Estero Island

The beach is lovely– clean white sand and all the ocean you could want. There are so many things to do– paddle board, boat, kayak, jet ski, swim, lay around, shell hunt (esp. at Lover’s Key), bird watch…
The beach is cleaned constantly and combed daily so there is virtually no trash. At low tide, you can find all kinds of critters on the beach– we threw back many a starfish, brittle start, and sea cucumber. Please do not dig up live sand dollars or bother the live crabs! Many interesting artifacts to be found at any time– horseshoe crab corpses, sea pork, seaweeds, etc.
Many birds– different types of sandpipers and gulls, egrets, pelicans– some are playful or unafraid of close contact with humans.
Loved the beach!
Hated the island. The traffic is god awful south of San Carlos and north there is nothing but bars and curio stands. Old people or young people everywhere, not much for the middle-​aged. The food offerings are terrible– only pizza, burgers, ice cream– certainly nothing veg-​friendly or healthy to be found. In town, Ft. Myers is not much better.
Probably will not go back, but if I do, I will be sure to stock up on some healthy food in Tampa or Naples to stock my fridge so I can enjoy beach time instead of having to drive off the island every night for something decent to eat.

Speedo Time!!! Estero Island is Sooooooooooo Coooool!!! Long Skinny Island with one Main Road down the Center… Small Neighborhoods on the Bay-​side and Hotels on the «Beach» Gulf Side!
This place is Sooooo Romantic!!! Many Winters here where I and Sun Seeking Canadians, Swedes and Gotlanders would invade the Beach! Dolphin’s would swim close and a Sandbar was so fun to play or walk on… At low tide the sandbar was still submerged with deeper water between it and the Gulf!
Near the Southern Part of the Island is the Carl E. Johnson State Park also Known as «Lover’s Key»! An incredibly Cool place and a Lookalota even in cooler weather! I’ve seen Dolphins swim less than two feet from the Beach and playfully call swimmers to join them!