Visit Fort Myers and enjoy the best beaches in the Fort Myers area. There’s a change of pace when you go to Fort Myers & Sanibel Beaches. For a lot of people, it’s just slowing down and relaxing. For others, it’s enjoying the soft, white sandy beaches and just sinking your toes in. Then for some, it’s the outdoor activities, playing in the water, and the family activities where every minute it taken full advantage of.
If you’re looking for fun in the fun in the sun, you will find it all on the beaches surrounding Fort Myers. From the quiet and secluded Cayo Costa to the boundless activity found at Lynn Hall Memorial Park, there is beach for you. Lynn Hall is right in the heart of Fort Myers Beach. You will find more action here than at any of the other beaches with lots of restaurants, bars and lots of water sports.
The barrier islands of Captiva and Sanibel are world famous for the shelling. This area is also the prime nesting grounds for Loggerhead Turtles. Their nesting season runs from May 1st through October 31st.
It is not hard to find your beach here in the Fort Myer and Sanibel Islands area, however parking can tough from January through March. There is the Fort Myer Trolley which services the Island and has stops all along the beach. The Fort Myers Beach Trolley runs from Bonita Springs to South Fort Myers near Summerlin Road.
Put up your umbrella, put your toes in the sand, enjoy the water! Enjoy beaches near Fort Myers which have some of the best beaches of Florida! Here are the top beaches near Fort Myers:
For the best places to stay, places to eat, best time to travel, cruises in and out of Fort Myers visit our Fort Myers Travel Guide here or visit us on Pinterest.
Cayo Costa State Park
Cayo Costa State ParkAccessible only by boat, Cayo Costa is a natural island with 9 miles of secluded beaches. Known for its pristine shells, the state park also features tent camping sites and primitive cabins, along with hiking trails near the beach.
Crescent Beach Family Park
Crescent Beach Family ParkThis beach park on Fort Myers Beach sits at the foot of the Matanzas Pass Bridge, mere steps from the shops and restaurants of Times Square and the Fort Myers Beach Pier.
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Yacht Club Beach
Yacht Club BeachLocated on the Caloosahatchee River in Cape Coral, the Yacht Club Community Park offers a public beach, fishing pier, playground and waterfront restaurant. Please NOTE: The entire Yacht Club Community Park will close in April 2022 for approximately two years for renovations and improvements. This includes the Yacht Club beach, pier, boat ramp,
Causeway Islands Park
Causeway Islands ParkThis beach park along the Sanibel Causeway bridge provides easy access for vehicles to pull right up to the water’s edge. This is a popular spot for swimming, fishing, windsurfing, and enjoying a picnic.
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Bunche Beach
Bunche BeachThis natural beach located in Fort Myers near the Sanibel Causeway is popular for swimming, fishing and bird watching. Kayak rentals and a paddle craft launch are also available here. This beach is also excellent to watch the sunset over San Carlos Bay and Sanibel Island.
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Turner Beach
Turner BeachThis beach is a seashell haven and popular fishing spot. This stretch of sand is the first beach access as you enter Captiva Island. Located on the north side of Blind Pass bridge, seashells blanket the shoreline and a small jetty guides boats through the Pass.
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Lover’s Key State Park
Lover’s Key State ParkThe 2-mile long beach offers beautiful beaches and plenty of activities. Enjoy multi-use trails for hiking and bicycling. Kayaks, paddle boards, and bicycles are available for rent. Explore serene canals and lagoons that are favorite grazing spots for manatees and shorebirds.
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Lighthouse Beach
Lighthouse BeachLocated on Sanibel Island’s southern tip, visitors will find a historic lighthouse, built in 1884, and a lovely beach park. Stroll through nature trails, enjoy a day at the beach, or go fishing off of the pier or from shore.
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Bowman’s Beach Park
Bowman’s Beach ParkA popular beach park on Sanibel Island with ample parking, visitors will discover a picturesque stretch of beach with calm waves, along with short hiking trails, picnic areas and a children’s playground.
