Lee County · Newcomer Guide
Moving to Fort Myers
The region's working city — hospitals, the airport, spring training and a real downtown.
The honest overview
What Fort Myers is actually like
Fort Myers is where Southwest Florida does its business. It has the region's largest hospitals, the airport, two spring-training stadiums, the county government and a downtown River District that stays busy year-round rather than emptying in summer.
The city sprawls: historic McGregor Boulevard with its royal palms runs southwest toward Sanibel, Colonial and Daniels Boulevards run east to I-75, and the Gateway and Lehigh Acres areas east of the interstate carry a Fort Myers address with a completely different feel and price point.
For newcomers who want year-round life rather than a seasonal one, Fort Myers is usually the practical answer.
- County
- Lee County (county seat)
- Airport
- RSW — 15–25 minutes from most of the city
- Hospitals
- HealthPark, Gulf Coast Medical Center, Lee Memorial (Lee Health system)
- Electric
- FPL in most of Fort Myers; LCEC in parts of Lee County
- Spring training
- Red Sox at JetBlue Park, Twins at Hammond Stadium
- Beach
- Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island) — 25–40 minutes via Summerlin
Neighborhoods
Where people live in Fort Myers
Areas differ far more than the shared mailing address suggests — drive time, gate rules, utilities and price per square foot all change block to block.
River District (downtown)
Restored historic core with restaurants, galleries, monthly Art Walk and riverfront condos. The most walkable neighborhood in the county.
McGregor Boulevard corridor
Royal palms, older estates, Edison & Ford Winter Estates. Mature trees and larger lots.
Whiskey Creek & Iona
Established mid-century neighborhoods southwest toward Sanibel with lower HOA burden.
Gateway & Colonial Country Club
East of I-75 near the airport and JetBlue Park; newer housing and easy interstate access.
Fort Myers Shores / Buckingham
Rural east-county acreage along the Caloosahatchee with room for horses and RVs.
Lehigh Acres
Large, inexpensive inland grid east of the city. Cheapest entry point in the region and the longest commute west.
Beaches & water
Beach access and parking
Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island)
Seven miles of sand along Estero Blvd, still rebuilding after Hurricane Ian. Times Square and Bowditch Point at the north end.
Bunche Beach Preserve
Shallow flats and world-class birding on the way to Sanibel; a favorite for kayakers.
Lovers Key State Park
Between Fort Myers Beach and Bonita — a state park with its own fee and the quietest sand in the county.
Permit rules differ by county — see the SWFL beach parking guide.
Day-to-day
Groceries, healthcare, utilities and schools
Groceries & everyday shopping
- Publix — city-wide; Daniels Pkwy and College Pkwy locations are busiest
- Whole Foods and Trader Joe's near Daniels Parkway / Bell Tower
- Costco and Sam's Club off Colonial and Gulf Coast Town Center
- Downtown Fort Myers Farmers Market on Thursdays year-round
Healthcare
- Gulf Coast Medical Center — the region's largest campus and trauma center
- HealthPark Medical Center — includes Golisano Children's Hospital
- Lee Memorial Hospital — near downtown
- Salus/Encompass rehab and numerous specialty groups along Summerlin and Daniels
Who to call for utilities
- FPLElectric within most city limits
- City of Fort Myers Utilities / Lee County UtilitiesWater and sewer by address
- Waste Pro / Lee County Solid WasteCurbside collection
- Comcast/Xfinity, BrightspeedInternet
Schools
- Lee County School District — Fort Myers, Cypress Lake, South Fort Myers, Riverdale high schools
- Magnet and choice programs including Cypress Lake Center for the Arts
- Private: Canterbury School, Bishop Verot Catholic High School
- Higher ed: FGCU (Estero, 20 min), FSW State College main campus in Fort Myers
Getting around
Driving, traffic and season
Driving notes
- Colonial Blvd and Daniels Pkwy are the two main east-west connectors to I-75 (exits 136 and 131).
- Summerlin Road is the route to the beaches and Sanibel; it backs up badly on weekend mornings.
- Spring training in March adds heavy traffic near Daniels/Six Mile and Six Mile Cypress.
- The Midpoint and Cape Coral bridges to Cape Coral are tolled.
What season does
- Spring training (late February through March) is the single busiest traffic period.
- Season is less extreme than Naples because the year-round population is larger.
- Summer storms flood low points on Colonial and Six Mile Cypress quickly; avoid the underpasses in heavy rain.
Your vehicle
Moving a vehicle to Fort Myers
This is the part we deal with daily. It is short on purpose — the point of this guide is the move, not the sales pitch.
- Fort Myers has the best carrier access in Southwest Florida — wide commercial corridors, I-75 minutes away, and no gate restrictions in most neighborhoods.
- Because carriers already route through Fort Myers, pickups and deliveries here often dispatch faster and price slightly better than Naples or Marco Island.
- Terminal service near RSW is available when you are flying in and out and cannot meet the driver.
FAQ
Common questions about Fort Myers
Is Fort Myers cheaper than Naples?
How far is Fort Myers from RSW?
Which hospital is the trauma center?
Can you move my boat, golf cart, motorcycle or other toys too?
Shipping a car to Fort Myers?
Owner-operated and Naples-based. We know the gatehouses, the bridges and which streets a 75-foot rig cannot enter.