Living in Fort Myers
Fort Myers is the county seat of Lee County and the oldest city in the area, set along the south bank of the tidal Caloosahatchee River, with Cape Coral and North Fort Myers across the water.
The name comes from a Seminole Wars army post, named for Colonel Abraham Myers and abandoned in 1858. Captain Manuel A. Gonzalez sailed up from Key West and founded the settlement on February 21, 1866, and the town incorporated on August 12, 1885. Thomas Edison bought land on the river in 1885 and finished his winter home, Seminole Lodge, in 1886. Henry Ford bought the house next door, The Mangoes, in 1916. Edison's push to line Riverside Avenue, today's McGregor Boulevard, with royal palms gave Fort Myers its nickname, the City of Palms.
The city's 1920s boom produced the neighborhoods of Dean Park, Edison Park and Seminole Park, and the Edison Bridge, which Edison himself dedicated and was first to drive across, opened on February 11, 1931. Dunbar, first known as Safety Hill, grew east of downtown as the city's historically Black neighborhood.
City limits are narrower than the mailing address suggests. Many places people call Fort Myers, including McGregor, Whiskey Creek, Cypress Lake, Iona, Villas and Gateway, are unincorporated Lee County. City or county decides who issues your building permits, who supplies your water, part of your tax bill and where you call after a storm, so confirm it for every address.
Fort Myers neighborhoods and nearby communities
Fort Myers neighborhoods run from historic streets downtown to riverfront areas along McGregor Boulevard and newer planned communities east of I-75. The list notes which are in the city and which are unincorporated Lee County.
- Downtown River District (city)
- The historic waterfront downtown on the Caloosahatchee, with Centennial Park, the Arcade Theatre, galleries, restaurants, condos and apartments in mid- and high-rise buildings.
- Dean Park (city)
- A neighborhood from the 1920s real estate boom near downtown, with older single-family homes.
- Edison Park (city)
- A 1920s neighborhood across McGregor Boulevard from the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, with older single-family homes.
- Seminole Park (city)
- Another 1920s subdivision from the boom years, close to downtown and the river.
- Dunbar (city)
- The historic neighborhood east of downtown that began as Safety Hill, with single-family homes, Dunbar High School and the Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library.
- McGregor Boulevard corridor (city)
- The palm-lined road southwest from Five Points past the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, with riverfront homes and older single-family streets inside city limits.
- McGregor (unincorporated)
- The riverfront area west of Whiskey Creek where the Cape Coral Bridge crosses the Caloosahatchee, along McGregor Boulevard.
- Whiskey Creek (unincorporated)
- A small community south of the city, named for the creek on its western edge, between McGregor and Cypress Lake.
- Cypress Lake (unincorporated)
- About seven miles south of downtown, home to Cypress Lake High and Middle schools and the main campus of Florida SouthWestern, with single-family neighborhoods and condos.
- Iona (unincorporated)
- Southwest Lee County along McGregor Boulevard and the river estuary, about 11 miles southwest of downtown and 4 miles from the Sanibel Causeway, with a large share of its area in water.
- Punta Rassa (unincorporated)
- The point at the end of McGregor Boulevard where the Sanibel Causeway begins, on San Carlos Bay.
- Harlem Heights (unincorporated)
- An unincorporated community just east of Iona in southwest Lee County.
- Villas (unincorporated)
- Along US-41 about 6 miles south of Fort Myers and 9 miles north of Estero, with single-family homes and condos.
- Gateway (unincorporated)
- A planned community north of RSW, east of I-75, with Gateway High and Elementary schools on Griffin Drive and its own services district for water.
- San Carlos Park and Three Oaks (unincorporated)
- South Fort Myers areas between Alico Road and Estero, with single-family neighborhoods, schools and newer communities near FGCU and Gulf Coast Town Center.
- Cape Coral (separate city)
- Across the Caloosahatchee by the Midpoint Memorial and Cape Coral bridges. It is its own city with its own government, utilities and building department.
