty strawberry margaritas and taste especially good while drinking by the oceanside! 😉

DESSERT

• Kilwins Ice Cream : Is any beach vacation complete without a few ice cream stops? Of course not! We stopped here a few times in Downtown Fort Myers (it actually has various locations across the country!) to get some dessert after dinner. Y’all, it literally smells like heaven as soon as you walk in. It’s AMAZING! The ice cream is very creamy and rich, too. I got chocolate chip cookie dough both times we went!

• Sticky Licky Ice Cream : This is another ice cream place we went to once during our first day. It’s not as good as Kilwins in my opinion, but they still have some tasty flavors and the service is fantastic. I got chocolate almond in a waffle cone which I really enjoyed! Plus, there’s a pink elephant statue on the outside which I think is so cute!

COFFEE

• MoJoe’s Coffee Cafe: I love trying new local coffee shops every time I go to a new city! This place is a sit-down, but you can get stuff to-go which is super nice and convenient. I got their french vanilla and hazelnut latte which I highly recommend. Service is great, too!

• Island Java Cafe: Not as good as MoJoe’s, but it still has good quality beverages. I got a hazenlut almond milk latte which was very tasty! It’s located right in Sanibel Outlets, so you can take it to-go while you shop!

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  What We Did

• Fort Myers Beach: We literally spent EVERYDAY at the beach during our trip! It was so nice to just relax in the sun while drinking frozen margaritas, listening to rock and country tunes, walking along the shore, and taking the occasional dip in the ocean to cool off 😊 We did end up getting pretty sunburnt lol, but it was worth it because it left us with some glowing tan skin later in the week! 🙌🏼

• Sunset Dolphin & Wildlife Cruise Tour: We did this for our last day in the evening as a way to finish off spring break with a big bang. It was super peaceful, the tour guides were very engaging and hilarious, and all the other tourists on board were super fun to hang out with, including this adorable little girl named Esther! The best part was not just watching the sun set in the horizon of the ocean but seeing dolphins surfing in the waves of the pontoon! By far one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced and will never forget! This tour is definitely worth every dollar!
  Jungle Golf: My roommates and I randomly decided to go putt-putting for one night during our trip. I hadn’t played in so long, and I definitely forgot how much I sucked at it 😂 We had such a blast with each other and made so many fun memories. It’s a perfect activity to do with family or friends while in town!

• Downtown Fort Myers River District: We spent a few good nights in the downtown area. It’s small but a perfect place to walk around and explore, and it’s right along the beach! There’s so many cool shops and restaurants to check out, and even just walking around and getting the vibe of it makes the experience enjoyable! You can learn more about the things do while in downtown right here.

• Ron Jon Surf Shop: Located in Gulf Coast Town Center, it’s probably the biggest Ron Jon Surf Shop to exist (I could be wrong, but it’s still pretty damn big lol!) Though it’s already a well-know brand, we still had to make our way over to check it out in-person and get some souvenirs! I got this pink Simply Southern long sleeve t-shirt with an adorable golden retriever on the back of it. It’s so darn cute and comfy. Definitely gonna wear it a lot with shorts, leggings, and jeans! 
  

Have any of y’all been to Fort Myers before? What are you favorite things and recommendations? Comment below and share!

I linked my beach outfit right here on the LIKEtoKNOW.it app, as well as another outfit I wore during the trip! Posting another Florida blog post specifically with the outfits I wore very soon, so stay tuned 😘