Fort Myers & Sanibel/Lee County Traveler's Guide 2008 - (Page 22) ®® O N E - D AY M I X - A N D - M AT C H V A C AT I O N D AY S ounging or playing on the beach all day certainly has its appeal. But try these ideas on for size, whatever the length of your stay. Mix and match these one-day tours of Lee County’s distinct towns, villages and islands to build your own perfect trip. L { inside out } sanibel & captiva islands – Red’s Fresh Seafood House and Tavern, where local seafood (no surprise) takes center stage on a voluminous menu. With appetites for food sated, head to Matlacha for art gallery hopping or fishing from the “World’s Fishingest Bridge.” For a final stop, pick up some fresh local fruit or preserves at any roadside stand on Pine Island. outer islands – Start with breakfast at the Lighthouse Café, where a popular dish is granolabanana hot cakes. Their French toast even got a mention in Bon Appétit magazine. Then take a shelling charter with Mike Fuery’s Tours to North Captiva. Next, visit the well-presented displays at the BaileyMatthews Shell Museum to identify your finds. Lunch at Amy’s Over Easy Café is a brightly colored affair. Then either bike some of Sanibel’s 25 miles of paved paths (try Billy’s Rentals & Segway of Sanibel) or Guided kayak tour head over to Tarpon Bay Explorers for a guided kayak trip. Round out the evening with dinner at Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar & Grille, then take in a spot of culture at The Schoolhouse Theater on Sanibel. { pine island – Find the Calusa Heritage Trail in the heart of Pineland, a small community near the north end of the island, where the story of the indigenous Calusa is told in beautifully illustrated plaques artistic along a naturally sensibility landscaped trail. Join the locals for a picnic lunch there, or head back down Stringfellow Road to Jump on a rented boat, take a ferry service or splash out on an island-hopping tour – just get out on the water to experience the most unique hop, skip & aspect of jump for joy The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Hundreds of islands punctuate Pine Island Sound, Estero Bay and Charlotte Harbor, offering cultural and natural experiences not to be missed. Useppa Island provides a nice stopover on a Captiva Cruises tour. Have lunch at the Collier Inn and step back in time at the Barbara Sumwalt Museum. Cabbage Key, with its inn, cottages and restaurant, is an alternative for lunch in a more casual atmosphere. Climb the water tower here for a spectacular view of surrounding waters and islands. North Captiva is favored for shelling and for dining at Barnacle Phil’s (famous for its black beans). And Cayo Costa is an experience unto itself. The } { } Calusa Heritage Trail PAGE 22
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