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Bowditch Point Park
Bowditch Point ParkLocated on the northern tip of Fort Myers Beach, this 17-acre beach park includes beach access on the Gulf and back bay, along with hiking trails, picnic areas and a free public boat dock. Visitors should look for gopher tortoises (remember to always keep a respectful distance) and butterflies visiting the native flower garden.
Gasparilla Island State Park
Gasparilla Island State ParkOn the southern end of a barrier island, below Boca Grande, the highlight of this state park is the historic Port Boca Grande Lighthouse. Originally built in 1890, this beautifully preserved lighthouse is also a museum. The Gulf beach is accessible from five parking areas and is popular for shelling and swimming, as well as spotting dolphins and manatees along with beach-nesting birds.
Boca Grande Beach Accesses
Boca Grande Beach AccessesBoca Grande offers several beach access points to enjoy the beautiful beaches of Gasparilla Island. Most access points include some public parking, although spaces can be very limited, especially on weekends.
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Lynn Hall Memorial Park
Lynn Hall Memorial ParkThis popular beach park next to Times Square and the Fort Myer Beach Pier includes easy beach access, shelters with grills for picnicking, and ample public parking.
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Tarpon Bay Beach
Tarpon Bay BeachThis beautiful beach on Sanibel Island is just a short walk from a public parking lot. It offers nice amenities and is in close proximity to island walking and nature trails.
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Blind Pass Beach Park
Blind Pass Beach ParkPositioned on the south side of the Blind Pass Bridge connecting Sanibel Island to Captiva Island, this stretch of beach is excellent for finding seashells, especially at low tide. Swimmers should pay close attention to the swift current. Restroom facilities are located an easy walk across the bridge at Turner Beach.
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Wow some of these beaches sound brilliant. I am going to florida next year. We are taking our two year old. Which beaches would you say are the busiest and which the quietest. Also final question. Do you recommend a particular one for families with a toddler?
many thanks in advance
Fort Myers beach itself is going to be the most family friendly as it draws less crowds and has life guards. That is where I would recommend going. The busiest is going to be Lynn Hall Memorial Park. Really the rest of them are not bad at all. Heading up towards St Pete Beach and Clearwater are much much more crowded.
Hi
I am a huge beach person, next time I’m down Florida I’ll definitely have to check it out. Very useful information. I was just wondering if you know if Bonita dog beach park has any breed restrictions? I have a very well behaved pit bull, but I know many people have fears about them but she’s the most loveable dog I’ve ever had. Let me know your thoughts on whether or not she’d be allowed. Thanks for the information.
Glenn
I do not of any breed restrictions at all. None are mentioned. So, I am confident to say that she would be welcomed on Bonita Dog Park. Enjoy your time when you go at the beaches near Fort Myers. Thanks for visiting Glenn!
These beaches look great. I would absolutely love Bonita Dog Park beach! My golden retriever would love it there. He is not viscous at all but I worry about him being loose around all those other dogs because he goes crazy at the beaches. Which one would you recommend for a walk on a boardwalk?
Hi Jonathan, the beaches here are great and my dogs love the water but they are a little shy of the beaches. I literally have to drag them into the water LOL. The best boardwalk I think is going to be at Fort Myers beach itself. Lighthouse beach has a nice one as well. Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations!
Being someone living basically next door to the Great Lakes, one would think I’d never judge land masses by their looks. I never realized just how much landmass Florida has, though. I never knew there were this many beaches there either!
Another surprise is the large size of each beach. With all the international tourist traffic, I’m surprised that any quiet beaches exist down in florida. I imagine there are private beaches?
Yes, there are private beaches as well. I don’t list them, because generally you are not going to be able to enjoy them 🙂 Thanks for visiting Beaches near Fort Myers.
I could really do with a vacation right about now.
I have never been to Florida before. My next vacation will definitely be there. Good thing I can bring my dog, I will have him on a leash.
Do I have to pay extra for having my dog with me?