- North Fort Myers (across the river)
- North of the Caloosahatchee by the Edison and Caloosahatchee bridges, and outside the City of Fort Myers.
Kinds of homes in Fort Myers
Fort Myers has a wider range of housing than its neighbors: historic bungalows downtown, riverfront and canal homes along McGregor Boulevard, condo towers in the River District, gated golf communities, and newer subdivisions east of I-75.
Historic homes in Dean Park, Edison Park and Seminole Park date largely from the 1920s boom. Historic district rules can affect exterior changes, and older homes may sit lower than today's flood elevations, so ask about both.
Riverfront and canal homes along the Caloosahatchee in the city, McGregor, Whiskey Creek and Iona come with a seawall, dock and bridge-clearance questions, and the highest flood exposure in the area.
Downtown condo buildings in the River District fall under Florida's milestone inspection and reserve laws when they are three habitable stories or taller.
Gated golf and planned communities are common in Iona, south Fort Myers and Gateway, and newer ones east of I-75 often sit in a community development district.
Schools in Fort Myers
Fort Myers public schools, in the city and in unincorporated areas alike, are run by the School District of Lee County, headquartered at 2855 Colonial Boulevard. Lee County uses a choice system: during Student Open Enrollment, which opens at the end of January, families rank schools from the list their address qualifies for, ranking a school with a proximity or sibling preference first. A lottery fills popular schools, and a waitlist runs into the school year.
The district changes zones, subzones and proximity rules from one year to the next, and buses do not run for students within two miles of school. Ask the district's Student Enrollment office which schools an exact address can choose before you rely on a listing.
The district also runs magnet and advanced programs that families apply to, and Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School is one of its arts schools. Florida SouthWestern's main campus is in Cypress Lake, and Florida Gulf Coast University is south of the city near Estero.
- Fort Myers High School
- 2635 Cortez Boulevard, near downtown.
- Dunbar High School
- 3800 E. Edison Avenue, in Dunbar.
- Cypress Lake High School
- 6750 Panther Lane, Cypress Lake.
- South Fort Myers High School
- 14020 Plantation Road, south Fort Myers.
- Riverdale High School
- 2600 Buckingham Road, east Fort Myers.
- Gateway High School
- 13820 Griffin Drive, Gateway.
- Fort Myers Middle School
- 3050 Central Avenue.
- Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School
- 4750 Winkler Avenue Extension.
- Cypress Lake Middle and Lexington Middle
- Cypress Lake Middle at 8901 Cypress Lake Drive; Lexington Middle at 16351 Summerlin Road.
- Elementary schools in and near the city
- Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School (2401 Euclid Avenue), Franklin Park (2323 Ford Street), Allen Park (3345 Canelo Drive), Orangewood (4001 DeLeon Street), Tanglewood (1620 Manchester Boulevard) and Villas (8385 Beacon Boulevard).
Beaches and parks near Fort Myers
Fort Myers sits on a river, so its beaches are a drive away: Fort Myers Beach on Estero Island to the southwest, Sanibel across the causeway at Punta Rassa, and Lovers Key and Bonita Beach farther south. The city's own waterfront is the Caloosahatchee.
Lee County sells an annual parking pass, tied to your license plate, that covers many county beach and park lots. Sanibel and the Town of Fort Myers Beach run their own paid parking.
- Centennial Park
- The downtown riverfront park in the River District, used for festivals and events.
- Edison and Ford Winter Estates
- At 2350 McGregor Boulevard: Edison's Seminole Lodge, Ford's The Mangoes, a botanical garden of more than 1,750 plants, the 1928 Edison Botanic Research Corporation laboratory and a museum. Mina Edison deeded the Edison home to the city in 1947, and the joined estates opened for tours in 1990.
- Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve
- A 3,500-acre wetland in south Fort Myers with a 1.2-mile boardwalk.
- Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium
- Trails, live animal exhibits and a planetarium in Fort Myers.
- Sanibel Causeway
- Starts at Punta Rassa near McGregor Boulevard and Punta Rassa Road. Ian damaged it heavily in 2022 and it reopened to all traffic in October 2022. There is a toll for island-bound drivers.
