Florida, It’s Not Just for Old People.
Fort Myers is a sunny city full of life. The people are friendly. The mood is relaxed. The weather is gorgeous. There are wonderful restaurants serving diverse dishes, numerous college campuses offering differing programs, and beautiful beaches along the teal blue waters of the Gulf coast of Florida.
- Study in Paradise
Fort Myers is a great place for young people to live, especially college students. Currently, I attend Florida South Western State. It’s my second year here. So, when I say that it is great to live here, I am saying it from experience. Both on campus and off campus life has a lot to offer. Housing is affordable here and the dorms at FSW are spacious and offer a ton of amenities. Other colleges include Florida Gulf Coast University, and Southern Technical College. FGCU is really big and beautiful school. They offer a massive amount of degrees to choose from.
I am so looking forward to getting life back to normal after COVID. I am sure a lot of college students are on the same boat. I used to drive to campus and attend my classes there. It was nice to work with other students and meet other people who were around my same age. My friend lived on campus for a semester. His dorm was recently rebuilt and refurbished not too long ago. He lived with three other roommates and had two bathrooms in his room. He shared the bathroom with only one of his other roommates. He also had a full kitchen and a living area in his room. His building had its own pool and gym as well as private study rooms and plenty of parking. Compared to other dorm rooms that I have seen, ours are luxurious. Many dorm rooms don’t even have their own bathroom. I have a friend who goes to school in NH and she shares a public bathroom and public showers with the whole floor of her dormitory. If I were to live on campus, I would definitely want to live here in Fort Myers.
2. Authentic Restaurants
The restaurants in Fort Myers are amazing. There are so many different restaurants offering various dishes from all around the world. Some of the best restaurants in Fort Myers are Harold’s, Gusto Cucina Italiana, and Osteria Cell. These restaurants are a little bit on the pricey side but they offer wonderful award winning dishes and are worth the money. These restaurants are perfect for a date night or a night out with friends after a long week. There are many chain and fast food restaurants as well and sometimes this can be convenient with a busy schedule or on a limited budget. I’m not the biggest fan of fast food chains. That’s why when I am looking for something fast and cheap I stop at one of the many food trucks here in Fort Myers. Taco trucks and Empanada trucks seem to be everywhere are are pulled on the side of the road and tucked away in shopping plaza parking lots. When driving past them you can just smell the spice and frying oil. It’s almost impossible to not stop and get a quick taco.
3. White Sand Beaches
If you are moving to the area and only need one reason to come, the beaches here on the Gulf Coast of Florida are all the reason you need. Ft. Myers Beach has white sands and warm waters. College life can get stressful. I find that having world class beaches within minutes of where I live to be a great way to spend free time. The stress just melts away in the hot sun. There are great public beaches busy with people as well as small tucked away beaches that you get to know about when you become a local. If you are a beach lover like me, who has been to many many beaches, one thing you come to appreciate are clean public restrooms and well maintained parks. The beaches along the Gulf Coast tend to be well taken care of and offer clean facilities. My plan for this weekend actually includes a charcoal grilled lunch at a beach I found that has public grills.
4. Shop ‘til You Drop
If you are like me, you love shopping. If time is money, I’ve probably spent too much of both since I started living here. There is so much great shopping in Fort Myers and South West Florida in general. It’s easy to spend a day even if it is just window shopping with a great coffee in hand. In Fort Myers you’ll find the Edison Mall, which offers shops like Rue21, Askers Boutique, Designer’s Closet, American Eagle, Books-A-Million, and Vans. Bell Tower is another great place to shop and dine in Fort Myers. Unlike the Edison Mall, Bell Tower is an open air mall. I love to shop there at night and I sometimes enjoy dinner at one of Bell Tower’s many restaurants like DaRuMa Japanese Steak House, followed by a movie at Regal Cinema. There is a really cool store that many locals know called Butterfly Beach. I shop at Butterfly Beach when I want to find unique and affordable outfits for the beach.
5. They Don’t Call it the Sunshine State for Nuthin’
Having grown up in the North East, I have spent my fair share of winters stuck in a house with nothing to do. Life is just easier in the endless summer of South West Florida, and the weather allows for many events and fun outdoor activities. There are so many restaurants that offer outdoor seating. Some have beautiful views and the sunsets at dinner are amazing. Because Fort Myers is on the Gulf side of Florida, I often watch sunsets over the ocean. This is something I’ll never grow tired of, and not something I saw often growing up on a beach facing East into the Atlantic. Here in Fort Myers, the summers are hot, the spring and fall are warm, and the winters are comfortable and cool. It’s rarely ever cold. I get excited when I get to start wearing long pants. That mostly happens in December through February.
Take it from me, Fort Myers is a beautiful place to live. Before I moved here, I pictured Florida to be filled with retirees. I was nervous that I would not meet people my age. I didn’t know if the big step of moving would be worth it. I was told that the weather was too hot and sticky. They were wrong about it all. Except the traffic. They were kinda right about that.