Kunmi
Not at the beach, but on the airplane yes. All airlines are different, so just check with the airline you are flying with. There are a LOT of pet friendly places to stay and I prefer to stay at a cottage, just because I can have my pets with me 🙂
I am thinking of taking my kids to the beach for our next holiday. The beaches in Florida look pretty amazing. Sanibel Island Beach has a lot of shells on it. Is there any beach you would recommend that is specifically catering to small children? Also, is there any accommodation nearby that you would recommend?
Thanks.
Christine.
Ok, the BEST beaches for traveling with children is going to be on the gulf side. The waters are very calm here and warm. On the Pacific side, you will have much rougher and colder waters. My all time favorite place to stay is at the Gulf Winds Resort Condominium on St. Pete Beach. You can walk anywhere for anything and your kids feet won’t get too tired. I walked to the store, McDonalds, little Tiki Bars, there’s a great pool at the condo, and it’s right across the street from the beach where you will find a snack bar that serves breakfast and lunch. Even the locals go here. The food is great and priced decent.
Wow wow wow! So many beaches, and they are calling out to me LOL…the next time I am going for a vacation, I know where to head out to. I will make sure to check out those that are dog friendly too since I have a furkid.
Thanks for sharing these great travel destinations!
Susan
Kind greetings Leahrae,
This looks and sounds like a beautiful list of beaches to visit. I live right on the coast of a beach in Melbourne, Australia, though the Sanibel Lighthouse Beach looks like such a brilliant getaway spot. Thanks for sharing!
Khoi.
Sign me up!!! I am in such a need of a good vacation that seeing these beautiful vacation locations makes me want to cry! Thanks for sharing these beautiful Florida locations!
You’re very welcome!
FLORIDA!!!!!! I was fortunate to live in Destin for one year and can tell you all of Florida has fantastic beaches. Dog Beach Park looks like fun! Thanks for the posts.
-Mario
I have been wanting to travel to Florida for vacation for some time now and am not sure where to start!
What I am looking for is a beach that has clearer waters and is kid friendly. Which beach would you recommend based off of those two concerns?
I think a great place for families is Lynn Hall Park in the Fort Myer area. Another great spot which is by Tampa with really calm waters and LOTS of activities for kids is St. Pete Beach. Nice thing about St. Pete is that flights into Tampa are really reasonable and you can find great family friendly cottages to stay at.
Hey there,
These beaches look great! I see in your descriptions that plenty of them have canoe and kayak services involved in them. I love water sports!
Would you happen to know if any of the beaches you know of above that have any jetski rentals? Or they maybe they’re just nearby?
Thanks,
Rob
Hi Rob, Thanks for looking! They are awesome if you love the beach….like I do 🙂 First beach that comes to mind is Lynn Hall Memorial Park. That is by far the beach with the most activities available.
Leahrae
I could really do with a beach holiday right now because I love a little sun, sea and sand 😉
Fort Myers sounds like a great holiday destination, and I can’t believe there are so many fantastic beaches to chill out on and partake in a few activities.
I have been to Florida twice, and it’s amazing!
Can’t wait to check out these beaches on my next trip to America 🙂
Neil
WOW! Florida is one of “place to go to”. Judging by the images you have for these beaches, it looks amazing. How far apart are they from each other?
They are actually quite spread out and you cannot just drive along the coast to go from beach to beach. I think you’d want to stay close to the beaches you are most interested in. From Bonita Springs Public Beach to Caya Costa State Park (all other beaches are in between), it is about 80 miles! So you want decide on an area of beaches and plan accordingly 🙂
Leahrae
Hi Nate,
I’d have to say that Captiva Beach would be the quietest out of the ones listed. There is another one, Bunche Beach which is a secluded beach that is also a lot more quiet than others. I know that you can find windsurfing rentals, and you can also get lessons as well 🙂
Hey
These beaches sound awesome!
I’ve never been to Florida but this is making me want to go. I have heard that Florida beaches can get really busy. Which of these beaches would say are the quietest?
Also you mention windsurfing – I tried this for the first time last year and want to go again – are there places where you can hire windsurfers at any of these beaches?