- Fort Myers Beach and Lovers Key
- Estero Island's beaches and Lovers Key State Park, reached by San Carlos Boulevard and the Matanzas Pass Bridge or by Summerlin Road.
Things to do in Fort Myers
The main things to do in Fort Myers are the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the River District, spring training baseball and the river itself.
- River District
- Downtown's waterfront district, with monthly Art and Music Walks, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center and restaurants and rooftop bars such as the Luminary Hotel's.
- Hammond Stadium
- Spring training home of the Minnesota Twins since 1991 and home of the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, at the Lee Health Sports Complex, 14100 Six Mile Cypress Parkway.
- JetBlue Park
- Spring training home of the Boston Red Sox. City of Palms Park, near downtown, is the team's former spring site.
- Edison Mall
- Opened in 1965 at US-41 and Colonial Boulevard, with Dillard's, JCPenney and Macy's.
- Gulf Coast Town Center
- South Fort Myers shopping center near RSW with Costco, Target, Bass Pro Shops and a Regal cinema.
- Edison Bridge and the riverfront
- Walk or drive the riverfront from Centennial Park past the Edison Bridge, first opened in 1931.
Getting around Fort Myers
Fort Myers is a driving city built on a grid of north-south and east-west roads between the river and I-75, with LeeTran buses for local service.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), opened in 1983 and run by the Lee County Port Authority, sits southeast of the city. Its Terminal Access Road runs straight to I-75 at Exit 128, and Daniels Parkway leads in from the west. Page Field, closer to downtown, handles private and general aviation.
The City of Naples is roughly 35 miles south of downtown Fort Myers in a straight line, by I-75 or US-41. Winter traffic is heavy on US-41, Colonial Boulevard, Daniels Parkway and Summerlin Road.
- I-75
- Runs north-south east of the city, with exits for Daniels Parkway, Colonial Boulevard, M.L. King Jr. Boulevard (SR 82), Luckett Road, Palm Beach Boulevard (SR 80) and Bayshore Road.
- US-41 (Cleveland Avenue / Tamiami Trail)
- The main north-south commercial road, crossing the river on the Caloosahatchee Bridge and running south to Estero.
- McGregor Boulevard (SR 867)
- About 14.5 miles from Five Points downtown southwest to the Sanibel Causeway, first paved in 1915 and named for Standard Oil executive Ambrose McGregor.
- Colonial Boulevard (SR 884)
- The main east-west road across the middle of the city, connecting McGregor Boulevard, US-41 and I-75.
- Daniels Parkway
- East-west road from US-41 to I-75 and the airport.
- Summerlin Road
- Runs southwest from the city to Iona, the Sanibel Causeway and the route to Fort Myers Beach.
- River bridges
- The Edison Bridge and the Caloosahatchee Bridge (US-41) cross to North Fort Myers; the Midpoint Memorial and Cape Coral bridges cross to Cape Coral.
Hospitals and healthcare in Fort Myers
Fort Myers is home to Lee Health's three main hospital campuses.
- Lee Memorial Hospital
- 2776 Cleveland Avenue, near downtown.
- HealthPark Medical Center
- 9981 S. HealthPark Drive, south Fort Myers, on the same campus as Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida.
- Gulf Coast Medical Center
- 13681 Doctors Way, south Fort Myers.
- Lee Health Coconut Point
- Freestanding emergency department in Estero, to the south.
Owning a home in Fort Myers: river, flood and storm rules
Owning in Fort Myers means paying close attention to the Caloosahatchee, the tidal creeks and canals that feed it, and how high the home sits.
River surge. Ian came ashore on Cayo Costa on September 28, 2022 as a Category 4 storm and pushed a surge up the Caloosahatchee. The National Hurricane Center measured 7.26 feet above normal high tide at the tide gauge near downtown Fort Myers, where the surge reversed the river's flow and flooded city streets, and estimated 5 to 8 feet of water above ground along the river in Fort Myers. Iona, McGregor and the riverfront neighborhoods sit closest to that water. Ask every seller what the house went through and what was replaced.
