Location: Fort Myers in USA
Car: necessary
Billed as 'Florida's tropical island getaway', Fort Myers Beach is a haven for Floridians themselves seeking a relaxing family vacation, as well as visitors from the rest of the United States and abroad. The locals favour it simply because it still smacks of 'old Florida', and while it offers endless sport and recreational activities like the more frenetic destinations of the east coast, this beautiful resort town on the Gulf of Mexico remains affordable, relaxed, friendly and casual. Situated on Estero Island, facing the Gulf, the palm-shaded Fort Myers Beach has a wide white sandy shoreline sloping gently into the ocean, and locals claim it is the world's safest beach. The village area is clustered along a tree-lined pedestrian walkway at the north end of the beach, offering shops and restaurants. The south is where numerous beach front resorts with condominiums and hotels have sprung up around Lovers Key State Park.