Page 322 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

320  FL ORID A

constant use since Edison
invented them. The museum
displays personal items,
phonographs, and a 1916
Model T car that was given to
Edison by Henry Ford, his great
friend. Next door, the Ford
Winter Home has a few early
Ford cars on display.
The Fort Myers Historical
Museum, on Peck Street, is housed
in the former railroad station.
Interesting exhibits include a
Beachfront cottages on Sanibel Island, Lee Island Coast model of Fort Myers in the 1900s,
and a P-39 bomber that crashed in
j Lee Island Coast Costa Island – a beautiful, the 1940s. To the south of the city
untouched barrier island. are a handful of lively beaches.
k @ 2275 Cleveland Ave, Fort
Myers, (800) 231-2222. n 1159 Both islands are best known
Causeway Rd, Sanibel, (239) 472-1080. for their shells, and visitors soon k Big Cypress
Boat Services: Tropic Star (239) 283- get drawn into the shell-
0015; Captiva Cruises (239) 472-5300; collecting culture. Other less Swamp
North Captiva Island Club Resort (239) developed islands lie close by
395-1001. and can be explored by boat. Big Cypress National Preserve:
Tel (239) 695-1201. Open daily.
This coastline offers an irresistible O JN “Ding” Darling National Closed Dec 25. 7 Fakahatchee
combination of sandy beaches, Wildlife Refuge Strand Preserve State Park: Tel (239)
695- 4593. Open daily. 7 Audubon
beautiful sunsets, spectacular 1 Wildlife Dr., Sanibel. Tel (239) 472- of Florida’s Corkscrew Swamp
seashells, and exotic wildlife. Of 1100. Open Sat–Thu. Closed public Sanctuary: Tel (239) 348-9151.
the two most popular islands, hols. & 8 Open daily. & 7
Sanibel has manicured gardens
and rows of shops and Environs Home to several hundred
restaurants along Peri winkle Fort Myers, about 25 miles species of plants and animals
Way, the town’s hub. Most of the (40 km) east of the Lee Island including the endangered
beaches with public access are Coast, is an old-fashioned city Florida panther, this vast,
along Gulf Drive, the best being that was put on the map in the wetland basin features islands
Turner and Bowman’s beaches. 1880s by one of America’s most of slash pine, prairies, and
The Sanibel Captiva famous inventors, Thomas Alva hardwood hammocks. A third
Conservation Foundation on Edison (1847–1931). The Edison of the swamp is covered by
Sanibel-Captiva Road, protects a Winter Home is Fort Myers’ most cypress trees growing in long,
chunk of the island’s wetland. It enduring attraction. Edison built narrow forests or “strands.” The
has 4 miles (6 km) of boardwalk his estate in 1886, and the Tamiami Trail (US 41) stretches
trails and an observation tower, house, laboratory, and botanical from Tampa to Miami and cuts
which is a vantage point for gardens are much as he left directly through the swamp.
viewing birds. The JN “Ding” them. The laboratory contains Big Cypress National
Darling National Wildlife his original equipment and is Preserve is the swamp’s largest
Refuge occupies two-thirds of still lit by carbon filament light protected area at 729, 000 acres
Sanibel. Its wildlife includes bulbs, which have been in (295,015 ha). Visitors can stop
raccoons, alligators, and birds at the Oasis Visitor Center for
such as roseate spoonbills, bald information and enjoy the views
eagles, and ospreys. The popular from US 41. The Fakahatchee
scenic “Wildlife Drive” can be Strand Preserve State Park lies
covered by bike or car. Paths to the west. The few remaining
and canoe trails are lined with specimens of old growth
red mangrove and sea grape. cypresses, some of which are
Canoes and fishing boats are 600 years old, are found at Big
available for rent. Cypress Bend. The country’s
Captiva Island, the other largest cluster of royal palms are
popular island, is less also found here. Route 846 leads
developed. However, visitors to Audubon of Florida’s
can enjoy the ambience of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary,
the old-fashioned South Seas with its old-growth cypresses.
Plantation Resort with its busy It is famous for its birds and
marina, which is the starting Original equipment in Thomas Edison’s is a winter nesting area for
point for boat trips to Cayo laboratory, Fort Myers endangered wood storks.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp326–8 and pp329–31

320-321_EW_USA.indd 320 11/2/16 2:45 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm