Things To Do in Fort Myers

A good way to explore downtown Fort Myers during the winter season is on a leisurely, 2-hour guided walking tour hosted by the Southwest Florida Museum of History, 2300 Peck St., at Jackson Street (tel. 239/321-7430; www.swflmuseumofhistory.com). The tours are held on Wednesday from 10am to noon and cost $5 for adults, $3 for children. Reservations are required.

The museum itself is housed in the restored Spanish-style depot served by the Atlantic Coast Line from 1924 to 1971. Inside you'll see exhibits depicting the city's history from the ancient Calusa peoples and the Spanish conquistadors to the first settlers. The remains of a P-39 Aircobra helps explain the town's role in training fighter pilots in World War II. Outside stands a replica of an 1800s "cracker" home and the Esperanza, the longest and one of the last of the plush Pullman private cars. Admission is $9.50 for adults, $8.50 for seniors, and $5 for children 3 to 12. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

The Georgian Revival Burroughs Home, 2505 1st St., at Fowler Street (tel. 239/337-9505; www.cityftmyers.com/attractions/burroughs.aspx), was built on the banks of the Caloosahatchee River in 1901 by cattleman John Murphy and later sold to the Burroughs family. The home is reserved solely for weddings and events but open to the public for guided tours by appointment only.

To avoid the kids going batty on a rainy day, head for the Imaginarium, 2000 Cranford Ave., at Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard (tel. 239/337-3332; www.imaginariumfortmyers.com), a hands-on museum in the old city water plant. A host of toylike exhibits explain basic scientific principles such as gravity and the weather. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for children 3 to 12. Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday noon to 5pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

An Old-Fashioned Train Ride -- For those who claim there's little excitement or intrigue to be had in these parts, consider a ride on the Seminole Gulf Railway (tel. 800/736-4853 or 239/275-8487; www.semgulf.com), the original railroad that ran between Fort Myers and Naples. Today it chugs on daytime sightseeing trips and evening dinner/murder-mystery excursions south to Bonita Springs and north across the river. Call for the schedule and reservations, which are required for the dinner trips. The trains depart Fort Myers from its Colonial Station, a small, coral-colored building on Colonial Boulevard at Metro Parkway. The Bonita Springs station is on Old U.S. 41 at Pennsylvania Avenue.

A kitschy (read: tacky) tourist attraction, the Shell Factory and Nature Park, 5 miles north of the Caloosahatchee River Bridge on U.S. 41 (tel. 800/282-5805 or 239/995-2141; www.shellfactory.com), not only carries one of the world's largest collections of shells, corals, sponges, and fossils, but also has bumper-boat rides, a light show, a gallery of African art, a small zoo, and two restaurants. Inside the store, entire sections are devoted to shell jewelry and shell lamps; many items cost less than $10, some less than $1. The Shell Factory is good for a rainy day, but if it's sunny, why pay for shells when you can collect them for free on the beach? Open daily from 9am to 9pm.

Outlet shoppers will find a large Levi's store, among other major-brand shops, at the Sanibel Tanger Outlet Center, on the way to the beaches at Summerlin Road and McGregor Boulevard (tel. 888/471-3939 or 239/454-1974; www.tangeroutlet.com). Another Levi's, plus Brooks Brothers, Donna Karan, Nike, Reebok, Nautica, and many more stores, are at the much larger Miromar Outlets, on Corkscrew Road at I-75, Estero (tel. 239/948-3766; www.miromar.com), about halfway between Fort Myers and Naples. Both outlet malls are open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm, Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

A once sleepy bedroom community near Fort Myers, Cape Coral now features great shopping in the form of the Cape Harbour Marina (5703 Cape Harbour Dr.; tel. 239/945-6116; www.capeharbour.com), a yachting community featuring quaint shops, boutiques, and restaurants, including Rumrunners (tel. 239/542-0200), a fun waterfront restaurant and bar.