Flood zones and elevation. FEMA's maps put each property in a zone; those starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas, and a federally backed mortgage there requires flood insurance. The elevation certificate shows the lowest floor's height against the base flood elevation, and it drives the flood premium. Many older Fort Myers homes were built before today's flood maps.
Repairs and the 50 percent rule. In a high-risk zone, work that costs half or more of a building's market value triggers full compliance with current flood rules. For a home damaged in Ian or one you plan to renovate, ask the permitting office (the City of Fort Myers inside city limits, Lee County outside) how much work the house can take before that line.
Insurance. Get a wind mitigation inspection on the state's OIR-B1-1802 form, the roof age and a quote that includes flood before your inspection period ends. Citizens Property Insurance's flood requirement covers nearly all of its homeowner policies by 2027.
Condos and historic homes. River District condo buildings three habitable stories or taller need milestone inspections at 30 years, or 25 if the building official requires it, then every 10 years, plus a structural integrity reserve study. Ask for the reports and the reserve schedule. In historic districts, ask what exterior changes need approval.
HOA and CDD. Planned communities in Gateway, south Fort Myers and Iona usually have an HOA, and newer ones may sit in a CDD, a special district that adds its assessment to the tax bill. Read rental rules before you buy a home you plan to lease.
Fort Myers weather and seasons
Fort Myers has a tropical climate with a rainy season from June to September, when about two-thirds of the year's rain falls, and a dry season from October to May.
Summer days are hot and humid, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms; Fort Myers hears thunder on more days than almost anywhere in the country.
Winter is dry and mild. Freezing temperatures are rare, and dry winters and springs can bring drought and brush fire risk inland.
Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Learn your Lee County evacuation zone, which depends on your address and elevation, and keep a plan for the house when you are away.
Daily life in Fort Myers: groceries, utilities and services
Groceries are easy to find across Fort Myers. Publix has stores at First Street Village (2160 McGregor Boulevard), Colonial Crossings (4600 Summerlin Road), the Shops at Village Walk and University Crossing on Summerlin Road, and Whole Foods is at 6891 Daniels Parkway. Costco is at Gulf Coast Town Center.
Inside city limits, the City of Fort Myers provides water and sewer, and trash pickup is mandatory for anyone with a city water or sewer account; the Solid Waste Division is at 2144 Arcadia Street. Outside the city, Lee County Utilities serves much of unincorporated Fort Myers, Gateway has its own services district, and Lee County handles solid waste.
Florida Power & Light serves most of Fort Myers. Lee County Electric Cooperative (LCEC) serves Cape Coral, North Fort Myers and other areas, and a territorial agreement approved by the Florida Public Service Commission sets the line, so confirm the provider for the address.
Libraries include the Fort Myers Regional Library and the Dunbar Jupiter Hammon Public Library. The River District has hosted a farmers market downtown; check the current day and location.
Dining, arts and events in Fort Myers
Fort Myers' main dining and arts district is the downtown River District, with restaurants along First Street and the river.
Florida Repertory Theatre performs in the historic Arcade Theatre at 2268 Bay Street. Around the corner, the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center at 2301 First Street, founded in 1997, holds exhibitions, concerts and the holiday tree lighting.
The Edison Festival of Light, held every February for more than 89 years, honors Edison with a Junior Parade and a Grand Parade. The Edison and Ford Winter Estates host Holiday Nights each winter, and the River District holds monthly Art and Music Walks.
Spring training fills Hammond Stadium and JetBlue Park every February and March.
Golf, boating and paddling in Fort Myers
Fort Myers has two city-owned 18-hole public golf courses, Fort Myers Country Club and Eastwood Golf Course, plus private and semi-private courses in communities across south Fort Myers, Iona and Gateway.
The Caloosahatchee River is about 67 miles long and part of the Okeechobee Waterway, the cross-state route to the Atlantic. It reaches the Gulf in San Carlos Bay, about 10 miles southwest of the city, near Punta Rassa and the Sanibel Causeway.
Paddlers can follow the third phase of Lee County's Great Calusa Blueway, which covers the Caloosahatchee and its tributaries. Check bridge clearances and channel depths for any boat you plan to keep at a riverfront or canal home.
- Fort Myers Country Club
- City-owned 18-hole public course.
- Eastwood Golf Course
- City-owned 18-hole public course.
- Caloosahatchee River
- The city's waterfront, with access to the Gulf through San Carlos Bay and to the Atlantic by the Okeechobee Waterway.
- Great Calusa Blueway, Caloosahatchee phase
- Marked paddling routes on the river and its creeks.
Property taxes in Fort Myers
A Fort Myers property tax bill depends first on whether the home is inside city limits: city homes pay the City of Fort Myers rate on top of Lee County, the school district and other districts, while unincorporated homes pay Lee County's rates and any local district charges.
The Lee County Property Appraiser, at 2480 Thompson Street, sets each property's value as of January 1. To get the homestead exemption on your permanent home, apply by March 1; portability, which moves part of the Save Our Homes benefit from a previous Florida homestead, is filed with the same application.
Once homesteaded, a home's assessed value can rise no more than 3 percent a year or the inflation rate, whichever is less. Rentals, second homes and commercial property have a 10 percent annual cap on most levies. Both caps reset to market value after a sale, so the seller's tax bill is a poor guide to yours.
Flat non-ad valorem charges, such as CDD assessments in newer communities, also appear on the bill. The Lee County Tax Collector (leetc.com) gives a 4 percent discount for paying in November, and the bill is due by March 31. The installment plan, paid quarterly, requires an application by April 30 for the next tax year.
Buying in Fort Myers from out of state
Buying in Fort Myers from another state works well with a clear process. These are the steps.
1. Decide which Fort Myers you mean: downtown and the River District, the historic neighborhoods, the riverfront along McGregor Boulevard, or the newer communities near RSW. Then check city or county for each address.
2. Before an offer, ask for the elevation certificate, flood zone, Ian history, wind mitigation report and roof age, and get an insurance quote with flood.
3. For a condo, ask for the milestone inspection and reserve study. For a planned community, ask for HOA rules and CDD status. For a historic home, ask what the district allows.
4. Confirm the school choices for the address with the School District of Lee County if they matter to you, and confirm the water and electric providers.
5. Tour by live video, use local inspectors and a surveyor, and close remotely through your title company.
6. After closing, file for homestead with the Lee County Property Appraiser by March 1 if it is your permanent home, and set up a hurricane plan for the months you are away.
Jorgie Arndt of Premiere Plus Realty Co. has closed sales in Fort Myers and works with many buyers who live out of state or abroad. She sends homes before the trip, tours them on video, negotiates while the buyer is away, and stays on after closing. Her motto: "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."
Buying and selling in Fort Myers
Jorgie Arndt is a REALTOR® with Premiere Plus Realty Co. in Naples and has been in real estate since 2010. These are the things to check in Fort Myers, and she can go through each one with you.
Before you buy
- Confirm whether the address is in the City of Fort Myers or unincorporated Lee County.
- Get the flood zone, elevation certificate and an insurance quote with flood during the inspection period.
- Ask what happened to the home in Hurricane Ian and what permits cover the repairs.
- For a riverfront or canal home, check the seawall, dock, water depth and bridge clearance.
- For a condo, read the milestone inspection, structural reserve study, budget and minutes.
- For a historic home, ask what the historic district requires for exterior changes.
- Confirm the water, sewer and electric providers and the school choices for the exact address.
Before you sell
- Have the elevation certificate, wind mitigation report, roof age and permit history ready.
- Document Hurricane Ian repairs and insurance claims.
- For a condo, have the association's inspection, reserve study and disclosures ready.
- Show out-of-state buyers the location clearly: a map to the river, downtown, RSW and the beaches.
- Know your city or county status, HOA and CDD details before you list.
